We were lucky to catch up with Carolyn Geerling-Goryl recently and have shared our conversation below.

Carolyn, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to go back in time and hear the story of how you came up with the name of your brand?

My husband actually came up with my company name, Pilates with Care, LLC. He is a very smart, creative person and knew that the double meaning would align perfectly with what my company stands for … “Care” is my family and close friends nickname.

Carolyn, 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 have been in the fitness industry for over 30 years now. Originally from Michigan, I received my BS in Exercise Science from Western Michigan University then went onto get my personal training and group fitness certifications. I have taught every form of group fitness class that you can imagine. After many years of teaching physically demanding classes I knew if I did not shift my focus I would not have longevity in the fitness field, at the same time a friend introduced me to mat and reformer pilates. I did both group and private sessions as my way of keeping my body healthy. I knew I wanted to pivot and pursue pilates as a new fitness career path. In 2006, I became a fully certified pilates instructor then in 2009 expanded to become a master trainer. My Pilates with Care brand IS captured within my company name. I really care about my clients. It is important to me to provide them individualized sessions that are going to benefit their body the most. My clientele is comprised of active adults, mostly over 50 that have busy physical lifestyles. Each of their sessions are designed for them and to focus on their needs. I have clients who have had joint replacements, spinal surgeries, rheumatoid arthritis, want to improve their pickleball game, need to increase muscle mass & bone density, tore their hamstring & found this form of exercise has them feeling great, the list of client goals go on and on. I feel very lucky to be entrusted with their goals and still to this day get VERY excited when a client learns and executes a new pilates skill well!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

I have always felt fortunate that what I choose for a living, fitness/pilates, allowed me to be in the drivers seat to control how much I wanted to hustle for clients/classes/income. My husband and I have moved 3 major times where it has impacted my career. I was a successful Fitness Manager for the first 5 years out of college when the first big move took us from MI to CA. I had to completely start over having no contacts and knowing no one. I started working for a large chain fitness center as Group Fitness Instructor then worked my way into Management. I stayed there until another move 2 years later took us back to MI. I started over again because we moved 3 hours from the area I previously worked so I didn’t have any contacts. I went to work for another large chain fitness center as a Group Fitness Instructor simultaneously working at a very reputable boutique pilates studio. I grew my clientele from 5 hours/week to 35. And then after 3 years, my husband’s job transferred us a final time to Arizona. I was able to transfer with the large chain fitness center because there was a location in Scottsdale. So, this time the transition for work was not so long and laborious. I was able to meet and made clients more quickly this time and built my pilates clientele within that business. However, after about 5 years and 2 children later, I knew I needed to shift gears again. My husband’s job required him to travel a lot and I would ‘single parent’ when he was away. I wanted to continue to teach pilates but needed to make my work and mom life mesh better together. We took and renovated our guest room into a home-based, full equipped private pilates studio that caters to individual client….Pilates with Care opened in 2014!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

I am certain every small business that is still open has a COVID story, this is mine. I run my pilates studio out of my home as mentioned above, this was and is again awesome until COVID stopped it dead in its tracks in March 2020. As everything shut down, so unfortunately did my ability to private train my clients. Pilates is a very intimate workout, meaning, it’s you on the reformer equipment and me standing by you, spotting, correcting, encouraging, talking, breathing. Well, no one wanted to come and do that for many months. So, my big business pivot was to offer on-line ZOOM classes. Many of my colleagues who made it successfully out of COVID did the same. I never thought over 4 years later, I would STILL be offering those classes. It was part of my business model I never expected and I LOVE it. The classes over that past 4 years have changed and evolved but I still weekly offer my pilates with props class, that has remained on the schedule since week 1.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.pilatewithcare.com
• Instagram: pilateswithcare
• Facebook: n/a
• Linkedin: n/a
• Twitter: n/a
• Youtube: n/a
• Yelp: n/a
• Soundcloud: n/a
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Image Credits

a few of Pilates with Care, LLC amazing clients! Lou, Stephanie, Kaye, DeeAnne, Jim, and Jill!