Tips for Starting a Small Business

Thinking about opening a small business? When we started our journey to open a fitness studio in Beverly, we were not sure where to focus our time and resources. It can be overwhelming because there are so many priorities to focus on, so we thought we’d share some of our personal experiences to see if it can help others.

Collecting Feedback: The year before we opened the doors, we started collecting feedback from the community. We held focus groups, met with multiple owners of local gyms, and sent surveys to potential students. We are still analyzing feedback daily from our students and instructors and we take their suggestions very seriously. There is a weekly meeting to see where we can make adjustments and improvements to The Studio and most of the best ideas come from our clients and staff.

See What Works: There are so many successful small business owners in this neighborhood who are very generous with their time and knowledge. Before opening, we attended fitness classes all over the city and surrounding suburbs to find how we could incorporate some of their great ideas into our own space. We still have close relationships with many of the owners we met with and reach out often for their suggestions.

Creating a Buzz: Creating a name, logo, mission statement, website and social media accounts was the first big step to spreading the word. Before we were open for business we held large events including an overnight retreat in Michigan and launch party at our home to introduce our business. We dropped off schedules and marketing materials to display at local businesses and gave merchandise away to anyone who would wear it. People in the community were talking about us, before the first class ever happened. To this day we try to find creative ways to reach people.

Collaboration: Collaboration within the community and building relationships with other businesses is one of the most important things we do at The Studio Beverly. From day one we have co-hosted events, collaborated on packages and promoted businesses all over the neighborhood in our space. We see this as an opportunity to not only help other businesses but also create a positive experience for our students as well. Who doesn’t love coming out of a class at The Studio and Bani Beets has popped up in our lobby to sell you a fresh squeeze juice! When one local small business thrives, we all thrive!

Immerse Yourself: We try to give back to the community as much as we can. We sponsor events, attend conferences and festivals, sit on panels, contribute raffle baskets and private classes to local groups and non profits so we can give back to a community that has supported us.

New Clients are Key: There is always room to grow and every new student counts. The first week we opened our doors, we had free classes every day as well as distributed HUNDREDS of free class passes to everyone we met on the street. Our new students still get a free week of classes because we saw the value in getting people through the door; we are confident the space and quality instructors will sell itself. 

Adaptability: The last and final piece of advice we would give when starting a new business is being flexible and open to pursuing new things. We are constantly adding new times, class styles, instructors, props and decor to the space to keep it fresh and exciting. Today we have over 35 instructors and more than 20 styles of fitness classes; when we started, we had 10 instructors who taught seven styles of classes. Another example: when we opened three years ago, we had no classes dedicated to students over 55 years old, and now they make up the fastest growing demographic at The Studio. We have added 10 weekly classes in five different styles specifically for seniors, with every intention to add more in the future. 

The most important part of starting a business is staying true to your vision and enjoying the process. Things will change; you’ll have to adjust, but listening to others and trusting your gut will keep the experience a positive one. Always be ready to learn and listen, pivot and adjust.

We are here to support any new business; email us at info@thestudiobeverly.com if you ever have any questions or have some feedback on how we can make improvements to The Studio!