5 Learnings from The Pilates Journal Expo 2026

The Pilates Journal Expo brought together studio owners, industry leaders, and innovators to discuss the future of fitness. Here are the most impactful insights that every studio owner should be thinking about right now.

1. The Future is Hybrid (And It's Here Now)

Gone are the days when studios relied solely on in-person classes. The most successful studios are diversifying their revenue streams through:

• Online on-demand classes that reach clients beyond your geographic location
• In-studio reformer class kiosks that allow members to access quality instruction 24/7
• Traditional live classes that maintain the community and hands-on coaching clients crave

This hybrid model isn't just about surviving - it's about thriving. Studios that embrace multiple revenue channels create more resilient businesses and serve their clients in the ways they actually want to be served. Businesses like Peak Pilates are embracing this future with modern kiosks that can attach directly to your studio's reformers.

2. Most Studios Are Flying Blind on Basic Metrics

Here's a uncomfortable truth: most studio management systems fail at providing the most fundamental data points. If you can't easily answer these two questions, you have a problem:

• What does it cost to acquire a new customer?
• What is the lifetime value of that customer?

Without these basics, you're making decisions based on gut feel rather than data. You can't optimize what you can't measure. The studios that win in the coming years will be those that have clarity on their unit economics and can make informed decisions about where to invest their marketing dollars and operational focus.

3. You're Missing Out on Top-Performing Ad Channels

While most studios are competing in the crowded Instagram and Facebook feed ad space, there are untapped channels crushing it right now:

• YouTube ads
• Facebook Messenger ads
• WhatsApp ads

According to StudioGrow, these platforms are delivering some of the highest ROI for studio marketing - yet very few studios are leveraging them. This is your opportunity to get ahead while the competition is still sleeping on these channels.

4. Your People ARE Your Product

The Pilates industry is shifting from a contractor-heavy model to full-time employees with benefits. This isn't just a trend - it's the future.

When you invest in your instructors through:

• Competitive salaries
• Health benefits
• Professional development
• Career growth paths

You create a better experience for your clients. Happy, invested instructors deliver better classes. Better classes create loyal clients. Loyal clients build sustainable businesses.

The studios treating their team as contractors are going to struggle to compete with studios that treat their instructors as the valuable professionals they are.

5. Pilates is Booming - Don't Be Everything to Everyone

Pilates is exploding in popularity, and that's creating a temptation to serve every possible client with every possible offering. Resist this.

The most profitable studios are finding their niche and doubling down:

• Prenatal and postnatal specialization
• Athletic performance and cross-training
• Rehabilitation and physical therapy integration
• Classical Pilates purists
• Boutique luxury experiences

When you try to be everything to everyone, you become nothing to anyone. Find your lane, own it, and watch your profitability increase as you attract the right clients who will pay premium prices for specialized expertise.

What This Means for Your Studio

These aren't just interesting observations—they're actionable insights that should shape your strategy for 2025 and beyond.

Ask yourself:

• Are you building multiple revenue streams or relying on one?
• Do you have clarity on your key business metrics?
• Are you exploring untapped marketing channels?
• How are you investing in your team?
• What's your niche, and are you fully committed to it?

The studios that thrive in the next few years will be those that act on these insights now, not later.