Last year, Monica Casey turned a hoop dream into reality with her business, Monkey Hooper.

For Casey, hula hooping had been merely a hobby for 12 years until this past May, when she decided she wanted to start working again after leaving her job in radio to stay home with her twin girls. The thought hit her one night at a party when she showed up with an armful of her signature hoops and walked out empty-handed — she had sold them all.

Casey’s hoops are not the small plastic ones typically seen. During her daughters’ nap times, she goes to her “workshop” (the garage) and creates custom-ordered hoops that range from 28 inches (for kids) up to 42 inches. They are thicker and heavier than standard hoops, and can vary from sparkly hot pink to the color of a favorite sports team.

In addition to making hoops, Casey also develops exercises around them. She teaches classes at Gold’s Gym, private social gatherings, and even at businesses during lunch hours. “People are looking for a stress reliever,” she explains. “A lot of times they don’t have time to go to the gym, and really just the most important thing is to have fun.”

Casey insists that anyone can use the hoops; she has one class member who has had two hip replacements and is “practically a pro.”

“Hula hooping is fun. For exercise to work, it has to be fun. It’s surprising that you get a full-body workout with it, but it works not only the core, but arms, back, etcetera,” she says.

Her favorite part, though, comes from the joy that hooping brings others: “From kids to seniors, it’s fun to watch the happiness and surprise on their face, and to see them working toward the same goal — fitness.”

For more information, go to monkeyhooper.com