Have you ever thought about building an international brand around the world? Or, wondered what it might be like in leading a company through national and international growth? Our guest today is Tianna Strateman, who is the brand president of Club Pilates, and she shares with us her insights and lessons learned on growing from 200 franchises to more than 1,400 around the world.
TODAY'S WIN-WIN:
Community doesn’t just happen when you open the doors. A lot of work has to go into creating it.
LINKS FROM THE EPISODE:
- Schedule your free franchise consultation with Big Sky Franchise Team: https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/.
- You can visit our guest's website at:
- Attend our Franchise Sales Training Workshop:
- https://bigskyfranchiseteam.com/franchisesalestraining/
- Connect with our guest on social:
- https://www.facebook.com/clubpilates/
- https://www.instagram.com/clubpilates/?hl=en
- https://www.linkedin.com/company/club-pilates-san-diego/
ABOUT OUR GUEST:
Tianna Strateman discovered Pilates at just 12 years old as a way to support her training as a dancer, sparking a lifelong passion for the practice. While studying Business Administration, Entrepreneurship, Nutrition and Health at the University of Southern California, she also became a certified Pilates instructor. Today, Tianna combines her business expertise and love for Pilates as President of Club Pilates, the largest premium Pilates brand in the world with more than 1,000 studios globally.
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The information provided in this podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be considered financial, legal, or professional advice. Always consult with a qualified professional before making any business decisions. The views and opinions expressed by guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of the host, Big Sky Franchise Team, or our affiliates. Additionally, this podcast may feature sponsors or advertisers, but any mention of products or services does not constitute an endorsement. Please do your own research before making any purchasing or business decisions.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Tom DuFore (00:01):
Welcome to the Multiply Your Success podcast,
where each week we helpgrowth-minded entrepreneurs and
franchise leaders take the nextstep in their expansion journey.
I'm your host, Tom Dufour, CEOof Big Sky Franchise Team.
And as we open today, I'mwondering if you've ever thought
about building an internationalbrand.
Or have you ever wondered whatit might be like to lead and
(00:23):
grow a brand through nationaland international expansion and
growth?
Well, our guest today is TianaStrateman, who is the brand
president of Club Pilates, andshe shares with us her insights
and lessons learned on growingfrom 200 franchises to more than
1,400 around the world.
Now, Tiana discovered Pilatesat just 12 years old as a way to
(00:47):
support her training as adancer, sparking a lifelong
passion for the practice.
While studying business,entrepreneurship, nutrition, and
health at the University ofSouthern California, she also
became a certified Pilatesinstructor.
Today, Tiana combines herbusiness expertise and love for
Pilates as president of ClubPilates, the largest premium
Pilates brand in the world withmore than a thousand studios
(01:10):
globally.
You're gonna love thisinterview, so let's go ahead and
jump right into it.
Tianna Strateman (01:14):
My name is Tiana Strateman, and I'm the
brand president for ClubPilates.
Tom DuFore (01:19):
Tiana, thank you so much for being a guest here
today.
And I'd love for you just toshare your story and a little
bit of how you ended up herewith the business and a little
background on that.
Tianna Strateman (01:32):
Yeah, so I think my background's sort of
pretty unique.
I mean, if we go way back, Ihave always been interested in
business.
I think just following myfamily and family businesses, I
knew from a very young age I wasgoing to study business, I was
gonna be in business, and Ithere was no other path.
It just is what it what it is.
So I studied business at theUniversity of Southern
(01:55):
California.
I chose my emphasis inentrepreneurship because that is
what spoke to me most beforeentrepreneurship is really a
buzzword and as popular as it istoday.
I just was looking at thedifferent avenues of finance and
marketing.
I'm like, I like them all, butI kind of want to do everything.
So entrepreneurship is where Ilanded.
I also have always been superpassionate about health and
(02:17):
wellness and fitness.
I was a competitive dancergrowing up.
Nutrition, all of that reallyspoke to me from a very young
age.
So I minored in nutrition andhealth promotion.
And really every role that I'vetaken in my career has been
centered around health,wellness, fitness.
I'm truly passionate about it,and it's where I have to spend
(02:38):
my time doing something that Itruly believe in and I feel like
has a great impact on theworld.
So, really, the the blend ofall of that, plus my Pilates
background.
I've been in the Pilates spacesince I was 12 years old.
I started rehabbing from adance injury back then.
It was at a physical therapyoffice, so very different from
the world of Pilates today.
(03:00):
And I really fell in love withit and got certified when I was
in college.
And really, I think the uniquebackground of those things
actually led me to this role.
Tom DuFore (03:12):
I'd love for you to talk a little bit about your
brand and the system with thekind of growth that you've had
globally now, over a thousandlocations around the world.
And I'd love for you to justtalk a little bit about what is
it that you think might have ledyou to this kind of growth, any
trends or things that you'venoticed?
Tianna Strateman (03:33):
It's really, really incredible.
When I started with the brand,we had just about 200 doors
open.
We were only in the UnitedStates and now 1,400 plus
locations around the world.
Uh, I believe we're in 22countries at this point.
So it's it's just amazing.
But so many things really ledto that success.
(03:54):
I would say the product, theoffering, and what we create
inside of the studio first andforemost, and the experience and
the customers that come intoour studios and the members that
stay with us really have fallenin love with the workout and
fallen in love with the brand,which is incredible.
We've had incrediblefranchisees that have helped
(04:16):
bring this to life.
We can have the perfect productand the perfect offering, but
if we don't have incrediblefranchisees that can actually
deliver on that experience, thenthe brand can't be what it is,
right?
So incredible franchisees andevery person that really touches
a studio, from their generalmanagers to the instructors to
(04:37):
the master instructors, everyperson that's involved in
bringing it to life, I think hasreally fueled that success.
