We Can’t Afford Cheap Things! – Interview with Klaudia from Lumi Pilates in Marki

In the world of Pilates, success is not a matter of chance, but of conscious decisions. Meet Klaudia Nordgren from Lumi Pilates Studio – a woman who turned her frustration with the lack of high-quality studios in the area into a thriving network! Before you is a solid business lesson, where passion meets quality.

 

[Iza Wiśniewska from Balanced Body Polska] Hello. I warmly welcome you to the Balanced Body Polska channel. Today we are guests in a wonderful place, at Klaudia’s Lumi Pilates Studio in Marki. Klaudia is a true businesswoman and movement enthusiast, as you will soon find out, because she will surely tell us many interesting things about herself. We are talking at a very, very special moment, as Lumi is opening its third location in Radzymin. We congratulate you and wish you many successes in this field. Klaudia, your life story is very multi-faceted, as you studied economics, law, and then… ended up as a yoga instructor. Tell me how you found space for Pilates in all of this?

[Klaudia Nordgren] Pilates came as a complement. It came at a difficult moment in my life, both personally and health-wise. Pilates was a form of therapy for me. Therapy through movement. And indeed, therapy for the mind and body. So it came together perfectly, and when I first lay down on the reformer, it was love at first sight. Right from the first time.

[Iza] And how, in your opinion, does Pilates differ from yoga?

[Klaudia] What connects Pilates and yoga is the connection of body and mind in both practices. However, what convinces me about Pilates is that it has more elements of strengthening and even greater control over the body. If someone is very into yoga, Pilates will definitely complement their yoga practice and also strengthen the body. This way, they can perform asanas even better, so to speak, professionally.

[Iza] Okay. We are in Marki. Lumi also has a branch in Wołomin. Now Radzymin has appeared on the horizon. Tell me how the business knowledge you gained throughout your life helps you in building such a mini network of studios?

[Klaudia] Yes, when it comes to the business side, we run the studios together, my husband Kai and I. Kai has vast business experience, and he was the main driving force behind me opening the studios. When this studio was established in Marki, we even have a little anecdote – I am very picky, and it was hard for me to find a place for myself. A year or two ago, there weren’t many studios in the area. Now, it is mainly us who are opening these new studios. I couldn’t find a place that met my quality standards. In terms of equipment and how the classes were conducted. Because everyone needs to find a place for themselves. A place they fall in love with, that suits them. I was commuting to Pilates every day since I moved to Marki. I was born in this area. But I was traveling from Marki to the other side of Warsaw because that was where I found the best Pilates, equipment, and instructors. In traffic, sometimes I spent an hour commuting, an hour exercising, an hour or two, and then another hour returning. So finally, my husband said enough is enough, maybe you should open your own studio, because I kept saying that someone should open one in the area, how great that would be. He knew that I also had knowledge about movement, that I was passionate about it, that this activity has accompanied me for 10 years, but I catch myself thinking that I am older than I seem. So it has been 12 years of such intense, practically daily training. He motivated me, saying, listen, let’s look for a studio, maybe there are more people like you who would like to go to Pilates, to reformers, and don’t have a place for themselves. And when we came to this location, it was an immediate decision to open a studio. Here. Right in Marki, and I also knew right away that it would be Balanced Body.

[Iza] Oh, right. And why Balanced Body?

[Klaudia] Precisely because I am picky and I prioritize quality. And what I know, what is proven. Now there is competition in the market, let’s not kid ourselves, your competition is constantly sending me offers, but I was convinced that this is the equipment that people lie on, that they need to trust, that it should support them in their training. It must be a proven brand. A brand I know. A brand that has been on the market for many years, and also that I will know that I have support from you at any time, that if anything happens with the equipment, I can immediately call Krzysiek, and someone will show up from the service team, like Tomek, for example. So I send my regards to you guys, as you are a huge support for us. We also know that our Lumi Pilates studio was part of a program, so to speak, regarding how to deliver equipment and regarding a new form of cooperation with Balanced Body, so thank you for that opportunity. I thank Krzysiek for always being open to our ideas and supporting us in this, because it is very important to find partners in business with whom you can collaborate. And Kai always repeats that we can’t afford cheap things, because if the equipment is not of good quality, it may not show right away, but sooner or later it will come out, so it is worth investing in quality.

