794 Heather Andersen: Co-Founder of New York Pilates

0:00Kara Goldin:I am unwilling to give up, but I will start over from scratch as many times as it takes to get where I want to be. You just want to make sure you will get knocked down, but just make sure you don't get knocked out. So your only choice should be, go focus on what you can control. Hi everyone and welcome to the Kara Goldin Show. Join me each week for inspiring conversations with some of the world's greatest leaders. We'll talk with founders, entrepreneurs, CEOs, and really some of the most interesting people of our time. Can't wait to get started. Let's go. This episode of the Kara Golden Show is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs.

0:46Kara Goldin:Hiring can be one of the most important and time consuming parts of running a business. As you think about what your team needs heading into 2026, whether that means growing or getting more focused, making the right hire matters more than ever. LinkedIn Jobs helps take the guesswork out of that process. With LinkedIn Jobs AI Assistant, you can identify strong candidates faster and higher with confidence. You're not just filling open roles, you're building a team that sticks. In fact, LinkedIn hires are 30 % more likely to stay at least a year compared to the leading competitor. And that kind of retention really adds up.

1:29Kara Goldin:And finding the right hire doesn't have to feel overwhelming. With LinkedIn Jobs AI Assistant, you can skip the guesswork and jargon. It filters candidates based on your roles, specific criteria, and highlights top matches. So you're not wasting time digging through endless resumes. When you're running a business, you need a hiring process that's fast and focused. LinkedIn's AI assistant delivers 25 strong candidate suggestions each day, giving you the chance to invite the right people to apply and keep the process moving. It's a smarter, faster way to hire, and it's why I rely on LinkedIn Jobs.

2:10Kara Goldin:Hire right the first time. Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash Kara Golden. Then promote it to use LinkedIn Jobs' new AI assistant, making it easier and faster to find top candidates. That's linkedin.com slash Kara Golden to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. Hi, everyone, and welcome back to the Kara Golden Show. So excited to have my next guest that I am just obsessed with the brand that she has built. So we have Heather Anderson, who is the co-founder of New York Pilates. And it is the cult favorite reformer studio that helped define modern Pilates culture in New York City and hopefully soon far beyond.

2:59Kara Goldin:So Heather is a professionally trained dancer whose background in classical ballet and anatomy driven movement shaped a very different vision for Pilates. After an injury paused her dance career, she spent years teaching privately, and I cannot wait to hear more about the background. I'll leave it at that about how this all started. But since launching New York Pilates in 2013, Heather has grown it into a multi-location with eight locations, design-forward brand with a fiercely loyal community, known as much for its precision and instructor training as for its culture, music, and iconic abs, arms, ass class.

3:45Kara Goldin:Love it, love it, love it. So I'm excited to dig into how Heather has built a movement brand that balances rigor with relevance. And without further ado, welcome, Heather. So excited to meet you and hear all about the brand. Thank you, Kara. It is an absolute pleasure to be here. Super, super excited. So to start in, you know, 30 to 60 seconds, what is New York Pilates? If you were to run into somebody on the street and they say, oh, you run a brand, you co-founded it, what is it? What is New York Pilates? We are New York Pilates in a group reformer class studio. We have, as you said, eight locations across New York City and the Hamptons.

4:32And our signature class is Absarm's Ass. It's a 45-minute class that incorporates advancements and modifications for every exercise. so that it is all level friendly, but will always give you a kick-ass workout.

4:49Kara Goldin:I love it. And you were a professionally trained ballerina. How did that background, I guess I'd love to hear the backstory of what happened and how that ultimately turned into New York Pilates. Absolutely. So I always refer to myself as, quote, a baby ballerina. And my reason for this is that I was a very serious pre-professional dancer, injured pretty young, and kind of went on a side track. So I started doing Pilates as cross-training and also to help me manage and heal my injury. And I, as a young person, couldn't afford Pilates because it was only really available via private session. And so I got a job working the front desk in a Pilates studio.

5:44And honestly, sitting there watching people have these really amazing personal experiences, people who weren't just dancers, but from every walk of life or who had maybe never had a profound movement experience before. And watching how impactful that was for them to learn about their bodies and just explore their joints and understand how strong they could be, I found it to be very powerful. And that is why I decided I wanted to become an instructor. So fast forward, I became an instructor. And I spent the first part of my career teaching private in New York City for about seven years. And in that time, I worked at a lot of different studios.

