The Black Nonprofits and Business Podcast · K. Holmes

For Black Women Who Are Fat. Fine. Confident & Getting Fit

·1 hr 7 min·5 clips

Ashley Redwood reveals how being Black, a woman, and plus-size in fitness made her feel she had to prove herself constantly.

This episode features host Kimberly Holmes interviewing Ashley Redwood, founder of the fitness brand Trap Cardio and owner of Elite Nutrition RVA. Redwood is a plus-size Black fitness coach who created a unique, body-positive workout community. The conversation explores her journey from a 325-pound new mother to a full-time entrepreneur. Redwood began her fitness journey at home using a Wii after giving birth, having reached a size 26 at 5'4". She became certified in Zumba in 2016 and Mixed Fit in 2019 but felt constrained by their rules and lack of cultural resonance. She initially created "Trap Zumba," which prompted a cease-and-desist letter from Zumba, leading to the official birth of Trap Cardio in 2018. While working a demanding job for the IRS with a long commute, she taught early morning and evening classes. A drunk driver displaced her family from their home for six months in 2018, adding to her challenges. During the 2020 pandemic, she moved classes to Facebook Live and YouTube, operating on a donation-based model that grew her national following. She took a two-week leave of absence from her government job to test the business, ultimately quitting in July 2020 with encouragement from coworkers who raised $500 for her. Her business grew, but her landlord, a Black woman, denied her lease renewal, leaving Trap Cardio without a home. Facing this while in personal bankruptcy, Redwood launched a GoFundMe that raised $17,000 in less than a month. A student who was a realtor found her a 10,000-square-foot space, and the landlord reduced the rent from $11,000 to $6,000 monthly. The community further supported her through an Amazon wish list, donating paint and equipment. Redwood notes that her perceived weaknesses—being a Black, plus-size woman—became her strengths, as clients connected with her authenticity. She emphasizes that Trap Cardio is built on self-love, not shame, and fosters a "cousin" and family environment. The brand has since expanded to a three-city tour and an international retreat. Redwood states she would accept investment but refuses to ever sell the company, wanting to preserve its authentic, community-driven edge. The tone is deeply conversational, inspirational, and transparent, with both women sharing laughs and moments of raw testimony about faith and struggle. The style is narrative, weaving a detailed story of entrepreneurial resilience against personal and systemic obstacles. This episode is perfect for Black women entrepreneurs, plus-size individuals on a fitness journey, or anyone seeking an authentic story of community-powered business growth. Listeners who prefer highly structured, data-driven business interviews without personal narrative might find it less engaging.

As heard by us

A fitness founder's grind becomes a clear-eyed story about confidence, business, and staying in her lane.

Ashley Redwood's story is a plainspoken account of building a fitness and wellness business while carrying more than one kind of scrutiny at once: being Black, being a woman, and being plus size.

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Why you'd press play

Need a real founder story about confidence, fitness, and keeping your lane?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

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