Shows
Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 27 - Sonia Ahmed - The Pilates PhysioEpisode 27: Starting Again — Trusting Your Judgement in Pilates with Sonia Ahmed
In this episode of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates, Kim speaks with Sonia Ahmed — Physiotherapist, Classical Pilates teacher, and founder of The Pilates Physio.
Sonia shares her journey from clinical mat classes in a small English village hall to building a fully equipped home studio in South Australia. Along the way, she reflects on:
Beginning Pilates “through the back door” as a physio
Teaching nervous first classes (and surviving them!)
Recognising gaps in her training and inve...
2026-02-231h 05Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesUnlocking your Pilates Studio's Competitive AdvantageUnlocking Your Pilates Studio’s Competitive Advantage
How do boutique Pilates studios stand out in a crowded market? In this episode of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates, I share practical insights on how to uncover and strengthen your competitive advantage — the qualities that make your studio truly irreplaceable.
Drawing on my own experience as a studio owner and business coach, I explore:
Why your small-studio environment can be your greatest strength
The difference between transactional and relational client experiences
How genuine connection drives loyalty and long-term succ...
2025-11-1012 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 25 -Turning the Tables - Helen Fletcher interviews Kim PaxtonEpisode Description:
In this special episode, the tables are turned as Helen Fletcher interviews me! From my beginnings as a young dancer to becoming a Pilates and Gyrotonic® practitioner, studio owner, Teacher Trainer, business coach, and podcast host, I share some pivotal moments that have shaped my career to date.
In this conversation, we explore the realities of the Pilates industry—its challenges, rewards, and the vital role of community and the privilege of the work we do with clients. Helen chats with me about my evolution from teacher to mentor, the inspiration behind her coa...
2025-08-3148 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 24 - Joanne Chong, Altum Pilates SingaporeEpisode 24 – Going Deep with Pilates in Singapore with Joanne Chong of Altum Pilates
Welcome to Episode 24 of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates.
In this episode, I’m joined by Joanne Chong, founder of Altum Pilates in Singapore. Joanne’s Pilates journey began in 2012 when she was searching for relief from debilitating plantar fasciitis. What started as a personal healing journey quickly turned into a lifelong passion.
Today, she runs a boutique Classical Pilates studio in the heart of Orchard Road and hosts a Classical Pilates Teacher Training program in her studio.
...
2025-06-131h 08Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 23 - Kirsti Vitala - KPTY, MelbourneEpisode 23: From Mobile Pilates to DNS – Kirsti Vitala on Building a Flexible, Evolving Career
Welcome to Episode 23 of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates. Today, I’m speaking with Kirsti Vitala of KPTY – Kirsti Pilates To You. Kirsti discovered Pilates while working in the corporate world, initially as a way to stay active. It was her own teacher who first suggested she consider becoming an instructor. But it wasn’t until a corporate reshuffle that she decided to take the leap, certifying as a Pilates teacher in 2013.
She went on to build a thriving mobile Pilates...
2025-03-2856 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 22 - Katie Agnew - Authentic Pilates and Physiotherapy - Auckland, NZEpisode 22: A Conversation with Katie Agnew – From Rhythmic Gymnastics to Classical Pilates
Episode 22 is now live! In today’s episode, I’m thrilled to be talking to my friend and fellow Kiwi, Katie Agnew of Authentic Pilates and Physiotherapy in Rothesay Bay, Auckland.
Katie and I have known each other for several years, having first met through Olga Tamara of Authentic Pilates Sydney. With an impressive background in Rhythmic Gymnastics, Katie competed in the 1990 Commonwealth Games and multiple international events, earning numerous national awards along the way.
Since becoming a physiotherapist in 1994 and a Pila...
2025-03-141h 07Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 21 - Ash Berry and Rob Carruthers - Movementality Pilates - PerthEpisode 21: Building a Pilates Business & Family Life with Ash and Rob of Movementality
Welcome back to Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates!
