There’s a New Definition for ‘Premium’ Pilates in 2026

Jetset Pilates helps franchisees deliver premium performance with its SPS system, which provides unit economics metrics for better, faster decision making

The term “premium” is taking on new meaning in the fitness industry. For Jetset Pilates, a brand that’s built a reputation as an upscale, experience-driven Pilates facilitator, the evolution feels both natural and inevitable.

“In 2026, premium shouldn’t be defined by how good a studio looks,” said Jetset franchising chief strategy officer Natalie Straub. “That’s expected now. Premium should be defined by whether operators truly understand and control the business.”

That oversight and command requires honest reflection, organization and cutting-edge technology that gives operators the information and clarity they need to grow with confidence. 

“Beautiful concepts without tight operations don’t last, and our responsibility as a franchisor is to build the infrastructure that protects our operators as they grow,” Straub added.

Inside Jetset’s Approach

Jetset equips its operators with the tools necessary to deliver an elite experience — providing structured visibility into weekly leads, founders, members, class utilization, revenue per visit and ramp timelines. 

“Across our studios, we monitor visit frequency and revenue per visit weekly,” Straub added. “If a member who normally averages nine or ten visits a month drops to four, that’s not random noise. It’s an early signal that gives our studio partners time to step in before that member disengages. That visibility allows us to support operators proactively rather than reactively.”

However, Jetset also goes beyond surface metrics. The brand developed its own adjusted studio performance scoring (SPS) system to blend utilization, schedule volume and studio size into one balanced indicator. This allows operators to compare performance accurately over time, even as class schedules and volumes change. 

“We created it because average utilization alone can be misleading,” Straub said. “Studios can manipulate schedules up or down and still appear ‘healthy’ on paper. SPS gives us a more complete view of operational strength and engagement without over-weighting any one variable.”

To take operational efficiency a step further, Straub also noted Jetset recently started using language learning model-based tools to synthesize studio updates, recurring retention questions and performance summaries across dozens of locations.

“It doesn’t replace leadership or the human element that defines our community,” Straub said. “It simply helps us surface patterns faster so we can ask better questions and support our franchisees more effectively. The technology gives us clarity, and our operators deliver the experience.”

Growth Impacts

While these tools drive efficiency and elevate Pilates offerings at the studio level, they also defend franchise networks as they expand. Jetset believes scale exposes weak systems quickly, which is why shared visibility is critical to its network.

“Operational discipline is what protects the member experience as you scale,” Straub said. “Without structure, growth starts to dilute energy, instructor morale and ultimately retention.”

The SPS system is especially helpful in this regard. SPS gives franchise partners a clearer view of where they stand relative to healthy growth benchmarks. Every studio measures against the same core KPIs. When something dips, the brand leaps into action, addressing it quickly and collaboratively. 

“Our goal is never to police operators, but to protect their momentum,” Straub said. “The goal isn’t to rank studios for optics — it’s to help operators understand their operational leverage points,” Straub said. “It helps us step in with marketing adjustments, scheduling refinements or coaching before the member experience is impacted.”

Straub noted that Jetset is currently scaling toward more than 140 studios open by the end of 2026 with an additional 300 in development.

True Differentiators

Jetset argues maintaining robust internal structure and sound foundations will be critical, especially in 2026. Real strength often comes in what you can’t see, even in an industry centered around aesthetics.

“By the end of 2026, the brands that are thriving won’t just be the most visible, they’ll be the most structurally sound,” Straub said. “The operators who invested in clean data flow between marketing, CRM and studio performance will have a very different trajectory than those still trying to reconcile spreadsheets at month-end.”

Straub also expects to see a widening gap between brands that understand unit-level economics in real time and those that only look at topline revenue. While the two are certainly tied to each other, internal speed and connectivity must take priority, even over concepts like broad AI adoption.

“AI won’t be the headline. The headline will be decision speed,” Straub said. “The brands that embed intelligence into their systems, such as attribution refinement, predictive retention signals, or faster synthesis of field performance, will simply move faster and with more confidence.”

This article originally appeared in ATN’s Health Tech Revolution Report 2025: Inside the Future of Personalized Fitness & Wellness, which examines the trends shaping the future of fitness and wellness, and what they mean for operators, investors and brands navigating a rapidly evolving market. Download the free report.