We were lucky to catch up with Laura Munkholm recently and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

The fitness industry is seeing a major shift currently with what is defined under the fitness bucket. We are less concerned about physical appearance, and more about the whole person’s wellness. This obviously includes the physical body, but the industry is shifting away from weight loss, and beach body statements, and more toward longevity, mental health, strength, heart health, and recovery. It’s incredibly refreshing to see a move toward inclusivity and we are excited to see how this change of programming and language impacts engagement at studios and gyms. As a yogi of 20+ years, ex-college athlete, and marathon runner, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate feeling less like I have to “perform” when I make it to a fitness class, and more that my purpose there is for my happiness and longevity.

At Walla, we’ve seen a massive influx of studios adding recovery areas including saunas and cold plunge areas. In fact, one of our newest clients is The Red Light Method. I was instantly drawn to the founder, Allison Beardsley, as she was the founder of Club PIlates (ultimately sold to xponential fitness), and now is moving in the direction of strength training combines with the latest red light therapy and vibration technology to heal the body from the inside out. Her new modality improves bone health, builds strength, improves immunity, lowers cortisol, and improves skin health. It’s a testament to the changing industry, and I bet the studios will be the next big thing in overall wellness.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I’m the president and co-founder of Walla Software, an all-in-one business management platform for boutique fitness studios. Taking from my background in sales, teaching yoga, competitive sports, and helping fitness studios increase their revenue and profits, I set out to build software that would be the best at meeting studio owners’ needs and modernizing the consumer experience.

Walla helps studio owners simplify the process of running and growing their business by eliminating the tech headaches/tech drain. By reducing the number of platforms required to seamlessly offer online and in person classes to ONE, we make the day-to-day operations easy. Both studio owners and staff can easily log-in to schedule and lead classes, manage operations, and execute marketing campaigns to increase their client base and improve retention. Clients/customers experience a beautiful, seamless interface when registering for and attending classes, and communication becomes a breeze.

I decided to co-found Walla because I know firsthand what it’s like to run a studio and feel unsupported by the system I was using. I remember when I was pregnant with my second, sitting at my studio late on a Saturday night, bouncing on my prenatal fitness ball, trying to find a way to run a report because one of my yoga teachers asked for a raise. I couldn’t figure out if her performance warranted it, and if I could afford to say yes. At that moment, I knew the software wasn’t actually making my life easier, and isn’t that the point of paying for a software platform? To simplify operations, answer questions, and help you take streamlined action? I felt the pain of so many studio owners, and I am so proud that we were able to do something about it.

Fitness industry entrepreneurs are crazy passionate people. They are change-makers, and I love how committed they are to helping their clients. But it’s HARD! I know what it’s like to be subbing a class late at night when you thought you’d be home for bath time with your 1-year-old, to be exhausted even though you love your work, because managing a studio can be rewarding, but it’s also a lot. If I can make that easier on studio owners, so they can give their energy back to their clients, I’ve done my job.

How’d you meet your business partner?

Doug and I met through a mutual friend. Doug was starting a fitness app called Lymber at the time, and our mutual friend had told him that he should work with me to understand what studios really needed, so he could get to product-market fit quickly. I would also be able to introduce him to studio owners, and give their sales team a headstart in getting the product out to clients. I worked as an advisor to Lymber for a bit and Doug and I shared a mutual respect for each other. I also loved the team he brought together. It was obvious that they were experts, and knew how to build a great product – while having fun. I ultimately watched him sell the company to mindbody less than 2 years later. We stayed in touch and after his time at mindbody was done, we started chatting about building our own product… 4 years later, here we are! He knew he needed an industry vet who was closely connected to studios, and who knew the pain points inside and out. I knew I needed someone with the technical chops and team to build and scale a very complex product. Thank god it worked, and we have a dream team surrounding us. Walla is now the platform of choice for hundreds of studios around the country!

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

One of my favorite parts of my job is staying connected to clients. I do this weekly by hosting at least 3 customer success calls each week with clients. I get to hear what they love about Walla, specific use cases on what they’d like to see enhanced, and stories about their staff and clients. It keeps me close to the product and gives us invaluable insight into the daily challenges and opportunities studios face in a changing market.

I also host Walla “family” dinners each quarter. I’ll fly to Boston, or Denver, or Chicago and bring together our clients from the area for a meal. So much magic can happen when a group of people, who share the same challenges, wins and hurdles, share a meal together! They are so excited to meet other people living in their shoes, and we always have such a great time. We talk about hysterical client stories, nightmare entrepreneur situations (yes, we have all had the studio alarm go off in the middle of the night, or shall we say “plumbing issues” in the locker rooms!) The connection and family atmosphere is something I’ll never be able to put into words. Studio owners become great friends, visit each other’s studios, and lean on each other for support and advice afterward. I love building communities, and this is one way I can help our clients feel a little less alone in the entrepreneurial journey.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hellowalla.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wallasoftware/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wallasoftware/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/wallasoftware/