Franchisee Spotlight: Pilates Addiction in Ann Arbor, Mich.

The Pilates Addiction in Ann Arbor, Michigan has gotten off to a stellar start since opening a few weeks ago

Before the doors ever opened, Matt and Shelley Crawford had already sold more than 200 memberships to their new Pilates Addiction studio in Ann Arbor, Michigan. The couple had never owned a franchise before and kept their full-time jobs throughout the launch. Their early momentum wasn’t driven by experience — it came from executing Pilates Addiction’s model while tailoring it to the needs of their local market.

The Crawfords didn’t just study other Pilates studios. They mapped the entire Ann Arbor fitness landscape—what was working, what wasn’t and where the gaps were.

What they found: people wanted more than a workout. They wanted a third space.

“People come into a studio and they want to feel welcomed,” Shelley said. “It requires nurturing to convince someone to sign up for a studio that’s not even open.”

So the sales approach became personal—knowing members by name before the studio existed, building the relationship ahead of the reveal.

Pilates Addiction’s franchisee playbook gave the Crawfords a step-by-step operating system, from lease terms to reformer maintenance—critical bandwidth savings for two owners running the business on top of maintaining demanding jobs in the food and automotive industry.

“Having that roadmap of how to do things, what to focus on, and when, kept us from getting bogged down in unnecessary details,” Shelley said.

Matt’s advice to other franchisees: don’t let pride get in the way of asking for help.

“Too many times, people will have too much pride, think they know the answer, or think they should know the answer and won’t ask the question,” he said. “Don’t be afraid to ask questions and engage, because the answer is out there.”

The financial investment made sense and has already driven a solid return. The Ann Arbor studio broke even at launch in May and has been profitable since. The Crawfords track milestones as a team – new members, best-ever weeks, the grand opening – celebrating each one along the way.

They’re not stopping at one. Their second Pilates Addiction location, in Brighton, is already underway, with four total studios planned over the next two years. They see a pathway to creating a portfolio of studios that will bring community to their neighborhood, a solid Pilates experience, incremental jobs, and, eventually, fully replace their two incomes and a means to provide for their family.