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Beyond the Reformer · Today · 1 hr 2 min

Why Great Pilates Isn’t Enough Anymore | Georgia Testa

"Until you do that, you're not a brand, you're just a transactional product within their life." In this episode, we are joined by Georgia Testa, founder of Studio 281, a fast-growing Reformer Pilates and functional fitness brand with five locations across Bedford, Milton Keynes, Ampthill, and Olney. They explore what it really takes to build a genuine community in a Pilates studio, from why customer loyalty can never be built on a transactional relationship, to the mindset shift needed to stand out in an increasingly saturated market. They unpack the current state of the Pilates industry, including how modalities like Reformer, strength training, and wellness concepts can work alongside each other rather than compete, and why brand now matters more than the product itself. They also go deeper into the realities of running and scaling a multi-location studio business, from leadership and hiring the right instructors, to the honest, unfiltered challenges of balancing motherhood, burnout, and growth. Timestamps 00:00 Meeting Georgia and the origins of Studio 281 00:47 Why community has become central to the studio 04:12 Georgia's journey from dance to personal training to Pilates 10:34 Why every modality should own its own lane 13:52 Competitors vs. inspiration in a saturated market 20:07 The consultant framework: building real community from scratch 33:50 Scaling across multiple locations 45:08 Brand over product in a crowded Pilates market 47:36 Motherhood, burnout, and finding your own balance 59:03 Where to find Georgia and Studio 281 If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you're following along so you don't miss future episodes. And feel free to share this one with someone you think would take something from it. Connect with Nic: Beyond the Reformer Instagram Soul Pilates Instagram Soul Pilates Education Nic's Instagram Join Soul at Home Book a Pilates Class Sign up to Our Newsletter Connect with Georgia: Georgia's Instagram Studio 281 Instagram Studio 281 Website 281 Training Academy Interested in joining the September Teacher Training intake? Find all the details and book a call here.

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"Until you do that, you're not a brand, you're just a transactional product within their life."

In this episode, we are joined by Georgia Testa, founder of Studio 281, a fast-growing Reformer Pilates and functional fitness brand with five locations across Bedford, Milton Keynes, Ampthill, and Olney.

They explore what it really takes to build a genuine community in a Pilates studio, from why customer loyalty can never be built on a transactional relationship, to the mindset shift needed to stand out in an increasingly saturated market.

They unpack the current state of the Pilates industry, including how modalities like Reformer, strength training, and wellness concepts can work alongside each other rather than compete, and why brand now matters more than the product itself.

They also go deeper into the realities of running and scaling a multi-location studio business, from leadership and hiring the right instructors, to the honest, unfiltered challenges of balancing motherhood, burnout, and growth.

Timestamps

00:00 Meeting Georgia and the origins of Studio 281

00:47 Why community has become central to the studio

04:12 Georgia's journey from dance to personal training to Pilates

10:34 Why every modality should own its own lane

13:52 Competitors vs. inspiration in a saturated market

20:07 The consultant framework: building real community from scratch

33:50 Scaling across multiple locations

45:08 Brand over product in a crowded Pilates market

47:36 Motherhood, burnout, and finding your own balance

59:03 Where to find Georgia and Studio 281


If you're enjoying the podcast, make sure you're following along so you don't miss future episodes. And feel free to share this one with someone you think would take something from it.

Connect with Nic:

Connect with Georgia:

Interested in joining the September Teacher Training intake? Find all the details and book a call here.


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