Today we’d like to introduce you to Lesley Clayton.
Lesley, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I moved from Chicago to Dallas in 2014 and starting building my client base. I taught mostly private Pilates sessions in various locations around the metroplex. In 2018 I was able to rent a small space inside Sweat Gym in Inwood Village. I hired a contractor to build out the space, purchased my first round of Pilates equipment, and starting working under my own business. Train Pilates Studio grew in number of private clients as well as group classes and I hired my first instructor to take on new clients.
We outgrew that space in a year and in 2019 I moved down the street to our current location in Bluffview. What started with one suite and one hire in July of 2019 has now expanded into an even bigger space, a team of seven Pilates Instructors and a vibrant community of dedicated clients who continue to keep Train Pilates Studio a prominent Pilates Studio in Dallas.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
In 2016, after spending a year building a consistent client base, I started looking for a space to rent on my own. It took two solid years of searching. I needed to find a place that took all factors into consideration and would give me a fighting chance to succeed. Either the location was not desirable or the initial overhead was too risky. Several times I would have a location almost locked in and then the deal would fall apart last minute.
I decided to get creative. I spend three months working out a partnership with another company. I was looking at a compromise of what I thought would sacrifice my 100% ownership and control but could potentially be a big stepping stone towards growing my business in the long run. Countless hours, meetings, and mapping out details later I come to find out the deal was hollow and wasn’t going to happen. Back to square one.
Despite all the setbacks I kept brainstorming. With much credit to my husband, he helped me come up with the idea to rent out a small space inside Sweat Gym. The owners were gracious enough to allow me to do so and I was able to build a stepping stone in that year which propelled me to the Train Pilates Studio that I have today.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Train Pilates Studio is an authentic Pilates Studio in the Bluffview neighborhood of Dallas. We have a team of seven highly educated and dedicated movement professionals. We specialize in private instruction as well as small group classes and are known for making a real difference in people’s bodies. Men and women of all ages and physical levels come to our studio. You will receive specialized instruction that fits your needs and goals. At Train, you will learn how to move so that you’re gaining 100% of the desired results from your workout in studio as well as improving your quality of life outside of the studio.
I am most proud of the fact that I built this studio from the ground up and continue to own and operate it. My team of instructors believes in what we are doing. They don’t see it as just another Pilates studio to work at in Dallas. This is a place where they have put in a great deal of time to grow their expertise and build a rapport with our community. Our clients are consistent to our studio and we are consistent with them.
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Appreciate the setbacks. They always have a way of putting you into a better position and will make the successes all the more enjoyable.
Contact Info:
- Email: info@trainpilatesstudio.com
- Website: https://trainpilatesstudio.com/
- Instagram: @trainpilatesstudio
Image Credits
Beckley Photography
