Turning burnout into opportunity
When Pilates instructor and registered dietitian Leah Maselli first started teaching, she couldn’t have imagined that one day she’d be running a thriving global platform for instructors. But her journey, from hospital hallways to online studio, captures the exact turning point so many teachers are feeling: the desire for freedom, flexibility, and meaningful impact that for some extends beyond the studio walls.
“I got certified to teach Pilates in 2017 while I was in college,” Leah recalls. “I later went to graduate school to become a dietitian, but when I started working in a hospital, I realized Pilates truly had my heart.”
After two years of teaching 30-plus hours a week, Leah hit burnout. “I loved teaching, but I knew I couldn’t sustain that schedule forever,” she says. “That was when my Instagram started to grow from the reformer flows I was posting and I realized there was something more I could build.”
The Pivot: From Instructor to Educator
What began as a way to organize her own class plans quickly evolved into something bigger. “I realized most of my audience weren’t clients - they were instructors saving my videos for ideas,” Leah explains. “That’s when I pivoted my platform to focus on helping teachers. I wanted to create a space where instructors could find support, feel inspired, and be part of a community that truly lifts each other up.”
But the digital tools she was using weren’t keeping up. “I was offering my classes through another provider,” she says, “and it worked for a while, but I was using the platform in a way it wasn’t designed for. The structure just wasn’t intuitive enough for what I needed.”
“As my business evolved, I realized I needed more: advanced analytics, stronger marketing tools, the ability to adjust pricing, greater transparency around payouts, and a reliable support system. That’s when I made the switch to Uscreen, and it completely changed how I was able to operate and scale my platform.”
Finding the Right Fit
When Leah first heard about Uscreen, she approached it with the same precision she brings to her teaching. “A Pilates instructor I was mentoring actually mentioned Uscreen to me,” she says. “I scheduled a discovery call and came prepared with very specific questions because I knew exactly what I needed.”
“The number one thing that sold me was their migration team. I was so nervous about transferring all of my app content over, but my migration specialist, Lyndsey, was incredible. She was calm, confident, and made the whole process feel easy.”
That seamless transition gave Leah the confidence she needed to move forward. “The migration was professional and smooth and it confirmed that I was moving to a platform that truly cares about my success.”
A Partner in Growth
The process of building and launching her Pilates by Leah app happened during one of the busiest seasons of her life. “I got married, moved into a new home, and migrated my entire platform all in the same week,” she laughs. “But Uscreen held my hand through every step. There was never a moment where I felt unsure about what to do next.”
Since then, the partnership has only strengthened. “One of my favorite parts about working with Uscreen is the ongoing support. Every creator is assigned their own Customer Success Manager, and I meet with mine, Natalie, every month. I always look forward to our meetings because I can run any question or idea by her.”
That hands-on guidance has helped Leah refine her content strategy and grow a vibrant community of instructors who come together not just for workouts, but for education, mentorship, and professional growth.
Creating a Home for Instructors
Leah’s vision for her app has always gone beyond workouts. “I wanted to create a space that felt valuable, educational, and fun while still being easy to digest,” she says. Designed as a digital hub for Pilates teachers to connect, collaborate, and learn, the app offers class plans, challenges, and community discussions - giving instructors a place to recharge, find inspiration, and prioritize their own practice.
Freedom, Flexibility, and Financial Growth
For Leah, the impact of having her own app has been transformational, both creatively and financially.
“Having my own app has allowed me to connect with people all over the world on a much deeper level than I ever could through Instagram alone,”
she says. “It has given me the freedom to offer more in-depth training, break down cueing, and really teach.”
“Financially, it has completely transformed my business. I have increased my Pilates income six times over, and I no longer have to trade my time for money.”
That shift, she says, has allowed her to focus on what truly matters - delivering value and building community.
The Future of Pilates Is Hybrid
Leah believes what’s happening in Pilates mirrors what’s happening across the fitness industry: a shift toward hybrid models that blend in-person connection with online accessibility.
“Platforms like Uscreen are helping Pilates instructors adapt to that shift. They’re shaping the future of the industry by making high-quality resources and education more accessible than ever, both for instructors and for students.”
Advice for Teachers Ready to Grow
Leah’s message to other instructors is simple but powerful: don’t wait. “As Pilates instructors, we trade our time for money, and that can only take us so far,” she says. “Having an app allows you to keep teaching in person while creating another income stream. It gives you freedom and the ability to impact more people than ever before.”
For her, Uscreen makes that possible. “If I ever opened a studio,” she adds, “the first thing I’d do is build an online platform alongside it. That’s where the industry is heading.”
Uscreen is an all-in-one streaming, monetization, and community platform that helps creators, educators, and fitness professionals build, launch, and scale their own branded experiences across all devices.
Leah Maselli has been teaching Pilates since 2017 and is the founder of Pilates by Leah, a platform designed to support instructors through workshops, challenges, class plans, instructor tips, live classes, and more. She created the platform to build a community of like-minded instructors who can learn from and support one another.