In Top Boutique Studios, Belonging Is Part of the Workout

Inside the service-first strategies of tomorrow’s leading boutique studios – and the tech that powers them  

The playlist is perfectly tuned. The front desk staff remembers your name and your last Hyrox competition. A chilled eucalyptus towel is ready for you after class. In today’s boutique fitness world, these aren’t extras, they’re expectations. And increasingly, the studios that deliver them are taking cues from the hospitality industry, and reaping the benefits in customer retention. 

Take the Collective Studios in southern New Hampshire. “Together we sweat” isn’t just a tagline, it’s a mantra. For founder Ashley Iwanicki, the boutique fitness studio is a “third space,” a place where clients don’t just work out, they connect, belong and feel at home.

RISE Cycle in Toronto was founded on the belief that there was a missing piece in boutique fitness: real belonging and inclusivity. Founder and CEO Andy Lin spent a decade consulting with indoor cycling studios and when he opened his own, he aimed to fill a gap that prioritized community over everything.

Let’s take a closer look at these two growth-oriented studios and how they use technology to drive a sense of belonging among their communities. 

Beyond Fitness: Building Environments Where Clients Feel Seen

Today’s top boutique brands are raising the bar with unforgettable experiences, inspired by the best in hospitality. Their missions aren’t rooted in physical results — they’re rooted in feeling.

RISE opened its doors in 2022 with a clear mission to authentically connect with the Toronto fitness community by providing an accessible and inclusive indoor cycling experience.

“When clients come to RISE, they feel acknowledged, and they can get a good workout. Our philosophy is to be challenging but accessible. Allowing people to feel successful makes them feel a part of the community.” says Lin.

Lin trains his instructors and staff with this personal hospitality-first approach. “Everyone’s approachable. We know everyone’s kids’ names and dogs’ names. It’s in our DNA to make people feel welcome at RISE.”

RISE has built up a sense of belonging by activating Mariana Tek’s seemingly simple, but powerful relationship-building features.

• Instructors create custom profiles and Spotify playlists are more approachable. 
• Clients who opt into challenges stay motivated and connected. 
• The whole community can stay engaged through in-app banners. 

“It’s not one single feature, it’s a collection of Mariana Tek features that Mariana Tek does really well that really drives not only customer retention, but loyalty in general,” says Lin. 

RISE’s impressive growth led to a second Toronto studio in 2024.To Lin, that meant when it was clear the brand had a strong and loyal foundation. “Finances aside, you need to have a strong, established community that supports you.” It’s not just a metrics — it’s a foundation of members and a feeling in your gut.” 

Tech Carries the Operational Burden So Staff Can Invest in Human Connection  

The Collective Studios has grown rapidly since opening in 2021, fueled by customer loyalty and love. It was one of five US studios that earned Mariana Tek’s 2025 Community Choice Award for its outstanding community. “We’ve built a strong culture where members are eager to share their experiences,” says Iwanicki. 

Iwanicki credits her staff and team for fulfilling this mission every day. “Our team is the driving force behind the energy, creativity, and the sense of belonging that keeps our members coming back,” she says. And to empower them, she leans on automations and insights provided by Mariana Tek. 

At The Collective Studios, Mariana Tek powers everything from automation to real-time dashboards. Instructors can use the biz app to check the class roster and tags to understand clients that are signed up. They can tailor the workout based on newbies or seasoned members, and create a routine that is specific to who is in the studio.

The team also uses automation features in Xplor Growth to align campaigns with seasonal trends and member behavior, and run promotions are designed with long-term retention in mind. “The team isn’t weighed down by logistical challenges, and can focus creative energy and time on delivering an unforgettable client experience,” says Iwanicki.

Mariana Tek: Enabling Belonging at Scale

From the outside, a top boutique studio’s experience looks effortlessly personal – every greeting warm, every detail on-brand – but behind the scenes, a sophisticated tech backbone is orchestrating those moments of connection. Mariana Tek’s platform weaves together each client interaction into one seamless journey.

‘The moment a client books a class, they step into a customized experience: an intuitive, branded app for scheduling and easy communication that feels like an extension of the studio’s hospitality. Automated reminders go out with a human touch, so clients feel looked after from the first booking to the final cool-down. When a member hits a milestone – whether it’s their 10th class or their 100th – they see a congratulatory message or reward, the kind of personal recognition that makes people feel truly seen. 

Instructors walk into each session equipped with real-time insights on their Mariana Tek Biz app: they can see at a glance who’s new, who’s celebrating a birthday or hitting a streak, even notes on a client’s preferences. That means the instructor on the mic knows exactly who to welcome by name and who might appreciate an extra high-five for hitting a goal.

This approach empowers studios to scale up that boutique “everyone knows your name” feeling without straining their team. Mariana Tek handles the heavy operational lifting – automating schedules, waitlists, and payment processing, and surfacing useful data on dashboards – so front-desk staff and instructors aren’t bogged down with admin work. Instead, they have the bandwidth to surprise and delight clients.

What’s Next: Appointment-Based Bookings & Loyalty Programs   

Soon, appointment-based bookings will be built into the system, opening the door for members to seamlessly reserve one-on-one wellness sessions like guided stretch therapy, a rejuvenating cold plunge, or a personal training session, all through the studio’s app.

 “As studios evolve into full-spectrum wellness destinations, we want to make it seamless for them to extend their unique brand into every service they offer,” says Briana Laurel, Senior Director of Product Development at Mariana Tek.

“Whether that’s a personal training session, a one-on-one stretch, or a cold plunge. Appointments will give operators more ways to personalize the member journey and build deeper connections, all within the same intuitive platform. It’s about helping studios turn every interaction — big or small — into a moment of belonging.”

New loyalty tools are also on the horizon, aimed at rewarding members for their dedication and strengthening the community vibe. Studio owners will have more ways to say “thank you” – whether it’s through point-based rewards, special perks for longtime members, or fun challenges and gamified milestones that celebrate progress. All of these upcoming enhancements are a natural extension of Mariana Tek’s core mission: to help boutique fitness brands deliver genuine hospitality at scale. 

For forward-thinking studios like RISE and The Collective, which pride themselves on high-touch service, these innovations are a welcome evolution. After all, succeeding in boutique fitness today isn’t just about managing class schedules – it’s about crafting an entire experience that makes people feel at home. By continually expanding its capabilities, Mariana Tek ensures that as its partner studios grow and diversify, they can keep every interaction feeling personal, every service on-brand, and every client feeling like a VIP.