Meet Melissa Bentivoglio | Pilates Expert, CEO & Founder of Frame Fitness

We had the good fortune of connecting with Melissa Bentivoglio and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Melissa, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
For most of my life I was immersed in the world of elite classical ballet and competitive dance. I found Pilates while I was healing from a broken pelvic-bone injury and the practice was suggested to me as a form of rehabilitation. I loved it, and soon started teaching in Toronto. I quickly built up a waitlist for private clients and then in 2018, I had the idea to design my own custom reformer and open up my own studio. We opened at the beginning of 2020 and the energy was infectious, but then six weeks later the pandemic hit and forced us to close our doors.

Being home with my family during the lockdown gave me time to be with myself and my ideas in a way I hadn’t had during the years I was opening up my own brick-and-mortar studio and raising three kids. I started thinking about how I could bring the power of Pilates to more people––reformer Pilates is such a powerful practice, and yet, it’s been largely inaccessible for many people until now because gyms don’t have Pilates Reformer machines and at-home Reformer machines have been bulky and cost-prohibitive. I wanted to change that, so I started conceptualizing how I would create an at-home Reformer. I knew I wanted it to be functional, beautiful, light weight, and storable, and that I wanted to bring together a community around intentional movement around the world. That’s how Frame Fitness was born!

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Frame Fitness is a digitally connected Pilates Reformer that gives users access to hundreds of full-body workout classes. The sleek, foldable reformer expands standard at-home fitness options by collaborating with world-class instructors. We’re changing the way this powerful modality is practiced around the world by bringing people the comfort of working out in their own homes and making the entire industry more accessible than it has been previously.

My belief in myself and my vision has been crucial to the success of my company. As a first-time female founder I’ve continually run into obstacles and people who have tried to make me feel like I can’t do this. Each time I choose not to listen to them and to instead trust myself and my internal guidance system more than their criticisms or judgements.

Nothing about my entrepreneurship journey has been easy, but everything about it has been rewarding! What everyone says about starting a company is true––it comes with a lot of highs and a lot of lows, long hours, and many setbacks. But seeing my idea go from something I had in my head, and then drew out on a piece of paper, to actually using the Reformer machine in person and then guiding others through workouts on it at events like Kourtney Kardashian’s Poolside with Poosh or the launch of our in-person pop-up at Showfields New York, has been unreal. I’m amazed everyday at what we’re creating and so grateful to everyone who continues to support us along the way.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
We love LA! From the weather, to the food, to the views. It’s such an incredible city and has such an infectious energy about it. Some of my favorite experiences in the city include hiking in Laurel Canyon, working from SoHo house, weekend trips to Malibu (that view!), and enjoying a little detox at Remedy Place. Whenever we are in town, we always have to eat at Matsuhisa, (it’s my favorite!), and we try to get out to Malibu Farms too. We’ll also take the kids for long walks in West Hollywood and Beverly Hills and of course, spend a day hanging out in the sun and at the pool.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My mom and my partner in life and business, Lee! My mom has been instrumental in supporting my passions and dreams from a very young age. From taking me to dance competitions when I was eight years old, to joining us in Los Angeles while I was raising money and working 15+ hour days. This would not be possible without her, or without Lee. He’s a natural at connecting with people and really values cultivating long-term relationships with the people in his life, that has inspired me and continues to support bringing my vision to life. His calm, grounded nature also complements my competitive, type-A personality.

Website: https://framefitness.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/framereformer/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissa-bentivoglio-227369222/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/framereformer/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4daACHys_8XqgsBSrgmy9A

Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@officialframereformer

Image Credits
Frame Fitness