4 things I’ve learnt over the years as a Pilates Studio Owner…

Running a business means keeping all the balls in the air and in the beginning, it’s often us, as business owners that are juggling 15 balls at a time. When I started my Pilates Studio (almost 11 years ago now), I was doing everything - Pilates teacher, admin, bookkeeper, cleaner, customer service rep, tech support and every other thing you can think of.

Balance was a pipe-dream.

Why? because I wasn’t cashed up, investment wise. I had a young family and I was boot-strapping everything (My first marketing materials and websites were an eyesore - I had no idea what I was doing).

I was building my business, client by client, Reformer by Reformer and one skill at a time. It took a long time to get any of it right.

But with everything that flopped or didn’t give me the results I expected, I learned more about business and how to create systems that worked. I love this quote that sums it up nicely:

‘Fall down seven times, stand up eight.’
- Japanese proverb (Nanakorobi yaoki)

It’s not about failing - that’s inevitable. It’s about getting back up time and again.

With that being said, here are 4 things I’ve learnt throughout my Pilates business journey:

1) Accept that It takes time to build a sustainable business

I think the price to be paid for entrepreneurship is accepting that when you start, you won’t be much good at anything and it may take more time than you anticipate to build momentum.

Have faith that your daily, consistent actions to grow your business will compound over time. My first attempts in my business were amateur, slow and riddled with self doubt, but they have grown the business I run today and for those clumsy, first steps, I am grateful.

The reality is: most people won’t persist - and that’s where stubbornness and patience is a quality you want to lean into as a Pilates business owner. With time and persistence, have faith that good things will emerge. A lot of running a Pilates business feels like treading water and it’s only in hindsight that we can see the progress we’ve made.

2) Building resilience - Means doing the hard things

Developing trust in yourself as a Pilates business owner comes from making difficult decisions often. And as you build that ‘trust-muscle’ you will find yourself making decisions with more clarity and insight.

You may see a lot of studios looking successful from the onset and feel discouraged - remember it can take 10 years to become an overnight sensation!

Reframing failure as a way to success helps. Not everything we do will reap rewards.

3) Figure out what your priorities are

We are fed an idea (I’m going to say, especially as female entrepreneurs) that attaining balance in life and business is a badge of honour - some kind of ‘I got there, hurray for me, now I can rest in balance forever’

Wouldn’t that be nice.

Figuring out priorities is an ever evolving landscape.

A few years ago, I came across this idea from Nora Ephron:

Take a moment to imagine the responsibilities in your life as balls you are juggling. Some are made of glass. Others are made of plastic.

Glass balls: These are the areas of life that, if dropped, may break and are difficult to repair. These priorities carry consequences that bank up over time rather than having an immediate effect. When they are neglected repeatedly, the impact is felt over time.

Plastic balls: represents tasks and responsibilities that may feel urgent but are generally recoverable. If dropped, they tend to bounce back.

Plastic priorities still matter, but they are more flexible. They can usually be revisited or corrected without lasting harm.

Prioritising is accepting that, at times, something will have to be dropped. The focus shifts away from trying to do everything perfectly and instead toward choosing what to protect.

Rather than asking, “How do I juggle everything?” the question becomes:
‘What can I afford to drop right now?’

This shift in mindset helps to get rid of unnecessary guilt and help you to clarify decisions when you’re feeling overwhelmed and out of balance.

4) Don’t forget you’re doing your best

Something we need to remember when things are feeling tough - You’re doing your best, and that’s the best you can do.

Every thing you do is a stepping stone to another thing of value - keep going.

Every business is unique and there is no ‘one right way’ to build it. Have faith in yourself and give yourself grace when progress feel slow.

By the way, I’ve just created something and I’m super excited to share it with you…

The Reflection Journal for Pilates Studio Owners (with AI Companion) is designed to support you as a Pilates Business owner: it designed to help you step back from the day-to-day and consider what truly requires your energy and attention.

With guided prompts (including a Custom AI to accompany the journal) I’ve organised the sections to help you with: clarity, mindset, systems, leadership, and client relationships (all pillars from my coaching program - From Burn Out to Balance) — the journal offers a way to lead your business with greater intention and focus.

I hope you like it as much as I enjoyed creating it: Find it here

Yours in health and Pilates,
Kim