And a team here that workssuper hard every day is super
passionate about what we do inboth helping franchisees grow
their businesses, but alsohelping people find Pilates and
make Pilates a part of theirlives, have really all been
(04:59):
pieces that have led to thesuccess of the brand today.
Tom DuFore (05:02):
That's really a nice overview on that.
And one thing I'd like for youto talk about is your tiered
class system and really howyou're able to support and
engage with athletes andcustomers at all fitness levels.
So I'd love for you to talk alittle bit about that.
Tianna Strateman (05:20):
Yeah, that's one of the most amazing things
about Pilates and about ClubPilates is Pilates can really
meet you where you're at.
So if you are very new tofitness or you've never done
Pilates, there is a class foryou.
If you are a very seasonedpractitioner and have been doing
this for years and years andyears and want to be challenged
in different ways, we have thoseclasses and those higher level
(05:43):
classes for for those members aswell.
So really there's a path forgrowth.
But one of the things that Ialways like to say about Pilates
is it's never easy.
Even if you are a very seasonedpractitioner, you can go to a
level one class and still get anincredible workout and still
get so much out of thatexperience.
So it's just really speaks tothe practice itself.
(06:05):
The amazing instructors we haveour instructors typically have
over 500 hours of teachingexperience before they start
teaching in a studio.
So they're able to providemodifications and progressions
and regressions and really makethe workout applicable to the
entire room, but can make thosemodifications for the individual
so that each person really getsthe most out of every single
(06:29):
class.
Tom DuFore (06:29):
I was actually just going to ask about modifications
and how that might change fromit's top of mind for me.
I am fresh on a knee injuryfrom doing way more than I
should have.
I coached my boys' baseballteams and I did way more
baseball practice than I shouldhave and injured myself.
And so now I'm thinking, huh,well, if I'm at a Pilates class,
(06:50):
I probably am not going to beable to do the standard program
that I'd be going through at themoment.
So how have you been able toaccommodate that, not only at an
individual location, but nowwith over a thousand, how does
that all transpire and how areyou able to make that happen for
your customers?
Tianna Strateman (07:07):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Well, first of all, you needPilates, so we'll start with
that.
You know, it's really ouramazing instructors and them
having the vast experience andlearning and really learning how
to work with all differentbodies, all different injuries
and imbalances, and really usingthe different equipment and the
(07:28):
different exercises to reallycounterbalance that and give
people strength where they needstrength or more mobility where
they need more mobility orflexibility in some cases.
You know, if you were to comeinto a class and explain that to
an instructor, they wouldautomatically know that you're
not going to have full range ofmotion.
So we're going to limit yourrange of motion and focus on
(07:50):
building the muscles thatsurround your knee to give you
that strength and also work ongetting mobility back and really
weave that into the exercise.
We also do have privatetraining in our studio.
So for people that are lookingfor a very specific ask or have
a very specific goal thatthey're working towards, that
the instructor can really caterthat experience exactly to them.
(08:13):
You will get that in the groupexperience, but obviously
one-on-one, you're going to getthat a little bit more.
So yeah, it's really ouramazing instructors, and they
are the magic behind theexperience and the brand in what
they do.
Tom DuFore (08:27):
As you talk about these instructors that are a
part of the program, it makes methink about your franchisees at
a local level that are probablyrecruiting and finding these
instructors and going throughthat.
So I'd love to have you talk alittle bit about the kinds of
franchisees maybe you're lookingto bring into your system or
that have found success in yoursystem and how you support them
(08:50):
in finding the right kinds ofinstructors and trainers and
staff to fulfill this greatservice you're providing to your
customers.
Tianna Strateman (08:58):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Um, we have successfulfranchisees from all different
backgrounds, from corporatelives in the past that want to
have more of an entrepreneurialendeavor to people that have
been instructors themselves andreally want to be on the
business side, but don't havethe business background or the
knowledge when it comes to salesand marketing and operations
(09:20):
and really those pieces.
And then more recently, I wouldsay a lot of our newer
franchisees are actually membersof the brands themselves.
So they have experienced it andthey love it and they want to
bring it to another area and beable to impact people like the
way they feel like they've beenimpacted.
So that's really powerful tosee that group come in.
(09:42):
And really, you know, doingthis thousand plus times at this
point, um, we have reallyrecognized how to support
different franchisees based ontheir backgrounds, based on what
they need, and really cateringour support to that when it
comes to instructorsspecifically.
That is, you know, teachingthem what to look for in
(10:03):
instructors and thequalifications and what those
requirements are.
It also is where to find theseindividuals, how to engage with
them, you know, how to vetdifferent candidates and the
things to look for that areimportant in the brand.
But one of the most importantthings is for a franchisee to
just get to know theircandidates and to experience a
(10:26):
class as if they were themember, because you know, they
don't need to be experts in thetechnical PLOTI skills or did
they do this exercise perfectlycorrect?
That's all super important.
But it's also equally asimportant that they feel like it
was a great experience and itwas a workout that they would
want to do again, because that'slikely what a member would feel
who isn't a PLATIS expertthemselves, right?
(10:48):
So really giving them thosetools to find a great team and
to support their instructors andall the different resources
that we provide for their stafffor their instructors to
continue to learn and train andlevel up.
And that's all those differenttools that we provide at our
level for the various groups inthe studio.
Tom DuFore (11:08):
You'd mentioned joining the brand around 200
locations and now well over athousand.
One of the things that I alwaysam fascinated by and love
learning from someone in yourposition is how you're able to
maintain the overarching valuesand philosophy or ethos within
(11:29):
the brand as you grow to such ascale around the country and
around the world.
Tianna Strateman (11:34):
It's certainly not easy, but it's something
that's super important to us.
And then continuing tohighlight that for our
franchisees and for consumersout there.
Pilates is really the numberone modality in fitness at this
time.
