Pilates Business Lessons from Reality TV (Yes, Really!)

One of my guilty pleasures is watching reality and competition shows—Below Deck, Real Housewives, you name it. But this weekend, I was watching the new competition show Food Stars with Lisa Vanderpump and Gordon Ramsay, and something that happened in the first episode really struck me.

During the episode, Lisa and Gordon were selecting entrepreneurs to join their teams and learning about the logistics of their businesses. One entrepreneur stood out because of his shocking approach to his company that sells charcoal grills. When they asked how many people were working for him, his answer was eye-opening: Just him.

Then, Lisa Vanderpump asked, with confusion on her face, “How do you deliver the grills?” And his answer left them speechless. He was driving across the country, delivering and assembling the grills himself.

While this level of personal service sounds impressive from a customer perspective, it’s not sustainable. For him to grow his business, something needs to change.

And then Gordon said something that really resonated with me…

“How do you grow if you don’t let go?”

The Reality of Doing It All Yourself

As a business owner, especially in the early stages, it can be tempting to want to control every single aspect of your business. You may think it’s the only way to keep your vision intact, or you might try to save money by doing everything yourself. But if you want to grow and avoid burnout, you simply can’t do it all.

Here are a few areas where letting go could be the key to scaling your Pilates business:

1. Scheduling Software: Get Organized

One of the first things every Pilates instructor needs is an efficient way to manage client schedules and payments. If you’re still manually tracking client payments, scheduling via DM or text, or sending Zoom links and reminder emails manually—you’re wasting valuable time.

Investing in scheduling software is a game changer! It tracks payments, schedules sessions, and sends automated reminder emails. And while it does come with a monthly fee, it’s well worth the investment. By automating these tasks, you’ll save hours every week and provide a seamless experience for your clients. You’ll feel a huge weight lifted off of your shoulders. The monthly fee is well worth the investment!

2. Automations: Use Technology to Your Advantage

Not too long ago, I hesitated to implement using an automation tool in my business to send out the links for my free Happy Hips Mat Pilates class and newsletter signup forms. I thought, “It’s only 10 messages a day, I can handle it.” Then, I had a post go viral, and I found myself manually sending the link to over 200 people in just one day!

Lesson learned. Now, I use a tool called ManyChat, which automates these tasks. It saves me so much time and ensures I don’t miss any important messages. With automation in place, I don’t feel like I need to be on my phone all the time and I’m free to focus on other tasks that truly move the needle for my business!

3. Hire Help: You Can’t Do It All Alone

If you’re struggling to stay on top of email responses, maintain your social media presence, or editing videos, it might be time to hire some help. Even just a few hours a week can make a significant difference in your workload.

Consider hiring a virtual assistant to help with administrative tasks, video editing, or social media management. This will free up your time so you can focus on what you do best—teaching, filming and growing your business. After all, until they perfect cloning, there is only so much you can accomplish in a day. 

4. Work With an Expert: Invest in Your Growth

As you continue to grow, there will inevitably be tasks that require skills you don’t have. Whether it’s graphic design, marketing, or SEO, trying to learn everything yourself can be time-consuming and frustrating.

Instead of spending countless hours trying to figure things out on your own, consider investing in a professional for a one-time session or ongoing support. An expert will save you hours of trial and error, simplify the process and help you achieve better results in less time.

The Power of Letting Go

Once you start relinquishing control over the small, repetitive tasks, you’ll find that your time is better spent focusing on what you excel at. You’ll have the energy to work on projects that actually drive your business forward, and you’ll feel less overwhelmed by the day-to-day grind.

So, how can you make your life easier and start letting go of the tasks that don’t align with your strengths?

The sooner you embrace delegation, the sooner you can scale your Pilates business, avoid burnout, and create the time and freedom to enjoy life outside of work.

What’s one task you can delegate or automate today to move your business forward? Let me know in the comments! Oh, and since we’re talking about letting go—what’s your favorite Bravo show to unwind with? I’d love to hear!