From Goal-Setting Graduate to Business Owner

For Simone Bernstein, owning a new barre3 studio in Brookline, MA, is not just about running a business or teaching a class; it’s a way to connect with people. Even though the Brookline location is only a month old, Simone has already succeeded in getting new people in the door who may be hesitant to try a new type of exercise or enter into a new studio.

“The only way for people to know if it’s for them is just to do it,” she said.

This idea stems from Simone’s own experience with barre3 before owning a studio. She grew up as a dancer in the Boston suburbs and went to college for both dance and business, but was unsure of her life path coming out of college. She later met a woman opening a barre3 studio in Needham, MA, but Simone was uninterested in working for her because she disliked barre. However, after experiencing her first class and learning about the company’s philosophies, Simone was hooked.

The Needham studio opened in October 2014, and Simone became a manager within six months and ran the studio for two and a half years. One of her goals was to own her own business by the age of 25. Now, with her new studio in Brookline, MA, opened and an upcoming birthday, Simone has met that goal.

“It’s empowering knowing that this is all mine—that everything I do directly corresponds with how many people hear about my business, or how many people experience barre3,” Simone said.

To get new people in the door, Simone relies mostly on word-of-mouth advertising with local people and businesses by introducing herself and handing out free class cards. Simone uses Mindbody business management software to run her studio, and the Mindbody app helps clients schedule her advertised classes.

“It’s nice that a lot of people already use Mindbody, so it’s easy for our clients to be able to sign up too,” Simone explained.

Since opening, barre3 Brookline has acquired over 1500 new clients. With this substantial growth, Simone now spends a lot of time at the studio and is excited about seeing people’s reactions when they experience their first class.

“I want to empower people to remember that working out can feel good and moving your body should feel good,” Simone said. “Even just walking around, or doing a stretch in the morning, is just as good if that’s all that your day can handle.”