So it's even more importanttoday that we can share and
highlight our competitivedifferentiation, not only for
(11:56):
our franchisees, but forcustomers that are out there
looking for Pilates.
And really, it just comes backto just simple.
Who, what are what is ourvision, what is our values, what
does this brand represent?
We talk about it at the verybeginning stages at Discovery
Day, all the way through yourinitial franchise training, and
(12:16):
really making sure that in everytraining that we do and every
material that we provide tofranchisees or to their general
manager or to their instructors,really point back to who we are
and what we do.
At Club Pilates, I mean, firstand foremost, we believe that
Pilates is for everybody, andit's really important that we
(12:38):
have a very inclusive space anda community where people feel
welcome and that people aren'tintimidated by Pilates.
I know the equipment can lookscary, and what is that?
And can I do that?
And really making people feelcomfortable and feel like it's
that third space that they cancome to.
So yeah, it's not easy, and weare always looking at ways to
(12:59):
continue to reinforce our brandvalues and our brand mission and
make sure that every singleperson that represents the brand
is is on the same page.
Tom DuFore (13:09):
You mentioned a little bit about sharing the
values and the mission andpurpose of the organization into
the discovery day and then intotraining and beyond.
Are you able to share anyspecific instances of what that
might look like?
And really thinking of adiscovery day, maybe someone
that culturally does not fit andhow that might work.
(13:29):
And then when you find someonethat does, how that person goes
through the process.
Tianna Strateman (13:34):
Yeah, I think, I think early on, like those
come up in those initialconversations about the brand,
and you can identify prettyquickly if someone's going to be
a right fit, you know, forthis.
And the business opportunityaside, that, you know, we really
encourage that this is yourresponsibility to bring this to
life in your community.
(13:54):
And community doesn't justhappen when you open your doors.
It's something that has to becreated and a lot of hard work
that goes into that.
And while you yourself mightnot be in your studio every day
or that sort of franchisee,that's fine.
But making sure then you havethe tools and the resources in
the team to really bring that tolife.
(14:14):
I think those realconversations are important to
have up front and how importantit is for us to protect the
brand and make sure thatfranchisees that come into the
system are aligned and excitedabout that.
And like I mentioned, more ofour newer franchisees are
already members, so they alreadyare huge believers in the
brand.
(14:35):
And I love when they come inand they tell me more about the
brand than sometimes I even knowbecause they're such believers
and really truly love the brand.
So that's really exciting forme.
Tom DuFore (14:46):
What advice might you give to someone that's new
in having franchised theirbusiness as they look to launch
and grow?
Tianna Strateman (14:53):
Stay true to who you are and your brand, what
proof of concept that you areable to create to get to the
point that you are franchisingand really what that magic is,
but then really be adaptable andpivot because if you stay so
stuck in the mud, likely thebusiness is going to evolve
behind you know beyond you,right?
So trying to find that balanceof staying true to what you know
(15:18):
and what you're offering is andall those details, but also
being open to feedback from yourfranchisees and learning from
them and the people, boots onthe ground and those early
adopters can really teach you somuch that is critical for you
to continue to scale and reallypartner with them to understand
that and give them the tools andresources to help them be
(15:40):
successful.
Tom DuFore (15:41):
How is being a parent and a president of a
global brand, how's thatimpacted your leadership?
Tianna Strateman (15:47):
I, as a leader today, lead with so much
empathy.
I think that is in everythingthat I do is really to recognize
people as humans and leadauthentically.
I think before I had kids andbefore my life is more
complicated like it is today, Iwas always trying to be perfect
and buttoned up.
And now it was pouring raintoday.
(16:09):
I had a four-year-old meltingdown on my leg and scared to go
to preschool because of therain.
And you just pivot and you go.
And I think everyone is goingthrough different human
experiences every single day.
So I really try to lead withempathy and authenticity and to
be strong for my team.
But I would hope that everysingle one of my team members
(16:30):
knows that I'm here for them.
I'm here to support them,whether it's whatever they're
going through.
And hopefully I can be a betterleader by just being real and
being authentic and supportingthem where they're at.
And I think it's taught me alot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Trying to do it all has beenthe most humbling experience.
Tom DuFore (16:50):
Well, I relate fully with you on that for sure.
Just accepting the reality ofwhat it is with whatever your
kids going through.
It just so like you describedthat situation was a great,
great example of what today.
I've been there many a times.
I totally relate to that forsure.
Is Pilates just, do you seethis as a trend?
(17:10):
How do you see this changing oris this here for the long haul,
in your opinion?
Where do you see this headed?
Tianna Strateman (17:16):
Personally, I think it's here for the long
haul.
I can only speak personallythat it's been a part of my life
since a very young age, andit's really gotten me through so
many different life phases fromwhen I was a competitive
athlete and rehabbing frominjury to then trying to realize
that I needed to buildstrengths in places I was weak
to support me and in my sportthat I was doing to another life
(17:41):
phase where I just want to bein great shape and I want to be
healthy, to I'm pregnant andjust trying to move and stay
active and then postpartum andeverything in between.
You know, I like to see mymother-in-law, she's in her late
70s, she's been doing Pilatesfor 30 plus years.
So I just see this being a partof my life forever, and I can
(18:03):
really see that in our membersand their various life journeys
that they're going through, thatI think is really unique about
this modality.
Like I said, it meets you whereyou're at.
And depending on your goal andyour life phase, it can really
support you where you're at.
Our member testimonials, Imean, that's what gets me up
every single day that theseemails that come in from people
(18:24):
that are going through differentphases of life, whether, you
know, recovering from breastcancer or something personal in
their lives or a knee injury orsomeone who hasn't worked out in
15 years and has foundsomething that they can do and
they love and they feel likethey can do it every single day.
I mean, those testimonials arereally powerful.
(18:45):
So I think it's here to stay.
Tom DuFore (18:48):
For someone who'd like to learn more about what
you're doing or connect with thebrand, what's the best way for
somebody to do that?