6:29I also spent some time working for myself in private practice. And I had a lot of ideas about what I would like to see in the Pilates industry as a consumer, as a user of the product, I would say. So my big vision was that I wanted to be able to take a reformer Pilates class any time of day or night, just like you could take a yoga class at the time. And I know this seems very insane in 2026 to say this, but in 2013, when we opened, this was not ubiquitous. You couldn't just take a reformer class. The only way to do that really was there were studios that had maybe like four reformers and you could take a class, but it was in the same room where private sessions were happening and it was not like a consistent experience.

7:21And it definitely was not yet boutique fitness at all. So that was kind of where the vision started is I wanted to take a great reformer class and that wasn't really available. I know that's similar to some things that you have said about your own insights and starting your brand too.

7:42Kara Goldin:Yeah, definitely. And I always tell people it takes sort of a crazy person to actually take an idea that you're frustrated by and actually start a business, not to mention multiple businesses, because you went out and started New York Pilates, but then you actually opened multiple locations. And I know that that is not just you, right? You have to hire people and train people and deal with consumers and all of the things around it to create this consistent experience. But when you think about, you know, those early days before, as you were thinking about starting, what was the spark that said, I just need to open a location and have the belief and courage that people will come?

8:38Well, first of all, I totally agree with you. I think that to open a business, you have to be a special type of lunatic. And also, maybe a little bit naive. It would be the other thing, because without a little bit of naivete about what you're getting yourself into, you might not start, especially I would say for my situation, where I was bootstrapping. I didn't know what I was doing. I didn't have experience in business operations beyond running the front desk of a Pilates studio, which at least was relevant experience. But I think it is a wild, wild ride that you go on when you open a business.

9:22And I think you have to just have absolute faith. And it has to be more than that. I think it has to be a compulsion. You have to have gotten an idea in your head that you can't shake. And that's what drives you forward.

9:37Kara Goldin:This episode of The Kara Golden Show is brought to you by LinkedIn Jobs. Hiring can be one of the most important and time-consuming parts of running a business. As you think about what your team needs heading into 2026, whether that means growing or getting more focused, making the right hire matters more than ever. LinkedIn Jobs helps take the guesswork out of that process. With LinkedIn Jobs AI Assistant, you can identify strong candidates faster and higher with confidence. You're not just filling open roles, you're building a team that sticks. In fact, LinkedIn hires are 30 % more likely to stay at least a year compared to the leading competitor.

10:21Kara Goldin:And that kind of retention really adds up. And finding the right hire doesn't have to feel overwhelming. With LinkedIn Jobs AI Assistant, you can skip the guesswork and jargon. It filters candidates based on your roles, specific criteria, and highlights top matches. So you're not wasting time digging through endless resumes. When you're running a business, you need a hiring process that's fast and focused. LinkedIn's AI Assistant delivers 25 strong candidate suggestions each day, giving you the chance to invite the right people to apply and keep the process moving. It's a smarter, faster way to hire, and it's why I rely on LinkedIn Jobs.

11:06Kara Goldin:Hire right the first time. Post your job for free at linkedin.com slash Kara Golden, then promote it to use LinkedIn Jobs' new AI assistant, making it easier and faster to find top candidates. That's linkedin.com slash Kara Golden to post your job for free. Terms and conditions apply. So the first location was where? And that first day that you opened, what happened? So we opened the first location in Greenwich Village in New York City. And the I had a roster of private clients that I brought with me to that studio so I already had a certain built-in set of private clients but my vision was classes and initially I actually couldn't afford all the reformers for the reformer classes so initially I had equipment on the private side and we built like a big shelf, put it in the middle of the space so that it could be flexible as we figured it out.

12:17And on the other side, I was running math classes because I literally couldn't afford the reformers or toward the ultimate vision. And it took about a year of operating and then I was able to buy the reformers and start them. But I would say the people who showed up in that first six months were extremely kind and generous people who believed in what I was doing and were like, this crazy girl, like, I'm going to show up and I'm into what she's doing and this is a vibe. And that's what I would say about those people.

12:50Kara Goldin:So for those who aren't familiar with what a reformer is, maybe they haven't had an opportunity to see one. What is it and why does it work for people? Why are people so obsessed with it? The Reformer is a piece of workout equipment specifically for Pilates. And it kind of people refer to it as a bed. Sometimes it is about six feet long and three feet wide, and it has a padded mat that slides back and forth. And then it's connected to springs that create resistance. And then there are some straps. So it has these different points of movement. And what I would say is really wonderful about the reformer is the movement of it is really fun.

