Success stories are often measured by growth, revenue, and achievement.
But for Valencia Hagos, success looks a little different.
For the veteran, mother, and owner of BODYBAR Pilates Shadow Creek, success is rooted in relationships. It is found in friendship, community, faith, and the intentional use of time.
In this inspiring episode of The Franchise Woman Podcast, Valencia shares her deeply personal journey from military service and federal government work to franchise ownership, while navigating profound personal loss and building a business centered on connection and belonging.
A Life Built on Service
Before becoming a franchise owner, Valencia served in the military and later worked in the federal government. She also spent time as a flight attendant with American Airlines, a role she still remembers fondly.
Her experiences took her around the world, including a period living in Kuwait with her husband and children. While the move brought unique experiences and strengthened family bonds, it also highlighted something that would become a recurring theme throughout her life: the importance of relationships.
Living far from family and familiar support systems reinforced how much community matters during life’s challenges and transitions.
Friendship as a Foundation
When Rebecca Monet asked Valencia about the common thread running through her life, her answer was immediate: friendship.
For more than fifteen years, Valencia has been part of a women’s church group that evolved from a simple gathering into a true sisterhood. The relationships formed through that group became a support system through marriages, parenting, celebrations, challenges, and loss.
What began as monthly meetings and shared activities eventually became something much deeper.
The women became family.
Their spouses became friends. Their children grew up together. They supported one another through life’s highest highs and lowest lows.
For Valencia, those relationships became proof that community isn’t something that simply happens—it is something intentionally built over time.
Navigating Loss Through Faith
One of the most moving parts of the conversation centers around the loss of Valencia’s husband.
Rather than glossing over the pain, she speaks openly about the reality of grief.
There were difficult days. There were tears. There were seasons where simply moving forward felt overwhelming.
Yet through it all, faith remained a constant source of strength.
Valencia describes relying on prayer, trusting God’s guidance, and looking for signs that she was moving in the right direction. She credits both her faith and her support network with helping her continue to move forward while raising her children and rebuilding her life.
Her story serves as a reminder that resilience isn’t about avoiding hardship. It’s about finding the strength to keep going through it.
Finding BODYBAR Pilates
Entrepreneurship was not originally part of Valencia’s plan.
Following her husband’s passing, she stepped away from her government career to focus on her family and her own healing. While exploring investment opportunities, she began researching franchise concepts.
That’s when BODYBAR Pilates appeared.
What followed felt almost providential.
During conversations with the franchise team, she connected with people who understood grief, service, and perseverance. Multiple interactions reinforced her belief that this opportunity was aligned with where she was supposed to be in that season of life.
For Valencia, the decision to invest in BODYBAR wasn’t simply a business decision.
It was a calling.
The Value of Time
Another recurring theme throughout the interview is Valencia’s perspective on time.
After experiencing loss, she developed a much deeper appreciation for how precious time truly is.
She speaks candidly about how easy it is to assume there will always be more time—more time for conversations, more time for relationships, more time to pursue dreams.
Now, she approaches life differently.
She makes time for her children. She prioritizes meaningful relationships. She intentionally reaches out to friends and family, even if it’s as simple as sending a text message or a heart emoji to let someone know they are loved.
Her message is powerful:
Don’t wait.
Have the conversation. Make the call. Take the opportunity. Spend time with the people who matter.
Tomorrow is never guaranteed.
Creating Community Through Business
One of the reasons Valencia has been successful as a franchise owner is because she approaches business through the lens of relationships.
At BODYBAR Pilates Shadow Creek, community isn’t a marketing strategy—it’s a core value.
She encourages her team to learn members’ names, discover their interests, and help create connections between people. She wants members to feel seen, valued, and welcomed every time they walk through the door.
She believes people stay where they feel appreciated.
That philosophy extends to her employees as well. Birthdays are celebrated. Milestones are recognized. Team members are treated like family.
For Valencia, business is ultimately about people.
When people feel connected, they thrive.
Leading as a First-Time Business Owner
Like many entrepreneurs, Valencia admits there were countless lessons she learned along the way.
Construction delays, permits, operational systems, hiring decisions, financial management—each challenge presented a new learning opportunity.
Her favorite phrase became:
“You don’t know what you don’t know.”
Rather than pretending to have all the answers, she embraced learning, leaned on experienced mentors, and surrounded herself with people who could help fill knowledge gaps.
That humility has become one of her greatest strengths as a leader.
Building a Legacy
Perhaps the most inspiring part of Valencia’s story is her commitment to leading by example.
Today, she is pursuing a Doctorate of Business Administration—not because she needs it to run her business, but because she wants to demonstrate to her children that growth never stops.
She wants them to understand that setbacks do not define their future.
She wants them to see what perseverance looks like.
And she wants them to know that no matter where you start, you can accomplish extraordinary things when you commit yourself fully.
Final Thoughts
Valencia Hagos’ story is ultimately about much more than business ownership.
It’s about choosing faith in difficult seasons.
It’s about investing in relationships.
It’s about recognizing the value of time.
It’s about creating community wherever you go.
And it’s about showing others what’s possible through your example.
As Valencia reminds us, life is precious, time is limited, and the relationships we build along the way are often our greatest source of strength.
That’s a lesson every entrepreneur—and every person—can benefit from remembering.