Tianna Strateman (18:54):
Yeah, our website, clubplottis.com.
You'll find all of ourlocations and more about the
brand and everywhere where weare, and obviously on all social
channels, Club Plotties onInstagram, on Facebook, TikTok,
you name it, you can find us andsee what we're up to in the
brand and what's going on in ourstudios around the world.
Tom DuFore (19:14):
Fantastic.
Well, Tiana, this is a greattime in the show, and we make a
transition and we ask everyguest the same four questions
before they go.
And the first question we askis have you had a miss or two on
your journey and something youlearned from it?
Tianna Strateman (19:27):
A miss or two or a thousand, I'm missing at
something at any given day,right?
To think of one specifically, Iwould say not trusting my gut
more than I should.
I think that is I can think ofa number of scenarios where I
didn't listen to my gut, and Iyour gut is usually right.
So I trying to think of onethat comes to mind, but that's a
(19:49):
resounding one that thathappens.
But every single day we'remissing and pivoting and
learning and trying to grow andbe better than we were
yesterday.
Tom DuFore (19:58):
So well, let's look on the other side.
Let's talk about a win or ahighlight or two.
Tianna Strateman (20:04):
I mean, to think of going from 200
locations to 1400 globally isincredible.
Every time a location opens ina new country, and seeing this
experience being brought to lifearound the world is just so
exciting that there's people inJapan doing Pilates just like
they are here and loving thebrand and the experience.
(20:24):
We launched our very firstbrand campaign and commercial
last week.
So that was a really excitingone for the brand that had been
a long time in the making.
So I mean, there's been so manyhighlights, but yeah, that's
just a couple, couple recently.
Tom DuFore (20:39):
Yeah, just a quick spin-off question from your
comment there, going from 200 to1400 and being there along the
way.
It just got me thinking abouthow you adjusted as you grew, as
a system grows like that.
Tianna Strateman (20:53):
I mean, it's ever evolving.
I would say a lot of oursystems are similar, but my
mentality is they can always bebetter.
So I think once we figure outsomething and we've got the
playbook and it's there, it'show do we make it 2% better?
What can what else can we do tomake our trainings better, our
materials better, better ways tocommunicate with franchisees
(21:16):
and get them the informationthey need since they're
inundated with running theirbusiness and information from us
and managing all the piecesthat go along with it.
So I would say back then weprobably actually not probably,
we didn't have as many answersas we have today.
Um we were still, you know,flying the plane, figuring
things out, and new challengesthat would come up every single
(21:40):
day.
So challenges are always there,and we're just trying to find
better ways to solve and bettertools and resources to give
everyone kind of in ourecosystem.
So that was the same at 200locations as it is, as it is
today.
But we have a lot more answersnow, which is nice.
But new problems arise andwe're trying to solve for those.
Tom DuFore (22:00):
Have you used a multiplier to multiply yourself
personally or professionally ororganizations you've run?
Tianna Strateman (22:07):
I would say it's kind of along the lines of
what I just mentioned, but likethe never settle attitude to me,
and we can always be better.
And I hold myself accountableto that, that I'm always trying
to be better today than I wasyesterday, even just a little
bit.
And in everything that we do,just having that striving for
that level of excellence, Ithink has really helped me in my
(22:29):
personal life and in myprofessional life.
And I hope that it inspiresthose around me.
I know that I have so manypeople in my life and both in
personally and professionallythat inspire me.
And it's people that have greatattitudes, that deal with the
challenges as they come andreally have that commitment to
excellence and wanting to begreat, I think is really
(22:52):
important.
Tom DuFore (22:53):
That's wonderful.
And the final question we askevery guest is what does success
mean to you?
Tianna Strateman (22:59):
I would say success is having a happy,
healthy family, getting timewith my loved ones, making an
impact on the world and doinggood.
And that's really what successlooks like to me, trying to make
the world a better place andliving happy, healthy lives and
wishing that for those aroundme.
That's success.
Tom DuFore (23:20):
Tiana, as we bring this to a close, is there
anything you were hoping toshare or get across that you
haven't had a chance to yet?
Tianna Strateman (23:26):
I would say just look out for your local
club Pilates.
Come in for your first freeclass and try it out and see
what you think.
And hopefully you'll be apractitioner for life.
We our taglines do Pilates dolife.
So come see us.
Um, we'd love to meet you andshow you what we're all about.
And yeah.
Tom DuFore (23:53):
So takeaway number one is when she talked about
Pilates being for everyone andthat it's never easy, no matter
what level of difficulty you'reat, from beginner to advanced,
there's something for everyoneto be challenged.
Takeaway number two is when shetalked about giving advice for
new franchise oars or emergingfranchise oars.
And I liked how she said youneed to be true to who you are
(24:17):
as your brand, but also stayadaptable and pivot.
And so to me, I looked at thatand saying, well, you need to be
firm on those foundationalvalues, but flexible on what the
market conditions might becalling for or adjusting to.
Takeaway number three is whenshe talked about growth and
change in the systems whengrowing from 200 to over 1,400
(24:41):
locations.
And she said, at 200, she wasstill figuring things out.
And I find that interesting.
For a lot of brands thatsomeone that might listen into
this, you might say, wow, stillat 200, you're figuring it out.
I think that's a great takeawaythere.
And that at 1400, they're stillworking on things and learning
and adjusting.
She said, because there arealways new problems.
(25:03):
It's just they have a lot moreanswers now.
I thought that was a greatsummary on how she described
that.
And now it's time for today'swin-win.
So today's win-win comes whenTiana said community doesn't
just happen when you open thedoors.
(25:23):
I thought that was a greatquote.
And I'm gonna say it again.
Community doesn't just happenwhen you open the doors.
And she described and talkedabout how it takes a lot of work
in creating that.
And I think she's right.