13:41It's just like is a pleasure to be on it and to move and as a mechanism for resistance. It's very fun. And that's why it was my favorite of the Pilates equipment, because there are other pieces of Pilates equipment. And sometimes I'll get that question. People will be like, why didn't you use the Cadillac or the chair. And honestly, I just personally liked the reformer the best. And that was my why. It's my favorite. One of its key attributes, I would say, is that it gives both assistance and resistance, which is a very Pilates concept about if you're doing the same or similar exercise laying down on the mat or on the ground, you don't have any resistance.

14:24And then there are certain setups where it can also help you. So if you're doing a rollback, you're going to hold on to these ropes. It has a little bit of tension and it can help you ease into the movement if you don't have all of the strength available to do it by yourself.

14:39Kara Goldin:So Pilates is everywhere now, and I think people hear about it, but it's also deeply misunderstood from your perspective. What do you think most studios are getting wrong that you felt like you could really, you know, nail, right? And make better. And ultimately, that ends up bringing your clientele to you, too. too? So I think what's happening in Pilates right now is that the word Pilates is hot. People are like, Pilates is cool. I should do it. My physical therapist told me I should do it. And my friend told me they're doing it and whatever. But I think what's happening is a lot of things that are not Pilates are getting called Pilates.

15:26And that's creating a lot of confusion in the market. So we were talking about mega former style studios. So the SLTs of the world, solid core, body rock, these types of businesses call themselves Pilates, but also call themselves Pilates inspired or Pilates adjacent. And it creates a lot of confusion because they are on a machine that looks like a reformer. but the thing is that pilates is not a machine pilates is a method and what they're missing is the method so what they're teaching in their classes are they have it ranges depending on which business but in some of them like a 16-hour training and some of them maybe a 30-hour training but if you come to new york pilates or an actual pilates studio it is a 400-hour training and And what the teachers are learning in that 400 hours isn't just a series of exercises.

16:29They're learning biomechanics. They're learning how to joints move. They are learning how to modify for people who have different issues, how to advance for students who have more strength, and a ton of nuance about how to get more and deeper out of your workout. And that's what the Pilates method is teaching. And that's what you're not getting when you're at a not Pilates studio, but still on a reformer.

17:01Kara Goldin:When and why did you decide to move from just one location to your second location and then continue on? After we opened the first location, at about the year point, I was able to buy the Reformers and actually do my vision of the Reformer classes, and it just exploded. I remember this very specific moment, looking at the schedule, everything was booked out, and thinking, I knew that I wanted this, but I had never had an experience in my life where I'd had an idea, and everyone wanted what I had to give. And that was crazy. It was wild. And we were like, we have to just run with this. Apparently, this is something that people really want, they're really into.

17:55And you don't strike gold with that kind of momentum very often. And we were like, we just, we got to go. We got to ride this thing.

18:06Kara Goldin:And your New York Pilates, also known as NYP, is known for being super high energy without being chaotic. How intentional was that when you first started? I mean, you're obviously trying to help people get a great workout and results. But did you ever think that you would be known for being high energy without being so chaotic? You know, that exact description, I agree with, but I don't necessarily think I would have applied to myself or to what we're doing here. My original objective was really to create very high quality, thoughtful movement in a way that was also entertaining. So I think those have, that's the same root, which is how do I give people what's good for them with a little bit of not sugar sweetener, let's say, on top to engage them and keep them entertained and keep them coming back.

19:15So what's really good for them is this really thoughtful, intentional movement. But what was happening so much in the marketplace is it was a little boring. And therefore, people would maybe not engage. So I think that was the balance that we were really looking for. How do we give people transformational experiences while entertaining them?

19:36Kara Goldin:Where do you think the majority of your patrons came from? The consumers that you're serving, where do you think most of them came from? I would say our average member, I wouldn't say average, our typical member in New York City is going to be a little bit different than our typical member in the Hamptons. Just age demographics are different. But typically, we are about 90 % female. And I think quite creative leaning in has been something that I've seen over and over again. And I think that that is probably just matches my vibe and my partner's vibe. We're just sort of creative and love music and creating beautiful experiences.

20:31So I think we have very much catered to creatives over the years. Recently, I feel like every girl is a Pilates girl. So that has been really interesting to see how that has kind of shifted. And what we're doing has become very mainstream. And I do think that that has changed the student in the room to some degree. And what we're trying to do across the board is make sure that we are delivering a really thoughtful experience because no matter what your background is, everyone can benefit from learning about how to have good posture and aligning their spine and engaging their core.

