Buffalo Boss Babe : Tabitha Sweeney

We all have traumatic experiences that we all go through in life. Whether we lie it or not, its these experiences that shape who we are. It can be really scary sharing our stories, but with vulnerability comes growth, healing and strength. I applaud Tabitha’s ability to be open with us, her tenacity to push through and resilient spirit to create a business around it all. Read her story and follow her here!

@VitalityBuffalo @tabithalynnsweeney

What made you start or brought you where you are today ? Tell us your Story. What makes you a Buffalo Boss Babe?

What a question! I opened the doors to Vitality Buffalo in 2017; at that time, it was a family-friendly fitness studio. I had been in the fitness industry for several years & had two small babies at home. Becoming a mom left me with heavy PPD & a lot of new insecurities I hadn’t previously experienced. The biggest realization I had was regarding the hole that the industry had when it came to moms. I wanted to create a safe space for moms that eliminated guilt for 30 minutes or so out of their day. I built a studio and painted in warm, soft colors. There were no mirrors on the walls, and there were mini sizes of every piece of equipment. There was a playroom & a kitchen, and a changing table with extra clothes and diapers. There were snacks in the cupboards and excersaucers on the workout floor. Moms could come in late, leave early, or sometimes come in and not work out. They could hold space for themselves and the changes their body and lives were going through while learning to accept where they were today. In 2020 COVID shut down the studio for several months. That time showed me something I had never considered. I LOVE coaching & fitness was simply my tool. My goal was never to help women lose weight or shrink themselves to find the validation they were looking for. My goal was to empower them to realize they weren’t broken just because their body changed. Alongside that, I wanted to make sure they knew they were not under any obligation to want their old body back. To help them turn and walk away from the next trainer who says, “get your body back.” My passion for fitness began fading after my return from COVID, and I craved a more flexible schedule than fitness could offer me. I wanted more time with my kids. My bucket was overflowing from doing more mindset work with clients off the fitness floor, and I realized that going virtual could help more women worldwide. In July 2022, I finally closed the fitness portion of my business. With four years left on my lease, I transformed the space into a gorgeous, shabby chic co-working space with magical energy. I am still working on my exact title because I don’t resonate with the word coach much, but it is the thing I have been searching for my whole life. I don’t recognize the girl who opened the doors in 2017 anymore. Her growth has been exponential & I am so proud that she never gave up on herself.

Who are your favorite people to follow ?

Famous People I follow: @glennondoyle : She’s my spirit animal and my number one @simone.grace.seol : for marketing encouragement and reminders that align with my soul @brenebrown & @melrobbins : for general pick me ups @thenutritiontea : Love her outlook on nutrition @the.holistic.psychologist : adore her explanations @alexlight_ldn : all about body image @stephaniechinnart : the most incredible artist Locals: @Eats_nutrition_ : amazing human and nutritionist @ottcounseling : trauma informed therapist @barebybarrile : one of my favorite boudoir photographers @herstorybuffalo : inspiration and amazingness always And of course: @buffalobossbabes

What are your favorite things to do in the area ? Buffalo and greater WNY

My absolute favorite place to go when I need to reconnect is the eternal flame. There is something about that trail that is magical for me. I also love checking out other parts of the ridge and hiking trails in WNY. Letchworth, Alleghany, Java, Zoar Valley, Ellicottville. I also enjoy going down to Canalside and the outer harbor. One of my favorite things is to take the kayaks, pack a picnic, and head to Chautauqua Lake for the day. I’m game for about anything outside, where no one cares if I take off my shoes!

Tell us about your favorite collaboration or dream collaborations ?

I have dreams of hosting a weekend retreat with other incredible women who work and serve the same goal as I do. An entire weekend of helping women understand that they hold value as they are. They don’t need to shrink themselves, soften their voice or change a thing. I went to a conference once in Boston for fitness. It was two days, and there were four rooms in a hotel. The schedule was released & we chose which seminars we would attend. It was impossible to see all of the speakers and presentations. In my vision for this retreat, it would be similar. There would be: Room 1: Body and intuition: Yoga, breathwork, fitness, stretching, crystals Room 2: Beauty & healing: Hairstylists, skin care, photographers, nutritionists Room 3: Therapists & counseling: to preach on trauma, recovery, self-care techniques Room 4: Visionaries: breathe life into your dreams, remind you how to dream It would be a weekend where women come together to learn that we are all the same and yet all different. Every journey is hard, and every story deserves to be told and heard. Confident women are the greatest threat to the patriarchy. My purpose is to build an army of confident women and I want to link arms with every other female service provider with the same goal.

If you could have coffee with anyone in the world who would it be?

Glennon Doyle, Michelle Obama or Oprah

What are your hopes, dreams, goals. Big or small?

One of my goals is to become a published author. Except, I don’t just want to be published because that’s not a huge challenge anymore. I want to be a NYT best seller. My goal is to continue to grow my coaching business, but I see myself transitioning into motivational speaking. By May 2025, I want to have a completely virtual business & want to be traveling the world with my children in tow [and a homeschool tutor/nanny], speaking to sold-out arenas and guest starring on the Today Show.

Tell us about your family?

I’m going to digress here for a hot minute because I am super open about my back story, which is essential in defining who I am. Ten years ago this Thanksgiving, I got married on my 30th birthday (2012). Shortly after the wedding, life began changing. The man I married no longer built me up. His words said he supported me, but his actions said differently. In 2014 I gave birth to my daughter, and things started slipping apart. In 2016 I gave birth to my son. In 2017, I opened the studio, and three weeks after I opened the doors, my then-husband attempted suicide inside my original space on my daughter’s third birthday. The next several years were absolute hell, propelling me in and out of survival and offering a shit ton of growth. In 2020, the same day that the world shut down, I told him I wanted a divorce. It wasn’t until he moved out that the actual trauma and abuse started, eventually forcing me to sell my dream home and move back into my old bedroom at my parent’s house with my two children, two kittens, and a guinea pig. I have experienced family as both living in hell and also being my saving grace. Today, I continue to live with my parents, children, and animals in the same house I grew up in, in a unique situation that I am so blessed to have.

FEEL GOOD FAVORITES

Restaurant in Buffalo:

Mangia

Color:

Navy Blue

Super Power:

Resilience

Animal :

Lion

Season of the year:

Fall/Winter

Favorite thing about Buffalo / WNY:

The leaves changing & the Bills on tv