OVERVIEW
The Educator’s ROI Weekend is a
3-day intensive with 23
hours of education designed for the next generation of
Pilates teachers and studio owners. ROI means Return on Investment—and this
weekend is built to be a direct return on the time, energy, and
money you invest in your craft. Inspired by Joseph Pilates’
Return to Life, this is
not just another continuing education weekend—it’s an immersive,
skills-and-strategy experience packed with learning and
immediate
implementation so you leave with tools you can use with
clients on Monday.
Flexible payment options
available (3 plans).
PRESENTERS
Nicole Smith —
Headlining Educator, MetroPlex Pilates & Romana’s Pilates
International; Owner, Core Love Culture
Erica Walters — Owner, Pilates Fit Studio; Lead
Teacher Trainer (Real Pilates®), GYROTONIC®
Method Teacher.
Kristen Davis — Co-Owner, Pilates Lab St. Louis;
Lead Teacher Trainer (Real Pilates®)
Juan Estrada — Lead Teacher Trainer (Real
Pilates®) Certified, Romana’s Pilates International & Power
Pilates
SCHEDULE
Friday
8:00 AM — Kickoff Mat Class: Kathy Grant’s Before the 100
(Kristen)
9:00 AM – 11:00 AM — Making Space in the Pilates Studio:
Programming for Size Inclusivity
(Kristen)
12:00 PM – 2:00 PM — The Chair Family Tree: From Arm Chair to
Ped-O-Pul (Juan)
2:30 PM – 4:30 PM — Progressive Overload for Spine & Bone
Health (Erica)
Saturday
7:00 AM — Mat Class (Instructor
TBD)
8:00 AM – 11:00 AM — Boxes of the Body
(Nicole)
11:30 AM – 1:00 PM — Branding for Pilates Professionals: Standing
Out in a Saturated Market + Studio Automation Strategies
(Erica)
3:00 PM – 5:00 PM — When Things Go Haywire: Teaching Strategies for the Unexpected (Kristen)
Saturday Bonuses!
-
45-minute Lunch & Learn for Studio Owners with Marylee Bussy
-
12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM — Private Lessons (Nicole & Kristen)
Semi-Private Session (Juan) -
6:00 PM — Socialize, Sip, and Eat at
Malone’s (private room)
Hosted by Pilates Fit Studio (and covered by Erica)
Sunday
8:00 AM — Mat Class with
Nicole
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM — Working from the Pelvis
(Nicole)
1:00 PM – 3:00 PM — The Men’s Method: Mobility → Power →
Performance (Juan)
3 CECs
Attract the Right Clients, Build Retention, and Scale Without Burnout
Live at Pilates Fit Studio or via Zoom
This workshop is designed for boutique fitness studio owners, Pilates teachers, personal trainers, yoga instructors, and service-based fitness professionals who know they deliver exceptional work—but still feel like they are working too hard to stand out.
In a saturated market, talent alone is not enough. Clear, intentional branding—supported by strong systems—drives growth, increases retention, and creates a business that can scale without constant effort.
This is not a workshop about
social media hacks, trends, or quick fixes.
It is about building a business that attracts the right clients,
keeps them long-term, and operates with structure and
consistency.
Whether you run a single-room studio, a growing team, or a multi-service fitness business, this workshop will show you how to create a brand and operational structure that supports sustainable growth.
What You Will Learn
- How to clarify your brand so the right clients find you, trust you, and commit
- How to build a client journey that turns interest into sign-ups and long-term retention
- How branding supports sustainable growth, scaling, and long-term stability
- How to step into the CEO role instead of doing everything yourself
- How your website, lead generation, and software work together to create consistency
- How to stand out without discounting or competing on price
This Workshop Is a 3-Part Live Collaboration
Part 1. Become the CEO of Your Business Instead of the Operator
Erica Walters, Studio Owner & Presenter
Most studio owners are not just teaching—they are doing everything. The schedule, the inbox, the marketing, the sales, the client experience. That is operating.
In this session, you will learn how to step into the CEO role by building a business rooted in clarity, structure, and intentional decision-making.
Erica will walk through how a premier boutique fitness studio applies brand commitment across every touchpoint—from website to onboarding to in-studio experience to long-term retention—and how that translates into a business that grows with consistency instead of constant effort.
Part 2. Branding That Gets You Booked
Anastasia Goers, Owner of S&V Marketing & Founder of PilatesBridge
Branding only works when it converts.
In this session, you will learn how to align your website and online presence to attract the right clients and turn interest into booked sessions.