But when you'd create thatcommunity and you create that
for your customers, yourfranchisees, your team members,
(25:44):
all of the people connected tothe brand, it really does create
something special.
So while creating a greatbusiness is wonderful, creating
that community to go along withit really helps to amplify
things in a positive way.
And I think that's a greatwin-win.
That's going to be a win foryou, your stakeholders, the
franchisees, the employees, theteam members, everyone that's
(26:06):
connected to the brand.
And so that's the episodetoday, folks.
Please make sure you subscribeto the podcast and give us a
review.
And remember, if you or anyoneyou know might be ready to
franchise their business, taketheir franchise company to the
next level.
Please connect with us atBigSkyFranchise Team.com to
schedule your free, noobligation consultation with me
or someone else on our team.
Thanks for tuning in, and welook forward to having you back
(26:28):
next week.
Welcome to the Multiply Your Success podcast,
where each week we helpgrowth-minded entrepreneurs and
franchise leaders take the nextstep in their expansion journey.
I'm your host, Tom Dufour, CEOof Big Sky Franchise Team.
And as we open today, I'mwondering if you've ever thought
about building an internationalbrand.
Or have you ever wondered whatit might be like to lead and
(00:23):
grow a brand through nationaland international expansion and
growth?
Well, our guest today is TianaStrateman, who is the brand
president of Club Pilates, andshe shares with us her insights
and lessons learned on growingfrom 200 franchises to more than
1,400 around the world.
Now, Tiana discovered Pilatesat just 12 years old as a way to
(00:47):
support her training as adancer, sparking a lifelong
passion for the practice.
While studying business,entrepreneurship, nutrition, and
health at the University ofSouthern California, she also
became a certified Pilatesinstructor.
Today, Tiana combines herbusiness expertise and love for
Pilates as president of ClubPilates, the largest premium
Pilates brand in the world withmore than a thousand studios
(01:10):
globally.
You're gonna love thisinterview, so let's go ahead and
jump right into it.
Tianna Strateman (01:14):
My name is Tiana Strateman, and I'm the
brand president for ClubPilates.
Tom DuFore (01:19):
Tiana, thank you so much for being a guest here
today.
And I'd love for you just toshare your story and a little
bit of how you ended up herewith the business and a little
background on that.
Tianna Strateman (01:32):
Yeah, so I think my background's sort of
pretty unique.
I mean, if we go way back, Ihave always been interested in
business.
I think just following myfamily and family businesses, I
knew from a very young age I wasgoing to study business, I was
gonna be in business, and Ithere was no other path.
It just is what it what it is.
So I studied business at theUniversity of Southern
(01:55):
California.
I chose my emphasis inentrepreneurship because that is
what spoke to me most beforeentrepreneurship is really a
buzzword and as popular as it istoday.
I just was looking at thedifferent avenues of finance and
marketing.
I'm like, I like them all, butI kind of want to do everything.
So entrepreneurship is where Ilanded.
I also have always been superpassionate about health and
(02:17):
wellness and fitness.
I was a competitive dancergrowing up.
Nutrition, all of that reallyspoke to me from a very young
age.
So I minored in nutrition andhealth promotion.
And really every role that I'vetaken in my career has been
centered around health,wellness, fitness.
I'm truly passionate about it,and it's where I have to spend
(02:38):
my time doing something that Itruly believe in and I feel like
has a great impact on theworld.
So, really, the the blend ofall of that, plus my Pilates
background.
I've been in the Pilates spacesince I was 12 years old.
I started rehabbing from adance injury back then.
It was at a physical therapyoffice, so very different from
the world of Pilates today.
(03:00):
And I really fell in love withit and got certified when I was
in college.
And really, I think the uniquebackground of those things
actually led me to this role.
Tom DuFore (03:12):
I'd love for you to talk a little bit about your
brand and the system with thekind of growth that you've had
globally now, over a thousandlocations around the world.
And I'd love for you to justtalk a little bit about what is
it that you think might have ledyou to this kind of growth, any
trends or things that you'venoticed?
Tianna Strateman (03:33):
It's really, really incredible.
When I started with the brand,we had just about 200 doors
open.
We were only in the UnitedStates and now 1,400 plus
locations around the world.
Uh, I believe we're in 22countries at this point.
So it's it's just amazing.
But so many things really ledto that success.
(03:54):
I would say the product, theoffering, and what we create
inside of the studio first andforemost, and the experience and
the customers that come intoour studios and the members that
stay with us really have fallenin love with the workout and
fallen in love with the brand,which is incredible.
We've had incrediblefranchisees that have helped
(04:16):
bring this to life.
We can have the perfect productand the perfect offering, but
if we don't have incrediblefranchisees that can actually
deliver on that experience, thenthe brand can't be what it is,
right?
So incredible franchisees andevery person that really touches
a studio, from their generalmanagers to the instructors to
(04:37):
the master instructors, everyperson that's involved in
bringing it to life, I think hasreally fueled that success.
And a team here that workssuper hard every day is super
passionate about what we do inboth helping franchisees grow
their businesses, but alsohelping people find Pilates and
make Pilates a part of theirlives, have really all been
(04:59):
pieces that have led to thesuccess of the brand today.
Tom DuFore (05:02):
That's really a nice overview on that.
And one thing I'd like for youto talk about is your tiered
class system and really howyou're able to support and
engage with athletes andcustomers at all fitness levels.
So I'd love for you to talk alittle bit about that.
Tianna Strateman (05:20):
Yeah, that's one of the most amazing things
about Pilates and about ClubPilates is Pilates can really
meet you where you're at.
So if you are very new tofitness or you've never done
Pilates, there is a class foryou.
If you are a very seasonedpractitioner and have been doing
this for years and years andyears and want to be challenged
in different ways, we have thoseclasses and those higher level
(05:43):
classes for for those members aswell.
So really there's a path forgrowth.
