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Bea Elizalde

<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784884199530HOT HOUSE 1 - Colin Dancel.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:957.995px;height:auto" width="957.995"/>Hot House is led by Jovy Acuzar, Ysabela Narvasa, Giea Gorostiza, Anya Limjoco, Gabbie Rodriguez, Clara Elizalde, Bea Elizalde | Photo by Colin DancelAt 28 years old, Bea Elizalde wears several leadership hats, each grounded in the same purpose: helping people grow.</div>Her educational journey took her from International School Manila until Grade 8 to Lawrenceville High School in New Jersey before earning her undergraduate degree from Boston College, followed by a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship and Innovation from the University of Southern California. She leads marketing as marketing manager at Flour Pot, shaping how the brand comes to life through social media, events, and partnerships. As Hot House’s trainer, she stands at the front of every class, leading through both instruction and example.  <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784884336970FLOUR POT 2.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:957.995px;display:block;height:auto" width="957.995"/>Bea&#x27;s father Patxi Elizalde, Chef Rhea Sycip, Flour Pot Marketing Manager Bea Elizalde, Chef Jayjay Sycip | Photo courtesy of Bea Elizalde</div>Bea shares, “Outside of work, I’d say I’ve always played a bit of a leadership role as an older sister too, less formal, but the instinct to guide and look out for someone carries over. Honestly though, work is where most of my leadership energy goes these days.” Bea is right in the middle of her two siblings—Patxi and Cristina, who are 31 and 26. It seems that instinct to guide has become the common thread running through different parts of her career. <div>A Life Built Around Rhythm and Intention </div>Bea’s days begin early. She wakes between 5:30 and 6:00 in the morning to feed Bruno, her almost one-year-old Shih Tzu-Schnauzer mix, before heading to Hot House for training. Depending on the day, she either trains in the morning or teaches a noon class before spending the afternoon at Flour Pot’s office or bistro in Bonifacio Global City, juggling meetings, marketing work, and administrative responsibilities. When time allows, she carves out space for something entirely different. A photographer and collage artist, Bea occasionally attends classes at Kit Art 101 in BGC. “I sometimes take classes at Kit Art 101 in BGC to escape my crazy day and focus just what’s on the paper! I love that the classes at Kit Art are diverse, and they welcome students of all ages. The teachers are also just so kind and talented. I love it!” As the day winds down, Bea intentionally shifts into a quieter rhythm. She enjoys dinner at home, lights candles, turns on the floor lamps to create a softer atmosphere, and ends the evening with a movie before heading to bed at around 10 P.M. These rituals reflect someone who understands that leadership begins with caring for yourself first.<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2026/6/27/mia-arcenas-branellec-on-motherhood-creativity-finding-her-rhythm-again-1154" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Mia Arcenas Branellec finds her rhythm again</a></div><div>Learning That Leadership is About Drawing Out Others’ Potential </div>Bea’s own understanding of leadership has evolved over time. She believes, “Leadership is creating space for people to see their own potential—often before they see it themselves. It’s less about directing, more about drawing out what’s already there. Whether I’m coaching someone through a class they didn’t think they could finish, or helping a team member step into owning a project, the core is the same: encouragement, honesty, and consistency that make people feel safe enough to stretch past their own limits.” Earlier in her career, however, she viewed leadership differently. “Early on, I think I equated leadership with being the most skilled or most visible person in the room,” Bea says. Experience has shifted that perspective. She elaborates, “Over time, I’ve realized real leadership is quieter than that. In the studio, it means less about what I can demonstrate and more about what I can help someone else discover in their own body. At work, it’s meant learning to step back from doing everything myself and instead build trust, systems, and clarity so my team can grow and make good decisions even when I’m not the one directly guiding them.” <div>Building Something Bigger Than a Fitness Studio </div>Bea reveals, “Hot House came from our heads—Gabbie Rodriguez, Ysabela Narvasa, Anya Limjoco, Giea Gorostiza, and Clara Elizalde—with Jovy Acuzar and me as founding team trainers. The studio was built around three pillars: nourishment, learning to take care of yourself in a healthy, sustainable way; community, making real friendships and gaining confidence through the people around you; and movement, getting stronger not just for class, but for life.” From the very beginning, the team envisioned more than a place to exercise. Its signature hot sculpt classes combine yoga, ballet, pilates, and stretching into a flow that the team believed did not previously exist. <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784884948699HOT HOUSE 2 - Bella Gironella.