The fitness industry has changed enormously over the last few years, and with it, the relationship between studios and instructors has changed too.
Being able to deliver a brilliant class is important, of course it is. But increasingly, that’s only the starting point.
As studio owners, we’re looking for instructors who want to become part of something. People who understand the brand they’re representing, care about the customer experience and recognise that the strongest studios are built by teams who genuinely want the business to succeed.
The days of simply turning up, teaching your class and leaving are disappearing.
It Starts Before the Interview
For me, the hiring process begins from the very first message. Before we’ve met you, we’re already noticing the small things.
Have you researched the studio? Do you know what classes we offer? Have you looked at our social media? Do you understand what our brand stands for?
Better still, have you actually taken a class with us? If someone wants to become part of a studio, I think there should be a genuine curiosity about what that studio is trying to create.
You don’t need to know everything. But enthusiasm, initiative and preparation go a very long way.
Your Qualification Gets You Through the Door…Your Attitude Makes You Stay
Qualifications and technical ability matter, but some of the most important qualities are much harder to teach.
Dedication. Loyalty. Commitment. Motivation. Reliability. And ultimately, alignment with the values of the business.
I want instructors who care about what happens beyond their individual class. If a session is quiet, do you wonder why? If you notice a member hasn’t been in for a few weeks, do you mention it? If there’s an opportunity to improve something, do you bring an idea to the table?
That doesn’t mean an instructor should be expected to run the business for free. There has to be a healthy distinction between the role of the studio owner and the role of the instructor.
But there is a huge difference between simply working at a studio and feeling like you are part of it.
Be Prepared to Showcase What You Can Do
If you’re applying to teach somewhere, be open to delivering a showcase class, attending an audition or shadowing an existing instructor.
This isn’t about trying to catch anyone out.
Teaching is experiential. A CV can tell me where you qualified and how long you’ve been teaching, but it can’t show me how you command a room, whether you remember people’s names, how you respond to different abilities or the energy you create when somebody walks into your class feeling nervous.
Some of the things I’m watching most closely have nothing to do with whether every exercise is perfectly programmed.
How do you communicate? How do you make people feel? Do you read the room? Are you coachable? Are you willing to learn?
Those qualities matter enormously.
Georgia Testa teaching a Pilates class at Studio 281
Studios Need Instructors and Instructors Need Studios
I think sometimes the conversation around instructors and studios becomes unnecessarily divided. The reality is that we need each other.
A studio cannot build an incredible community without brilliant instructors delivering its product. Equally, studios provide instructors with the platform, customers, facilities, marketing, systems and opportunities that allow them to build successful careers.
The strongest relationships happen when both sides recognise that.
The studios that will shape the future of our industry will be driven by people who want to move it forward, and that includes the instructors.
I want people around us who want to grow. People who want further education, new concepts and opportunities. People who are excited when the business evolves because they see themselves as part of that journey.
The Small Things Tell Me Everything
Often, it isn’t the big gestures that make an instructor stand out.
It’s finishing a class and telling reception, “Sarah left her grip socks behind, I’ve put them to one side for her.” It’s noticing a new member looked nervous and checking that they enjoyed themselves.
It’s messaging with an idea because three clients mentioned the same thing that week. It’s knowing somebody’s name when they come back for their second class.
Those tiny interactions might seem insignificant, but collectively they create the customer experience. And customer experience is the brand.
As an owner, when I see an instructor thinking like that, I know they understand what we’re trying to achieve.
Think Beyond Your Class
If you want to build long-term relationships with great studios, my biggest advice would be to think beyond the hour you are being paid to teach.
Not by working endless unpaid hours, but by understanding the bigger picture.
Be curious about the brand. Support the community. Communicate. Bring ideas. Keep learning. Take feedback well. Notice your clients. Care about whether your classes succeed.
Most importantly, show that you want to be there. There are thousands of qualified instructors.
The ones studio owners remember are the people who turn up with energy, take ownership, care about the customer and want to grow alongside the business.
Because ultimately, we aren’t just hiring someone to fill a space on a timetable. We’re choosing the people who will represent our brand when we’re not in the room.
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 26 of 30, come back tomorrow for the next blog.
