Seven years out of Bentley, Julie Marina Ross ’00 (far left) had a successful career at PricewaterhouseCoopers – and an entrepreneurial spirit she was keen to exercise. 

“I was constantly thinking of business ideas,” says Ross, whose gym workouts with a personal trainer, Lauren Hendry (right), would often turn into brainstorming sessions.  One idea: opening a fitness facility of her own.

“Lauren came up with a niche, since there are so many gyms in the Boston area,” explains the former Accountancy major. “She suggested focusing on pregnant women and new mothers. It was an untapped market.”

The fresh approach won Ross over – and won Hendry a business partner. In February 2008, the two women opened Mamas Move in Norwell, Mass. The center offers women’s fitness programs and a wide variety of classes geared toward children, from baby yoga to kiddo karate.

While Hendry manages the fitness programming, Ross focuses on the business side of the operation: finance, accounting and business planning. But her favorite part of the job is helping to cultivate the sense of community among gym members.

“Mamas Move is more than just a gym; it’s a big part of our members’ lives,” she observes. “For a lot of new moms, having young children can be isolating. Our programs bring people together during a potentially challenging time.”

The alumna speaks from experience. A few months after the center opened, Ross found out she was pregnant with her first child.

Since then, Mamas Move has relocated to a space more than double its original size and broadened programs to include children age 7 and under. One regular participant is Ross’s 3-year-old daughter, Marina. Baby No. 2 is due later this year.

“They have truly grown simultaneously,” Ross says of her business and her family. “The timing is wonderful because I’m able to experience the lifecycle of our programs firsthand.”