How Breathe Pilates Uses Mindbody to Scale with Confidence

Founded in 2011 by Deborah Wong and co-founder and Managing Director Dennis Teo, Breathe Pilates has grown into one of Singapore's leading Pilates studios, with five locations across the city and an additional presence in Bangkok. Offering group and private Pilates, as well as pre and postnatal classes and GYROTONIC®, the studio has built a strong reputation for quality instruction and client care. In addition to private and group classes, Breathe Pilates is also a MERRITHEW™ Licensed Training Centre, providing Pilates teacher training courses and workshops in Singapore, further solidifying its position as a leader in both education and practice.

To learn more about Breathe Pilates's growth, we spoke with Dennis, who oversees the business across marketing, operations, finance, and growth strategy, helping guide its continued success in an increasingly competitive market.

Turning passion into a thriving business

Breathe Pilates began as a partnership between Deborah, a medical doctor with a passion for Pilates, and Dennis, who brought the business expertise to turn that vision into reality. What started as a one-year experiment quickly grew into something much larger, evolving into a multi-location business that continues to expand.

From the outset, the team focused on building a strong operational foundation to support that growth. A key part of that strategy was selecting the right technology, and they chose Mindbody as their business management platform from day one. That early investment helped set the stage for scalable, efficient operations as the business expanded.

Simplifying operations and making smarter decisions with Mindbody

As a growing multi-location business, operational efficiency is critical. From the start, Breathe Pilates chose Mindbody as its business management platform, drawn to its user-friendly interface and all-in-one capabilities. "It has everything that a business owner wants, like reporting, an easy-to-use interface," Dennis says. "At that point in time, there was very little competition, and Mindbody was ahead of everyone else."

Fifteen years later, that early decision continues to pay off. Dennis knows the platform inside and out, navigating it with ease and knowing exactly where to go for key tasks like reporting, payroll insights, and performance tracking. "[Mindbody] makes my life easier… It's very intuitive, and because everything is automated, I don't have to manually calculate things like client payments or daily operations." The platform eliminates the hassle of manual data entry and calculations, streamlining operations across the business.

That simplicity extends beyond leadership to the entire team. Staff can quickly learn the system and use it confidently in their day-to-day roles, reducing onboarding time and minimizing errors. "The reporting system is something I can't live without," Dennis explains. "It helps me calculate profit and loss, supports payroll, and gives me a clear picture of how the business is performing each month."

By consolidating financials and performance data in one place, Mindbody also removes the complexity of month-end reporting. "It's helped me save so much time figuring out what happens at the end of each month and how the business is performing," Dennis adds.

With access to detailed insights like class utilization and instructor performance, Dennis can make more informed, data-driven decisions about where to focus his time and resources. "It helps me identify which classes are doing well, which ones aren't, and where I should focus my attention," he says.

How Mindbody enhances the client experience

Mindbody also plays a key role in improving the overall client experience, making it easier for customers to engage with Breathe Pilates at every touchpoint. With seamless booking integrated across both the studio's website and the Mindbody app, clients have the flexibility to manage their schedules wherever they are. This level of accessibility reduces friction in the booking process and supports a more convenient, on-demand experience.

"Clients can book or cancel classes anytime, anywhere," Dennis says. "That convenience is very beneficial." The ability to quickly view schedules, secure spots in classes, or make changes without needing to contact the studio directly helps meet modern client expectations for speed and ease.

Beyond booking, the Mindbody app further enhances discovery and engagement. Clients can browse classes, read reviews, and explore different instructors, which encourages them to try new offerings within the studio. According to Dennis, this visibility plays an important role in keeping clients engaged and expanding their participation.

By combining convenience with discovery, Mindbody not only improves the day-to-day client experience but also helps Breathe Pilates drive deeper engagement across its classes and instructors.

Sustaining growth in a competitive market

Over the years, Breathe Pilates has seen steady growth in both revenue and client retention. While increased competition in the Pilates space has introduced new challenges, Mindbody has helped the business maintain strong performance by making it easier for clients to stay engaged. With a seamless booking experience across web and mobile, clients can schedule classes anytime, anywhere, reducing friction and supporting long-term consistency.

"Our retention has remained consistently high," Dennis notes. "And the platform has helped us grow to where we are today."

As Pilates continues to surge in popularity, Breathe Pilates is focused on standing out in an increasingly crowded market. The team is doubling down on delivering a high-quality experience while strengthening its brand position in Singapore. "Our goal over the next few years is to re-establish ourselves as the number one Pilates studio in Singapore," Dennis shares.

With continued investment in technology, integrations, and client experience, Breathe Pilates is well positioned for its next phase of growth. After more than a decade with Mindbody, Dennis credits the platform's longevity and depth of features as key reasons it remains central to their operations.

"I think because Mindbody has been established in the industry for so long, they really understand what business owners need. The interface is easy to use, the reporting is strong, and the platform is very comprehensive," Dennis shares. "For clients, it's just as intuitive. It's simple to learn and easy to use, which makes the overall experience seamless."