Lead Your Studio, Don’t Just Run It
If you're a boutique fitness studio owner who feels like you have to do everything in your business for it to run smoothly, you're not alone. You’re teaching classes, managing client relationships, handling admin, posting on social, and probably mopping the floors more than you'd care to admit. It’s exhausting - and even more frustrating when the growth you want still feels out of reach.
Here’s the truth no one tells you: running your studio and leading it are two completely different roles. And unless you step into the role of leader, your business will always rely on your busywork - instead of your strategy.
Let’s break this down. When you’re stuck in the weeds of daily tasks, you’re acting as an operator. Necessary? Sure. But sustainable? Not at all. Leadership is what creates space for growth, freedom, and scalability. And the good news is you don’t need a fancy MBA or a massive team to lead well. You just need to make three simple but powerful shifts.
Set Real CEO Time — and Protect It
Most studio owners think they’re making time to work on the business… but it’s often squeezed between teaching, emails, and cleaning equipment. CEO time isn’t just about catching up on admin. It’s dedicated space and time to review your numbers, plan your strategy, make decisions, and get clear on your vision.
Start with just two hours a week. Block it on your calendar. No client calls. No class coverage. This is your time to focus ON your business. Treat it as sacred, because this is how real growth begins.
Build a Support System (Even Part-Time)
You don’t have to hire a full-time team to get relief. Can someone else check clients in? Manage your email inbox? Post to social media? Even 5–10 hours a week of support can free you up to focus on what truly moves the business forward.
Leadership means delegating — not just because you can’t do it all, but because you shouldn’t. Building a team, even a lean one, helps your studio operate with more consistency, and helps you stay in your zone of genius.
Create Simple Systems That Don’t Rely on You
If everything in your business depends on your presence, it’s not a business — it’s a bottleneck. Whether it’s onboarding new clients, following up with leads, or managing class schedules, you need systems that run without constant input from you.
Start by documenting the processes you repeat often. Use tools and automations where possible. It doesn’t need to be high-tech. It just needs to be repeatable. This gives you the freedom to step back and lead instead of constantly reacting.
Here’s the bottom line: Being a great instructor and being a great CEO are two different skill sets — but your studio needs both. It’s not about doing more. It’s about doing the right things. And that starts with stepping into your leadership role.
Because your studio? It deserves a visionary at the helm. And that visionary is you.
Seran Glanfield, founder of Spring Three and host of the award-winning Pilates Business Podcast, is a leading business coach and consultant to boutique fitness studio owners around the world. With over a decade of hands-on experience, Seran has masterminded the growth and development of hundreds of studios, becoming the go-to expert for those looking to scale their studios, transforming them into sustainably profitable, streamlined studios.
Seran’s expertise encompasses all facets of business management, including marketing, retention, sales, team management, pricing, and strategic growth.
A graduate from the prestigious London School of Economics, Seran is also a certified business consultant and both Power Pilates and Romana’s Pilates trained Certified Pilates Teacher.
To learn more about working with Seran and Spring Three, go to: www.springthree.com or follow @seran_spring_three