Studio Pilates Accelerates US Growth With Celeb Franchise Partner
Actor Jason Priestley and his wife Naomi are opening their first Studio Pilates in Nashville this fall. The Australia-based reformer Pilates franchise is embarking on an ambitious U.S. expansion plan
Pilates is one of the top fitness trends of the year, and the modality’s rise has prompted several franchise brands to accelerate growth plans. Former “Beverly Hills, 90210” star Jason Priestley and his wife, Naomi, are the latest entrepreneurs to venture into the burgeoning boutique fitness space, opening a Studio Pilates in Nashville, Tennessee, early this fall.
The Australia-based reformer Pilates franchise currently has over 100 studio locations worldwide, with the Priestleys’ studio part of the brand’s burgeoning U.S. expansion, which kicked off in Brooklyn, New York. Three other Studio Pilates locations are in the works for Arvada West, Colorado, Long Branch, New Jersey, and San Juan Capistrano, California. The franchisor intends to enter Canada later this year.
Nashville has become home to Jason and Naomi Priestley, a NASM-certified personal trainer, Pilates Sports Center instructor and Mad Dogg trainer, who moved to the Southeastern city from Los Angeles in 2021.
The Healing – and Business – Powers of Pilates
The popular low-impact fitness modality, seeing nearly 12 million participants last year, a 15% increase from the year prior — has had a profound impact on Naomi’s health and well-being. She picked up Pilates to remedy severe injuries in her lower back that put her in a continuous cycle of pain, suffering from conditions such as herniations, stenosis and spondylolisthesis.
“The herniations were aggravated by flexion, while the spondylolisthesis was irritated by extension,” Priestley explained. “These conditions led to sciatica, with one of the herniated discs pressing on my nerve root, causing sharp, shooting pain down my leg like an electric shock.”
Priestley believed that by strengthening her core and the muscles supporting her spine, she could create some space and length between her vertebrae to relieve her pain.
“And it worked,” she said. “Pilates taught me proper posture, especially when sitting, preventing me from straining my back and joints. It gave me the strength to maintain good posture and stabilize my spine, allowing my body to heal.”
Although she still has her back conditions, Priestley is now free of sciatica and debilitating back pain and eager to share the power of Pilates with Nashville residents.
The Priestleys’ upcoming Studio Pilates will be located in the Sylvan Park neighborhood of Nashville, featuring 16 custom reformers underneath the franchisor’s signature chandeliers.
“Pilates has been crucial for both my and Jason’s back health,” Priestley said. “We know firsthand how Pilates can improve daily activities and overall well-being. We hope others will benefit from it as much as we have.”
The Draw of Franchising
Recognizing the challenge of beginning any business, Priestley says she chose Studio Pilates over a non-franchise business for its turnkey solution.
“While it still requires hard work, it allows us to free up precious time in the evenings for family,” she said. “With the franchise, all the back-of-house operations are taken care of, enabling us to focus on customer service and delivering exceptional classes.”
She was also drawn to Studio Pilates’ unique method, which uses screens to depict movements, allowing instructors to provide one-on-one training through adjustments, modifications and enhancements.
“Classes are accessible to all levels, increasing availability for clients,” she said of the brand’s 40-minute class formats. “Instructors can make the class harder or easier by offering modifications, variations and adjusting resistance.”
Priestley’s advice for those who are new to Pilates (and are perhaps intimidated) is simple: start slow and focus on proper form.
“Listen to your body, and don’t push beyond your limits; Pilates can be adapted to suit all fitness levels,” she said. “Consistency will bring progress, so stick with it and enjoy the journey. I guarantee you will be welcomed and supported if you attend one of our classes.”
Priestley confirms that she and her husband plan to open additional locations in Nashville — and possibly elsewhere, in the future.
“Once our daughter and eventually our son head off to college, my husband and I jokingly say we will open a Studio Pilates in their college towns,” she said. “It would be a fun way to stay close to them.”