In today’s episode, I have the pleasure of interviewing Ash and Rob of Movementality Pilates in Perth. This dynamic husband-and-wife team has built a thriving Pilates business while navigating the challenges of family life—and I know you're going to love this conversation!
Ash comes from a dance background, while Rob has a sports science background. They met in London in 2015 and later returned to the Southern Hemisphere—Rob ha...
2025-02-281h 20Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesLinda Rhodes and Sarah Liston - EQ Pilates - UK
Welcome back to Episode 20 of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates!
I’m beyond thrilled to be sitting down with my first international guests—Sarah and Linda from EQ Pilates in Staffordshire, UK.
Sarah and Linda are a mother-daughter duo who opened their studio in 2001. Together with their team, they offer a blend of Contemporary, Clinical, and Classical Pilates, including group equipment classes, Joe’s Gym-style sessions, and private sessions—all in their absolutely stunning studio.
Linda originally came from a yoga background and discovered Pilates in 2000. Sarah joined her mum in the b...
2025-02-0746 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 19 - Amanda Erlank - Kinected Pilates StudioWelcome back to Episode 19 of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates.
Today I have the pleasure to sit down with Amanda Erlank of Kinected Pilates Studio in Peregian Beach, Queensland.
Amanda has had her studio since 2015 (Happy 10 year anniversary of your business!) and has been teaching Pilates since 2009 She is Polestar Pilates Diploma and an educator with Polestar qualified as well as a Level 3 Franklin Method teacher and holds a diploma in Oriental therapies and Shiatsu.
Amanda is also the founder of the MentorME program which offers guidance to Pilates teachers w...
2025-01-231h 11Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 18 - Kimberley Garlick - Northern Rivers PilatesIn this episode, I sit down to chat with Kimberley Garlick of Northern Rivers Pilates in Lismore, NSW.
Kimberley has been teaching Pilates since 1997. She opened her first studio - The Pilates Room in Sydney in 1999 and then opened Northern Rivers Pilates in Lismore in 2009.
She has undertaken several certifications but found her community in Polestar in 2002 when they were doing their initial course in Australia and then became an educator for them in 2003.
In early 2022, the Lismore floods destroyed Kimberley’s studio and we will talk about the aftermath of that and ho...
2025-01-091h 10Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesSolo Episode with Kim - My 'What's in and What's Out' for 2025Happy New Year!
Inspired by all the New Year IG reels I’m seeing these days, this episode is all about looking ahead to 2025 and figuring out what I’m keeping in my business and mindset for the year ahead and what I’m leaving behind in 2024.
I hope it inspires, you, (hardworking Pilates Business Owner) to reflect on the year that’s been and to plan for the year ahead.
2025-01-0313 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 16: Melissa Barry, Sydney - Hudson Barry Pilates, Wondermum Wellness and SALT the RemedyWelcome to Episode 16 of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates!
In this episode, I talk to Melissa Barry of Hudson Barry Pilates in Sydney. Melissa is also the creator of the WonderMum Wellness podcast and most recently her new online platform: SALT the Remedy which brings in pilates, homeopathy, consulting and working to support women through perimenopause and beyond.
Melissa started her career in Naturopathy before embarking on her Pilates teaching career. She has owned commercial studio spaces over the past 22 years and since 2019, has built a custom space on her property in S...
2024-12-091h 38Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 15: Jo Bezzina - Pilates on GeorgeToday I am thrilled to chat with a well loved veteran of the Pilates world here in Australia, Jo Bezzina.
Jo started teaching Pilates in 2003 and is the owner of Pilates on George in the Sydney CBD, She is also a mentor, educator, examiner, committee member and presenter. You might already know Jo as she was the winner of the Pilates Anytime instructor competition in 2017.
Jo has just recently completed her Masters in Learning Sciences and in this podcast we chat about her studies and the way she is integrating this knowledge into the Pilates s...
