How to Start your own Pilates Business
The Importance of Business and Marketing Skills
Many new Pilates instructors begin their careers working with an existing studio, gym or health club. This is often a very convenient starting point, as you can work with the club’s equipment and facilities. You also have interaction with other instructors and can learn a different range of training techniques and gain invaluable experience. The downside: instructors are often paid less, may have to work long hours and may have other duties and responsibilities that are not Pilates related.
Get some Business and Marketing Skills
If you have completed your internship and now feel ready to branch out on your own, here are a few pointers to help get you started. Running your own Pilates business means not only will you be instructing, but you will also have to consider the commercial side of things. Managerial and marketing skills are important here as you will want your business to grow. Enrolling on an evening business and marketing course is an excellent way to meet other like-minded people, discuss ideas and learn new important skills. There are also many good books and DVDs available both in book stores and online that can help you on your way.
Getting Started
When you start out on your own you will be up against a lot of competition. But the good news is the fitness industry offers enormous potential and with proper planning you can be really successful. A few questions to ask yourself include:
- What kind of training will I offer?
- Where will I offer this training?
- Will I want to work part time or full time?
- How will I market my business?
- What insurance will I need against professional liabilities?
As a Pilates instructor you may just want to offer traditional Pilates or you may want to branch out in other areas such as yoga or a Pilates/yoga mix. Or, for example, if you live near a golf course you may want to offer special training for golfers.
Find a Good Location
You can offer private training in your own home if you have the space or you may prefer to find an already established Pilates business to take over. The advantage of this is taking over a business that already has a client base and a business strategy in place. On the other hand, this could be more expensive than renting a studio, buying or leasing your own Pilates equipment and starting from scratch. If starting from scratch it may be a good idea to do some market research to ensure there are enough potential clients in your chosen area. Don’t forget to double check your local laws to make sure you don’t need a special license to set up in your area.
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