Story & Lesson Highlights with Susan Schaffer of Gold Canyon

Susan Schaffer shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Susan, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
Connections – Behind our daily operations, numerous meaningful relationships are continually being formed. We foster connections between instructors and students, among instructors themselves, and also between students. However, I am particularly proud of the strong, though often unseen, bond between Live it Well and its instructors. Since founding Live it Well – Yoga, Pilates & Fitness Studio in 2019, I am pleased to note that most of our original core instructors remain with us, while new team members have integrated smoothly into our community. Together, we have cultivated a supportive environment where these bonds are consistently nurtured and reinforced. This foundation enables us to extend a welcoming, family-like atmosphere to everyone who visits our studio.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Following my departure from a career in emergency services, I attended a yoga class with friends and immediately realized I had found a previously missing aspect of my life. Over the next two decades, I devoted myself to practice and self-discovery, which led me to pursue the goal of establishing a space for others to engage in their own wellness journeys. In 2018, after thorough consideration and planning, I acquired a standalone property in the residential community of Gold Canyon, Arizona, where my husband and I have resided since 1984. The vision for The Live it Well Place was to create a comprehensive facility dedicated to movement and wellness. Today, Live it Well provides the community with over 20 movement classes—including Yoga, Pilates, and Fitness Group sessions—as well as a range of wellness modalities such as massage, stretch therapy, red light therapy, ionic foot baths, biomat therapy, and access to a naturopathic physician. The mission is to deliver personalized, comprehensive services that support individuals on their path to living their best lives, fully realizing our founding vision.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who taught you the most about work?
My mother played a central role in shaping the person I am today. Widowed at age 30 with four daughters ranging in age from three to thirteen, she faced significant challenges. As the youngest child, I may not have been fully aware of all the early hardships, but it is clear that she made substantial personal sacrifices for her family’s well-being. Determined to provide for us, she returned to college, earned her degree, and secured a better-paying job to support our household. We lived in places where gardening was possible, and after work, she took care to maintain the garden’s productivity. The entire family contributed to upkeep both indoors and outdoors. In addition to imparting a strong work ethic, my mother provided me with practical skills such as canning, sewing, and crocheting. More importantly, she instilled essential qualities including acceptance, resilience, self-reliance, and kindness. Throughout her 95 years, she never complained or spoke unkindly of others.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Owning a wellness and movement business during the pandemic, which resulted in widespread shutdowns across various sectors, represented a pivotal period. Feelings of discouragement and the temptation to cease operations entirely were persistent challenges. Having launched the business in May 2019, by January 2020 we had welcomed 450 students through our doors in a single month and were steadily progressing toward our goal of offering over 20 classes per week, in addition to integrating multiple wellness modalities. Over the following two years, we continually restructured and adapted the business, ultimately emerging more resilient, expansive, and deeply committed to fulfilling our vision.

I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The Fitness, Pilates, and Yoga sectors have seen significant growth and influence, accompanied by a proliferation of narratives—some beneficial, others potentially detrimental. Acknowledging and challenging these misconceptions creates opportunities for a more authentic, inclusive, and meaningful practice. Genuine engagement with movement should prioritize presence, humility, and continuous self-exploration rather than focusing solely on performance or perfection, both within and beyond the studio environment.
A prevailing misconception within the fitness, Pilates, and yoga industry is the notion that a single ideal body type exists and that there is a universal path to achieve it. This myth often fosters insecurity and misunderstanding among individuals. By critically examining and addressing this narrative, both individuals and communities can better appreciate the fundamental objectives of movement: promoting health, cultivating joy, and facilitating self-discovery for people from all walks of life.
It is important to recognize that no universal standard exists regarding body shape, health, strength, or self-acceptance. Genetics, personal experiences, and individual goals contribute uniquely to each person’s relationship with movement. Fitness, Pilates, and yoga are accessible to all, regardless of shape, size, age, or background. Live it Well Studio in Gold Canyon is dedicated to supporting everyone on their individual journeys by offering a diverse range of yoga, Pilates, and fitness classes at varying levels. Our students have the opportunity to experience and benefit from multiple disciplines, reflecting our commitment to comprehensive and holistic wellbeing.

Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
My career in emergency medical response has been both fulfilling and aligned with my lifelong aspirations. From a young age, I demonstrated a keen interest in the field; for example, when I sustained a significant leg injury at the age of eight, I was more intrigued by the medical aspects than by the situation itself. Over two decades as a helicopter paramedic, followed by another twenty years as a ski patroller, enabled me to make meaningful contributions while pursuing work that resonated with my passions. Most recently, my commitment to service continues through my involvement with Live it Well, marking a full-circle continuation of my dedication to helping others.