Editor’s note: This article was first published in June 2013. Rohrback’s age (61), the video’s view count (more than 5 million, about 15,000 at the end of 2012), the website outage “in June” and her TV appearances refer to that time.
Joanna Rohrback is a 61-year-old American woman who wants to change the way we exercise. For her, there’s no need to go to a gym, because we can exercise as we go about our daily lives, whether on the way to work or to the supermarket. To that end she has invented a new system called Prancercise, which is basically a way of keeping fit while you walk, imitating the movement of a horse.
At the end of 2012, Joanna put her book on sale on Amazon and, at the same time, uploaded a video to YouTube explaining how to practise Prancercise. The video ended 2012 with about 15,000 views, but by now it has passed 5 million.
Watch: Prancercise video on YouTube
Since the video shows a 61-year-old woman asking you to walk down the street this way, the mockery wasn’t long in coming. YouTube filled up with users uploading videos jokingly imitating Joanna Rohrback.
The thing is, her website had problems in June because of the huge number of visits it received, and her book started to sell as comments began to appear, especially from middle-aged American women, saying things like: “Prancercise? Why not? It must be healthy, and it helps get your joints moving.” Something changed among young people too, who showed their respect by congratulating this woman who, at 61, decided to take the plunge and fight for something she believed in. After all, this new way of exercising doesn’t require you to waste time or money at a gym, and you can do it at any time of day. What’s more, this woman who was initially written off as crazy actually has a university education specialising in human health and nutrition.
See also: How to make $1.648 billion in three years
Mocked or congratulated, Joanna has already appeared on several TV shows as one more entrepreneur, one who has something many people envy, a good figure at the age of 61, and that is why her book is selling. And who knows, maybe one day we’ll see people walking down the street imitating the movements of a horse.
In an interview on The Today Show, she was asked whether it bothered her that so many people were making fun of her. She replied that as long as they were having fun mocking her, she was happy, because it meant she had created not only a new way to exercise but also a therapy for good humour. And she advised others that if you believe in something, go for it, and don’t be swayed by what other people think.
And the truth is that this is the mindset any entrepreneur needs in business.
Further reading
- Alexandra Abraham: an accidental entrepreneur
- Ten leaders give advice to new entrepreneurs and students
Featured image: meike_g, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