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="706.992" style="width:706.992px"/>Hot House Team | Photo by Bella Gironella </div>Bea shares that they always believed consistency comes easier when you’re not doing it alone. “That’s what made every session feel less like a workout and more like the best hour of the day—the people showing up beside you. We wanted to build a routine people genuinely wanted to return to, because at the end of the day, it’s never just about the exercise, it’s how it makes you feel, and how that carries into everything else in life.” That original vision has only grown stronger. When asked if creating something beyond a hot sculpt studio was always part of the vision, she shares: “Yes, without a doubt. Hot House has grown into something bigger than a hot sculpt studio. What started as a place to work out has turned into a community where people show up for each other, not just for the class. You see it in the small things: members remembering each other’s names, checking in when someone’s missed a few sessions, celebrating each other’s progress like it’s their own.”<div>What Resilience Really Means </div>Bea’s journey as a trainer is personal.  She narrates, “My own story is a big part of why I became a trainer. I had spinal fusion surgery in 2015, and for a long time I thought that meant certain limits were permanent. Hot House showed me otherwise. It taught me how much I was still capable of, even while working around real physical limitations.” <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784885198886BEA 3 - WAITING FOR CREDITS.jpg" style="width:710px;height:auto" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="710"/>Hot House Trainer Bea Elizalde | Photo by Colin Dancel</div>She adds, “Watching people step onto the mat has taught me that resilience isn’t about being fearless, it’s about showing up anyway.” She has watched countless students arrive unsure of themselves before discovering they were capable of much more than they imagined. “I’ve seen people walk in doubting whether they can finish a class, and walk out having proven something to themselves that goes beyond just fitness.” Those lessons extend far beyond the studio. “It teaches people to stay present with discomfort instead of avoiding it, and to keep going even when it’s uncomfortable. Those are the same skills that carry over far outside the studio.” <div>Growing Through Fear </div>Ironically as a trainer, one of Bea’s greatest personal obstacles has been standing in front of people. “Stage fright has honestly been one of my biggest personal challenges, both on the mat and at work.” While public speaking never felt natural, instead of waiting for confidence to arrive, she built it one class at a time. “What helped me move through it was just showing up, consistently, even when it was uncomfortable. Every class I taught, every meeting I had to lead, became a small rep at practicing being seen.” Through time, fear gave way to courage. “Over time, that repetition built something I didn’t think I had in me—not the absence of fear, but the ability to move through it anyway.” <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784885847297BEA 2 - Colin Dancel.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="626.992" style="width:626.992px"/>Photo by Colin Dancel</div>Looking back, she believes Hot House revealed a version of herself she may never have discovered otherwise. “Hot House taught me to face something I genuinely struggled with: stage fright…becoming unafraid even with a room full of eyes on me—a version of myself I don’t think I’d have found otherwise.”<div>A Culture Rooted in Encouragement </div>When asked to describe Hot House’s culture, Bea’s answer is simple: “Empowering, supportive, FUN, community-driven, inclusive, honest, grounded.” She feels just as passionate about the people she works with. “I love my team so much. What makes us work so well together is that we’re all so different. Everyone brings something unique to the table. And honestly, I laugh so much with this bunch. It doesn’t feel like just a working relationship, it feels genuine.” Creating that environment requires intention. “At Hot House, we make it a point to welcome anyone and everyone, no matter where they’re starting from. We want people to walk in feeling inspired, love their bodies for what they are, and leave feeling proud of who they are, not just what they accomplished in class.” She believes language matters. “That kind of culture doesn’t happen by accident. It comes from how we speak to people, the language we use when we cue, and making sure every instructor leads with encouragement over