But one of the things that Ialways like to say about Pilates
is it's never easy.
Even if you are a very seasonedpractitioner, you can go to a
level one class and still get anincredible workout and still
get so much out of thatexperience.
So it's just really speaks tothe practice itself.
(06:05):
The amazing instructors we haveour instructors typically have
over 500 hours of teachingexperience before they start
teaching in a studio.
So they're able to providemodifications and progressions
and regressions and really makethe workout applicable to the
entire room, but can make thosemodifications for the individual
so that each person really getsthe most out of every single
(06:29):
class.
Tom DuFore (06:29):
I was actually just going to ask about modifications
and how that might change fromit's top of mind for me.
I am fresh on a knee injuryfrom doing way more than I
should have.
I coached my boys' baseballteams and I did way more
baseball practice than I shouldhave and injured myself.
And so now I'm thinking, huh,well, if I'm at a Pilates class,
(06:50):
I probably am not going to beable to do the standard program
that I'd be going through at themoment.
So how have you been able toaccommodate that, not only at an
individual location, but nowwith over a thousand, how does
that all transpire and how areyou able to make that happen for
your customers?
Tianna Strateman (07:07):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Well, first of all, you needPilates, so we'll start with
that.
You know, it's really ouramazing instructors and them
having the vast experience andlearning and really learning how
to work with all differentbodies, all different injuries
and imbalances, and really usingthe different equipment and the
(07:28):
different exercises to reallycounterbalance that and give
people strength where they needstrength or more mobility where
they need more mobility orflexibility in some cases.
You know, if you were to comeinto a class and explain that to
an instructor, they wouldautomatically know that you're
not going to have full range ofmotion.
So we're going to limit yourrange of motion and focus on
(07:50):
building the muscles thatsurround your knee to give you
that strength and also work ongetting mobility back and really
weave that into the exercise.
We also do have privatetraining in our studio.
So for people that are lookingfor a very specific ask or have
a very specific goal thatthey're working towards, that
the instructor can really caterthat experience exactly to them.
(08:13):
You will get that in the groupexperience, but obviously
one-on-one, you're going to getthat a little bit more.
So yeah, it's really ouramazing instructors, and they
are the magic behind theexperience and the brand in what
they do.
Tom DuFore (08:27):
As you talk about these instructors that are a
part of the program, it makes methink about your franchisees at
a local level that are probablyrecruiting and finding these
instructors and going throughthat.
So I'd love to have you talk alittle bit about the kinds of
franchisees maybe you're lookingto bring into your system or
that have found success in yoursystem and how you support them
(08:50):
in finding the right kinds ofinstructors and trainers and
staff to fulfill this greatservice you're providing to your
customers.
Tianna Strateman (08:58):
Yeah, that's a great question.
Um, we have successfulfranchisees from all different
backgrounds, from corporatelives in the past that want to
have more of an entrepreneurialendeavor to people that have
been instructors themselves andreally want to be on the
business side, but don't havethe business background or the
knowledge when it comes to salesand marketing and operations
(09:20):
and really those pieces.
And then more recently, I wouldsay a lot of our newer
franchisees are actually membersof the brands themselves.
So they have experienced it andthey love it and they want to
bring it to another area and beable to impact people like the
way they feel like they've beenimpacted.
So that's really powerful tosee that group come in.
(09:42):
And really, you know, doingthis thousand plus times at this
point, um, we have reallyrecognized how to support
different franchisees based ontheir backgrounds, based on what
they need, and really cateringour support to that when it
comes to instructorsspecifically.
That is, you know, teachingthem what to look for in
(10:03):
instructors and thequalifications and what those
requirements are.
It also is where to find theseindividuals, how to engage with
them, you know, how to vetdifferent candidates and the
things to look for that areimportant in the brand.
But one of the most importantthings is for a franchisee to
just get to know theircandidates and to experience a
(10:26):
class as if they were themember, because you know, they
don't need to be experts in thetechnical PLOTI skills or did
they do this exercise perfectlycorrect?
That's all super important.
But it's also equally asimportant that they feel like it
was a great experience and itwas a workout that they would
want to do again, because that'slikely what a member would feel
who isn't a PLATIS expertthemselves, right?
(10:48):
So really giving them thosetools to find a great team and
to support their instructors andall the different resources
that we provide for their stafffor their instructors to
continue to learn and train andlevel up.
And that's all those differenttools that we provide at our
level for the various groups inthe studio.
Tom DuFore (11:08):
You'd mentioned joining the brand around 200
locations and now well over athousand.
One of the things that I alwaysam fascinated by and love
learning from someone in yourposition is how you're able to
maintain the overarching valuesand philosophy or ethos within
(11:29):
the brand as you grow to such ascale around the country and
around the world.
Tianna Strateman (11:34):
It's certainly not easy, but it's something
that's super important to us.
And then continuing tohighlight that for our
franchisees and for consumersout there.
Pilates is really the numberone modality in fitness at this
time.
So it's even more importanttoday that we can share and
highlight our competitivedifferentiation, not only for
(11:56):
our franchisees, but forcustomers that are out there
looking for Pilates.
And really, it just comes backto just simple.
Who, what are what is ourvision, what is our values, what
does this brand represent?
We talk about it at the verybeginning stages at Discovery
Day, all the way through yourinitial franchise training, and
(12:16):
really making sure that in everytraining that we do and every
material that we provide tofranchisees or to their general
manager or to their instructors,really point back to who we are
and what we do.
At Club Pilates, I mean, firstand foremost, we believe that
Pilates is for everybody, andit's really important that we
(12:38):
have a very inclusive space anda community where people feel
welcome and that people aren'tintimidated by Pilates.
I know the equipment can lookscary, and what is that?
And can I do that?
And really making people feelcomfortable and feel like it's
that third space that they cancome to.
