MAKING IT!

Meet two studio entrepreneurs from different eras with different visions who each found the secret sauce for success.

of small businesses survive for five years

BY JULIE KING

No matter what industry they’re in, entrepreneurs have the odds against them. Twenty percent of small businesses fail in the first year and only approximately 50% survive five years, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Simply surviving isn’t thriving, and this is especially true in the boutique fitness space. Just 10% of studios are sustainably profitable, according to Studio Grow, a boutique fitness consulting firm.

So what does it take to buck the trend? HFB spoke with two entrepreneurs who have very little in common but have made their mark in the industry.

Jennifer Maanavi, co-founder and CEO of Physique 57, helped pioneer the modern boutique concept when she opened her first location in New York City in 2006. She also popularized barre workouts by putting a unique spin on the concept that’s derived from ballet training. Earlier this year, Maanavi appeared on an episode of the HFA podcast Shorts With Liz Clark, the source of some of her quotes in this article.

Chyna Willman, much newer to the industry, is founder and CEO of Grit City Wellness, which opened its doors in 2019. Willman is at the forefront of a more comprehensive service proposition, integrating numerous wellness, fitness, and holistic concepts under one roof. Willman is active in advocacy for the industry, both on the state and federal level, and she joined the HFA board of directors in June.

Although the two successful entrepreneurs come from different eras and opposite corners of the United States—Maanavi is based in New York City and Willman in Tacoma, Washington—they share striking similarities. Their brands differ in value propositions, yet both are fueled by a deep passion, creative problem-solving, and an unrelenting vision that informs their decision-making and strategic outlook. Notably, each had a thriving career outside the health and fitness industry before entering it.

JENNIFER MAANAVI: FROM FINANCE TO FITNESS

The Vision

While working as a Wall Street executive, Maanavi helped launch the modern boutique fitness studio industry 20 years ago. It started when her favorite local exercise studio, the Lotte Berk Method studio in New York City, closed in 2005 after being open for 35 years.

Maanavi partnered with the studio’s top instructor, Tanya Becker, to co-found

CHYNA WILLMAN: FROM GRIT TO GREAT

The Vision

It was 2017 and Chyna Willman was struggling. A marketing and sales executive for companies tied to the automotive industry, she had spent the last 20 years in high-pressure corporate positions that demanded constant travel and long hours, leaving her stressed and exhausted.

“I was experiencing chronic fatigue, pain, and burnout, and there simply weren’t

Boutique studios have been returning in force post-pandemic, and the market is expected to grow. But, as noted in the accompanying article, reaching a profitable status is far from guaranteed. Only 17% of studios have a profit margin of 20% or more, according to the 2024 Boutique Fitness Solutions State of the Industry Report.

So what does it take to succeed as an entrepreneur in the boutique fitness studio business? And what is critical for aspiring, new, or current studio owners?

HFB asked Lise Kuecker to weigh in. She is the founder and CEO of Studio Grow, co-founder of The Boutique Fitness Coalition, creator of The Business of Boutique Fitness podcast, and a six-time studio owner.

1. Profitable Presales

Presale numbers are linked with profitability three and five years after opening, yet many boutiques don’t take advantage of or don’t know about this opportunity, Kuecker says.

The process includes deliberately building a waitlist 12 to 16 weeks before opening and selling founding memberships six weeks prior to grand opening. “A successful grand opening assumes studio owners will double their presale numbers in the first 90 days,” she says.

2. Omnichannel Marketing

No longer can studio owners rely on a few marketing vehicles in today’s highly competitive landscape, with a distracted audience. “Consumer behavior is forcing us to operate across a wide variety of channels—including social media, email, SMS, content marketing, referrals, and even traditional community outreach,” Kuecker says. “Studios need a comprehensive approach and smart strategy to manage these.”

3. An Employee Growth Plan

After an estimated 1.1 million people left the boutique industry during the pandemic, studios continue to contend with a labor shortage. According to Kuecker, boutique gyms need to change their employment models.

“Our teams want to grow, yet our industry has largely relegated them to independent contractors doing hourly work,” she says. “It’s time to flip this narrative and give them a chance at a career rather than a hobby.” That includes comprehensive onboarding, ongoing training, salaries, health insurance, paid leave, and a 401k plan.

4. Exceptional Mid-level Management

Most studio owners also serve as instructors, salespeople, HR leaders, custodians, and more. But to sustain growth, they need to hire and delegate to a manager so they can function more like a CEO. “If you’re growing past three studios, it’s time to begin building a mid-level management team that can scale you quickly,” Kuecker suggests.

5. A Voice

“If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s that advocacy matters,” Kuecker says, having co-founded the Boutique Fitness Coalition in 2020 to represent the industry and create community.

An annual participant in the Health & Fitness Association’s Fly-In and Advocacy Summit, Kuecker emphasizes active support. “Don’t be afraid to share why this industry is critical. We are preventive healthcare.”

Health & Fitness Business is a publication of

Health & Fitness Business (HFB) is the leading Health & Fitness industry publication. Published monthly by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and distributed free to the industry, HFB offers analysis of the opportunities, challenges, issues and news that impact the industry.

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