We recently connected with Beth Crain and have shared our conversation below.
Beth , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
Generosity is at the heart of BEYOND Studios. We are intentionally generous with our clients, our employees, and our community. One thing we do that is unique in the boutique fitness world is our annual employee profit share program. Each December, we pay out a portion of the company’s profits from that year. This program encourages loyalty and teamwork throughout the year. Last year, the profit share pool was over $10,000 and we look forward to wathing that grow as the business continues to grow & expand!
Another thing I am very proud of is our commitment to give back generously to the local community. Since opening our first Frisco, TX studio in 2017, we have honed in on supporting local non-profits that serve women and children. BEYOND has donated thousands of dollars from our own profits and also directed fundraisers within our studio community to directly support these organizations.
Beth , 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?
We have two Pilates-based boutique fitness studios in Frisco, TX, under the BEYOND Studios brand. We are not your grandma’s Pilates though! At BEYOND, you can expect a full body workout to beat-dropping music in small group classes led by our high energy and highly certified instructor team. You can expect to be welcomed, known and supported – whether it’s your 1st class or your 1,000th! Additional services include personalized Nutrition Coaching and a fitness apparel boutique in every studio.
I left my long-time corporate career in early 2017 with a plan to bring BEYOND Pilates to the north Dallas suburbs. After an extensive real estate search, we found the perfect spot in the Starwood neighborhood of West Frisco and opened the first studio in December 2017. We had just 5 instructors teaching classes and me doing everything else! I knew from working nearby for the 11 prior years that Frisco would love BEYOND and I’m honestly still in awe of how much this community has embraced us!
BEYOND Studios Frisco will celebrate 5 years in business this fall and looking back, I am most proud of my incredible team, led by our Frisco General Manager Robin Houston, who joined us almost 4 years ago, and Director of Training Alesha Trimble, who is one of the original 5 instructors who opened the studio with me in 2017. They are tremendous leaders who have high standards for excellence, but also keep things light & fun!
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
We signed a lease in January 2020 to open a second Frisco studio for our BEYOND500 (Pilates Hybrid Interval Training) concept by mid-2020. And then, COVID.
Our original BEYOND Pilates studio was closed for 77 days and then we operated at reduced capacity for the rest of 2020 while we built out the second location. That lease I had signed came in handy because we were able to pivot our strategy to relocate BEYOND Pilates into the new, much larger studio just 1 mile down the road. That “pivot” allowed us to put more space between equipment stations while adding stations to classes and upgrade our HVAC system during buildout. While many other local studios closed, BEYOND grew our member base tremendously in 2021!
We still openendBEYOND500, just a year later than planned – and in our original BEYOND Pilates space.
Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?
The number one source of new members is referrals from our current members. Almost half of our new business is referrral-based. It’s a testament to the effeciency & results that the BEYOND workouts offer and also the supportive and fun community we’ve cultivated over the last 5 years.
When our clients believe in what we’re doing, they become our best ambassadors. We have been voted Best Pilates Studio in the Plano / Frisco area the past 3 years!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.theBEYONDstudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beyondstudiosfrisco/
- Other: New Client Intro offer: 2 classes for $29 hyperlink offer to this web address if possible –> https://clients.mindbodyonline.com/classic/ws?studioid=939425&stype=41&sTG=23&prodId=101652
Image Credits
Kelly Clark Photography