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Written By: Kiara Day

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Halani Lobdell never planned to be a firefighter. But when DeKalb County Fire Rescue aired a call for new recruits on the evening news, it was her mother who saw something in her. “You should do that,” she said. And just a year later, Lobdell began a life of service, saving lives and protecting property for nearly two decades. For over 18 years, she battled blazes and led teams through emergencies. Then she chose to retire early to focus on her family and shifted her mission: helping others take control of their health through fitness. That shift not only redefined her own life but helped her rise as one of the most powerful women in Metro Atlanta.

Lobdell’s strength isn’t just physical. Diagnosed in 2021 with chronic idiopathic urticaria, an autoimmune disorder, she was suddenly forced to recalibrate everything. The condition was relentless. Hospital visits became frequent, her day-to-day disrupted. But through determination and treatment, she managed her new normal and turned vulnerability into visibility. She began speaking publicly about her disorder, encouraging thousands of women facing similar challenges. She showed them that life, with its inevitable setbacks, doesn’t have to define or deter.

Mentorship has been a cornerstone of Lobdell’s leadership. She defines true success as helping others succeed. While in the fire service, she helped women prepare for physical tests, coached them on navigating a male-dominated field, and mentored them up the ranks. As an entrepreneur, she established Bawse University, a mentorship program that supports aspiring business owners transitioning from nine-to-fives to full-time entrepreneurship. She connects mentees with experts across industries and uses her own missteps as learning tools. Her reward? Watching those she mentors become legends in their own right.

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Balancing career and personal life is an art, and Lobdell believes in being fully present in each moment. She carves out intentional space for family, fun, and rest—whether that’s date night with her husband or simply tuning out business talk to enjoy a favorite TV show. Married for over 23 years, she and her husband, also her business partner, have mastered the discipline of setting boundaries between work and personal time. Her advice to women chasing success and fulfillment? Prioritize yourself first. Keep your own cup full. She swears by daily brain dumps—writing down all tasks, personal and professional, and ranking them to stay organized and focused.

Her leadership style was forged in the heat of real emergencies. One defining moment was a hazardous material spill on Interstate 285. Though she was the highest-ranking officer at the scene, she deferred to a lower-ranking hazmat expert. This humility—recognizing when to lead and when to step back—has become a central tenet of her approach. The same applies to her thriving e-commerce business, BodyNV. She hires specialists in marketing and other fields, understanding that a wise leader knows when to listen.

Innovation, for Lobdell, is rooted in authenticity. She studies trends and adapts, but never imitates. She keeps it real with her audience, sharing relatable content and staying open about struggles and wins. That relatability is her superpower. Her influence stems not just from what she does but how she lives.

For women entering the fire service or any male-dominated field, her guidance is blunt but wise: Expect discrimination. Be better. Overprepare. Do the work so well that you leave no room for doubt. Where mistakes might be forgiven in men, women are scrutinized. Excellence is your shield.

Today, Lobdell is not just an icon in fitness but a beacon for women across industries. She uses her platform to promote equity, diversity, and inclusion—not just in words, but in action. Her next goal? Opening a Black-owned Pilates studio in Atlanta, a space that centers health, empowerment, and community. She also hopes to mentor more married couples, sharing the lessons and love she and her husband have nurtured for over two decades.

Whether saving lives, transforming bodies, or empowering minds, Halani Lobdell continues to prove that true strength is far more than muscle.

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