How The Reformer Studio scaled from home studio to second location

Meet The Reformer Studio

The Reformer Studio in North Kellyville, NSW didn't start with a big launch plan or a full commercial fit-out. It started with two reformers at home.

Founded by Bec and Steve Roberts in 2020, the studio grew quickly from that small home setup into a 12-bed boutique space. Their area had no dedicated Pilates offering at the time, and Bec could see the demand clearly. "I'm obviously such a big believer in Pilates that I knew it was going to work. Our area just had nothing. You could go to gyms and do Pilates, but there was nothing where you could just go to pure Pilates."

From the beginning, the studio attracted a specific kind of client. People who were nervous to start. People who didn't see themselves in a traditional gym environment. The Reformer Studio was designed to meet them where they were.

"When they're brave enough to walk through the doors, we want to make sure they feel so welcome, that they're seen, that we'll meet them where they are." says Bec. "They don't have to be flexible or look a certain way. They're completely welcome here." 

That early community shaped how the business operates today. Classes are capped, members are known by name, and milestones are celebrated with handwritten notes. It's a model built on connection, not volume. But as the business grew, sustaining that experience alongside the operational demands of a commercial studio became increasingly difficult.

The challenge

When Bec and Steve were running the home studio, Bec was managing everything herself. Bookings, rescheduling, cancellations, member communication — all of it was handled manually.

"I ran all the bookings, all the reschedulings, everything myself. It was really admin-intensive and I knew it wasn't going to be sustainable as we grew to a studio with 12 reformer beds." explains Bec.

But the admin burden was only part of the picture. Choosing to remain independent meant there was no franchise playbook to follow and no support network to lean on. Every decision — finding a location, understanding commercial lease requirements, fit-out, equipment — had to be figured out from scratch.

"We chose to be independent, which meant we had to do everything on our own. That brought a whole bunch of complexity beyond just choosing equipment and fixtures." Steve adds.

Moving into a commercial space raised the stakes further. More members, higher costs, and more pressure to get things right without losing the personal experience that made the business work in the first place.

Beyond running the day-to-day, there was a deeper problem. The admin load was crowding out everything else.

"Being able to get the space for deep work, to set up marketing, to use the tools we have to the best of our ability, is quite challenging from a time perspective when you're doing it all yourself."

Choosing the right platform became a critical part of making the next step wor

The solution

Bec and Steve looked at a few options before landing on Momence. The decision wasn't driven purely by features.

"Our first phone call with Momence was so lovely. We felt seen, and we felt like Momence was really going to come along with our journey. Especially that they would have some big players under their belt, and we were just a little small studio coming from home. But we really felt seen by them."

Once the commercial studio opened, Momence's Sequences became central to how Bec stays connected with members without managing every touchpoint manually. The automated flows handle the communication while Bec focuses on what happens in the studio.

"The sequences are fantastic. They work behind the scenes, which frees me up to be here face-to-face with our members."

Automation hasn't come at the cost of the personal experience the studio is known for. Bec and her team review and update sequences regularly, and replies come back through their inbox so the conversation always stays in their voice.

"Even though it's automated, it's not just set and forget." Bec says, "we're going and checking those sequences all the time, updating them. And where it might generate a reply, it's coming through to our inbox and we're able to reply in our language."

With communication running in the background, Bec and Steve found they had something they hadn't had before — the headspace to actually look at how the business was performing. The Momence dashboard became their daily starting point for that.

"Wake up in the morning, having coffee, quickly log on straight to the dashboard. I can see what's happened overnight, new bookings, classes about to come up, what instructor's on. It's all just there, so clear."

That visibility changed how they made decisions. Rather than operating on gut feel, they could see what was actually working, where to adjust, and what the numbers said about the business they were building.

"The dashboard doesn't lie. It gives us a pulse on whether or not we're executing on what we're looking to achieve, or if there are areas where we need to pivot."

The impact

With clearer visibility and more consistent systems in place, Bec and Steve were able to make business decisions with greater confidence.

When they began planning for a second location, Momence’s reporting became a key part of the conversation. They could show their accountant exactly how the business was performing and model what growth looked like from there.

“It’s been instrumental in sitting down with our accountant, talking about the prospect of studio two. We had Momence right there on the laptop and he was going through the numbers with us. He gave us the green light.” Steve recalls.

That shift from reactive to informed has changed how the business operates. Decisions are backed by data, processes run without constant manual input, and the team has the clarity to plan ahead rather than just keep up. For Bec personally, it’s also meant a shift in how she shows up in the business, moving from doing everything to leading it.

“There’s a great deal of confidence now. Being able to step into a leadership role rather than doing everything yourself. That’s probably been the biggest thing.”

Ongoing support from the Momence customer success team has also played a significant role. Regular sessions with their consultant helped Bec and Steve get more out of the platform and build confidence as the business scaled.

“To get an email from a guy named David with the title Success Consultant is really reassuring. That’s someone that wants you to be successful. It’s not just software. There are real people and good people behind it to support you.”

The Reformer Studio is now preparing to open its second location. The community focus hasn’t changed. What has changed is how confidently the business can grow while keeping it intact.

“It’s given us the confidence to know our numbers and know what works. Without the support of our suppliers, and particularly key ones like Momence, we wouldn’t be able to do it.”

Want results like these? Let’s talk about how Momence can help you grow your community and free up time to focus on what matters most.