I’m Cynthia Mora, FranNet Consultant of Houston, Texas.
I was fortunate to work with Almagul Bigaliyeva and see her dreams turn into reality. Almagul is a mother and the franchise owner of StretchLab of Kingwood, Texas. See her testimonial. She shares what it means to be a daughter, a mother, a small business owner, and how she created her version of independence in 2022.
Meet a ‘Mompreneur’: Almagul Bigaliyeva
Almagul Bigaliyeva owns and operates StretchLab of Kingwood, Texas. As a successful franchise owner and “Mompreneur,” she shares her inspiring story of emigrating to the United States. In her own words, here’s Almagul’s story…
How it Started…
“I want to start with Eleanor Roosevelt’s quote, “…the future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” As long as I can remember, my dream was to move to America. I’m originally from Kazakhstan. I went to the National Technical University in former capital, Almaty, where I earned an honor degree in Applied Mathematics. After I graduated, I joined Halliburton as a cementing engineer in 2004. Over the next few years, and by the age of 28, I became a Caspian Country manager for their cementing product service line. Shortly thereafter, I gave birth to my son. In 2015, I won the Green Card Lottery and became a permanent resident in 2016. Even though I wanted to go to the U.S. right away, my employer, wanted me to go to Russia and continue leading operations for the service product lines. Two years later in 2018, I was transferred to the Houston office. I took my five-year-old son and we finally we moved to the U.S. In 2020, my life took a different direction.”
How it’s Going…
“As it was for many other people, 2020 was a year of big change for me. For years I wanted to open a business in fitness/wellness industry, and it was at this point that Cynthis Mora and I connected. She helped me to transition from Corporate America and start a franchise business. Cynthia introduced me to the StretchLab franchise that aligned with my lifestyle goals in a short period of time. I opened the doors of my studio in December 2021. As of right now, I have been open four months and the business has been a success. I’ve never owned my own business before, but I’m using my analytical skills and putting my prior career experiences to good use. As a result, I now have more time for my son and myself, as well as our newly adopted German Sheppard puppy. And in May of 2022, I will become an official U.S citizen!”
How Did Your Family Influence You?
“My mom, as well as my dad, taught me the value of hard work, organization, and to finish the things that you start. They both came from engineering backgrounds and pushed me hard to do the same. There were many times growing up where I had to look after my siblings. And that taught me another invaluable lesson – responsibility.”
As a ‘Mompreneur,’ What Lessons are You Passing Down to Your Own Son?
“The main thing I communicate to my son is simply to enjoy what you do, take care of your body and let your words match your actions. I hope that he is paying attention to the example I am setting. As a role model, I’m showing him that if you put your heart, mind, and ambition into anything, you can be successful – even as the owner of a business of your own.”
For more information, please visit Almagul Bigaliyeva’s StretchLab studio of Kingwood, Texas.