[Iza] And tell me, what equipment do you have in each studio?

[Klaudia] Here in Marki, we currently have the most equipment. We have Rialto reformers, we highly recommend these reformers, we also have clients of all age groups, including middle-aged clients. And I can say that these reformers are very comfortable for those clients to use, to lie on. These reformers have many applications, even rehabilitative ones, because we also have a physiotherapist in our studio, so the training can also be suitable for people with injuries. We have the Rialto reformer with a tower, we have chairs. In other studios, we currently have reformers, but we also plan to have chairs. At least one chair for individual training. And here in Marki, we would also like a full Cadillac to be set up by the end of this year, so our purchasing plans are ongoing. We always want to develop, develop for our clients, and of course, develop with Balanced Body equipment. Because I will say this, Pilates is addictive, and we hear that from our clients.

[Iza] Great! So the third studio in such a short time, with plans for more equipment – where lies the secret?

[Klaudia] There is no secret. Unless I say that the secret lies in finding a husband who is a driving force, who is not afraid. Maybe that is the secret, that you just shouldn’t be afraid. Because I was a bit scared, I admit. When it comes to the third studio, I am least afraid now, I already have experience, and we always rely on numbers. Kai analyzes what is profitable. Also, regarding Radzymin, we have already done research. We knew that many clients we have here commute from Radzymin. So we wanted Lumi Pilates to reach them closer, to reach more people, because the more people practice Pilates, the more this form of movement, which is Pilates, can develop even more, better, and more dynamically. So the goal is to reach as many people as possible with Pilates.

[Iza] So this development is a nod to your current clients.

[Klaudia] Yes, exactly.

[Iza] Without them, nothing would have happened.

[Klaudia] Of course, of course.

[Iza] Great, and having such a husband is a treasure.

[Klaudia] Yes, humorously, I can say that I opened this studio because I had nowhere to exercise in the area. I also thought: “there must be people like me,” and then it just went on from there. We wanted to develop so that clients would have a shorter commute. We are still constantly looking for places where there is no Pilates yet, where Pilates is poorly accessible. So if you are thinking about opening your own Pilates studio, you can write to us on Instagram or via email, and we are very interested in forms of collaboration – whether franchising or business support. We would like to continue developing Lumi in Poland, in the regions of Poland. Kai even has his eye on a certain capital in Scandinavia, as he is from Finland. He speaks Swedish fluently, knows Sweden and Norway well, so it’s hard for me to say where he will end up in a few years. I am here now so my clients won’t be scared. I am not going anywhere, I still teach classes and will continue to do so. But we are constantly thinking about further development, strengthening the brand here, what we have, developing these studios, continuously improving quality, enhancing the qualifications of our instructors, but there are also plans for the future.

[Iza] It’s wonderful to hear. These are really very ambitious plans, but I see that your determination is so strong that you will realize them sooner or later. Listen, you also mentioned that Pilates is a form of movement suitable for both an eighteen-year-old and a seventy-year-old. How do you take care of such diverse age groups?

[Klaudia] Yes, I think that is one of the biggest challenges for Pilates instructors. It’s easy if you can divide people into groups, but that’s not always possible, of course. If someone has injuries or more serious conditions, we direct that person to individual classes with the most experienced instructors. Even with an instructor who is a physiotherapist, but we also have special groups dedicated to working with people who have, for example, back problems. But we are also qualified in such a way that we can conduct classes that will be effective and enjoyable for every participant. What is wonderful about Pilates is that it is movement for people of all ages, and I think that is one of the successes of Pilates and why it is developing so vigorously – that’s the first reason. Secondly, I always say that when a client comes in who says she never liked exercising, hated exercising, had an excuse in PE class. She has never done anything in her life. I say that Pilates is exactly the kind of exercise for people who don’t like to exercise. Because you lie down and exercise. So often, when someone lies down on the reformer, it is love at first sight. Just like with me. I also have stories of clients who are around fifty, have never been particularly active, went to some classes, but couldn’t establish regularity. And now they are people who even buy an open pass here, are even at group classes every day. Besides that, they even come to individual classes and start doing other sports as well. For example, strength training at the gym, which was previously unimaginable for them. So Pilates is also suitable regardless of a person’s current level of physical activity and fitness. Because Pilates is great for an athlete who simply needs to strengthen deep muscles, or work on something that previously led to injuries, but it can also be a base for a very beginner person.

