COVID-19 delayed an inspiring Charlotte event. Its creator turned it into a podcast.
Cel Smart was preparing to host her second Be Amazing Weekend fitness showcase and celebration in Charlotte when COVID-19 hit. Instead of letting the stories of inspiring women in the fitness world go untold, she decided to find a new way to amplify women’s voices.
The Be Amazing Podcast launched on Sweatnet in May, and since then nearly 30 women of all ages and backgrounds have shared their stories.
A fitness journey
At just 11 years old, Cel Smart fell in love with movement. “I was overweight as a child, and my dad made me a healthy eating chart and would not just tell me to get moving but would actually do it with me,” Smart said. “I never had to get on his calendar to go for a walk or a hike. All I would have to do is ask, and he would stop what he was doing, grab his shoes and say, “let’s go!” The two celebrated their joint birthday when he turned 70 by doing a flip off a dock together.
This love of activity kicked off what would become a life-long career in movement and fitness. Smart would go on to coach cheerleading, teach fitness classes and eventually participate in fitness competitions, placing third in the Pro Division of the Fitness America Worlds Championships in 2017.
One observation Smart had when participating in and emceeing fitness competitions was that no one knew the “why” behind each woman’s reason for competing. “You are judged on your physique and routine. However, I would hear someone’s story, and it would just amaze me — battling cancer, losing a child, divorce, transformation,” Smart said. “So I have always appreciated and been inspired by someone else’s story.”
Those stories are the reason Smart started the Be Amazing event — a weekend-long celebration of women that includes a race, a fitness showcase, a women in business expo and an evening gala, along with various fundraising opportunities.
When COVID-19 postponed the event, Smart wasn’t going to let a pandemic stop her from giving women a platform. What started out as six podcast episodes turned into almost 30.
“Every woman has a story to share. Now more than ever we all need to be inspired, encouraged, supported. We need each other and to know we are not alone,” Smart said.
Meet some Be Amazing women
Brittany Caldwell, a chemical engineer turned fitness pro and Charlotte Hornets Honey Bee, delves into the topic of racial injustice with Smart on her episode.
“Surrounding ourselves with cultures outside of our own and listening to one another is how we can minimize the division that many experience in America,” Caldwell told CharlotteFive. “The Be Amazing Podcast is giving women of different cultures around the Charlotte community the opportunity to share their stories during a time when it’s important for us to learn the value behind expanding our surroundings to become more diverse.”
You may recognize another podcast guest from her time on CMT’s Racing Wives. Amber Balcean is a third-generation race car driver, and she and Smart chat about achieving your goals.
“Whether it’s racing or business or if you want to be a doctor, it sounds cheesy but you really have to believe in yourself,” Balcean said.
“As women, it is extremely important for us to support each other in motorsports. We get enough criticism from men, we don’t need to be criticizing or speaking bad about each other. We should be working together to be allies for each other, raising each other up, and helping one another,” Balcean told CharlotteFive.
Fierce is the only way to describe April Simpkins — a wife, businesswoman (a 2020 Charlotte Business Journal’s Women in Business Achievement Award winner to be precise), runner, fitness enthusiast and the mom of six, including Miss USA 2019 Cheslie Kryst. She addresses her motivation to stay fit in her 50s and why she encourages moms of athletes to be athletes themselves.
“When children see that you value being fit and healthy, they value it even more. I would absolutely encourage moms to be active. Being an athlete changes how you behave in the kitchen. I noticed as I got more into fitness my entire family ate differently, thought about food differently and thought about eating habits differently,” Simpkins said.
Whether you want to be inspired by someone like Jay Elle Alexander who went from volunteer to owner and CEO of Black Girls Run or learn why Jen Forsyth, owner of Start2Finish, refers to women connecting as a super power — the Be Amazing Podcast is filled with insights, encouragement and a whole lot of girl power.
So while we wait to return to a world where big events are possible, Smart will continue inspiring with her weekly podcast and keep planning for the next Be Amazing event — currently scheduled for October 2021. Fun fact: It will include the Second Annual Men in Bras Runway Show, benefiting Carolina Breast Friends.
This story was originally published December 10, 2020 at 2:07 PM.
