What should I know about a pilates studio’s mix of mat classes and equipment sessions?

Start by asking for the weekly schedule with attendance for each session type over a reasonable period. Equipment sessions often have fewer spots and need more skilled instructors, while mat classes can fit more people in a room. Compare how full each type runs and what clients pay for them, so you understand where the income actually comes from.

Next, look at the equipment itself. Ask how many machines the studio has, how old they are, who services them and what replacement costs look like. If the machines are financed or leased, find out who owns them and what happens to the arrangement on a sale. A limited number of machines caps how many equipment sessions the studio can run, regardless of demand.

Finally, ask about instructors. Who is qualified to teach equipment sessions, and what happens if they leave? Ask whether clients tend to move from mat to equipment work, or stay with one. If a few instructors carry the equipment sessions, the studio depends on them, and you need to know whether they intend to stay. Ask whether any equipment sessions are booked as private appointments, since those behave differently from group sessions.

Key takeaways

• Compare attendance and pricing for mat classes against equipment sessions.
• Check the age, ownership and servicing of each machine.
• Find out which instructors can teach equipment work and whether they will stay.