We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ashley Patten a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today If you’re open to it, can you talk to us about the best (or worst) investment you’ve made. What’s the backstory and the relevant context behind why you made the investment

When I decided to officially launch my own brand and company, I hired a branding company to help me. They were essential to helping me solidify the pillars that make up my brand. They helped me discover myself and brand identity at a time when I was already in a big transition from teaching pilates in the corporate world to being on my own.

Once we did this initial exercise they helped me clarify my vision, the colors, and the vibe that is Ashley Patten Pilates. Investing in their efforts and expertise was essential to helping me launch professionally.

Since meeting with them 3.5 years ago, I have continued to work with them for various templates, website updates, photoshoots and more. I say it all the time to them but they “save me from myself” as they always help clarify my vision and take my words/ideas and reflect them digitally.

Investing and delegating help when and where you can is very efficient because instead of spending time on something you’re not an expert at you can focus on the needs of your business while other people do what they do best.

Ashley , 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?

Ashley started her career in movement as a dancer. From dancing, to yoga and other movement practices, Ashley always came back to Pilates as a way to supplement her training and heal injuries. She began to teach Pilates, and after notable teaching and certifications, is excited to have launched her discipline and share it with the world. Ashley’s classes reflect the authentic principles of Pilates while simultaneously drawing from the vast experience of her movement career.

Ashley’s extensive experience in pre/post natal, injuries, and anatomy paired with her knowledge of modern day biomechanics and functional movement gives her a uniquely intimate and perceptive teaching perspective. On top of it all, Ashley puts the individual needs of the student first. While she is serious about her students’ goals, Ashley always approaches each class with warmth and a sense of humor.

There are many different offerings within the brand and have become a culmination of Ashley’s lifetime passion for health and wellness. Finding a way to put this together and share it with her community has been a great personal accomplishment for her.

Ashley has a private studio in NYC’s Upper East Side as well as a seasonal pop up studio in the Hamptons at Hampton Racquet in East Hampton. Additionally, she has a vast On Demand Library available via Subscription or A la Carte purchase. There are almost 400 classes that vary in length, level, that require equipment/non equipment, and more. You’ll find a weekly live virtual class if you’d like to find more personal attention for your workouts. Last, she has an active blog that has recipes, travel guides, health and wellness tips, and more.

A quote you can find on my site that sums me up:

“I have dedicated my life to learning about movement and connecting with others. When I move and live my life consciously, I feel, look, and live my best life. My goal is to inspire my clients to move and live consciously, too.”

Have you ever had to pivot?

What finally pushed me to launch my own business was the COVID Pandemic. What I am doing now is a collection of dreams, thoughts, ideas and more. There were many times I was ready to make a change but was frankly scared. I had a great job in corporate fitness that I enjoyed. Just before the pandemic started though, I realized I needed to make a change. I was about to be promoted to a new role and was supposed to have an offer letter the week the world shut down.

After a few months I had a taste of what working for myself was like and realized that the world was never going to be the same. I ultimately resigned from my corporate job (meaning, not going back when things reopened) and quickly got on with my own ideas and business ventures.

Unfortunately for me, it took a world disaster to make a change. Instead of taking a leap of faith, following my dreams, and doing something scary I really needed a serious sign/push. To anyone who has dreams, you’ve got to start somewhere! Don’t wait for the right time because there will never be a right time. The right time is now!

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

You have to stay consistent. By staying consistent you will automatically stay in touch and give people something to keep coming back for. I update my blog weekly as well as send out a weekly newsletter. As a result, i have high open and click rates consistently. If you want consistency from your audience you need to show up consistently for them!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.AshleyPattenPilates.
• Instagram: @AshleyPattenPilates
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-pierson-patten-a3b02b15

Image Credits
Photos 1, 2, 5 are Dalton Portella Images 2, 3, 8 are Matthew Marchese