Jillian is down-to-earth and super easy to talk to, and when she mentions her most recent binge-watch was Nobody Wants This, I share an “ick factor” experience I had and we both laugh. If you know, you know. She grew up in Marlton, South Jersey, outside Philly, and spent many summers at the Jersey Shore scooping ice cream. “I’m extremely close with my family, I’m one of four, we’re half Italian, half Irish.”

For school, she split her time between the University of Miami and Drexel. “I attended UM for law school…I was a philosophy major, and there was little direction after that —either be a philosophy professor or a lawyer.” She chose law and moved to DC for a job at the Patent and Trade Office in 2019.

“I was trying to make friends when I moved down here, and my sister and husband came down for the weekend. I lived at the Wharf and we were out enjoying a bar crawl, when my brother-in-law asked, ‘If you could date one guy in here, who would it be?’ I spotted Anthony across the bar and said, ‘The guy in the flannel over there.’” That’s all her older sister needed to hear and they inched closer and closer to him. “We met the good old-fashioned way…and we invited him to join us on the rest of the bar crawl and that’s how it started.” They married in November of 2022 in Miami in “a full beach wedding.” 

During the pandemic they both had fully remote jobs, and decided to try living in Miami. “This is when I went for my Pilates certification; it gave me something to do in the fitness realm. We had so much fun living there, but about a year in we found ourselves at a crossroads, asking ‘do we want to stay or move back up?’ We spent some time at Sea Isle (NJ) that summer, and that’s when the conversation with Natalie and Bryce (Strahorn) began about buying the business (MVMNT Society). She and I had always talked about it when I had been an instructor at her studio. I was also inspired by Evan and Ellie, the husband-wife team who ran Fuze House in Miami. It was nice to see how a fitness studio could be run. I knew Anthony could thrive doing this, too.” She admits transforming ownership was an arduous process. “The valuation…the bank…it took up a portion of the summer and the entire fall.” By November, MVMNT was theirs.

Jillian Burch Stalter

Wearing: Strut This and Alo

Hair:  Color by Leah Lattus, Holistic Hair Studio; Styling and Makeup: Megan Monahan

Photography:  Renée C. Gage Photography

Shoot location: The MVMNT Society

“I give a lot of credit to our parents. They came down and helped us during our renovation weekend.” Jillian is also very big on community. “I know it sounds corny, but you want to go where people know your name.” And she is true to her word, growing the community at MVMNT Society, where they took over as owners last year.  “It’s our first entrepreneurial journey, and there’s so much transformation that I wanted to make happen…which stemmed from teaching at studios in Miami and seeing how good it can be. I knew we could make it happen with enough dedication and work. I want all of Old Town – clients and teachers – to get that positive experience and be in that environment.”

She credits Natalie for “starting this community of amazing people and growing the team we have. I’m pretty much best friends with a team of 25 women. Everything has its challenges…but at the end of the day, it’s so rewarding—to inherit it and be trusted by clients and the team. I’ve been asked ‘Do you feel like a boss?’ I don’t want to feel like a boss. We made the purchase happen and it’s ours and we are the decision makers, but I see MVMNT as a collective community.”

When I ask her about the updates made to the studio since taking over, she shares, “I’m sensitive to light and sound…even smell, so there are diffusers in there. I need my senses to be satisfied to be comfortable and productive, and want that for all that come here.” 

She says she didn’t sleep during the week of the decorative transformation. “I got to use a sledgehammer and that was very cathartic for me.” The Bella props were specially ordered months before and they had to secure a storage unit just to hold them. “Mounting them was a whole other story, thanks Anthony!”

Jillian says she spent a tremendous amount of time streamlining the class schedule and format so that it has enough impact options for a wide range of women. “We asked ourselves: ‘What’s the goal of each class?’ We wanted  high impact and low impact options throughout the week. It’s hard to do but worth it. We want every class to feel different and spent a lot of time discussing what props to use in each.”

