Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Kathy Hale. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Kathy thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

I took my first pilates class in 1995 and began teaching Joseph Pilates Method in 2001. In 2011 some of my pilates clients were struggling with food sensitivities. Their need for dietary guidance became a turning point in my career and the seed of canihaveabite, my organic meal prep business. This new need intertwined my knowledge of cooking, environmentalism, and pilates. I created a 28 Day Program to help my clients learn how to make dietary changes. My business grew from a handful of clients to a brick and mortar organic meal prep and carryout. In 2020 things changed, but I kept “making it work” until I could not. In 2023 it was time to look in a new direction and I closed canihaveabite. I decided to focus on creating an online platform that would allow me to grow beyond the local metropolitan area.

I spent the first half of 2024 educating myself on different online programs and formats. I taught myself to film and edit videos. I learned how to manage new back office logistics. I also had to learn patience – month after month passed while I worked and reworked the foundation of this digital structure. I naively thought it would be easy to switch from a physical business to a digital one in a matter of months. But when you are the sole person taking care of every detail, things move more slowly. Now, Kathy Does Pilates offers online programs on how to Move Younger, Eat Green, and a 28 Day Transformation.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

Two things I know to be true: learn to listen to your body and value the environment.

It was 1995, and I had just been diagnosed with sarcoidosis when I began studying the Pilates method.  At the time, there was little known about this autoimmune disease. There was only one “treatment”, and it entailed an intense multi-month-long steroid treatment. The side effects of this treatment scared me more than the disease. I decided to find my own way out. My doctor said to me that if I didn’t start the steroids, my lungs would harden, and breathing would be restricted. But I knew Pilates taught specific breath work that could help my lungs. From the moment of my first class, Pilates became my path back to health. After nearly three decades of studying and teaching pilates, I am continually learning from this method. When it comes to Pilates, you must learn how to connect with your body. How is your body responding to the exercises?  Are you filling your lungs with each inhale and empty them on the exhale. By doing that, you should feel the power of your breath to aid you in each exercise.  Pilates is learning efficiency of movement, developing coordination, connecting your body from fingertips to toes and understanding that every movement begins at your center. Pilates is a road to recovery.

I was also struggling with exhaustion and digestive issues due to the sarcoidosis. During this journey of recovering my health, I began working with an organic farmer on a CSA program he was developing (Community Supported Agriculture).  As a benefit of helping him, I had access to an abundance of free, organic produce. This wealth of organic produce was a game changer for me.  I immediately noticed improved digestion and more energy.  A happy chance became a life changing path.

Pilates and organic foods restored my health. Then they became my career. I have worked as a Pilates instructor since 2001. I also owned and operated two organic food-focused businesses (Daily Bread, canihaveabite), with the intention of improving the accessibility of healthy meals. In working with clients, I realized people needed more than options: they needed to feel empowered.

I am currently building educational, online programs that so I can share the knowledge I gained on my personal and professional journey. My 28 Day Transformation is a four week program that empowers you with the knowledge and skills to change your unhealthy habits. Each week has a different focus and provides a menu structure, shopping guide, a fitness focus and mindfulness exercises. The weekly focuses are as follows:
Week 1: Cleanse & Reset
Week 2: Rebuild With Nutrients
Week 3: Balance Your Diet
Week 4: Energize Your Lifestyle

Eating Green is a series of individual classes so you can pick and choose what will most meet your needs. Class subjects include: How To Put Together A Pantry”, “Cooking With Seasonal Ingredients”, “Organic Cooking On A Budget” “Plant Based Cooking”, “Gluten Free Cooking” and more.

Move Younger Pilates is a series of classes that cover lessons that work on balance, core connections, rebuilding and maintaining strength, and flexibility.  Finally, I set up a Patreon platform for community interaction, information and simple tips on moving younger, eating green and mindfulness.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

When I look back on canihaveabite, my organic meal prep business, the period from March 2020 to closing in May 2023 felt like a series of never ending near death moments in the business.

At the end of 2019, we moved to a much needed bigger space in a busy commercial district. February 2020 began with two full time employees leaving for new jobs and two part time hires replacing them. We were feeling settled from the move and business was picking up. I was confident we would find a new cook soon. But in March 2020 everything shifted overnight. Panic buying happened the moment lock down was announced, which meant we sold out of our entire stock in a single day. The next day, our building closed to the public which meant we lost our exterior entrance. Overnight we had an increased demand without enough staff to meet that demand; at the same time customers no longer had access to our space. And the problems just kept coming. Compostable packing could not be delivered to a building that was closed, and timely delivery of supplies became a thing of the past. Because the ongoing pandemic made this building no longer a viable option, we moved again in December 2020 to a new space that had easy access for both walk in and curbside pickup. But the hamster wheel of obstacles continued its spin through the next three years, and in 2023 I hit a breaking point. A senseless vandalism destroyed our front door just to steal $80 cash from our register. That morning as I looked at the broken glass covering our floor I decided it was time to close the business.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Closing a business doesn’t come easy. What may seem sudden to customers is actually a culmination of problems that couldn’t be overcome. And for me personally, it also meant I needed to take time to pause, recover my health, and think about next steps.

Aside from the business demands of closing, there was also the need for a personal recovery. My body was exhausted. Chronic stress had taken a toll and the effects needed to be dealt with on an emotional and physical level. Pilates has been my grounding since I first began studying it in the 90’s, so I returned to teaching classes and immersed myself in the calmness and discipline of the method. I also needed to find my footing as I explored next steps. I began asking myself, “What is unique about my approach?” “What do I have to offer?” After struggling for four years just to keep my business afloat, I wasn’t feeling too confident I had anything at all to offer. Since I was so mentally and emotionally exhausted, I let my body guide me. As I did so, I began to see my path.

I realized my strength was making things that seemed challenging easy to understand. I visualized a platform of online programs that covered pilates, green eating, mindfulness, and my 28 Day program. To create a community space I turned to Patreon. I saw a platform for community discussions, tips, information, and a way to create special perks for loyal followers. I knew that once I had a clear vision it was just a matter of constructing what I saw.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kathydoespilates.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathydoespilates/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kathydoespilates/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathydoespilates-kmh/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@kathydoespilates

Image Credits

photos by Kathy Hale and Amelia Mohr