Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Perez.
Hi Elizabeth, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My journey started with a passion for both healthcare and wellness. I earned my BA in Healthcare Administration while balancing work, school, and a growing love for movement and fitness. After graduating, I began working a corporate job full-time while teaching Pilates part-time on the side. Pilates quickly became more than just a hobby for me — it became a creative outlet and a way to connect with people in a meaningful way.
At the same time, I was also pursuing my Masters in Business Administration. Juggling corporate life, graduate school, and teaching Pilates was not easy, but it taught me discipline, resilience, and how to build something with purpose.
While teaching part-time, I started realizing I had a bigger vision for what wellness and Pilates could look like. I wanted classes to feel energetic, empowering, inclusive, and authentic to who I was. I remember being told “no” for playing the music I loved and bringing too much personality and energy into classes. Instead of shrinking myself, that rejection sparked something bigger in me — it lit the FIRE.
That moment became the motivation behind starting Fire Pilates.
I wanted to create something that was fully mine — a space where people could feel confident, welcomed, represented, and free to move in a way that felt exciting and real. After completing my MBA, I officially launched Fire Pilates, combining my background in business, healthcare, and wellness into one brand.
What started as a small idea has now grown into a powerful wellness community with sold-out events, partnerships with major brands, and an expanding presence throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs. Fire Pilates is more than fitness to me — it’s proof that sometimes rejection pushes you exactly where you’re meant to go.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not. The journey has been incredibly rewarding, but it has also come with a lot of challenges along the way. One of the biggest struggles was constantly feeling like I never fully fit into the traditional wellness and Pilates industry. As a Latina woman, I experienced moments of racism, judgment, and feeling underestimated in spaces where there was very little diversity or representation.
I also struggled with the pressure of what people think a Pilates instructor is “supposed” to look like. I’m not the stereotypical super skinny or extremely fit-looking instructor, and there were moments where people questioned me before even taking my class. But what many people don’t know is that I have been working in the gym industry for over 10 years, starting when I was just 14 years old. Fitness, movement, and wellness have always been part of my life.
Before earning my BA in Healthcare Administration, I also became a licensed Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA), which gave me a strong educational background in anatomy, rehabilitation, movement, and the human body. Beyond appearances, I have a very strong foundation, both physically and professionally, and I’ve spent years learning how to help people move safely and confidently.
Another struggle was trying to balance everything at once — working a corporate job full-time, teaching Pilates part-time, and pursuing my Masters in Business Administration while building Fire Pilates from the ground up. There were definitely moments of exhaustion, self-doubt, and fear of failure.
But honestly, those struggles are what pushed me to create Fire Pilates. I wanted to build a space where people felt welcomed exactly as they are — regardless of their body type, background, culture, or fitness level. A space where people could feel empowered, represented, and confident walking into a class. Looking back now, every challenge became fuel for the vision I have today.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Fire Pilates is a wellness and Pilates brand built around one core mission: turning movement into community. What started as a small dream has now grown into a rapidly expanding wellness experience throughout Chicago and the surrounding suburbs, with sold-out classes, large-scale events, and an incredibly supportive community behind it.
We specialize in creating high-energy, inclusive Pilates experiences that feel different from the traditional fitness environment. Our classes combine Pilates with music, culture, confidence, and community in a way that makes people feel excited to show up. From heated sculpt classes and themed experiences to wellness socials and large community events, Fire Pilates is designed to make movement feel empowering, welcoming, and fun for everyone — regardless of experience level, background, or body type.
One thing that truly sets Fire Pilates apart is the atmosphere we’ve created. We are not just a workout class — we are an experience. Every event is intentionally curated to make people feel connected. Whether it’s a Pilates class followed by coffee socials, live DJs, wellness vendors, giveaways, or themed community events, our goal is always to create a space where people leave feeling stronger mentally and physically while also feeling like they found their people.
I also think representation plays a huge role in what makes our brand unique. As a Latina-owned business, I wanted to create a space where people who may have never felt represented in traditional wellness spaces could finally feel seen and welcomed. Fire Pilates embraces culture, personality, music, and authenticity in a way that breaks the stereotype of what Pilates “has” to look like.
What I’m most proud of brand-wise is the community we’ve built. Watching people come to class alone and leave with friendships, confidence, and a sense of belonging is something I will never take for granted. We’ve created a space where people feel comfortable showing up exactly as they are, and I think that emotional connection is what keeps our community growing so quickly.
I also take pride in the fact that Fire Pilates was built completely from the ground up while balancing corporate life, graduate school, and years of experience in healthcare and fitness. Every class, event, partnership, and milestone has been built with intention, passion, and resilience.
More than anything, I want readers to know that Fire Pilates is for everyone. You do not need to “look” a certain way to belong here. Our brand is about confidence, empowerment, movement, culture, and community — and creating experiences that remind people they deserve to take up space exactly as they are.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
I would say resilience has been the most important quality behind my success. Building Fire Pilates was never a smooth or easy journey. There were moments of rejection, self-doubt, burnout, financial stress, and feeling like I did not fully belong in the wellness industry. But every challenge pushed me to work harder and stay focused on the bigger vision.
I’ve always believed that if you truly believe in what you are building, you have to be willing to keep going even when people do not immediately understand your vision. There were many moments where I could have played it safe, stayed comfortable in my corporate career, or let criticism discourage me, but instead I used those experiences as motivation to create something different.
Another characteristic that has been incredibly important is authenticity. Fire Pilates grew because I stopped trying to fit into what the fitness industry expected me to be and instead built a brand that genuinely reflects who I am — my culture, my personality, my music taste, my energy, and my vision for community. I think people connect with brands when they feel something real behind them, and I’ve always tried to lead with honesty, passion, and heart.
Most importantly, I care deeply about people. At the center of everything we do is community. I genuinely want people to feel stronger, more confident, and more connected after walking into one of our classes or events. I think that intention is what continues to drive the success and growth of Fire Pilates.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thefirepilates.com/
- Instagram: firepilateswithliz
- Other: tik tok: firepilateswithliz