She says it also took a really long time to figure out what regimen worked best for her own body. “It doesn’t have to be burpees and jumping exercises. Pilates has made the most difference for me – the mind-body connection.” 

I ask about the mini trampolines, the rebounders, often a challenging class for first-timers (okay, me).
“You have to press your feet down (into the rebounder), it’s muscle memory. We tell people after the first time, come back and do it again, you’ll get it. I actually rented a trampoline during the pandemic – and that’s when I became really good.” 

Right now Jillian is in go-go-go mode. “We work from the time we rise to the time we sleep.” When I ask her how she and Anthony turn off the business brain, she shares, “we cook together every night. That’s when we catch up on things, listen to music, and watch Jeopardy. We subscribe to Hello Fresh, but some nights, we’ll experiment – with recipes from my MumMum’s cookbook and try something new.”  

She says she doesn’t diet. “I’m an intuitive eater, I eat when I’m hungry. If I want the smoothie, the waffle or donut, I’ll have it. In the past, I struggled with disordered eating…I spent too much time there. I no longer feel guilty eating ice cream, there’s so much more to life than worrying about food constantly…I’m thankful to be past that. And Jeni’s is a favorite!”

In the near future, she’s super excited for the Super Bowl. “I’m a lifelong Eagles fan. Fly Eagles Fly! Anthony’s dad is a Bills fan and he’s for the Packers, but he leans green.” Longer term, she may be manifesting a future expansion (somewhere between Georgetown and Old Town), but for now she’s looking forward to warmer weather and walking to the Tidal Basin. 

Check out Jillian’s Street Style: 

ABOUT JILLIAN

Neighborhood: Southwest DC

Hometown: Marlton, New Jersey, outside of Philly. Go Birds!

What would surprise people about you? I’m still a full-time Trademark attorney.

Favorite movie: Almost Famous, Penny Lane’s namesake.

Guilty Pleasure: Not setting an alarm.

Latest binge-watch: Nobody Wants This on Netflix.

Bucket list travel destinations: Paris

STYLE

Define your style in three words or less. Sporty Spice.

The go-to piece in your wardrobe: My leather jacket.

Favorite trend: Crew socks.

Beauty product you can’t live without: O&M Project Sukuroi Gold Smoothing Hair Balm.

Boots, heels or sneakers? Sneakers for sure.

WELLNESS

Go-to way to de-stress:  Baking cookies.

Most fun way to stay active: All of our classes at MVMNT! My favorite mood boosters are Bounce and Surge Fit. I also love cycling with Sunny at HUSTLE.

Wellness goal: Stretching and sleeping more.

Want to try: Taking dance classes again.

Proudest wellness achievement: Completing my Pilates training at Fuze House in Miami.

HOME

Favorite room in your home: Our kitchen – my husband, Anthony, and I enjoy cooking together most nights.

Antiques, modern, or a mix? Modern.

Last item bought for your home: An espresso machine for Anthony’s famous martinis.

Favorite way to entertain: Hosting friends at our pool in the summer.

Clutter-free or well-lived in? Clutter-free. I am lucky I married someone who cleans more than me!

Next planned purchase:  Hopefully a home of our own soon!

ALEXANDRIA

What do you love about Alexandria Stylebook? I love learning more about other small businesses and their missions. We are lucky to be surrounded by so many inspiring individuals in our community. It’s extra special to see familiar faces from The MVMNT Society celebrated for their talents.

Favorite spot in Alexandria: The waterfront. I used to take the water taxi between DC and Old Town for work, and Anthony would come meet me for happy hour so it brings back great memories.

Your go-to shops: Eries Interiors for the cutest gifts.

Best food spot: Andy’s is our go-to pizza spot… Jersey girl approved!

Favorite local organization: National Women’s Law Center

Alexandria event you most look forward to: The holiday boat parade! We usually start the day in Old Town and head home to catch the fireworks at the Wharf in D.C.

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