2024-11-221h 05Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 14: Solo Show with Kim - The importance of Goal Setting for 2025Welcome to Episode 14 of Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates!
Today I’m talking about the importance of goal setting in your business and what better time to plan ahead into 2025 than the end of 2024?
In this episode, I talk about:
Taking the time to reflect on 2024 - your successes and things you’ve accomplished throughout the year
Giving thought to the goals you’d like to set for 2025 that will have a big impact on you as an individual, your clients and of course, your bottom line
The...
2024-11-201h 06Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEpisode 13 - Suzanne McCarty - Hara Beyond Movement Studio
Today I am talking to my dear friend Suzanne McCarty, 2nd Generation Pilates teacher, Gyrotonic Master trainer, yoga teacher and now massage therapist. She is also about to join the faculty on my Classical Pilates Mat program which will be held in in Brisbane and Coffs Harbour in 2025.
Suzanne has been teaching Pilates for almost 25 years, having had the amazing opportunity to learn from Romana Kryzanowska and other Pilates teachers in The USA , Europe and Australia.
She is a deeply curious teacher and movement professional, and is constantly learning more about the human body to w...
2024-11-081h 06Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEp 12: Solo Show with Kim: Is falling off the Reformer the new industry standard??Is falling off the Reformer the new industry standard??
I know, it's quite the statement.
It's something that I'm hearing more and more about in the world of 'Pilates' and I feel compelled to talk about in this solo show.
This podcast was inspired by an article in the Guardian last week, and it highlights a very troubling trend that I see often on social media - the #pilatesfail
Call me old fashioned, but I don't think there is anything redeeming about falling off a Reformer in your Pilates class. As a t...
2024-11-0409 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesJodie Tapper - Soul Flexible Online App and Soul Flexible StudioIn the latest episode, I had the pleasure to talk to Jodie Tapper of the Soul Flexible Online App and Soul Flexible Studio in Harrisdale, Western Australia (and my first guest from WA!)
The Soul Flexible App offers online access to classes run by fully certified Pilates instructors and educators from around Australia. These instructors come from diverse backgrounds and training schools, but share a common passion for delivering high-quality Pilates classes on demand.
I’m really excited to talk with an entrepreneur that is doing something different by building a business online, where the po...
2024-10-2555 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesTaking Time Off from your business to Revitalise Your Creative SparkEpisode 10
Welcome back to Raising the Bar on the Future of Pilates Podcast!
I'm doing something a little different today by putting up my first solo show. This show was inspired by taking some time out from my studio business last week to rest and strategise for the year ahead.
I've had my Pilates studio, The Pilates Studio Blackwood for close to 10 years now and let me tell you, in the first few years of my business, I took too little time away from my business and ended up burnt out from the e...
2024-10-2124 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesOlga Tamara - Authentic Pilates Education International and Authentic Pilates Studio, SydneyIn this podcast I get to chat with the inimitable Olga Tamara. Creator and owner of Authentic Pilates International (APEI) and Authentic Pilates Studio in Sydney.
I’ve known Olga for almost 10 years now. When we first met, I hadn’t been in Australia very long and really knew very few people in the industry. I was looking to further my knowledge of Classical Pilates after studying it in Canada. Olga was incredibly welcoming to me, I have learnt a great deal from her and she has introduced me to a community of incredible, like minded instructors - ma...
2024-10-1157 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesKerrie Murphy - Infinity PilatesIn this interview I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Kerrie Murphy from Infinity Pilates studio in Balaclava, Melbourne.
Kerrie has owned and operated her Pilates studio for 21 years now. When you look at statistics related to business success, it is no mean feat to be running a thriving business for that long, in any industry. In this interview we discuss the many changes she’s seen in the industry in that time - from the explosion of Clinical Pilates, to the current Reformer studio model in the market of late.
Kerrie draws from a n...
