We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Adrianne Yurgosky. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Adrianne below.
Adrianne, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.
In 2020, during the pandemic, I and some other Pilates instructors created the Global Pilates Organization. Fitness studios were being shutdown and I noticed there was no support from any governing body and I felt lost in what to do next with the studios I owned. We hosted Pilates classes on zoom through the organization from a different teacher each week from around the United States. This created a community and safe space that we were all missing. After the classes, we would stay on and talk and I noticed that everyone had something to say and that we were all having the same troubling experience. Fast forward to when everything was opening up again and I was thinking of how can we continue to communicate with each other and keep the connections we made so we can keep bettering our businesses. In growing our community, we shared resources to make aid accessible for all business and studio owners.
Adrianne, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I started to take Pilates after many sports related injuries and back issues and I realized how beneficial it was to my body. I wanted to share that knowledge and help other people heal as well. I opened up my first Pilates studio, Westside Pilates in 2013 on the Upper West Side in NYC. I eventually opened a second location in Long Island City, Queens in 2017. Both studios provide private and duet Pilates sessions and the LIC location also has group class options. I also co own a Pilates equipment maintenance company, Pilates Pro Maintenance, where we travel all over the country doing maintenance checks and repairing Pilates equipment. Then in 2020, I created Global Pilates Organization to support the Pilates community. Through all my businesses, I strive to give clients the best service and attention we can provide. At the Pilates studios we select the very best instructors that are prepared with the knowledge and the care to give you the best session!
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
In the middle of the pandemic, the landlord from the building where my Pilates studio was at the time illegally evicted me for not paying rent and then later sued me. I was struggling with this battle between fighting against the allegations and drawing out the lawsuit or just settling and moving on. This had a major impact on my mental and physical wellbeing, to a point where I didn’t know if it was worth the business anymore. Thankfully I settled the lawsuit and found a new space nearby so I could keep the same clientele I had before the pandemic. We have a more welcoming/larger space now with a better landlord and facilities.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The most effective strategy for growing my clientele whether it’s been for the studios or the organization has been by word of mouth. Many of our clients see our sign in the neighborhood and tell their friends and families. They love how convenient we are to their home or workplace. Same goes for the organization, people see events happening at the studios and ask who created these events and what is their mission and we inform them about Global Pilates Organization.
Contact Info:
- Website: westsidepilatesnyc.com globalpilatesorganization.com
- Instagram: @westsidepilatesnyc @globalpilatesorganization
- Facebook: Westside Pilates