Out the Box: Shama Patel

Out the Box is a series on HoneeBee Gifts that focuses on local community notables who share a bit about their gifting life...and a little more. I am excited to share this feature with you and I hope you enjoy this up and personal look at gifting. It's kind of like peeking into someone's closet...but much more fun!

The Gift: Shama Patel

Today we are featuring Shama Patel, Owner of Flex + Fit. She is a woman of many talents: lawyer, artist, world's fastest texter and business owner.  I was so excited about the opening of Flex + Fit that I wrote about it a month or so before it opened in Center City. I was one of the first people to share the news of this great place and have kept in touch with Shama since the opening. Her next big venture is to grow Flex + Fit and its sister studio AIR. AIR is a fitness and culinary studio offering AIR, Hot and Barre classes. She is such an inspiration--gotta love a girl that follows her dream!

The Wrapping: Shama shares just a bit of her gifting life...

Best gift received: A care package that my friend Kaajal sent to me during my first month of law school. The package was filled with "artsy" items including hand-painted cappuccino cups, charcoal pencils, artist notecards, and lots of candy. The gift was her reminder for me not to get so caught up studying that I forget to make time for the things that I love.
Best gift given: A acrylic and oil painting that I painted. My friend loves my artwork so for her 30th birthday, I gifted a painting that I created just for her.
My "go-to" gift (to give): A healthy/fun cookbook
What's on your gift wish list:  I appreciate gifts that reflect my relationship with the gift giver...something thoughtful...not necessarily an expensive, material item.
Your most recent shopping splurge: A Macbook AIR!
Fill in the blank: I love shopping on etsy for one-of-a-kind, handmade products.

The Bow: Let's peek into the life of Shama...

On a Saturday afternoon you'd most likely find me...working on graphic design work for Flex + Fit. Graphic design work is my new creative outlet since I don't have the space to paint large canvases these days.
Favorite quote...Earn the right to be vain, choose to be humble.
I am most inspired by...people. Take the time to get to know people and learn their stories--they are who inspire me in business and my personal life.
I'd love to meet...Bethenny Frankel. She came from nothing and built a global empire and brand that is an inspiration to me. She's a strong, witty woman with a sharp tongue...I find her very easy to relate with!

Bzzz...If you want to learn more about Shama and her business, visit www.flexandfit.com or www.shamapatel.com. Also, if you are interested in becoming a franchise owner with Flex + Fit please email info@flexandfit.com to obtain a franchise application.

photo source: bizjournals/charlotte.com

The Spotlight: Flex + Fit

One normal day in Uptown I was driving along and saw an unassuming sign about Flex + Fit but under the sign is what caught my eye. It included some of the services the company would provide...yoga and cooking classes, you say? Not to take anything away from Charlotte but with a place like this I was wondering if I was still in it. Flex + Fit sounded so interesting and different-I was immediately intrigued.

After connecting with owner Shama Patel, I found out a few tidbits that made me fall in love with the place even more...so much so that I had to share with HoneeBee followers even though the place doesn't open until May, which is not normally my style but don't worry I will let you know when the grand opening is and give you a few gift ideas in the meantime.

Telling you that Flex + Fit (FF) is a health club doesn't do it justice. Yes, FF will have four studios where various exercise classes will take place including air yoga (where you can hang from hammocks...yes hammocks!) and spin classes where there will be large theatre screens projecting images that allow you to feel like you are literally moving in the studio. As Patel told me one of the images "feels like you are riding through the hills of Hawaii". Personal training sessions are also available. Now don't forget I mentioned cooking! In addition to the fitness studios, FF will host cooking kitchens where local chefs show you how to eat well and all participants walk away with a recipe. A great combination to your workouts, no?

Flex and Fit will also include a retail center, tea and smoothie bar and art! In addition to opening this beautiful club, Patel is an artist and her art will adorn the walls of FF and she hopes to bring in other artists too. When asked about this concept and why, she simply told me "I knew I needed to do something different". And guess what? She did it and I can't wait to see it in the flesh in May.

Here are a few gift ideas (below) that I sprinkled throughout my post. These would be good for the fitness nut, your bestie who is bored with her current fitness regime, your bro who needs to learn how to cook, man cannot live on pizza alone and anyone that is ready to try something new in the world of fitness and cooking.

Gift ideas

• fitness class passes- I don't know about you but I'd like to spin through Hawaii!


• cooking class passes- Learn how to cook healthy in the same place you are trying to exercise to be healthy? Yes, please!


• Artwork- original artwork is very subjective but a great gift when you know the giftee's style


• Personal Training sessions for you and your boo- take time out to get fit together!

source: flexandfit.com