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Women of Distinction

Lisa Druxman, Stroller Strides
By Judith A. Habert
Photos by Karen Kripalani

It was the most basic of desires that became the impetus for was to learn from their experience. As it turned out she
this San Diego Woman to build an empire. Lisa Druxman would be the one providing a valuable service to moms ev-
was on maternity leave from her job as General Manager of erywhere. It was an unexpected phone call from KUSI that
the Sporting Club in La Jolla and she was savoring every would help play a role in molding an idea into a full fledged
moment that she had with her precious little baby boy. The business.
thought of returning to work was weighing heavy on her Lisa had often provided fitness reports to the TV station and
mind. As a fitness professional (having worked in every as- they knew that they could call on her to share“feel good” sto-
pect of the business) it was unnatural for Lisa not to partici- ries with their viewers. This particular night when the phone
pate in a daily workout. Knowing that her days of maternity call came asking if Lisa would fill in for a guest who had can-
leave were quickly dwindling away, she hated the thought celled at the last minute, Lisa decided that it might be time
of taking time away from her son to work out. As a result, to spread the word about her new exercise concept. With
she came up with a method that would allow her to exercise no business plan, phone number, or email address she went

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without having to drop him off at daycare: She created a on and told of her simple, yet effective routine that any mom
workout based around her daily outings with her baby. could do with the use of her stroller and the great outdoors.
Off the top of her head she told of a grand opening in Mis-
Her son was barely four months old, but she could tell he sion Valley which would demonstrate her program. At the
loved this part of their day together as much as she did. time, there was no grand opening planned. By the time she
The thought soon entered her mind that there were prob- arrived home, her email was loaded with 75 new requests for
ably other moms who would like to be able to do the same information. In all of her previous appearances combined,
with their babies. It was this thought, along with a desire to she had not received this many inquiries. It suddenly hit her
network with other moms, that led her to share her exercise that her idea was good, women were interested, and she
program. would be having a grand opening in Mission Valley. She set
upon making “Stroller Strides” - the name she had come up
As a first time mom Lisa was facing new challenges daily as with for her new exercise program, a viable business entity.
her little boy passed through the various stages of develop- She made some calls to the local media; spread the
ment: A main reason she wanted to be around other moms
May/June 2008