So yeah, it's not easy, and weare always looking at ways to
(12:59):
continue to reinforce our brandvalues and our brand mission and
make sure that every singleperson that represents the brand
is is on the same page.
Tom DuFore (13:09):
You mentioned a little bit about sharing the
values and the mission andpurpose of the organization into
the discovery day and then intotraining and beyond.
Are you able to share anyspecific instances of what that
might look like?
And really thinking of adiscovery day, maybe someone
that culturally does not fit andhow that might work.
(13:29):
And then when you find someonethat does, how that person goes
through the process.
Tianna Strateman (13:34):
Yeah, I think, I think early on, like those
come up in those initialconversations about the brand,
and you can identify prettyquickly if someone's going to be
a right fit, you know, forthis.
And the business opportunityaside, that, you know, we really
encourage that this is yourresponsibility to bring this to
life in your community.
(13:54):
And community doesn't justhappen when you open your doors.
It's something that has to becreated and a lot of hard work
that goes into that.
And while you yourself mightnot be in your studio every day
or that sort of franchisee,that's fine.
But making sure then you havethe tools and the resources in
the team to really bring that tolife.
(14:14):
I think those realconversations are important to
have up front and how importantit is for us to protect the
brand and make sure thatfranchisees that come into the
system are aligned and excitedabout that.
And like I mentioned, more ofour newer franchisees are
already members, so they alreadyare huge believers in the
brand.
(14:35):
And I love when they come inand they tell me more about the
brand than sometimes I even knowbecause they're such believers
and really truly love the brand.
So that's really exciting forme.
Tom DuFore (14:46):
What advice might you give to someone that's new
in having franchised theirbusiness as they look to launch
and grow?
Tianna Strateman (14:53):
Stay true to who you are and your brand, what
proof of concept that you areable to create to get to the
point that you are franchisingand really what that magic is,
but then really be adaptable andpivot because if you stay so
stuck in the mud, likely thebusiness is going to evolve
behind you know beyond you,right?
So trying to find that balanceof staying true to what you know
(15:18):
and what you're offering is andall those details, but also
being open to feedback from yourfranchisees and learning from
them and the people, boots onthe ground and those early
adopters can really teach you somuch that is critical for you
to continue to scale and reallypartner with them to understand
that and give them the tools andresources to help them be
(15:40):
successful.
Tom DuFore (15:41):
How is being a parent and a president of a
global brand, how's thatimpacted your leadership?
Tianna Strateman (15:47):
I, as a leader today, lead with so much
empathy.
I think that is in everythingthat I do is really to recognize
people as humans and leadauthentically.
I think before I had kids andbefore my life is more
complicated like it is today, Iwas always trying to be perfect
and buttoned up.
And now it was pouring raintoday.
(16:09):
I had a four-year-old meltingdown on my leg and scared to go
to preschool because of therain.
And you just pivot and you go.
And I think everyone is goingthrough different human
experiences every single day.
So I really try to lead withempathy and authenticity and to
be strong for my team.
But I would hope that everysingle one of my team members
(16:30):
knows that I'm here for them.
I'm here to support them,whether it's whatever they're
going through.
And hopefully I can be a betterleader by just being real and
being authentic and supportingthem where they're at.
And I think it's taught me alot.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Trying to do it all has beenthe most humbling experience.
Tom DuFore (16:50):
Well, I relate fully with you on that for sure.
Just accepting the reality ofwhat it is with whatever your
kids going through.
It just so like you describedthat situation was a great,
great example of what today.
I've been there many a times.
I totally relate to that forsure.
Is Pilates just, do you seethis as a trend?
(17:10):
How do you see this changing oris this here for the long haul,
in your opinion?
Where do you see this headed?
Tianna Strateman (17:16):
Personally, I think it's here for the long
haul.
I can only speak personallythat it's been a part of my life
since a very young age, andit's really gotten me through so
many different life phases fromwhen I was a competitive
athlete and rehabbing frominjury to then trying to realize
that I needed to buildstrengths in places I was weak
to support me and in my sportthat I was doing to another life
(17:41):
phase where I just want to bein great shape and I want to be
healthy, to I'm pregnant andjust trying to move and stay
active and then postpartum andeverything in between.
You know, I like to see mymother-in-law, she's in her late
70s, she's been doing Pilatesfor 30 plus years.
So I just see this being a partof my life forever, and I can
(18:03):
really see that in our membersand their various life journeys
that they're going through, thatI think is really unique about
this modality.
Like I said, it meets you whereyou're at.
And depending on your goal andyour life phase, it can really
support you where you're at.
Our member testimonials, Imean, that's what gets me up
every single day that theseemails that come in from people
(18:24):
that are going through differentphases of life, whether, you
know, recovering from breastcancer or something personal in
their lives or a knee injury orsomeone who hasn't worked out in
15 years and has foundsomething that they can do and
they love and they feel likethey can do it every single day.
I mean, those testimonials arereally powerful.
(18:45):
So I think it's here to stay.
Tom DuFore (18:48):
For someone who'd like to learn more about what
you're doing or connect with thebrand, what's the best way for
somebody to do that?
Tianna Strateman (18:54):
Yeah, our website, clubplottis.com.
You'll find all of ourlocations and more about the
brand and everywhere where weare, and obviously on all social
channels, Club Plotties onInstagram, on Facebook, TikTok,
you name it, you can find us andsee what we're up to in the
brand and what's going on in ourstudios around the world.
Tom DuFore (19:14):
Fantastic.
Well, Tiana, this is a greattime in the show, and we make a
transition and we ask everyguest the same four questions
before they go.
And the first question we askis have you had a miss or two on
your journey and something youlearned from it?
Tianna Strateman (19:27):
A miss or two or a thousand, I'm missing at
something at any given day,right?
To think of one specifically, Iwould say not trusting my gut
more than I should.
