KX Pilates CEO shares 6 strategies for success in the Pilates industry
In the third instalment of our Pilates Pillow Talk webinar series, we were joined by one of the most-requested guests so far: industry heavyweight and success story Selina Bridge, CEO of KX Pilates. Selina has been instrumental in expanding the brand both within Australia and internationally since her appointment in 2018, helping KX become a market leader and world-recognised brand in Pilates classes.
Her journey, both before her time at KX and since, and her insights and advice offer an invaluable resource and guide for anyone looking to start or grow a career in Pilates. If you want to take the plunge and carve out a career in the dynamic Pilates industry, elevate your existing Pilates career, and improve your chances of success in finding a studio that aligns with your goals or start a studio of your own, we’ve wrapped up Selina’s top 6 tips and takeaways to help you get there!
Commit to continuous improvement.
KX Pilates is built upon the Japanese philosophy of kaizen, meaning continuous improvement. This mindset influences every aspect of the KX business - from client interactions to class offerings - as well as Selina’s approach to her role as CEO.
Selina believes this mindset and commitment to always delivering the best experience for clients has allowed the business to experience steady, sustained growth throughout its 15 years of operations - even more so than the growing interest and enthusiasm for Pilates in the fitness and health space.
“We’ve been around for 15 years and have steadily built the business. We’ve enjoyed growth and booms at different times. The interest in Pilates hasn’t suddenly doubled the network - the strong foundations have always been there. If anything, it’s possibly changing who comes through our doors. It’s not just a female who sees it as a way to look good, it’s actually a very credible workout, and I love that more people are taking Pilates seriously,” Selina explained.
She says KX’s determination to implement small, incremental changes has led to significant improvements over time, and has allowed the brand to establish its own identity and position in the market, becoming many people’s preferred Pilates class provider throughout the country.
“People now know there are different forms, or versions, of Pilates. People know KX is more of a dynamic workout style, and there are other more traditional rehab styles. It’s allowed more education and more understanding for people to ask, ‘What’s available, and what suits me?’” she said.
This clear brand identity and evolution over time is one of the key ways KX Pilates has remained ahead of the curve in the industry, allowing the brand to sustain continued growth regardless of the boom in the Pilates industry.
Stay in your lane.
Similarly, Selina shared that KX’s focus on doing fewer things, but doing them better helps the brand stand out in the increasingly competitive industry, and has solidified the strong brand identity we recognise today.
She recommends any studio owner avoids falling into the trap of trying to do everything at once, instead identifying what you’re best at, and what you can deliver to your clients that other studios can’t.
“Some brands’ strategy is to respond to the market trends, so they go ‘Okay we’re now doing mat, and we’ve got the coffee machine and the juice bar, and now recovery.’ But then you’ve got four different business models happening… you have to become the expert in juice-making, and coffee making. You’ve got to buy equipment for all of those. But overall, what are you trying to achieve? Is it adding value for clients? Is it growing the business? Is it trying to knock out competition? You have to work out what your strategy is,” Selina told us.
She explained that it isn’t always effective to continue adding different class types and movement styles to your business offerings, as this doesn’t always support the business goals you’re trying to achieve. Instead, Selina says KX aims to be the best in what they do, rather than trying to “tick every box”.
“For us, it’s making sure we’re focusing all our training and our efforts in our space. Attracting good-quality trainers, focusing on ongoing training and development. That’s our point of difference: being the best at what we do. We get a lot of requests to introduce all different things, but if you did that you’d be doing everything, but nothing,” she said.
Have a point of difference.
In addition to KX’s focus on the quality of their instructors, and the training of franchise owners to ensure consistency in service and delivery across their 100+ studios in Australia (plus their international studios too!), KX Pilates has worked hard to achieve a point of difference right from its inception.
Partnering with Balance Body, the most well-known Pilates bed manufacturer worldwide, KX’s founder Aaron worked to develop the KX Former - a unique bed, exclusive to the franchise.
“It still feels a little bit new to KX, it was designed by Aaron our founder and Balance Body… we’re the only partner globally they’ve co-created a bed with. It’s a really unique honour to have that opportunity,” Selina said.
Selina explained Aaron had always aspired to develop a point of difference, or something recognisable and unique to the KX brand. “Back in the day it didn't matter as much, there was less choice around. So the bed at KX was already quite unique. Although typically Aaron and KX always have modified our beds a little bit,” she added.
“[Aaron] always had the vision of going, ‘To be a brand, you’ve got to have some core ingredients and some points of difference.’ That is what our service is all about - the experience on the bed,” Selina shared, emphasising the importance of differentiation in the industry by establishing a unique offering.
Know yourself and your strengths. →, and the people and structures you work best in (franchise vs business owner)
Selina also highlighted the importance of identifying your personal strengths and your goals when determining your career path in the industry. She explained that, while franchising is a great option for some people, for others it doesn’t suit their preferred ways of working or their individual strengths.