21:16Kara Goldin:So the average person who comes into your studio is taking classes how many times a week? What do you suggest outside of NYP that people are doing? So nothing? Or what exactly do you see people kind of adding, if anything? Yeah. So I see there are kind of like two camps of people. We have people where they maybe didn't love fitness or have a type of fitness that they loved. And this becomes their main type of fitness. And those people are typically have a membership and come four or five times a week. So when we're looking at it monthly, like 16 to 20 visits a month. And then we have another camp, I would who are using it more for cross-training.

22:09So there are people who love running or cycling or maybe something less accessible like horseback riding or ballet, or they have some other fitness love, but they need the cross-training for building their core strength, lengthening, stretching out, those kinds of things. So I really see the two camps. And I would say for me personally, I think all movement is good movement. You should do whatever brings you joy. And hopefully what this is doing is making so you can do whatever else it is that you love doing in your life without pain.

22:49Kara Goldin:Why has the class that abs, arms, and ass class, why do you think it's taken off so much? And can you describe that class to anyone who's listening? Yeah. So it's a full body strength class. And we do two rounds of abs, two rounds of arms, two rounds of ass. And that's how the class is structured. We do a lot of reps compared to more traditional Pilates. And one of the reasons for that is it gives students who are newer to the practice time to get into each exercise and figure out their alignment and then also get enough repetition when they're there. And also makes it so the teacher has time and space to really get around all the students and give hands-on or individual corrections.

23:44And then the class is structured where every exercise has a modification offered or an advancement offered. So they'll give you, let's say you're doing a bridging exercise as your baseline exercise. They'll give options for you to lift one leg off if that's available for you, if you want more challenge or if that's too much, give an alternate foot position so that you're more grounded. So it makes it really personalized for each person and their experience. And I think that that's something that people really love about it. And then there's always enough challenge for someone who is strong or who comes all the time.

24:24They can take all of the crazy advancements and make it as hard as they want.

24:29Kara Goldin:So you mentioned your partner in this. So you're a co-founder. You have another co-founder that's involved in the business. How did you find that partnership? So my co-founder is my husband, was my boyfriend at the time that we opened the business. And he was my de facto partner because one, he kind of got dragged into this, but also he's a phenomenal partner and I couldn't be luckier. Brian has a background in branding and web and also retail. So he brings a lot to the table that balanced out my very specific and niche skill set of Pilates. and I think it's really nice as like a subject matter expert which is where I would put myself to have someone who has a very different set of skills than yourself so when picking a partner sometimes I see people who pick partners who have almost the same skill set as themselves and I think that that's a missed opportunity yeah definitely so early decisions That sounds like it's one of them that you made that really mattered most in creating the brand that you have.

25:58Kara Goldin:But was there anything else that you did just as a co-founder that really, really helped you to build out the business? Was it, you know, waiting to sort of make sure that you had a profitable business before actually scaling into other locations? What else was it that you are, maybe you're telling your girlfriend who's planning on starting a business, like, make sure that you do X? Oh, there are so many things I could say in this moment. I'm sure you feel this way as well. kind of like two different directions on this answer. On one hand, I think we really focused on testing when developing the class.

26:51So I spent a lot of time essentially doing product development because there weren't a lot of group reformer classes to just copy their format. So it took a lot of time and testing and getting student feedback about what was working, what people liked, what wasn't working and making edits. And because it's delivered by humans, then there's a lot of change management that goes along with that. Every time you're like, we're doing this. Actually, that's not working. We're going to do this now. So I think a lot of like change management, which has been a journey all by itself. And I would say I'm good at now and it wasn't good at 13 years ago.

27:35I and then the other thing totally different direction is because we are bootstrapped um We had to be really creative with how we were getting financing And one of the things I did really early was I went to my group of very loyal private clients And kind of pitched them the idea and pre-sold them A lot of sessions, which is how I got my very first piece of seed money and then I took that got a lease with it and then got an SBA loan. So the combination of those two things. So using those types of resources, getting an SBA loan is no small feat, but if you can figure it out and build credit with the SBA, it can be really helpful as you continue to grow if you want to maintain your equity.

28:26Kara Goldin:Yeah, definitely. And I think you've absolutely done that right. Would Would you say that the majority of the people who are coming to the studio for the first time, are they hearing about it through other people, like word of mouth, online ads? What is working for you to kind of get the word out about how special your brand is? I think it's a mix of direct referrals. They're hearing about it from a girlfriend. And I think Instagram has been huge for us. And this is actually very interested to see as the social platform landscape is changing. I'm really interested to see if Instagram is going to stay as a really dominant place for us.