From Stay-at-Home Mom to Opening BODYBAR Pilates' 100th Studio

Next week, on September 8, BODYBAR Pilates’ 100th studio will officially celebrate its grand opening in Fort Worth, Texas’ Presidio neighborhood. The milestone opening represents 14 years of growth, innovation, and community engagement from the brand.

BODYBAR’s 100th studio will be owned and operated by first-time franchisee Shay Werkhesier, who is transitioning into entrepreneurship after years as a stay-at-home mom. We sat down with Shay to learn more about her franchising journey, why she chose to work with BODYBAR, and what’s unique about their approach to Pilates and business.

Before I became a business owner, I spent many years as a stay-at-home mom raising two daughters. As they got older, I started to think about what the next chapter of my life would look like. I knew I wanted something of my own where there was an ability to build a community – because I’m a really big community person.

I’d already fallen in love with Pilates and the way it made me feel at a different studio. So, when it came time to pursue a business opportunity, I knew I wanted to do Pilates.

I went to almost every Pilates studio in the greater Dallas-Forth Worth area – I’m talking hundreds of different studios.

From the beginning, the culture and community at BODYBAR really stood out to me. They truly welcome people from all walks of life of all shapes and sizes. When I was there, I could tell that every single person in that class felt extremely welcome. When you walk into a BODBYAR, the instructor knows your name, and the sales associates know your name. If you miss a class, someone is going to reach out and check on you. For me, it felt more like home than any of the other studios.

When I was doing my research, I happened to meet Kamille McCollum, the brand’s Co-Founder and President. She operates three locations herself, and I went to take a class from her. At the time, she wasn’t aware that I was researching different studios or thinking about buying into her brand, but she was one of the most welcoming people I’ve ever met. After working with her, I was thinking, “I want to take her class again,” even though that studio was more than a 30-minute drive from where I live.

Out of all the places I visited, BODYBAR was the one I kept wanting to go back to. They made me feel so comfortable as a customer.

I appreciate how BODYBAR has given me the benefits of an already established system. They have systems in place for just about every single thing you can think of. They’ve trained up my whole team and really educated me on business practices.

I’d never hired anybody before. I’d never done an interview. I’d definitely never been part of a building construction project. At my age, I really didn’t want to start from scratch or need to reinvent anything. I wanted something proven, and that’s what BODYBAR delivers.

The operational guidance the company provides is really important to me too. Their training covers everything from understanding the brand to building a team. They really made sure my husband and I had a strong foundation so we can focus effectively on building the business and our community.

I also appreciated how the business allows me to remain a strong presence in my local community and family. My younger daughter is 14 years old, and I love picking her up from school or driving her to soccer. I want to be able to give her all the things I gave her older sister, and BODYBAR’s system provides me with the flexibility where I can be an entrepreneur and take the next step forward there while also having the time to dedicate to family.

I don’t want to work 40 hours a week, but I do want to be there for my team, and BODYBAR showed me how I can do that.

It feels like an incredible special time to be joining the BODYBAR system. It’s truly overwhelming.

BODYBAR started here in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, so it feels like a big full-circle moment the way everything is happening. Our studio is the 100th, and it’s big and beautiful and very Texas. I’ve heard a lot of people from headquarters will be coming to our grand opening party.

It’s just really exciting. I can’t wait for people to see the studio.