Dominique Quarles is a Certified Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist and Pelvic Floor educator. She’s the mom of two girls with the tenacity of a lion. Dominique began her career in the fitness industry, but in 2015 after giving birth, she developed postpartum depression. With nowhere to turn, she created an online space for women to share their experiences. What was lacking was education and guidance, so with that in mind, she created AlphaBabe Fitness.
AlphaBabe Fitness was created for strong determined women who have the patience to love their body through every phase of postpartum. Her priority is to educate and teach women about their body, the correct way, during postpartum.
Dominique completed her certification for postpartum coaching and teachings about pelvic floor rehabilitation and now operates an online coaching forum. She educates and coaches women through corrective exercise and holistic healing techniques.
What do you do? Can you tell us about your path to AlphaBabe Fitness?
I am first a mother of two amazing little girls, and second an educator. I educate women through knowledge and experience on pregnancy and postpartum. There were many areas during both my pregnancies that I wasn’t educated on. Many things that come about during postpartum, so with a passion to learn more about the body and teach other women, I grew into helping others. I’m a Certified personal trainer, Certified Postpartum/Prenatal Coach, and Certified Postpartum Corrective Exercise Specialist with education in pelvic floor rehab. I share the knowledge I’ve learned while getting my certifications, and apply it in teaching and helping women heal their bodies, regardless of which phase they are in.
How did you create the brand? What pushed you to change gears?
My brand started as Momsbetterliving, an online forum for women to discuss their experiences during pregnancy and postpartum. It was my way to help with my postpartum depression during the time. I had no one to turn to who understood what I was feeling.
I found hope and solace in meeting other women who were experiencing similar things. Over the years it turned into AlphaBabe Fitness because restoring the mind and body is not just limited to pregnant or postpartum women. It starts before. Correcting the body and mind begins even before you decide to have a child.
Many of my clients who don’t have kids, don’t know how to connect with their body through correct breathing or exercise by doing the correct movements. So, teaching begins now.
How does your brand work?
My brand works, and this might sound cliché, but it works through my clients. My clients are what build this brand. Without their consistent work ethic, their results, and reviews I would not have a brand.
Can you share an important tip or something the readers can do to help themselves?
One important element of corrective exercise is connecting with your body through deep breathing. This is important for anyone to understand and grasp. Without the proper function of your core, pelvic floor, and diaphragm your body will not move and stimulate balance the way it needs for strength. So teaching my clients how to breathe into their canister (core, diaphragm, pelvic floor) is beneficial in many elements of healing painful or uncomfortable areas of the body.
Explain the challenges you went through while you were working on brand creation. What are the challenges you go through on an everyday basis?
Postpartum depression has been my nemesis. The highs and lows of raising two little girls is tough some days. I don’t have the help to say, “you go play with daddy, so mommy can work.” No, it does not work that way (as I smile). But, because I’m so driven to show them that mommy can do it, nothing will stop me. The fire inside continues to light the way for me.
I do most of my work at night when they are asleep. So late nights and early mornings is really my thing lol. But I help myself and take care of myself by showering my body with love when I feel those low moments of depression creep up.
It’s hard to see the successes of others on social media and then compare yourself to where you are. You wonder why you cannot be where they are. But, I think that once I stopped comparing things, and really valuing each phase of my brand and where it is going, it started to click more for me. Each and every day is a new experience that cultivates new levels of AlphaBabe Fitness.
Eventually, the seeds being planted will blossom. I also like to highlight having the right people in your corner to keep you grounded and motivated is key. There is one person in my life that sees me and my brand in a totally different aspect and he keeps me fighting to make it bigger. I love him for that.
How do you manage your finances? How did you fund your business?
It is very important to have documentation and accounting set up. I don’t know what I would be doing if I did not have someone maintaining the funds for me. Hiring a personal accountant may seem like it’s not necessary, but it keeps the books balanced and your mind at rest at night,
Tell us your future vision. What is your dream about taking it to the next level?
You know, honestly, I see AlphaBabe Fitness international. Which is starting — yay! Working with clients in France and exposure to other countries is very exciting. I do not have dreams because I know the Universe is working for me. So, AlphaBabe Fitness will be speaking on an international level about restoring the postpartum body through holistic methods of connective breathing.
I’m confident of it going far because I know women need this information. It’s valuable to my community of women to be educated on loving their body through proper corrective exercise. The snapback/rush of looking like your favorite celebrity or influencer is NOT key nor should it be. By teaching proper love and care for the postpartum body, the brand will be respected and viewed on an entirely different level. It will show women they can slow down and still get to the point in their journey, but it will be a place for valuing their body differently.
What message would you like to give to anybody who has a plan of creating something of their own and making a living through it?
I tell anyone who is building a brand and wanting to live through it, make sure you are cultivating a brand that educates. It has to be something that your audience wants from you. You can’t just throw a message on a shirt and say you’re making t-shirts now. It has to tie into your overall audience and what they want to hear from you. If you can create a message through your brand that resonates with your audience where they begin to live, breathe, and echo through their actions then you have created a legacy.
Company name: AlphaBabe Fitness
Email: Dominique.m.quarles@gmail.com
Website: alphababe-fitness.com
Instagram: @alphababefitness
