OpenMat Pilates: Expanding Access, Building Community, and Growing with Mindbody

OpenMat Pilates is redefining what Pilates looks like—and who it's for. Founded by Victoria Shillingford in London, the studio was built on the belief that Pilates should be accessible to everyone, with no barriers or limits. After practicing for years, Victoria realized the traditional Pilates industry wasn't designed for people like her. She saw firsthand how expensive the practice could be and recognized that if she, as a working professional, struggled to afford regular classes, countless others were also being shut out completely. 

Determined to change that, she created the OpenMat model: free Pilates classes with no fees and no obstacles to access. The approach makes high-quality movement available to the entire community—while also giving newly qualified instructors a place to gain experience and grow their teaching careers. Corporate partners play a supporting role as well, sponsoring sessions through their wellness and CSR programs to help sustain OpenMat's free offerings. 

In Victoria's words, "OpenMat isn't just about Pilates. It's about access, community, and rewriting the rules." Since opening in 2025, the studio has grown from one free class a week to six, supported by paid classes and corporate bookings, all delivered across two spaces with a team of nine instructors. The vision: build a Pilates experience where everyone sees themselves represented, welcomed, and empowered. 

Mindbody simplifies operations to support meaningful work

When OpenMat launched, Victoria chose Mindbody so she could leverage the Mindbody app as a way to increase visibility and reach new clients while building awareness as a new business. She relies on a suite of tools, including scheduling, payments, automated reminders, and business reporting, to keep operations running smoothly. 

With a small team and a demanding schedule, streamlined operations are essential. Mindbody makes it easy to add instructors, automatically notify them about their classes, and give them the ability to check clients in through the Mindbody Business app. Automated email reminders reduce manual follow-up, and reports help Victoria understand which class times perform best without requiring hours of data analysis. As Victoria explained, she's "constantly pulled in multiple directions and need[s] as much help as possible to streamline things," making Mindbody's operational support indispensable to her day-to-day workflow. 

Mindbody has also elevated OpenMat's brand perception. The association with a trusted, professional platform helps clients feel confident booking classes with a new studio. Victoria shared, "Mindbody has helped people to see OpenMat in a professional way." Tools like reporting and analytics have been surprisingly impactful as well: with limited time for data processing, having accessible insights built in has been invaluable. 

Looking ahead: Goals for growth and expansion

OpenMat Pilates is just getting started. Victoria envisions expanding into additional London boroughs, increasing the number of local businesses supporting community classes, and eventually growing into a franchise model—nationally and even internationally. The long-term goal is to scale through community power, ensuring that the accessibility-first mission remains at the heart of the OpenMat brand. 

As the business grows, platforms like Mindbody will continue to play a role in helping streamline operations, present the business professionally, and reduce administrative burden so Victoria can focus on teaching, community building, and strategic expansion.