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Full Time Pole Star: Heidi Coker

Tags: body pole career

Heidi sent in some audio transcripts – this is Colleen’s best attempt at not just transcribing but also summing up Heidi’s key points more directly than a conversation.

Describe your daily routine. How long to you spend training in the studio or gym and how long to you spend at a computer doing the administrative stuff?

She left her full time job after 11 years and now still freelances as a sign language interpreter. Might be freelancing or at home doing nothing when not on tour. She likes spending time in the garden and taking care of her home. She doesn’t have a daily routine – it’s ever changing. The only thing that is consistent is that she wakes up and meditates (2-20 min) and has coffee. Her time at the studio she teaches at changes. She’s a big believer of listening to her body. When she comes back from touring, she needs to take some time off to rejuvenate her mind and body so, she might do 2 hours of training 2 days a week, or more when training for a competition. She doesn’t do any other gym regime other than handstands and experimental movement. She spends an hour a day at a computer – some days more or less with the following day making up for those “less” days.

Do you work with any other service professionals to help with the stuff you’re not good at or don’t like? Such as accounting, social media, tour scheduling?

She doesn’t work with anyone else to help with her “stuff.” She likes being in charge of what she does. She has worked with Poles on Tour since the end of 2013 however she is now doing more tour-booking herself. She does her own social media, accounting and taxes. 

Broadly, can you describe your income streams and frequency? For instance, do you make a regular salary at a studio + some merchandise sales? Or does all your income come in batches like from doing a tour?

She works at a studio but it’s only a couple of days a week. 80% of income comes from touring or private lessons at her home + her freelance sign language income. She has no passive income streams such as merchandise but is working on that.

How do you manage your daily/monthly budget?

She always tries to have money in savings – both short and long-term savings (in case of emergencies). She has learned to be aware of her monthly budget to run her household. On top of that she between 3-6 months of savings in case she was injured and needed to take time off.

Are you saving for retirement?

Yes. She started in her former profession and when she left, she has slowed that process, recently picking it back up. 

Do you have a partner, spouse, parent, roommate or other person that helps you? With meeting your budget, acting as support “staff,” or other?

No. She was married for almost 20 years and then divorced recently. Her former husband passed away also recently. She really likes her solitude although would appreciate having someone to watch her kitties while she’s on tour.

If you had another job before – what do you miss about it?

She did have another job as a sign language interpreter. She misses being in the school system because it’s fun to work with kids and see their growth and development. She recently accepted a long-term position working at an alternative high school with “troubled youth.” It was supposed to be 2 days a week, now 4 days plus an hour commute (each way). She missed being a constant part of kids’ lives and also missed the consistency of having somewhere to go each day with a consistent income. However, she does not think she could go back to that on a full time, every day basis. She likes the option to pick up “long term” jobs when she has the desire/opportunity and not being forced to do it.

Are you worried at all about longevity of your career? And of your body?

Since she’s known for “crazy” tricks, she’s currently researching ways to still be involved in the community but on a different level. When you listen to your body, she says, longevity is not an issue. She wants to shift into more of the mental training that goes on and connecting to the mental and emotional aspects of pole – a shift to maintaining longevity in a different way. Also coming up with passive income like merchandise and tutorial subscriptions. In terms of the body, we polers have to take care of it.

What is your self-care and recovery regime?

Multi-faceted: She has a neuro-muscular therapist (also chiropractor) + a dry needling professional. She sees them as needed which might be 1-2 times per week or 1-2 per month depending. She does a lot of physical therapy to keep her shoulders strong. Recovery also includes light stretching or other forms of modalities like yoga, meditation and hand stands to keep the body working but not always pole focused. Spending time alone, with other people and in other industries is important. She decompresses her feelings with others in the industry to keep an overall health and self-processing. Recovery is not just physical but also mind – body – spirit – emotion.

Have you ever been injured? How did that affect your career?

Early in her poling she had ongoing shoulder injuries because of over training. She had to work through some injuries which was painful and learned the importance of taking care of her body now that it is her career.

Is there anything you wish you knew before you started on this road?

Yes – after she decided to pole as a career (which was never her intention! It was always an outlet and pure joy) she received this advice: “You never make your hobby your income.” She wished she had heard that early on. When she was deciding to do pole full time, she asked everyone in the industry questions and everyone said to follow your passion and try. So that’s what she did – she dropped “everything” and went for it. What she wasn’t prepared for was the expectation – when it was her “job” she felt a pressure to create, to innovate, to show things. It’s not something “for fun” – she has to prepare to teach. She trained more when she worked full time then she did when it became her career.

Anything you recommend to aspiring pole-fessionals?

She recommends that if pole is an outlet for you then keeping it as an outlet might be a better option then solely relying on It as a career. It does change things when it becomes your “job.” She is mentally shifting to enjoy the process again and teach jointly and have balance.

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This post first appeared on Bad Kitty Blog | Pole Dancing Fitness Lifestyle Ne, please read the originial post: here

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Full Time Pole Star: Heidi Coker

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