When I opened Body Be Well Pilates 17 years ago, I was focused on building a Pilates studio. I wanted to create a place where people could learn Pilates, get stronger, feel better, and make it a part of their everyday lives. I wasn't sitting around thinking about retreats, brand partnerships, tarot card readings, Pilates and ponies, or hosting a room full of people eating pizza and drinking Prosecco after a workout. But here we are.
Some of the best opportunities I've had as a business owner have come from thinking beyond the actual business I opened.
As Pilates teachers and studio owners, we spend a lot of time thinking about how to grow. More classes. More clients. More reformers. Maybe another location.
And while those things can make sense, opening another studio doesn't automatically mean you're going to make more money. It means another lease, more equipment, utilities, payroll, maintenance, overhead, and a whole new set of things that can go wrong. More revenue doesn't always equal more profit, and more square footage doesn't automatically equal a better business.
What if growth didn't mean adding more space? What if it meant doing more with what you already have?
For me, that has meant building relationships, showing up in my community, putting myself out there, and allowing people to see the person behind Body Be Well. It's meant saying yes to ideas that might seem a little outside the box for a Pilates studio and creating opportunities that bring people together in ways a regular class schedule can't.
We've hosted reformer classes followed by tarot card readings, created our now-famous Pilates, Pizza & Prosecco nights four times a year, organized Pilates & Ponies, and developed our Summer Series, with one outdoor mat class in June, July, and August.
We sell the summer events individually or as a discounted series, and each class is followed by lunch and drinks provided by the venue. We've done reformer classes by candlelight followed by breathwork and paired core work with candle making.
Are all these things a traditional Pilates class? No. That's kind of the point.
They're experiences. They're fun. They give people a reason to bring a friend, try something different, spend time together, and connect with our business in a new way. They also give us a reason to partner with other businesses and venues, introduce our community to what they offer, and reach people who may never have walked into our studio otherwise.
And yes, they can bring in additional revenue. That's an important part of running a business, and we don't need to pretend otherwise. But the value goes beyond the money made on the day of an event. We build relationships, create visibility, strengthen our community, and open doors to future collaborations. Everyone gets the opportunity to share what they do, and the experience becomes bigger than any one business.
The Reformer Retreat takes this idea even further. We bring together Pilates, wellness, beauty, hospitality, vendors, and other businesses for a multi-day experience. Instead of trying to do everything ourselves, we work with people who are good at what they do and give them an opportunity to be part of something bigger. Our attendees get a memorable experience, our vendors and partners reach new audiences, and we create another source of revenue without opening another permanent location.
That's what I want other Pilates teachers and studio owners to think about. You don't always need another studio to build a bigger business. You might need a different idea, a new partnership, or the willingness to ask another business owner, "Hey, what if we did this together?"
Think about the businesses already around you. A hotel, restaurant, farm, spa, wellness professional, local maker, or brand might be the perfect partner for something you've been wanting to try. You bring your expertise and your community; they bring theirs. You create something neither business would necessarily have done on its own.
And you don't have to start with a retreat or a huge event. Start small. Host a workshop. Organize a themed class. Partner with a local business for an afternoon. Create a summer series. Invite someone with a complementary business to collaborate. See what your clients respond to and build from there.
Body Be Well Pilates Retreat.
The other piece of this is your personal brand.
Before anyone rolls their eyes, I'm not saying you need to become an influencer, dance around on social media, or turn your entire life into content. You don't need thousands of followers or a perfectly curated Instagram feed. You need to let people know who you are, what you do, what makes your business different, and why they should care.
People may initially find you because they're looking for Pilates, but they might connect with your personality, your experience, your values, or the things you're creating outside the regular schedule. When people get to know the person behind the business, they have more reasons to follow along, support what you're doing, attend an event, introduce you to another business owner, or become part of your community.
You never know which post, conversation, introduction, or idea will lead to the next opportunity. But if no one knows what you're doing, what you care about, or what you have to offer, it's a lot harder for those opportunities to find you.
After 17 years, one of the things I'm proudest of is the community we've built around Body Be Well. It's our clients and teachers, of course, but it's also the local entrepreneurs, venues, wellness professionals, vendors, and other businesses we've met and worked with along the way. Those relationships have helped us create experiences that are fun, profitable, and meaningful while giving other businesses opportunities to grow alongside us.
You don't have to do everything, and not every opportunity will be the right fit. Be selective, make sure the collaboration aligns with your business, and pay attention to whether it brings value to everyone involved.
Your studio is your foundation, but it doesn't have to be the limit of your business.
After 17 years, I've learned that growth isn't always about building something bigger. Sometimes it's about making better use of what you've already built, creating meaningful relationships, and being open to opportunities you may not have considered when you first opened your doors.
Before you decide you need another location to make more money, ask yourself what else your existing business could do. You might discover that your next opportunity isn't another studio at all. It's something you can build beyond the walls you already have.
30 Blogs in 30 Days
Throughout October, we’re sharing one new blog every day, bringing together studio owners, instructors and industry experts to share their experiences, knowledge and perspectives on the Pilates industry.
Day 21 of 30, come back tomorrow for the next blog.
