April 26, 2021


Pilates teachers who become studio owners often do so to make a greater impact on the health and wellbeing of people’s lives. When they do, they set the tone and norms for how both clients and the community will experience Pilates. Their studio, in essence, becomes the gateway, and they the gatekeeper

What can you do to expand the influence of your studio beyond the walls of your building? In this post, we'll explore three ways you can seamlessly incorporate various initiatives into your programming to run a Pilates Studio that is effective, expansive, and ultimately, lucrative.

Be Inclusive
As you may know, the PMA is working to become more intentional about diversity, equity, and inclusion. Research shows that if organizations are not intentionally seeking out partners, employees, and constituents from communities of color, women, those who identify as LGBTQ, or individuals with disabilities, they are often left out of leadership and decision-making roles.

Challenge the status quo, by seeking to diversify your Pilates studio hiring practices, marketing initiatives, and vendor relationships. Consider that by involving people across backgrounds you will not only increase your studio’s reach, you will also make room for fresh ideas, nuanced points of view, and position yourself to increase your revenue!

When news of COVID-19 broke, there was a lot of talk amongst Pilates professionals about how to keep equipment and the rest of the studio as virus-free as possible. I heard colleagues admitting to using Clorox wipes on their vinyl upholstery while others chimed in to say they’d happily shorten the life of their vinyl to kill the virus. Totally understandable under the circumstances, right?!

Having an inclusive Pilates studio that normalizes diversity of experience and thought will certainly give you a leg up and support your efforts to bring the benefits of Pilates to a broader audience.

Partner with Local Nonprofits
Partnering with nonprofit organizations offers a wonderful opportunity to empower your local community through Pilates - and it’s a great way for your Pilates studio to do good!

Your Pilates studio could host a class for youth who have not been exposed to the benefits of Pilates or even provide classes at local shelters. As an experienced Pilates teacher, you may also want to get involved with such initiatives as Heroes In Motion, a platform we’ve developed specifically for those who want to help people struggling with serious movement impairments due to trauma or disease.

The benefits of Pilates are far-reaching and can truly improve the quality of life for those who incorporate Pilates-fitness into their daily routines. By using your studio to expand the reach of Pilates through partnerships with organizations serving those in need, your impact can spread further.

Include Audience-Specific Programming
Mapping out programming is always a unique challenge for Pilates studio owners. As we know, Pilates covers a wide range of exercises and movements that can be tailored to specific groups of people. Why not expand those groups?

Consider programming at your Pilates studio that caters to the needs of expectant mothers, senior citizens, athletes in specific sports, arthritic individuals, and more! The list can be endless! Check out this Pilates.com article about launching your studio for more ideas!

Use these tips to challenge yourself to be more purposely connected to your community in ways that are exciting and engaging. You are the doorway through which many people in your surrounding area will come to know and love Pilates! Having a studio that is inclusive, gives back, and adapts to the needs of people in various stages and areas of life will help to ensure your studio generates buzz and makes a difference in your community.



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