ABC Glofox Customer: SOL Pilates LA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Reformer Pilates Studio
- ABC Glofox Customer
Key results:
- 4x class capacity
- From 10 to 40 members per hour
- 4 retention strategies in place
- 2 locations and counting
- One platform, ABC Glofox, end-to-end
Bringing Pilates Closer to Home
Kim Rosado found Pilates during her own recovery from three herniated discs. She understood, from the inside, what the practice could do for one’s health. But she kept running into something she couldn’t ignore: boutique fitness had a representation problem.
“I always felt this disconnect or this gap. We never really had representation in our Latino community.”
She didn’t want to wait for it to find its way to her community. She wanted to bring it there herself and make sure that when it arrived, it felt like it was made for everyone. That meant investing everything she had into a concept her community was still learning to understand. Even her father pushed back. “What is that? We don’t do that. That’s white people stuff. You’re crazy.” Kim believed anyway.
The Challenge
For Kim, building awareness, trust, and demand for something her community had never been offered was the real work. Figuring out how to run a business for the first time was the other half of it.
In simple terms, she needed to figure out how to:
- Manage members and build a sustainable business past the initial runway
- Run bookings, payments, and memberships without it becoming a full-time job
- Give members a digital experience that felt like SOL from the very first tap
- Have visibility on what was working in the business once classes started filling
She was resourceful enough to know she couldn’t do it alone. So she researched for a technology partner who could join her in her mission.
Why ABC Glofox
When Kim connected with the ABC Glofox team, she found both the platform and the partnership to make it work. She opened up about what was riding on the studio, everything she had, bet on a concept her community was still learning to understand. That support continued through onboarding.
“Learning a new software is hard and scary, but my onboarding rep was so responsive. Any time I freaked out, she always took my call, always replied to my email. She was a lifesaver when I was just getting started. Everything is through Glofox. Everything, everything.”
- Bookings and class scheduling across the app and website
- Payments, memberships, and member history in one place
- A fully branded app that looks and feels like SOL
- Reporting and revenue tracking in real time
- Automated communications through XLerate
Pilates, yoga, strength, dance, whatever the format, every community deserves a space that feels like theirs.
Manage: Everything in One Place From Opening Day
SOL Pilates members book through the app or website. Kim tracks monthly transactions, reviews payouts, monitors which instructors are filling classes, and sees which time slots perform best, all in one place. SOL started with 10 reformers serving 10 people at a time. Today, it serves up to 40 people per hour. As the business grew more complex, the platform grew with it.
- Bookings, payments, and member history connected across the platform
- Class performance and revenue tracked in real time
- Instructor and scheduling visibility to inform programming decisions
- Payouts and transactions reconciled without chasing numbers manually
“We started with just 10 reformers and could only serve 10 people at a time — now we can serve up to 40 people per hour. That’s the most dramatic change, and we’re still growing. I never imagined we’d scale this fast.”
Delight: SOL Pilates App
For a studio built around belonging, the digital experience had to match. Kim didn’t want members to feel like they were leaving SOL’s world every time they booked a class.
So they made the app their own, brand colors, logo, photos from a custom photoshoot, instructor images, and class descriptions written in SOL’s voice.
“We customized the app to represent our brand. It should feel like walking into the studio, but in your pocket. That connection matters to us.”
Members book, pay, manage their history, and stay connected through an app that looks and feels like the community they belong to. Not a generic booking portal. SOL, in their pocket.
Learn more about ABC Glofox’s custom branded app.
Grow: 4 Strategies That Built SOL From the Ground Up
Kim, partnering up with ABC Glofox, ran four deliberate strategies, each one protecting a different part of the member journey. They all fit her member base and vision:
#1. Pilates Studio Founding Memberships
Most studios open and hope the members follow. Kim flipped the script, selling founding memberships before launch to build a committed community, cover startup costs, and open with real momentum rather than a prayer.
“Founding memberships helped us start with real momentum. We were able to bring people into the SOL community before we opened, while also covering important startup costs. It gave us confidence knowing we weren’t starting from behind.”
#2 Pilate Studio Waitlists
SOL uses waitlists to keep every slot filled and give members more opportunities to attend, even when schedules change at the last minute.
“Waitlists help us make the most of every class. People’s schedules change all the time, but when a spot opens, another member has the chance to take it. It’s convenient for our members, and it helps us avoid leaving valuable spots unused.”
#3. Pilates Studio Membership Pause
Not every studio offers a membership pause, but the ones that do tend to keep more members. When someone reaches out to cancel, the option to pause creates a different conversation entirely. SOL uses it to protect relationships during the moments when life gets in the way.
“Sometimes people just need a little time away. With pause, they can come back when they’re ready, and we don’t lose that connection.”
#4. Adding XLerate for Pilates Studios
Staying close to every member — even as the community grows — is non-negotiable for Kim. Adding XLerate was the move that let her be there, even as the community grew to 40 members per hour.
- Milestone emails to celebrate members
- Lead follow-ups to convert interest into bookings
- Re-engagement sequences to bring lapsed members back
All automated. All customized to sound like Kim wrote them herself.
“XLerate helps us stay connected without making our communication feel automated. We can follow up with leads, celebrate milestones, and remind members we’re thinking of them — all in a way that still sounds like SOL.”
These four strategies aren’t unique to SOL. They’re what smart studio operators do when they want to launch with confidence, protect retention, and grow without burning out. The details matter, and so does having a team that helps you put them into practice.
Future: Kim Rosado Is Just Getting Started
SOL has already signed a lease for its second location in Downey. Her goal is straightforward: bring the same community-based Pilates experience to another diverse city where the offering is still needed.
“We have a lot of plans, but the mission is staying the same. As we grow, I want SOL to keep feeling approachable, community-driven, and rooted in the people we serve.”
Longer term, Kim wants to expand into more traditional Pilates markets with the same message; SOL belongs there too. Digital content, video subscriptions, and new communities are all on the horizon.
“The busier we get, the more excited I am for what’s next. We’re growing, we’re reaching more people, and we’re just getting started.”
The fitness industry needs more founders like Kim.
If you’re building a studio rooted in community, representation, and belonging, ABC Glofox is the partner that helps you launch with confidence and grow without losing what makes you different.
Diverse communities deserve great studios. We help you build them.
Start the conversation
Read more: How to Open a Pilates Studio: The Honest Guide to Starting Your Own Pilates Business