judgment.” When asked about the leadership principles she refuses to compromise on, her list is concise: communication, accountability, consistency, kindness, empathy, and teamwork. <div>Wellness is Happiness and Authenticity </div>“To me, wellness is happiness. Genuinely liking the life you’re living.” Her definition extends beyond movement to include nourishment, authenticity, recovery, and balance. “It’s living an active lifestyle, eating in a way that nourishes your body, and being authentic with what you actually need rather than chasing what wellness is ‘supposed’ to look like. It’s also rest! Knowing recovery isn’t the opposite of progress, it’s part of it. And it’s loving and knowing your own body: understanding its patterns and limits, and listening when it’s asking for something, whether that’s movement or stillness. At the end of the day, wellness is balance across all of it: physical, mental, emotional, and choosing what actually makes you feel good, consistently, not perfectly.” <div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1784885154625BEA 1 - Courtesy of Bea Elizalde.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" width="635.99" style="width:635.99px"/>Photo courtesy of Bea Elizalde</div>Bea’s take on self-care? “Self-care is essential, not optional. It’s what lets you show up for everything else.” For her, that begins with solitude and sleep. “Self-care starts with alone time. Recharging on my own before I can show up for anyone else. And sleep! I love sleeping.” Her rituals also include baths, skincare, stretching, occasional massages, spending time in natural sunlight, and returning to the ocean whenever possible. “We live in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and being in nature resets me like nothing else.” As someone responsible for leading teams and communities, she has learned these practices are not indulgences—they are necessities. “Honestly, this is something I have to be intentional about, it doesn’t happen by accident. I’ve learned I can’t pour into my team, my business, or my community from an empty place, so protecting my own mental health has become non-negotiable.”<div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/people-culture-events/2026/7/22/tanya-aguila-onelife-vision-stronger-healthier-generation-of-women-0314" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YOU MAY ALSO LIKE: Raising the standard: Tanya Aguila&#x27;s vision for a stronger and healthier generation of women</a></div><div>One Small Healthy Habit at a Time </div>For anyone hoping to live healthier, Bea doesn’t prescribe complicated routines. Instead, she recommends something quite simple. “If I could encourage just one habit, it would be finding more ways to move throughout your day.” Her examples include taking the stairs, walking instead of driving, and standing up to stretch. She believes consistency matters more than intensity. “I think we’ve been conditioned to believe wellness only counts if it’s a full workout or an hour at the gym, but movement doesn’t need to be that formal to matter.” Her philosophy aligns with the way she approaches leadership itself: small actions, practiced consistently, become lasting transformation. <div>Even the Small Things Matter</div>Bea’s definition of living well is simple and human. “If there’s one thing I hope people take away, it’s that living well isn’t about being perfect, it’s about showing up as you are, again and again, and trusting that’s enough. Living well means listening to your body instead of fighting it, being kind to yourself on harder days, and finding people who remind you of your own potential when you forget it yourself.” Her closing message to readers is just as uncomplicated. “Don’t take life too seriously! Find enjoyment in everything, even the small things. Life is for living, not just getting through. So move your body, laugh often, and don’t be afraid to enjoy the ride.”

Bea Elizalde shares how two experiences she saw as limitations—spinal fusion surgery and stage fright—became the foundation of her leadership philosophy. Through movement, community, and consistent self-care, she reflects on why resilience isn’t about being fearless, but about showing up anyway.

Bea Elizalde shares how two experiences she saw as limitations—spinal fusion surgery and stage fright—became the foundation of her leadership philosophy. Through movement, community, and consistent self-care, she reflects on why resilience isn’t about being fearless, but about showing up anyway.

Showing up anyway: Bea Elizalde on fear, resilience, and leadership

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Showing up anyway: Bea Elizalde on fear, resilience, and leadership

Mawi Fojas De Ocampo

Published July 24, 2026 05:53 PM PHT

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Updated July 24, 2026 06:05 PM PHT

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Bea Elizalde

Hot House

Flour Pot

Women Who Lead

Leadership

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