Meet Sara Meshmesh | Pilates Instructor and Studio Owner

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

Hi Sara, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
It might sound crazy to say, but there was hardly any thought process that went into opening my studio. It was just months of following my instincts and letting circumstances fall into place. If you asked me a year ago if I wanted to be a business owner, I would’ve told you “absolutely not.” Everything happened so organically that it still shocks me sometimes.

I had initially started purchasing Pilates equipment for my home so I could save on studio rental costs while getting my certification. The seventy required practice-teaching hours meant I would have to shell out a few hundred dollars to rent a studio. I figured if I was going to spend that money, I might as well have my own reformer!

This slowly turned into having friends book time slots to come over so I could practice teaching them. After I got certified, people still wanted to keep practicing Pilates with me. They loved it so much that they wanted to share Pilates with their family and friends, but I didn’t have room without getting another reformer or two…so that’s exactly what I did!

One reformer turned into 3… and very recently into 4.

What started as an investment to save on rental costs turned into a full-blown business.

Pilates by Sara LLC is now a full home-studio based in my garage!

What should our readers know about your business?
What makes Pilates by Sara special is the personalized experience clients get when they’re in classes. With max. 4 people in class, I am able to customize the exercises to their abilities. And since I am the only instructor, I can get to know every client really well, truly understanding what they’re capable of and challenging them accordingly. I am so proud watching my clients get stronger and fall in love with Pilates and what it can do for their bodies.

Running a business is not easy, but having a supportive network helps a lot. I joined a women’s networking group called Shine and through that I have learned that being an entrepreneur comes with highs and lows and to not let the lows discourage you from continuing.

There were many times this year that I wanted to give up. And sometimes I do wonder if it would just be easier working a regular job with a steady paycheck… but then I remember how passionate I am about Pilates and my clients, and how much I absolutely love what I do, and I push that thought right out of my head.

I want the world to know that sometimes the easiest path is not the path you’re meant for. Going out of your comfort zone is scary, but it can also open your world to more than you would’ve thought. And if there’s a nagging thought in your head that keeps telling you you want more, listen to it.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My husband Michael deserves the biggest shoutout. He was supportive when I told him I was going to quit my serving job to focus on getting certified in Pilates. He was supportive when I woke him up from a nap to tell him I needed help renting a truck to go pick up a reformer from a sketchy Facebook Marketplace seller. He was supportive when I told him I wanted to take over the entire living room and turn it into a Pilates studio. And he was supportive when I decided I needed more space and wanted to convert the garage into the studio. Thank you Michael for loving me and for believing in me. I could not have done any of this without you.

Website: https://pilatesbysara.my.canva.site/

Instagram: @pilates.by.saraaa

Image Credits
Leticia Marquez