iStroll: Infant business targets moms with infants

On a stiflingly hot Friday, Megan Ormon leans into the stroller containing her toddler son, stretching while exhorting five other stroller-pushing mothers at Basil Griffin Park to get warmed up for an hour-long workout.

Other toddlers look on, some mimicking their mothers' warm-up routines and some munching on snacks in the grassy, shaded area near the park's exit.

It's another day at work for Ormon, owner of the new iStroll fitness franchise in Bowling Green. Started in June, the local iStroll is part of a national organization catering to new parents who want to continue their fitness routines.

Ormon admits the local iStroll is taking its first baby steps, but the 31-year-old believes she has found a niche with this new venture that allows mothers to get in an outdoor workout while still spending time with their children.

"I stepped out of the workforce when I gave birth to my first son," Ormon said. "It's hard to work in fitness as a mom and try to work out day care.

One of my friends from college was participating in iStroll in Macon, Ga. I loved the idea of moms being able to bring their kids to the workout. The owner of iStroll nationally is from Clarksville, Tenn. I traveled down to their group a few times and fell in love with the moms there. They were so supportive of each other. When the kids were getting fussy or something, no one cared."

It's that camaraderie and shared parenting experience that makes iStroll attractive, Ormon said. Mothers can pay a monthly fee of $40 and work out each Monday, Wednesday and Friday morning at Basil Griffin Park. They also meet every other Saturday morning at Covington Woods Park. Mothers also have the option of paying for a set number of individual classes that incorporate running, stretching and weight training.

Promoting iStroll through a website and a Facebook page, Ormon has seen it grow to a core group of a half-dozen or so.

"I think moms have been waiting for an opportunity like this that lets them stay active without having to worry about what they're going to do with their kids," Ormon said. "Fitness is important to them. They want to set a good example for their kids.

"The kids will jump in and do the exercises with us. We're modeling the importance of fitness while staying in shape ourselves."

That's a concept that resonates with Ashley Buchanon, one of the regulars at Ormon's classes. Mother of a 3-year-old boy and a 10-month-old girl, Buchanon is a former schoolteacher who left the workforce to become a full-time mom.

"After the birth of my daughter, I was looking for ways to continue an exercise routine and feel better about myself," Buchanon said as she sipped water during a break between activities. Enter iStroll.

"It's great to be able to bring my kids with me and not have to worry about child care. I have conversations with the other moms about parenting while we work out. My son will do some of the stretches, and we talk about why we drink water while we're out here. He sees that it's important to be healthy and in shape."

Another iStroll regular, Lauren Hills, has lived in Bowling Green for less than a year and was glad to find an opportunity to stay fit while making friends for herself and her children, ages 4 and 2.

"I had been looking for a place to work out and a place for my kids to meet other children," Hills said. "They like playing with the other kids.

"Just having a schedule and feeling accountable helps. And I love to be outside. I'm not a gym person, so this is a great alternative. And you're not just working out. You're making friends, and that's important."

That's exactly the business model iStroll founder Tess Partridge was aiming for when she started the business in 2015. A former college soccer player, Partridge dreamed up the idea after having her first child in 2013.

Partridge's idea started with a single business in Clarksville and has since grown to include eight locations that use workout schedules developed by Partridge. Franchise owners like Ormon pay a modest franchise fee of $150 but must also earn Group Fitness Instructor certification.

"It has kinda evolved," said Partridge, who now lives in Tampa, Fla. "When I first started, I said I would be happy with 10 people coming to the classes. We have a lot more than 10 now."

Partridge revealed that iStroll locations will soon open in St. Petersburg, Fla., and in North Dakota.

"We have inquiries about opening locations all the time," she said. "But we have to be super selective. Our success depends on the success of the local franchises.

"We have to be sure the people who open locations are people we can work with. Starting out, I had only two people in Tennessee. Megan has started well in Bowling Green."