Starting a Business from the Road

Starting your own business is really hard. And starting your own business, while on the road and traveling full-time, during the midst of a global pandemic? Well that’s just crazy! But I’m constantly reminded of the famous quote: “If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.” Through my own personal experiences, and those of my close family and friends, I discovered that my true passion is helping others transition to a healthy lifestyle. This passion not only fueled me to become a transformational health coach and start my own wellness business, but it gave me a focus—I wanted to live a more simplified life so I could focus on truly helping others. And for me, simplified living meant moving into a 24-foot Class C RV and traveling across the country to meet and help people. And while I may live in a small space, I still have big goals and big dreams. And, most importantly, I love what I do.

Starting a Business from the road: A Q&A with Kirsten Womack.

How did you begin your RV journey?

I can’t talk about my RV journey without also talking about my health journey. Ten years ago, I was diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder called Graves’ disease. The following year, I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had two major surgeries. After experiencing all of this and not only reflecting on my own health, but the health of my immediate family, I realized that I needed to better educate myself on what it means to live a whole, healthy lifestyle. And, more importantly, I needed to share that information with others—not just my loved ones, but with people all across the country. I quickly realized that an RV is (quite literally) the perfect vessel to share my health knowledge with many different people in many different locations.

What is your business and how did it start?

In 2016, my husband Mack and I launched our very own fitness training and healthy living company called Move with Mack. What started out as a Florida-based company soon turned into a completely remote, RV-based business.

Mack has always had a passion for fitness and exercise. He served in the U.S. Army for eight years, and while stationed in Germany, he played football on a German-American team and was a member of the Army’s boxing league. After leaving the Army, Mack turned his passion into a full-time career and became a certified personal trainer. By working with clients and helping them achieve their fitness goals, Mack’s mindset began to shift—from one that blamed progress (or lack of) on external factors to a much more positive mindset that emphasized change within one’s self. 

Around this same time, I decided to pursue health and nutrition more seriously as well. I became a Master Certified Health Coach and received additional certifications in both lifestyle and weight management, and nutrition and health. And between the two of us—Mack being the muscle and myself being the hustle—Move With Mack launched with a wide variety of offerings and expertise.

When did you realize you wanted to involve RVing with your business?

Initially, a big part of our business was centered around events. We would work with various organizations to host wellness discussions and teach fitness classes at their conferences and conventions. And it was there, at a convention in October 2019, that I first heard about the concept of full-time RVing. One of the speakers at the convention spoke about having a career, all while living in an RV with her husband and three kids, and she had never happier or healthier. Her words sparked a fire within us. Immediately after we got home from that convention, Mack and I began researching all we could about RVs and the RV lifestyle. And the more we read, the more we realized this was exactly what we wanted. So, on February 28, 2020, we purchased our very first RV—a 2019 Entegra Odyssey Class C.

How did Covid-19 impact your business? What did you do to maneuver a pandemic?

Less than 30 days after purchasing our new rig, we were hit with stay at home orders. Not only were we facing the reality of having to quarantine at home, but we also wouldn’t be able to attend conventions or mass gatherings—a part of our business we had really come to enjoy and rely on. Luckily, Mack and I had created a lot of digital classes and were able to still coach our clients virtually, but we refused to let the state of the world have a negative impact on our dreams. So, instead of using the RV to travel locally or travel to a select few conventions, we decided to make it our daily life and share our message with people along the way.

We recognize that the convention speaker who opened our eyes to a whole new way of living was a major blessing, and we are so incredibly grateful for her. Living the RV lifestyle has provided us with an opportunity to both explore the beauty of the United States and spread our belief that a wellness routine is key to vitality and happiness. Being healthy is so much more than just diet and weight—it’s a mindset. Since moving into the RV, not only have we started to move more and cook healthier meals, but we experience nature almost daily, our stress levels have gone down and we find countless moments to be thankful for—all things that are tied to health and wellness. It all starts and ends with you; you just need to be willing to try something new.

The Womacks travel in a 2019 Entegra Odyssey.