From Broadway star to Fitness Entrepreneur, Amanda Kloots has made a name for herself and developed an ever loyal and growing fan-base on social media. What started as a jump-rope class, grew into a suite of cult-favorite workouts that inspired Kloots to recently start her own digital fitness brand. Despite the challenges of launching a company during the COVID-19 era, which for Kloots has been made all the more challenging as her husband Nick Cordero has been battling the virus, she recently launched AK! Subscription Series. For $9.99 members get access to a full digital streaming library, with new videos added each week, and have unlimited access to Kloots’ unique brand of positive, high-energy workouts.

“The years I spent being as a dancer and actor in New York City gave me the thickest skin,” Amanda Kloots said. “When you are auditioning everyday, competing against the most talented people for maybe five spots in a show, being told ‘No’ over and over again for 16 years- you learn a lot.”

Despite constant rejections, Kloots was able to land jobs on Broadway, and with the Radio City Rockettes, which taught her invaluable lessons in fortitude and perseverance. 

“I worked so hard to make that dream come true and then keep that dream alive and growing for 16 years,” Kloots said. “When you don’t get a job, you learn how to overcome hard times, sadness, competition and how important it is to fail in order to succeed. All of that, all of those important lessons prepared me to start my own company.”

When a closed Broadway show left Kloots without work again, she started her own company, and it all began with a jump rope class.

“I had an idea that I felt was unique and that I truly believed in so I (literally) jumped in, and took a leap of faith,” Kloots said. “When I started my jump rope class, it was definitely not an overnight success, not even close. Often times, no one would show up to class. But regardless, I would film content and post about it like I had a full house! I knew that I was on to something great, I just had to make everyone see.” 

After some press began to take note of her contagious energy and her innovative approach to building a fitness brand and classes, people started to fill the room. Six months after that first leap of faith, Kloots’ classes were sold out with waitlists. 

“From there I created a dance cardio class that combined my love for dance, choreography and performing into one,” Kloots said. “It’s been four years and I keep creating, keep developing and keep pushing myself just like if I was doing a 5 show day at Radio City Music Hall.”

Kloots recently launched her own digital fitness business at AmandaKloots.com, which allows her to share her brand of workouts with people everywhere. She unknowingly launched the site just as COVID-19 started to change the way we live our lives, and just weeks before husband Nick Cordero went to the hospital with Coronavirus in early March.

“Ironically my circumstances helped me finally pull the trigger,” Kloots said. “I have been wanting to do something online for awhile, but I was stalling myself. It was never the right time, or I didn’t have a good space, film crew, hair and makeup, lighting and sound. I thought it had to be perfect. When quarantine hit, the world changed. Suddenly the need to have perfect videos no longer seemed like what was important. People just craved content and connection. I had some videos saved and I again took a leap of faith and just put it all together and launched a susbscription series. I wanted to do something that was super affordable, very easy to do at your home or anywhere and something that anyone could be a part of.”

Kloots has grown a larger social media presence since her family has been publicly battling the virus, and the support she has received from followers has helped both her personal brand and her business grow in this difficult time.

“I feel so lucky to have this army of people from all over the world cheering me on,” Kloots said. “It was helped me and my business tremendously through the hardest time in my life. I have tried to listen to my followers and hear their needs in order to stay healthy and committed. I think I offer a program that supports positivity, happiness and progress and I look forward to hearing what people want and creating more content to uplift the AK membership base.” 

Kloots hopes that her business will continue to help inspire and motivate her membership base, for those who have followed her journey, she is a pillar of strength, positivity and hope.

“I do hope I can continue teaching fitness and creating new programs to help people attain their goals,” Kloots said. “I hope that I can continue to grow my business and support my family. One of my mantras that I have always believed, but even more so now—I believe fitness should be something you look forward to doing. We are so lucky to be able to move our bodies, to get out of bed, stand on two feet, to run, to jump, to skip to smile! Never take one day for granted.”

Since our interview, Amanda Kloots’ husband, Nick Cordero tragically lost his fight against COVID-19. To support Amanda Kloots and her family, please visit their GoFundMe page here.