A Guide to Opening an Independent Studio 

Why Go Independent?

If you're reading this as an aspiring studio owner, you're most likely considering the independent path, as independent studios make up the majority of studios worldwide today. Starting your Reformer Pilates studio from scratch offers a unique opportunity to build a business entirely on your terms. Unlike a franchise, where you're operating within an established brand, an independent studio allows for complete creative and operational freedom. 

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What are the benefits?

The Benefits of Independent Studio Ownership

The benefits of pursuing the independent route follow a consistent theme around the freedom to create the studio, community, experience and brand you want for your business:

Brand Identity

Autonomy to design a studio with your vision, style and atmosphere. Create the aesthetics of the studio which aligns with your logo and name.

Marketing Autonomy

Aligned with your brand identity, you can experiment with different marketing channels to drive new clients and experiment with other offers and messaging. A key component of this is your community, which you are free to create and scale as you see fit, with unique offers and classes to drive a close-knit community.

Class Styles

Freedom to offer various class types, such as Dynamic Reformer, hybrid Pilates-HIIT, or Pilates-Barre fusion. Offer 1-1 classes or special classes for athletes, pre- and post-natal. 

Equipment

From reformer beds and apparel to the software you utilise to manage clients and classes, you can allocate investment as you see fit. These are vital decisions aligned to your vision of the studio; flexibility is key to delivering the client experience you strive to provide.

Flexibility Around Membership

Provide class packages, tiers and different offers based on your market and your vision of what will work in your location.

Financial Flexibility

As an independent owner, you have complete responsibility for all your costs and full flexibility around your revenue and how to distribute it. You are not required to pay ongoing franchise fees; again, you can prioritise as you wish.

What are the Considerations?

The Considerations of Independent Studio Ownership

  • The vision of your studio, the classes, the space, and the brand you create are all created with the intention that clients will understand it, like it, and commit to your classes. However, this is not as easy as it sounds; other studios have a customer base, and the marketing challenge of acquiring and retaining new customers is not small. Growing class attendance was the number one priority in our Studio Owners Survey 2025, 59%.

  • If the launch of the studio and its growth go according to plan, you will need more than yourself to manage classes. Hiring instructors is a challenge (2nd highest priority on our Studio Owner Survey = 48%). Certification in reformer pilates can be expensive at £5,000. Finding those who have completed this certification is one thing, finding the right personalities that buy into your studio ethos, and managing a class of 6- 8 clients effectively. These are essential considerations; your instructors are your brand ambassadors, a considerable part of your studio's success.

  • The most significant cost is your premises. You will need to factor in business rates, service charges, and utilities, and ensure that your location has proper accessibility, such as parking and proximity to a high street. Before committing to a lease, check the planning classifications. In the UK, Class E covers gyms, and some Class F2 uses may require a change of use application. Once this is clear, what flexibility do you have on the lease? Can you lease a shorter 1-3 years to test the market? This information can all take time to uncover and confirm.

  • The capital required to get your studio up and running is less than that of a franchise studio's upfront investment. However, the costs are still significant, and you’ll need a financial plan and potential finance partner (Johnson Reed) to start up. Minimising capital expenditure and leasing equipment can make sense to ensure you have available cash for any unforeseen costs.

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14-point -Step-by-Step Guide to Launching Your Independent Reformer Pilates Studio

Let's go into more detail now and look at each key topic of starting a new independent studio with a step-by-step guide of what to consider and a plan for each key area.

1/ Market Research

You may have a strong insight or instinct to open a new studio in a particular location. Those instincts could be accurate. However, it is vital to invest the time to properly evaluate the viability of a new studio opening in your chosen location. This guide aims to validate demand, understand your competition, and assess the financial viability of opening a Reformer Pilates studio in a specific area.

Identify the target market

  • A sensible starting point is to understand the demographics of your area. Whilst the core reformer Pilates audience is women aged 25-55, this is not exclusive; many studios are driving strong business with a wide range of age groups. The key is understanding your chosen location so classes can be oriented appropriately. ONS Census Data (www.ons.gov.uk) – Provides age, gender, and income insights per region.

  • When writing this guide, prices of classes are £20-40 per session. Ideally, your area has many middle-to-high-income residents who can afford memberships or classes. The same platform as the ONS Census Data (www.ons.gov.uk) for income insights

  • What is the local provision of gyms? Large gym groups like Virgin Active or David Lloyd have likely run a regional analysis. If they have a gym and a busy membership, it indicates a strong interest in health and fitness in the area.

  • What indicators indicate that your location is more commuter or residential? Again, both work for early or late classes, but it's about understanding this location and its requirements. Zoopla/ Rightmove demographics can provide house price and household income levels.

Competitor analysis

  • The exact mile radius will depend on the population of your location. Use https://www.reformerpilates.com/find-a-studio

  • Look at pricing models - drop-in rates, class packages, membership options, intro offers.

  • Do they target athletes, rehab clients, 1-1 classes, or fusion with other classes?

  • Are they fully booked, partially filled, or empty? Is there a frequent waitlist, and at what times during the week?

  • Identify common complaints & strengths via Google Reviews, Instagram, and Trustpilot.

  • e.g., No early morning classes? No men’s classes? No beginner programs?

Location requirements

  • Is the studio near a high street, and can it be seen clearly from the high street? An increase in footfall can drive client acquisition. Use Google Street View

  • Proximity to train stations, bus stops, free and paid parking

  • Are there businesses that complement yours or serve the same audience? Look for gyms, cafes, beauty salons, and lifestyle shopping brands interested in health and wellness. Google Street View.

  • Your studio must be in a well-lit and safe area. Clients will want to attend early morning or evening classes without anxiety about the surrounding area.

Test DemanD

  • A great way to test the local demand is to survey via social media to gauge interest. Using local Facebook groups and Instagram to distribute a few questions and get 1st hand feedback.

  • Ahead of investing in a lease, is there an option to run a temporary pop-up class for a few months to gauge interest?

  • If close to a business district, you could target companies for workplace Pilates programs. 

2/ Business Plan

This guide goes into specific areas that this business plan outlines in more depth. The business plan aggregates all of these key elements into a coherent strategy that you can use to secure funding, make strategic decisions and clarify what drives long-term success. Think of the below as the framework, and the following sections will populate these bullet points.

Executive Summary

This high-level overview summary includes the vision, concept, and goals. Keep this section concise. Investors and lenders should understand your studio's value proposition quickly.

  • Name of the studio, target city/area.

  • What makes your studio unique? (e.g., premium Reformer Pilates experience, focus on rehab, boutique classes).

  • Is it Membership-based? Drop-in classes are hybrid (in-person & online).

  • If seeking investment or loans, specify the required amount.

  • Quick snapshot of expected earnings in Year 1-3.

Market Research and Overview

This section demonstrates that your target market is viable, enabled by the data points regarding demography, income and localised trends.

  • Age and gender analysis, and income analysis of the designated location

  • What are the existing reformer studios? What are the price analyses, gaps, and waitlists?

  • Footfall opportunities and adjacent businesses

  • If you can survey or run some test classes, what was the feedback or insight?