Be free, and don’t judge.
They’re Yuri Amor’s only rules in teaching her fitness classes known – and loved – for getting loud and crazy.
“There’s not enough compassion in fitness,” said Amor, founder and CEO of FitMix Communities, a Houston, Texas, venture focused on empowerment, wellness and connection. “I think compassion is the opposite of judgment.”
These days, Amor isn’t just teaching classes; she’s also taking them through PeopleFund’s Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) Accelerator Program, which serves under-resourced entrepreneurs. Over the course of eight weeks, Amor and other small-business owners stretch themselves in a different way with strategy and marketing coursework, one-on-one coaching, and by developing customized plans to grow their companies.
PeopleFund is what’s known as a CDFI – a community development financial institution. It provides the accelerator program at no cost to businesses across Texas thanks to support from community partners like the Regions Foundation, a nonprofit funded primarily by Regions Bank. The Regions Foundation has worked with PeopleFund for years, most recently donating $120,000 in support of its work to help more people from more backgrounds succeed in business and finances.
There’s not enough compassion in fitness. I think compassion is the opposite of judgment.
Yuri Amor, founder and CEO of FitMix Communities
While many entrepreneurs point to hope and excitement as motivating factors behind launching their companies, the origins of FitMix were the result of something far different: fear and depression.
“I was living in Angola at a time when safety was a great concern,” Amor explained. “All I could do was work out by myself. At the same time, I was paying a personal trainer to help my mom, who is legally blind. I decided to begin teaching virtual classes to my mom knowing I could provide a more personal experience for her.”
Amor’s path to PeopleFund was also personal.
“I’ve been friends with Anthony for years,” Amor said of Anthony Lopez, who serves as a small-business specialist with the CDFI.
Amor recalls the day she and Lopez were discussing challenges her original company’s streaming platform was facing. The moment led Lopez to offer advice from the dual perspective of small-business specialist and friend.
“He always tells me the truth,” Amor said. “He always does it in such a kind way. In yoga, we talk about walking in beauty. When Anthony says something, he says it that way.”
Lopez encouraged Amor to apply for the BIPOC Accelerator to help transform her business model. Now formally her coach, the two are creating stretch goals to expand FitMix’s reach and solidify its financial future.
“Yuri did not have a business plan when she started the accelerator,” said Lopez. “Now, she has a good draft of one, and our next step is to fine-tune it to allow her to maximize her streaming videos to the fullest.”
Amor has enjoyed investing sweat equity to move her from ideas to execution.
“I’m loving it,” she said. “I could see it in my mind, and it’s fun to now see it on paper. It’s been 10 years of fighting for this.”
If experience is the best teacher, Amor has proven herself a fighter not once, but twice. During the pandemic, streaming classes were essential, whether the company was ready or not. Amor then upped the ante by leading those classes at unexpected locations like The Museum of Fine Arts and area parks to infuse fitness with culture and nature.
“It was easy for me because I had done this so many times with my mom back in the day,” she said. “Things prepare you for what’s coming, but you don’t know that at the time. Back then, I was surviving; I didn’t think of it as learning.”
Today, Amor is running to keep up with group requests for in-person workouts at schools and senior centers, among other locations. FitMix’s backdrop may vary, but the constant is her commitment to creating a sense of inclusion for people of all ability levels.
“I involve everyone around me,” Amor said. “If you can affect your little circle, that ripple keeps going. I enjoy bringing the love to people.”
In addition to love, Amor also has an abundance of gratitude to Lopez for everything she’s learned to ensure she can teach more classes in the future.
“I feel like I want to tell everybody, ‘Try, apply, get to know them,’” she said. “There’s a thousand ways to do one thing. The ways they’re showing us are very structured; it lets me see things very clearly. They know what they’re doing. This has been a blessing.”
Providing 30 Years of Support to Under-Resourced Small-Business Owners:
Since its 1994 founding in Austin, Texas, PeopleFund has delivered more than $220 million in financial assistance to over 5,500 small businesses and $187 million in new market tax credits attracting $800 million in investments, resulting in a direct impact of over $1 billion to Texas’s economy.
About Regions Foundation
Regions Foundation supports community investments that positively impact the communities served by Regions Bank. The Foundation engages in a grantmaking program focused on priorities including economic and community development; education and workforce readiness; and financial wellness. The Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) corporation funded primarily through contributions from Regions Bank.