I think that is I can think ofa number of scenarios where I
didn't listen to my gut, and Iyour gut is usually right.
So I trying to think of onethat comes to mind, but that's a
(19:49):
resounding one that thathappens.
But every single day we'remissing and pivoting and
learning and trying to grow andbe better than we were
yesterday.
Tom DuFore (19:58):
So well, let's look on the other side.
Let's talk about a win or ahighlight or two.
Tianna Strateman (20:04):
I mean, to think of going from 200
locations to 1400 globally isincredible.
Every time a location opens ina new country, and seeing this
experience being brought to lifearound the world is just so
exciting that there's people inJapan doing Pilates just like
they are here and loving thebrand and the experience.
(20:24):
We launched our very firstbrand campaign and commercial
last week.
So that was a really excitingone for the brand that had been
a long time in the making.
So I mean, there's been so manyhighlights, but yeah, that's
just a couple, couple recently.
Tom DuFore (20:39):
Yeah, just a quick spin-off question from your
comment there, going from 200 to1400 and being there along the
way.
It just got me thinking abouthow you adjusted as you grew, as
a system grows like that.
Tianna Strateman (20:53):
I mean, it's ever evolving.
I would say a lot of oursystems are similar, but my
mentality is they can always bebetter.
So I think once we figure outsomething and we've got the
playbook and it's there, it'show do we make it 2% better?
What can what else can we do tomake our trainings better, our
materials better, better ways tocommunicate with franchisees
(21:16):
and get them the informationthey need since they're
inundated with running theirbusiness and information from us
and managing all the piecesthat go along with it.
So I would say back then weprobably actually not probably,
we didn't have as many answersas we have today.
Um we were still, you know,flying the plane, figuring
things out, and new challengesthat would come up every single
(21:40):
day.
So challenges are always there,and we're just trying to find
better ways to solve and bettertools and resources to give
everyone kind of in ourecosystem.
So that was the same at 200locations as it is, as it is
today.
But we have a lot more answersnow, which is nice.
But new problems arise andwe're trying to solve for those.
Tom DuFore (22:00):
Have you used a multiplier to multiply yourself
personally or professionally ororganizations you've run?
Tianna Strateman (22:07):
I would say it's kind of along the lines of
what I just mentioned, but likethe never settle attitude to me,
and we can always be better.
And I hold myself accountableto that, that I'm always trying
to be better today than I wasyesterday, even just a little
bit.
And in everything that we do,just having that striving for
that level of excellence, Ithink has really helped me in my
(22:29):
personal life and in myprofessional life.
And I hope that it inspiresthose around me.
I know that I have so manypeople in my life and both in
personally and professionallythat inspire me.
And it's people that have greatattitudes, that deal with the
challenges as they come andreally have that commitment to
excellence and wanting to begreat, I think is really
(22:52):
important.
Tom DuFore (22:53):
That's wonderful.
And the final question we askevery guest is what does success
mean to you?
Tianna Strateman (22:59):
I would say success is having a happy,
healthy family, getting timewith my loved ones, making an
impact on the world and doinggood.
And that's really what successlooks like to me, trying to make
the world a better place andliving happy, healthy lives and
wishing that for those aroundme.
That's success.
Tom DuFore (23:20):
Tiana, as we bring this to a close, is there
anything you were hoping toshare or get across that you
haven't had a chance to yet?
Tianna Strateman (23:26):
I would say just look out for your local
club Pilates.
Come in for your first freeclass and try it out and see
what you think.
And hopefully you'll be apractitioner for life.
We our taglines do Pilates dolife.
So come see us.
Um, we'd love to meet you andshow you what we're all about.
And yeah.
Tom DuFore (23:53):
So takeaway number one is when she talked about
Pilates being for everyone andthat it's never easy, no matter
what level of difficulty you'reat, from beginner to advanced,
there's something for everyoneto be challenged.
Takeaway number two is when shetalked about giving advice for
new franchise oars or emergingfranchise oars.
And I liked how she said youneed to be true to who you are
(24:17):
as your brand, but also stayadaptable and pivot.
And so to me, I looked at thatand saying, well, you need to be
firm on those foundationalvalues, but flexible on what the
market conditions might becalling for or adjusting to.
Takeaway number three is whenshe talked about growth and
change in the systems whengrowing from 200 to over 1,400
(24:41):
locations.
And she said, at 200, she wasstill figuring things out.
And I find that interesting.
For a lot of brands thatsomeone that might listen into
this, you might say, wow, stillat 200, you're figuring it out.
I think that's a great takeawaythere.
And that at 1400, they're stillworking on things and learning
and adjusting.
She said, because there arealways new problems.
(25:03):
It's just they have a lot moreanswers now.
I thought that was a greatsummary on how she described
that.
And now it's time for today'swin-win.
So today's win-win comes whenTiana said community doesn't
just happen when you open thedoors.
(25:23):
I thought that was a greatquote.
And I'm gonna say it again.
Community doesn't just happenwhen you open the doors.
And she described and talkedabout how it takes a lot of work
in creating that.
And I think she's right.
But when you'd create thatcommunity and you create that
for your customers, yourfranchisees, your team members,
(25:44):
all of the people connected tothe brand, it really does create
something special.
So while creating a greatbusiness is wonderful, creating
that community to go along withit really helps to amplify
things in a positive way.
And I think that's a greatwin-win.
That's going to be a win foryou, your stakeholders, the
franchisees, the employees, theteam members, everyone that's
(26:06):
connected to the brand.
And so that's the episodetoday, folks.
Please make sure you subscribeto the podcast and give us a
review.
And remember, if you or anyoneyou know might be ready to
franchise their business, taketheir franchise company to the
next level.
Please connect with us atBigSkyFranchise Team.com to
schedule your free, noobligation consultation with me
or someone else on our team.
Thanks for tuning in, and welook forward to having you back
(26:28):
next week.
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