Co-Owner, Massage Therapy Instructor, Ablaze Fitness, Arkansas Academy of Massage
Owner, Dual Designs Commercial & Residential Contracting
Shalee Uhl’s childhood dream jobs were to be a coach and a massage therapist — and, well, when you know, you know. Uhl’s work in the wellness industry has allowed her to make a larger impact than she ever thought possible. Her students at the Arkansas Academy of Massage in Cabot can embark on a worthwhile, difference-making career in just six months. Meanwhile, Ablaze Fitness, also in Cabot, has become a genuine community where lives are changed for the better.
“What I didn’t understand when we created Ablaze was how much I would need that community too,” Uhl said. “We have built a place where people are welcomed exactly as they are, and our members extend that same grace to me as an instructor. I feel completely myself there.”
Personal challenges have also shaped the way Uhl shows up in work and in life. One such challenge was her father’s battle with cancer. Seeing his resolve in the face of an insurmountable obstacle taught Uhl that “life can hand you incredibly difficult circumstances, but eventually, you have to take ownership of the direction you go from there.”
“He never felt sorry for himself,” Uhl said. “I remember being pregnant while he was going through cancer treatments, and he would still come mow my yard. I remember him sitting at football games with his chemotherapy pump attached to his hip. He just kept showing up.”
One of Uhl’s greatest strengths as a leader is seeing what people are good at — or what they could become good at — and pushing them toward it. Uhl said part of what sets her apart is her ability to multitask, shift contexts and “keep moving without spending a lot of time complaining about what’s required of me.”
“I work a lot. I’m a mom. I’m menopausal. I wear a ridiculous number of hats,” she said. “I’m not pretending any of that is always easy, but I’ve learned that focusing on the excuses doesn’t make the responsibilities disappear. I would rather figure out what needs to happen and get moving.”