2024-09-271h 00Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesKate Shelby-James: Pilates Barossa and 'Pilates for Rural Living'Today I am excited to be talking to fellow South Australian, Kate Shelby-James of Pilates Barossa and creator of ‘Pilates for Rural Living’.
Kate has owned and operated her studio, Pilates Barossa since 2016 , and in the past 12 months has moved into her amazing custom built space.
Kate is passionate about creating programming for members of her rural community and has developed her ‘Pilates for Rural living’ program to specifically take care of the mind and bodies of local farmers and their specific physical needs. If you are familiar with the Barossa region (and if you are a win...
2024-09-1358 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesNic Psarros of The Movement RefineryNicholas Psarros is the owner of the Movement Refinery. Nic is a creative entrepreneur and connector in the industry here in Australia and someone I very much admire.
He is also the creator of the well known resource: The Pilates Teacher Network and creator of TMR Academy. In this interview, Nic talks honestly and openly about his business journey from his first studio in 2005 to today. We chat in depth about:
How he found Pilates as a young, injured dancer
How Nic feels about the immense teaching talent we have here in Australia...
2024-08-3052 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesBen Rashleigh - Aligned for Life and Benjaminrashleigh.comIn this interview, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ben Rashleigh of Aligned for Life Pilates. Ben came to Pilates from a career as a chef with chronic lower back pain. Pilates helped him strengthen his back and his fascination with the method changed his career trajectory from chef to Pilates teacher.
In this podcast we talk about:
How Ben approaches his work as a collaborative and educative process with his clients
Why our role as experienced instructors is to mentor the next generation of teachers.
How he marries P...
2024-08-1654 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesHelen Fletcher - Equipoise PilatesIn this interview I had the pleasure of interviewing Pilates entrepreneur Helen Fletcher.
Helen is the creator of Equipoise Pilates and Movement Education. Since 2012, Helen has created clinics and more recently, online content bringing together Pilates with Equestrian Riding.
In this podcast you’ll discover:
How Helen found PIlates in the early 1990’s when it was an ‘underground’ movement modality
How her first Pilates session planted the seed for her future business idea.
Her ‘Deep sense of knowing’ that Pilates would be her future career
How she’s adjusted her business strategy over time to su...
2024-08-1644 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesEve Fairbairn (Ward) - ME Pilates, MelbourneWelcome to the podcast Eve!
Eve is a well loved and dedicated Pilates teacher that has recently opened her new studio in Melbourne: ME Pilates. In this insightful interview you’ll discover:
How Eve approaches her own Pilates practice with a sense of play and curiosity
Her move from Canada to Australia and her early Pilates training
Her challenges teaching Pilates in English, as her 2nd language
Her journey into opening her new studio and how her clients came along for the ride
How working from her garage before opening her studio brought her Pil...
2024-08-161h 00Raising the Bar on the Future of PilatesRenae Blackmore - Renae Blackmore PilatesRenae Blackmore is a well loved and respected teacher in the Australian Pilates Industry. She is a veteran teacher and has owned her own studio Renae Blackmore Pilates for 17 years. In this interview, you’ll discover:
Her days as a full time dance student and how she found the Pilates method to supplement her dance training
How she has built up her home-based Pilates business through the years and all about her recent studio expansion
How community is important to her as a way to share ideas and grow as a teacher
2024-08-1640 minRaising the Bar on the Future of PilatesRaising the Bar on the Future of Pilates - TrailerHi, My name is Kim Paxton. I’m a passionate Pilates studio owner, PIlates teacher trainer and business coach.
In this podcast, me and my special guests are going to be sharing with you the things that have worked in our businesses, the failures and setbacks, the aha moments, and the hard work that goes into following your passion for helping people move and feel better with Pilates.
Running a Pilates business is so much more than following your passion and hoping for the best. It takes hard work, tenacity and a comm...
2024-08-1101 min