It’s said you have to be an optimist to be a successful small business owner. Count me in as an optimist. I’m looking to a bright future for my fitness studio, thanks in part to Honolulu’s rail system.

When I made the switch from being a software engineer to owning my own business, I knew I’d have to work hard and put in long hours. But I also knew that if I didn’t pursue my dream, I’d be second-guessing myself about what could have been.

That’s the same way I approached a recent decision to relocate my studio, Sweat + Soul, to a new location in Kakaako. It wasn’t just a great space and a landlord who believed in the future of our business that convinced me to move to the new Keauhou Lane Shops complex. It was the planned rail station there that sealed the deal.

Like all small business owners, among the many things that I worry about is how easy will it be for potential clients to find us, and will there be enough parking (a big deal in Honolulu, as any local will confirm). By locating Sweat + Soul just an easy walk from the planned Kakaako rail station, which will be incorporated into the Keauhou Lane and Keauhou Place residential and commercial complex, I realized I’d be making my business easily accessible to anyone who lived along the rail route.

My potential client base could be as diverse as anyone living in Kapolei, Waipahu, Pearl City, Aiea, Kalihi, Chinatown and Downtown. That’s in addition to the clients who now drive to our current Kakaako location.

Of course, easy access to a rail station is no guarantee that my small business will be a success. I’ll still need to offer high quality and engaging classes, recruit and retain top-notch teaching talent, manage cash flow, and make sure I’m investing in effective marketing. It’s not easy, but it’s worth it.

I’m excited about linking my studio to the development of Honolulu’s rail system. The planning experts call this transit-oriented development, having rail drive economic development and residential opportunities for a wide range of budgets.

I’ll see that play out literally above my head at our new location. Keauhou Lane will offer affordably priced rental apartments. Next door, Keauhou Place will offer both affordable and market priced condos. You can bet that I thought about all of those potential clients who will be our neighbors, too.

I grew up on the Windward side and live in East Honolulu, but I know we need to provide relief for those who live and work along the H-1 corridor. Rail is the obvious answer.

So I’ve made a big decision for my small company to look to rail to help grow the business.

Obviously, there are risks in this strategy. I’m counting on the rail project being built from East Kapolei to Ala Moana Center. Like I said, it’s not easy, but it’s worth it — for us and for future generations.

Melissa Rota is the founder and owner of Sweat + Soul.