Building a successful Pilates business isn’t just about offering classes, it’s about creating a culture that resonates with your clients and reflects your personal values. Pilates teacher Emily Carvis offers her eight top tips to create a thriving culture in your Pilates business.
A strong culture combines authenticity, care and community, ensuring clients feel seen, supported and inspired. Drawing on my real-world experience from my own Pilates business, the following eight top tips outline how I cultivate an environment where clients not only stay loyal but thrive, while my business thrives alongside them.
- Be authentic and value-driven
Build your business around your personal values and what you genuinely care about. Authenticity attracts clients who resonate with your ethos. This is how you unlock a safe space where people feel comfortable to express themselves, be playful and present, and feel comfortable to join in. I work primarily with women and I believe wholeheartedly that women deserve to be uplifted. For example, on my clients’ birthdays, I’ll put a birthday meme in the group chat and make a fuss of them. Often in my classes, I will encourage my participants to take their shoes off and get their feet on the grass – it’s the relationship I’ve cultivated with them over time that enables them to trust me and perhaps do something they wouldn’t usually do in front of a park full of people. My barefoot walks after class are always a hit! - Get to know your clients
If one of my participants’ husbands is ill, for example, I will always ask after them. I do it because I genuinely care about all my women who come to class but it also builds a culture of care within my space. I have even been known to leave a couple of carrots on the mat of a participant who has a horse because she needed cheering up. It’s knowing those little details and being thoughtful that makes all the difference. - Personal touches matter
Just like the carrot incident, gifting is my love language. At Easter, I popped a bunch of daffodils on each mat at the start of the session for my participants. It cost me just £20 and they were all really touched to receive the gift. I didn’t need to do it, but little touches like that go a long way to creating a supportive and caring culture. - Encourage health and self-care – and work on your own self-care
Integrate wellness into the culture – do raffles with healthy prizes, offer self-care encouragement and reward client contributions to your community. If a client helps me with my social media, for example, I will gift them a little something as appreciation. I will hold raffles where the prize is something luxury like a Neom candle (but never unhealthy!). I also believe that, if you don’t work on your own healing, it’s not as easy to nurture others. Spending time on self-care is really important. - Persistence and resilience
Stay committed even when profit is low or challenges arise. Resilience demonstrates passion and builds trust with clients. When I first started my business as a single mum with lots of bills to pay, I remember having to ask companies to give me payment holidays as I couldn’t pay all my bills. I knew I had something special though and I kept working on it. That patience and resilience paid off and has given me first-hand knowledge of how hard it can be to overcome challenges when my participants are tackling challenges of their own. Empathy is so important. - Build a supportive community
Focus on fostering connections between clients. Encourage group activities, social events and retreats that promote bonding and shared experiences. Last year, I took a group of my participants to Whitby for a Pilates retreat. We did Pilates on the beach and had a lot of fun. When they arrived, they discovered I had bought each of them a personalised water bottle, which really added the personal touch. Later this year, I am taking them for a spa morning to a hotel and will be doing a Pilates class in the grounds. It adds a lovely social element to my business. - Focus on retention, not just acquisition
Nurture your existing clients, don’t just keep chasing new ones. Prioritising current relationships over constantly seeking new clients is so valuable as, if you nurture those clients, you will have clients for life. Make your loyal clients feel valued and appreciated so you don’t have to spend loads on marketing and constantly worry about retention. - Set boundaries and maintain brand integrity
Accept clients who fit your brand and values. Gently turn away clients who are not a good fit. This ensures a harmonious culture and protects your energy. When it comes to turning away clients, do this in a sensitive and thoughtful way.
Creating a thriving culture in a Pilates business goes far beyond technique or exercise. By focusing on authenticity, client care, community and meaningful experiences, you cultivate an environment where clients feel valued, inspired and connected. The result is a business that not only succeeds financially but also fosters joy, empowerment and lasting relationships for everyone involved.
Read more about creating a positive relationship with your group exercise clients with Leila Neve on the perception feedback loop on the FitPro blog.
Emily Carvis
Emily Carvis has been a Pilates instructor for 15 years. Before that, she taught Zumba and dance classes. At 50 years old, Emily believes her dance ability helps her choreograph flowing, gentle movement with lots of breathwork to help regulate the nervous system. Her USP is her gifting love language and her authenticity of self. Facebook: @Pilates-with-Emily