Anastasia specializes in boutique fitness and Pilates studios, building websites that integrate seamlessly with your business systems to support lead generation, conversion, and a cohesive client experience.
Part 3. Systems That Support Growth, Retention, and Client Experience
Marylee Bussard, Senior Customer Success Manager & Former Studio Owner
Your software is not your system.
This is one of the most important distinctions for studio owners to understand.
Your software is simply a
tool.
It is not your business model.
It is not your client journey.
It is not your retention strategy.
It is not your brand.
What makes your software powerful is not having it—it is how your business is structured within it.
That means your systems must clearly define:
- Your services and how they are positioned
- Your pricing and entry points
- Your memberships and packages
- Your scheduling structure and policies
- Your client journey and progression
- Your communication and follow-up
- Your retention strategy
If your business is unclear,
your software will feel confusing and underutilized.
When your systems are clear, your software becomes a powerful
operational tool that supports consistency, saves time, and
strengthens the client experience.
This session will shift the focus from “how to use the software” to the more important question:
How do you structure your business so your systems—and the tools that support them—work for you?
Seating is limited to keep the experience focused, interactive, and personal.
How to teach Arm Chair, Wunda Chair, Electric Chair + Ped-O-Pul with purpose and progression.
Workshop Description
The Arm Chair, Wunda Chair, and Electric Chair are a powerful
family of Pilates apparatus that help clients build strength with
precision and control. The Ped-O-Pul is the big sister of the Arm
Chair and becomes a next-level tool for posture, alignment, and
standing organization. In this 90-minute workshop, Juan will teach
you how to use each piece with purpose, how to choose the right
chair for the right body, and how to progress clients from
supported work into standing strength and balance.
You will learn why the Arm Chair should never be underestimated, even with lighter springs, and how to use it for beginner programming, older clientele, neck injuries, and clients building abdominal strength without head and neck strain. You will also learn how to program strength and control on the Wunda Chair for intermediate to advanced clients, how to use the Electric Chair to find muscles fast and build lower body power with precise alignment feedback, and how to integrate it all on the Ped-O-Pul for deep core engagement, postural correction, spinal decompression, and balance.
Objectives
-
Teach chair-based programming using a clear progression system from beginner through advanced clients
-
Choose the right apparatus for the client in front of you based on needs, limitations, and goals
-
Coach strength safely through spring resistance while improving posture, stability, and alignment
-
Progress supported strength work into standing integration with confidence and clarity
What You’ll Learn
-
How to use the Arm Chair to build upper body strength, stabilize the shoulder girdle, refine posture, improve alignment, and develop abdominal strength without neck strain
-
How to teach the Wunda Chair to build deep core strength, balance, functional fitness, and full-body control through targeted strengthening and lengthening
-
How to use the Electric Chair to build quad and glute strength, functional leg power, stability, and cleaner alignment with precise feedback
-
How to teach the Ped-O-Pul as a standing progression tool for center, organization, shoulder stability, breath control, posture, spinal decompression, and balance
What You’ll Walk Away With
-
A repeatable chair progression template you can use immediately in privates, semi-privates, and small groups
-
Actionable sequencing strategies that move clients from supported to standing work in a logical way
-
Practical modifications for beginners, older clientele, neck concerns, athletes, and strength-focused clients
-
Cueing strategies that create better alignment, better control, and faster client results
The Better Back® is an advanced continuing education workshop for certified Pilates teachers who want clear, evidence-informed strategies for safely programming Classical Pilates for clients with osteoporosis, osteopenia, disc degeneration, and bone spurs.
This workshop centers on progressive overload and how to apply it within the Classical Pilates system with confidence and integrity. Learn how to recognize contraindications, modify the repertoire by apparatus, and build smart progressions using springs, body weight, and functional strength patterns.
Rather than focusing on choreography, this training emphasizes programming systems and teaching strategy. You will leave with repeatable tools you can use immediately in private sessions and group classes to support posture, strength, balance, and long-term functional independence.
Learning
Objectives
- Explain key bone health considerations related to osteoporosis
and spinal degeneration
- Identify and apply contraindications within the Classical Pilates
repertoire
- Design bone-safe sessions using progressive overload
principles
- Use apparatus-based modifications to protect the spine while
building strength
- Apply sequencing strategies to improve stability, stamina, and
mobility
- Teach functional strength patterns that support fall prevention
and daily movement
Instructor: Erica
Walters
Pilates Fit Studio Owner, Exercise Scientist, Level 3 Classical
Pilates Instructor, Lead Instructor Trainer Real Pilates®,
Certified GYROTONIC®
Method Teacher, Creator of The Better Back®