Pilates Studio Owner at 23 Years Old - Sheridan St. Claire
Before Sheridan St. Claire opened her boutique Pilates studio in St. George, Utah, she was a former gymnast with two bad shoulders, a sore back, and no clear path forward. That changed when she discovered Pilates—not as a workout trend, but as a way to heal. Her journey took her from Utah to Florence, Italy (where she noticed how Europeans stayed healthy without ever stepping into a gym), and then to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, where she found a movement community that inspired her to create her own back home.
In this episode, Sheridan talks about opening her studio in the middle of COVID, choosing a minimalist and intentional approach to class sizes, launching her own Pilates app, and how she’s built a loyal following through events and word-of-mouth. This one is packed with honest insights for anyone building a brick-and-mortar fitness studio brand.
Highlights:
- How Pilates helped her avoid double shoulder surgery at age 19
- What she learned from living in Florence, Italy about movement, health, and slowing down
- The moment in Hawaii that made her realize she needed to build her own studio back home
- Opening Symmetry Pilates right as COVID hit in 2020
- Why she caps classes at 8 reformers, even though she could squeeze in more
- Growing entirely by word of mouth and local events
- Launching the Symmetry On Demand app and juggling five Instagram accounts
- What she’d do differently if she were starting from scratch
Episode Links:
- Symmetry Pilates Website
- Symmetry Pilates Instagram
- Sheridan’s Instagram
- Download the Symmetry Pilates App
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