[Iza] Great. And speaking of unique ideas, I know you also have a loyalty program called Lumi Star Club, right?

[Klaudia] Yes, yes, exactly.

[Iza] What does it involve and why did you come up with it?

[Klaudia] We are just launching it now. We noticed that studios in Warsaw, at least from what we know, do not have loyalty programs for Pilates studio clients. Because when it comes to other sports clubs, something like that exists, but I haven’t encountered it in Pilates studios. And we have clients who, when they first came to us a year ago, even on mats when there were no reformers, stayed with us. And we wanted to thank our clients in some way, give something back, while also motivating people to be active, to be regular in their training.

[Iza] Mhm, and you also have a very interesting customer service element called the Matcha machine. I haven’t encountered that yet, can you tell us more about it?

[Klaudia] Yes, the Matcha machine also has an interesting story and shows how my husband Kai is crazy and sometimes even scares me with what he does. And that he doesn’t feel fear when doing new things, so that motivates me a lot. In every Pilates studio, there is coffee, tea, water; for us, it is also natural to offer that to clients. And now matcha is trendy. I also like good matcha, but Kai wasn’t too keen on setting up matcha for clients to make themselves or for us to make it because it is time-consuming. To make good matcha is also complicated because the water has to be just right. The milk too. One client drinks one type, another another, so it would be quite complicated. And many studios are now offering matcha, where clients can make it themselves. So he told me to just order a matcha machine. I told him that there is no such thing. At first, he didn’t believe me that there was no such thing, but he searched the internet and saw that even in China, there are no matcha machines. Sometimes they exist, for example, in Japan, but they are big machines like refrigerators, professional machines that cost around 100,000 PLN. So he concluded that there is a market need, just like there was a need for Pilates in Marki, so he would make this machine. He ordered a coffee machine from China. He locked himself in our office, which has now turned into a workshop. And for several weeks, he worked on the technology day in and day out. He even ordered a 3D printer, having never done anything like that before. He learned from scratch how to operate a 3D printer? How to create such a machine? And after a few months, we have a ready machine: Matchamat. The name is registered, there is a website. Now we are at the stage of signing a contract with the final supplier who will provide us with matcha of the right quality. Because, even though it is a matcha machine, we made it in such a way that it exactly replicates the process of how matcha is made. So that the powder is mixed properly, that the temperature is right, so that the matcha is available both hot and cold, and with cow’s milk and oat milk – so that everyone can feel like they are in a real matcha shop.

[Iza] How amazing, this is a story straight out of a sci-fi movie and born simply out of the studio’s needs – suddenly a new business idea emerged.

[Klaudia] Yes, my husband even looks a bit like Elon Musk and operates a bit like him too.

[Iza] We will take a picture of you and definitely show it together with you. I almost don’t know whether to ask this question, what are you most proud of in Lumi Pilates?

[Klaudia] That’s a tough question because I am proud of many things. It’s really hard for me to answer that. If I have to say what I am proud of regarding myself, I am proud that I dared to do it, first of all. I am also proud of my clients. Of the progress they have made, because the progress is enormous. I have clients that I use as examples during classes, and they are not fit twenty-year-olds for whom everything comes easily. Here, I would like to greet Mrs. Renata, who has really made an incredible journey and tremendous progress to how things look now. Now she can even perform advanced exercises better than anyone in the group. So yes, I am proud of my clients for being motivated, for being regular. And I am proud of my team, which of course includes Kai, but also wonderful girls. Girls who are truly passionate about Pilates. Girls for whom Pilates has been an inspiration for further development, who are pursuing master’s degrees after their bachelor’s degrees, who choose Pilates as the topic of their diploma work, who are constantly training and finding time for their workouts. Because a good teacher is not just someone who takes a weekend two-day course and really won’t know what they are teaching. So I am proud of the whole picture, of how it is developing.