“When we interview people for studio ownership, we have to make sure they understand what it means to be a franchisee. There are some people who are really well-suited to join a franchise system - which typically means you’ve got your brand set up, lots of training and processes, and you’re becoming part of that business. But at the same time, you’re running a business independently. You’ve got to treat it as a business and it’s hard work! If people think they just come in and we’ll do it all for them - they’re not coming in as an employee or a client, they’re coming in as a business owner,” she elaborated.
Selina said that, while you have the benefits of existing learnings, resources, structures and systems when you become a franchise owner, it doesn’t suit everyone.
“If you’re a disruptor or have very strong ideas about how you want to run a business, then you’re not suited for franchising. You’d be so frustrated. Sometimes roles just don’t suit people - they don’t want to be told you have to use this logo, or follow the KX method,” she said.
She explained that, while KX’s methods and systems are what has created such a strong brand, the most important thing for any aspiring Pilates studio owner or instructor is to find a brand or mission you connect with.
“We’ve all got slightly different cultures, and that’s great because culture becomes the competitive differentiation between brands… They all attract slightly different clients, slightly different trainers, different clients. You’ve got to find where you fit, where you can follow the values and thrive,” she said.
And if you’re eager to open your own studio, but concerned by the saturation and boom in competition in the Pilates industry, Selina is adamant that there’s plenty of room for everyone to make their mark.
Commit to innovation - even in small ways.
KX’s strong brand identity and commitment to their existing service and class offering may make it appear they resist the need to innovate or change much about the business. But Selina dispelled this idea, saying, “We make sure we’re always challenging ourselves, we don't want to stay stale and not innovate.”
Emphasising the importance of innovation, she explained that this can look many different ways - even small changes and improvements are ways of innovating and improving your business or your service to clients.
“Sure, the KX Former is a big point of difference. But it’s things like our challenges, or [what we do] behind the scenes - how do we make it easier for clients to book, or refer, or rewards? There’s innovation that goes into a lot of things behind the scenes that keeps people coming back, or makes it easier to be a client,” Selina said.
She also attributes partnerships KX has established as contributing to the innovation of the business, including a long-standing partnership the brand has with Lifeline.
“That’s become part of our brand DNA too. It’s innovating our brand position - because the KX workout still works, we don’t have to break that necessarily - but how do we share it with more people? How do we keep those clients coming back?” she said.
Even something as seemingly simple as introducing new staff to the business can bring something fresh and new to a business. “Sometimes it’s new trainers coming in - that’s a bit of innovation, they’re bringing something new and delivering the class in a different way,” Selina explained.
Be authentic!
Selina’s greatest piece of advice for anyone wanting to establish or grow a career in Pilates: be authentic and true to yourself.
“Follow your gut… if you do what you’re passionate about, you have more energy to put into it, and you’ll want to learn more and better yourself. If you’re trying to be someone you’re not, you’ll always be found out,” she said.
Even when it comes to leadership positions, she said it’s important to be honest and open about your strengths and weaknesses, and to ask for help when you need it.
“I think everyone always feels like an imposter in a big role. And being authentic to say ‘I actually don’t know it all,’ or ‘I have to bring in the experts,’ that’s okay!”
“Don’t be someone you’re not. That’s just too hard, and at the end of the day you’re going to be fighting the wrong path. Find the path that’s authentic to you, and then let that unravel,” Selina said, sharing how her own path to her current career has involved opportunities aligning and unravelling in ways she’d never have expected or predicted.
And if you’re wanting to pursue a career at KX? Selina says there’s plenty of room for growth and opportunity in the franchise - if you’re a good fit for the brand’s values and systems.
“The beauty in where a particular trainer can grow in a brand like ours is because they’re a great fit.”
“If you’ve done your APPI qualification, and if there’s a job at a particular studio, then that’s such a great pathway. You’ve done your qualification, we train you in the KX method, and it’s the start of a career at KX. We’ve had a long-term relationship [with Unite Health], so that’s a great pathway in [to KX Pilates],” Selina said.
“People have different leadership styles. Some people might do really well in one studio, and not another. Don’t just take jobs - find the studio, and the people and culture that are right for you.”
Ready to put Selina’s advice into practice, and set yourself up for success in the Pilates industry? Enrol in our APPI Pilates Instructor Certification today - mentioned by Selina herself as an excellent pathway into a career at KX or elsewhere in the industry - and start working your way towards your career goals!
Or, if you want to build on Selina’s advice about the importance of continued growth and setting yourself apart in the industry, check out our upskilling course options - they’ve been designed for exactly this purpose!
Unsure about which of our course options or delivery formats is the best fit for your personal goals? We’ve got you - book a FREE chat with our course experts for the guidance and advice you need to kickstart your career and give yourself the very best chance of success.