Combining her business education and passion for fitness, Alexa Nykanen, DMSB'18, found the ‘perfect co-op' at BURN Fitness Studios, a boutique gym in Boston. Nykanen had always been interested in health and exercising, hoping to eventually take over her mother's fitness studio in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, where she grew up.
Nykanen, took the initiative on securing her co-op by reaching out to the studio's owner Jonathan Cruz in May 2015. She was ultimately offered a part-time job as a studio manager and yoga instructor. One of her most important responsibilities is increasing membership at the new Back Bay location, something she focuses on by referencing lessons from her business classes.
“I've pulled out my notes and gone over them to help me shape the ideas I bring to the table,” said Nykanen about her marketing and consumer behavior courses. “What you learn is that customer satisfaction is huge, that the price members pay has to reflect the value they receive.”
By integrating her passions and education, Nykanen has found the ‘perfect co-op' and encourages her fellow Huskies to find their own, too.