We recently connected with Tabatha Russell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Tabatha, thanks for joining us today. Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

For me, taking a risk has never been about chasing danger—it’s about honoring the creative pull that says, “Build what doesn’t exist yet.” When I started my journey as a Pilates educator, I taught anywhere that would have me—gyms, yoga studios, community centers, even church basements. I saved every penny because I knew that when I finally opened my own space, I wanted to bring the full Pilates system to my community. Not a watered-down version. Not a limited setup. A complete, dignified wellness experience. Because people on the South Side deserved nothing less.

Opening tabPILATES 15+ years ago was a risk wrapped in purpose. The numbers didn’t make sense on paper, and plenty of folks doubted whether a boutique studio in my neighborhood could thrive. But I wasn’t here to follow a blueprint someone else drew—I was here to architect a legacy. One built on access, inclusion, and embodied empowerment.

The early days weren’t glamorous. I cleaned my own floors between clients. I said yes to opportunities before I knew exactly how I’d pull them off. I learned by doing—and sometimes by stumbling. But each challenge strengthened my clarity: this studio wasn’t just a business. It was a home for transformation.

Every bold move since—from launching teacher training and mentoring the next generation, to pursuing major institutional partnerships and digital expansion—has begun the same way: a deep breath followed by, “Do it anyway.”

Risk, for me, is where creativity meets courage. It’s how I honor my calling. And it’s how legacy begins.

Tabatha, 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?

I’m Tabatha Russell — a movement educator, studio owner, mentor, and lifelong student of the human body. I’ve been practicing and teaching Pilates for more than 30 years, but my journey into this work began long before I ever stepped into a studio. I trained and toured as a dancer, earned a B.A. in Dance and an M.A. in Education, and spent years teaching in higher education. What captivated me about Pilates — and ultimately pulled me into entrepreneurship — was the way this method gives people back ownership of their bodies. It restores not just strength, but confidence and possibility.

I also come from a large family of women — strong, brilliant women — who too often put themselves last because resources were limited and “wellness” wasn’t something they were told belonged to them. Witnessing the toll that self-sacrifice takes on the body and spirit lit a fire in me. I was determined to change that narrative for my family and for my community.

That passion is what led me to found tabPILATES & Bodyworks Center on Chicago’s South Side — a fully equipped Pilates studio rooted in access, dignity, and empowerment. I provide private and group Pilates sessions, athletic conditioning, wellness workshops, and a robust teacher training and mentoring pipeline that has helped shape instructors across the country. My work focuses on helping people feel powerful in their own bodies and preparing future teachers to lead with intelligence, inclusion, and humanity.

What sets us apart isn’t just the equipment or expertise — it’s the mission. We create access to high-quality movement education where it wasn’t always available. We support people in writing new wellness stories for themselves. And we nurture local talent into professional leaders who go on to serve their own communities.

I’m most proud of the legacy we’re building: seeing former clients become instructors, seeing trainees step into teaching with confidence, and watching a neighborhood claim wellness as part of its identity. I believe Pilates should reflect the diverse bodies and stories that make up the world — and that belief shapes everything we do.

If there’s one thing I’d want people to know about my work, it’s this: Pilates isn’t just exercise. It’s a pathway to agency, healing, joy, and strength — and everyone deserves access to that power.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Pivoting has been a constant thread in my life — not in the trendy business sense, but in the most human way possible: adapting to survive, to serve, to keep going. My career shift into the Pilates industry was meant to be gradual. I planned to transition from a full-time role in education administration to part-time while building my studio with stability. But an administrative error related to my health benefits forced a different reality — I couldn’t reduce my hours after all. So I suddenly had two full-time jobs: running a growing business while maintaining a demanding career. It stretched me thin, but it also sharpened my resilience… because quitting wasn’t on the table.

Then came a pivot no entrepreneur prepares for. My son was diagnosed with a rare brain tumor, and everything stopped. I closed the studio and poured all of myself into saving his life. Two weeks after his 18th birthday, he passed away. There aren’t words for that kind of loss — and there isn’t a clear path back. But I found my way by returning to movement, to community, to the work that had always given me purpose. Pilates helped me breathe again. Healing others helped me slowly heal too.

Just as I was finding my footing, I hit another roadblock — debilitating back pain that progressed over nearly two years. Pilates could support me, but it couldn’t fix what my body needed structurally. Surgery became the only answer — which meant another pause, another pivot, another test of my spirit.

What all these moments have in common is that every time life has pushed me off course, I’ve built a new one. I’ve learned that resilience isn’t a trait you’re born with — it’s forged inside the pivots you didn’t ask for. Each time I’ve had to reinvent the way forward, I’ve grown stronger, more compassionate, and more determined to create spaces where people feel powerful in their own bodies and lives.

Every challenge has reinforced what I know to be true: I am still here. My mission is still necessary. And movement continues to be a path back to ourselves — no matter how many times we have to start again.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

I believe my reputation was built on two things: excellence and community — and refusing to choose between them. From the very beginning, I was committed to bringing the full system of Pilates to the South Side of Chicago, even when others said my neighborhood wasn’t “the right market” for that kind of investment. I wanted people here to walk into tabPILATES and feel the same dignity, care, and professionalism they’d expect in any top-tier studio in the country.

But my reputation isn’t built on equipment — it’s built on consistency, service, and results. I show up as a teacher, a mentor, a neighbor, and sometimes even a cheerleader. I listen deeply to the people I serve and shape programming that meets real needs. Over time, that commitment turned into trust — and that trust turned into loyalty.

I’ve also earned industry recognition by operating at the highest professional level. I’m a Balanced Body Master Educator, a member of the NPCP Board, and a national presenter at conferences and trainings. I write and am featured in industry publications, and I support other studio owners and educators through business coaching and professional development. Those platforms amplify what we’re doing and show that excellence and access can — and should — coexist.

I didn’t build a reputation by shouting the loudest. I built it by doing the work — day after day — with integrity, mastery, and a mission bigger than profit. When your purpose is clear and your expertise is respected, people notice. What sets us apart is that we’re not just transforming bodies; we’re transforming access, opportunity, and what wellness looks like in our community. That’s a reputation I’m proud to stand behind.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://tabpilates.com
• Instagram: @tabpilates
• Facebook: @tabpilatesandbodyworkscenterinc
• Youtube: @tabpilates