[Iza] And tell me, what advice would you give to those who are also thinking about opening their own studio and would like to jump into the market with such rapid expansion like you did?

[Klaudia] Actually, I have two pieces of advice. The first is, as I said: don’t be afraid, because fear blocked me too. Before many decisions in life, if it weren’t for my husband, I definitely wouldn’t have decided to open a Pilates studio because I was simply scared. I was scared about how I would manage, whether clients would come, whether I could handle the daily responsibilities of a Polish entrepreneur. So yes, don’t be afraid and don’t be ashamed, because we often feel ashamed. It’s hard for us to promote our product. There is a fear of breaking through – that’s the first thing. And secondly, don’t start a business in Pilates just with the thought of profit. Because Kai said that it may not be a gold mine, but you will be doing what you love. And that’s what it’s all about. If you love what you do, sorry, if you do what you love, then money and profits will come as a natural reward. But you can’t think that this is an easy business, just looking: “oh, a hundred PLN an hour on the reformer in group classes” and only looking at the spreadsheet. Of course, Kai analyzed all of that, the numbers, to make sure it adds up, but it is really a full-time job. It’s not enough that someone likes Pilates or looks and says: “it’s trendy now, I’ll take a course, buy reformers, and open a studio, make a nice decor, social media, good marketing.” It doesn’t work that way. It is really a full-time job; you never know what clients you will encounter. What needs will clients have? You have to deal with the daily difficulties of doing business in Poland – all kinds. My legal knowledge has often helped me in the daily functioning of the studio. So you just have to approach it like a normal business. I also have another project in mind, to organize webinars on the topic: “Pilates studio as a business,” because that is what I have knowledge about. There are plenty of trainings, simply instructor trainings in Pilates, but there is no such business knowledge. And I would like to share with others the mistakes I made so that others know what to avoid, and what I did well, what is worth doing, and in what direction to go. We also have accounting knowledge. And legal knowledge, so we can share all of that. So if anyone is interested, I invite you to reach out to me on Instagram or via email, and we will definitely let you know when we organize such webinars.

[Iza] So just don’t be afraid and ask questions.

[Klaudia] Exactly.

[Iza] Those who ask do not err. Klaudia, thank you very much for this interview; it was very surprising and very inspiring. I hope many people will take away a solid business lesson and ideas from this. Really ideas on what to do next. We warmly invite you to visit Lumi Pilates Studio in both Marki and Wołomin and Radzymin. And look out for more locations, because this is definitely not the end. Things will be happening here. Well, we also invite you to our website balanced-body.pl. There you will find the equipment that Klaudia talked so much about. You can read about it, see it. You can also contact us to learn more about the equipment itself, to design your studio. So we warmly invite you both to Lumi and to us. Thank you.

[Klaudia] Thank you.

What a story! – three studios and a hunger for more

The success of Lumi Pilates Studio is the best proof that when you combine deep passion (Klaudia) with courage and an analytical approach to business (Kai), the results can exceed the wildest expectations. Remember that in the pursuit of growth – whether through opening another location, like Radzymin, or through innovations, like Matchamat – authenticity and continuous consideration of the client’s needs are the most important.

As Klaudia says: “Don’t be afraid!”. And we add – don’t be afraid… to focus on quality!

If you feel that this is the moment to follow your passion and open your own studio:

• Do you need reliable equipment? At Balanced Body Polska, you will find, among others: Rialto reformers, chairs, Cadillacs, and full service support that Lumi appreciates. Check out our solutions and contact us! We will help you complete your equipment and design your studio.

• Do you want to expand your business knowledge? Klaudia plans to organize webinars on this topic, and we regularly share knowledge on our social media – follow Lumi Pilates and Balanced Body Polska to not miss out on business information!

This is the moment to stop being afraid and start asking!

You can find Lumi Pilates Studio online:

https://www.instagram.com/lumi.pilates.official/ 

https://lumipilates.pl/