We recently connected with Danielle Linneweber and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Danielle, thanks for joining us today. Risk taking is something we’re really interested in and we’d love to hear the story of a risk you’ve taken.

I took a huge risk in starting a pilates studio at the height of the pandemic. I eased my way into it. First, I decided in June 2020 not to go back to the major gym chain that I had worked at for six years. I had been teaching pilates using Facebook Live during quarantine, which kept me sane and connected to a lot of my clients. It also allowed me to teach pilates to friends and family who lived in other cities, states and countries. That was a big eye opener for me. It was fun to be able to bring my skillset to people who weren’t members of the gym and who didn’t live in Minneapolis.

As quarantine was winding down and the gym was about to open up again, I told my boss I wasn’t coming back. I remember feeling sick to my stomach and completely unsure of how I was going to start my own business during a raging pandemic. But it felt like it was now or never in terms of me breaking free of the gym and finally going out on my own – something I had been considering for more than two years but was too afraid to do.

I started teaching private lessons out of a small studio that had one piece of equipment called the reformer. (I was used to working in a studio with seven reformers.) I did that three days a week. I spent the other two days teaching virtually out of my 500 square foot apartment or going to the park and teaching people outside. I also went to my clients’ condos to work them out. (Most of my clients live in downtown Minneapolis.) I hustled my butt off and met people where they felt most safe. I adapted on the fly. I just made it work.

Most of my clients from the gym stuck with me during that time which allowed me to have a full book of business right out of the gate. I established my brand name and built a website. By January 2021, business was booming. It never slowed down, despite the fact that we were deep into the pandemic. I also had an older clientele who were very cautious, which easily could have been a reason for me to stay small. But they kept showing up and they kept referring more people to me. I knew I needed to start looking for my own space where I could teach group classes again. I had never negotiated a lease and didn’t know how I was going to pull it off. All I knew was that I had an established and loyal client base and I had the drive and self-discipline to figure it out. There were so many unknowns as the pandemic raged on, but I continued to listen to my gut and forged ahead.

In October 2021, I officially opened my studio. I started with three reformers and three pilates chairs to be cautious. It was a huge investment and I didn’t want to go all in until I was certain I had enough clients coming out of pandemic hibernation to support me. Less than three months later, I ordered three more of each of those pieces of equipment because I was once again bursting at the seams due to demand. When the second round of equipment arrived in January 2022 I was officially at capacity.

The studio has been open almost 2.5 years and I have more than 90 clients and five instructors working for me. The risks I’ve taken have been tremendous, but they are paying off. I have to keep reminding myself that if I can start a successful fitness business in a pandemic, I can pretty much do anything I set my mind to. I still don’t think I’ve fully processed what I’ve managed to do in such a short time. It’s very surreal.

Danielle, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Sure thing! I have a Bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication and started my career in 1999 as a newspaper reporter. My dream was to write for Rolling Stone magazine. I spent 15 years working in Corporate America in various communications positions. I got my Master’s degree in Strategic Communication in 2010.

But my gut told me that there was something more for me. I didn’t want to be tied to a cubicle for the next 30 years writing communications for a massive corporation. I wanted to do something that actually helped people and made a difference. I hired a life coach to help me figure out what to do next.

During that time, I had been battling chronic back pain. I had been going to physical therapy for many years and I was very frustrated. I had been an athlete and was determined to get better so that I could be active again. After nearly a decade of suffering through pain, I was fed up. I asked a trainer at the gym what I could do that wouldn’t cause me more pain. He suggested pilates. I had done mat pilates with DVDs in the early 2000s, but I had never used the equipment before. It was a game-changer – and in my case, it was a life-changer.

Pilates helped me overcome my chronic pain and helped me start exercising safely again. I had entertained the idea of being a personal trainer in my early 20s and I had gotten certified. I was doing personal training on the side when I got hurt running a half marathon. That’s when the chronic pain set in and I had to stop training. As I worked with my life coach, I realized that all signs were pointing to the gym. I could help others with chronic pain discover the benefits of pilates.

It seemed crazy, however, to leave a well-paying corporate job for a commission-only job. I had never sold anything in my life and never saw myself as a sales person. Why would I give up a career that I was good at and take a risk doing something I had never done before? My life coach kept guiding me and encouraging me to follow that path, even though I was terrified. I decided to get my pilates certification while I was still working my desk job. I didn’t tell anyone what I was up to because I had no idea what was going to happen.

But I fell in love with learning pilates and it became clear that I needed to follow that path – no matter how hard it might be at first. After I got certified I quit my job and started working at the gym. It took me a little over a year to build my confidence and establish a client base. Suddenly, it’s like a switch flipped and I was one of the top trainers in the region for the gym. I loved going to work and I loved seeing the results my clients were experiencing.

I also was afraid I would be throwing away all of my communications skills, which seemed like such a waste. Turns out, I needed all of my communications and marketing skills in this new career. Everything I had learned in my corporate life was helping me to be successful as a pilates instructor. I knew how to manage a schedule; I knew how to communicate with clients; and I knew how to market myself. That gave me an advantage over most trainers. My personal story of chronic pain also resonated with people, which helped me establish trust and build relationships with clients.

All of this led me to creating my own brand – Purposeful Pilates. I focus primarily on making sure clients have good form and that they understand the how and why behind every exercise. I chose the tagline “Helping you move with ease” because no matter your age or what shape you’re in, we all just want to feel ease and lightness in our bodies.

The bottom line is that everyone can benefit from pilates. I established my studio with the intent to be welcoming to EVERY body. The gym can be an intimidating place, but I want my studio to be warm and accepting. I work with clients who have never had an established exercise routine before, and I have clients who are marathon runners and serious athletes. That’s the beauty of pilates: It helps everyone in different ways. As a 47-year-old woman, I also see it as an exercise modality that I will be able to benefit from for the rest of my life. Essentially, pilates helps everyone live healthier and longer lives.

I teach group classes and private sessions. I meet you where you are and build a pilates program based on your specific needs. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach because we are all unique and have different goals and needs.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I remember shadowing an instructor one day as I was trying to decide if I was truly going to leave my communications job to be a pilates instructor. I watched her teach a class of 30 people and I was in awe. Everyone left that class in a good mood. I remember saying to her afterward, “So, you get to help people feel better every day??? You get to make people happier and healthier every day???” It was a revelation for me to see someone doing a job that really made a difference in peoples’ lives on a daily basis. Until that point, I was skeptical that you could actually enjoy going to work every day. I was so accustomed to the drudgery of corporate deadlines and soul-crushing cubicle life that it seemed impossible to find a career that brought me joy. Observing that class was the fuel I needed to get my pilates certification and quit my job. I was determined to figure out how to be the best instructor I could be so that I could have that same impact on people every day.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Contact Info:

• Website: www.purposefulpilatesmn.com
• Instagram: @purposefulpilatesmn
• Facebook: @purposefulpilates