Today we’d like to introduce you to Simone Malave
Hi Simone, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I discovered Pilates over 15 years ago when I stumbled into a mat Pilates class at a local gym. At the time I was really struggling with finding movement that I enjoyed and was at the point where I wasn’t doing anything regularly and it was a struggle to “workout”. It wasn’t until I found Pilates that I found something physical that I truly enjoyed doing. I started to visit other studios around town that offered reformer classes and I was hooked! Not only did I have fun in each class but I was seeing positive physical changes in my body which was an added bonus. I began prioritizing my Pilates practice and even worked 2 jobs (7 days a week) so I could afford a membership to my favorite studio.
In the fall of 2020, I got married and my husband and I bought a house in Hendersonville, TN. Moving just 30 minutes (on a good day) from Nashville wasn’t a huge deal but it definitely changed my Pilates practice as I wasn’t able to go to my studio everyday. Hendersonville didn’t have a boutique studio so I was having to continue my practice at home with virtual classes (luckily that was an option with covid). I decided to get certified to become a Pilates instructor that winter and started teacher training in the spring- I got my certification early 2022 while still working full time remotely.
I hit the ground running after my certification- I worked at several studios around Nashville and also opened up my home to private sessions after my “9-5” work hours. I named my home studio Gold Lion Pilates and started to create my Pilates brand, After a year of working at other studios, my home studio started to get so busy that I decided to focus solely on Gold Lion Pilates. I continued to work around my “9-5” job for another year or so before my dreams grew even bigger to expanding Gold Lion to a brick & mortar space.
In the spring of 2024 I found the perfect space for Gold Lion to call home in Hendersonville. I quit my job and started construction on the new Gold Lion studio that summer. My husband is a very talented custom builder (lucky for me!) and put everything on hold to build my dream studio in just 3 months. We created a not only aesthetically beautiful space but also a place where people can move and practice Pilates in a supportive envoirnment that harbors connection and positivity.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Of course, we hit some bumps in the road but what business hasn’t… I would say finding a space for the new studio was challenging. We’re in such a booming area that commercial rent is super expensive. It is really hard for a small business to pay those prices and compete with franchises or larger companies opening up businesses in the area. Luckily we found a space that is owned by another Hendersonville local resident who also has a small business- we couldn’t ask for a better landlord!
Another struggle was financing… When I first started to dream up the brick & mortar space, I spent months making a business plan & projections so that I would have something to show banks when I was ready to apply for a small business loan. Come to find out, that it is really hard to get a small business loan and banks aren’t interested in a business plan. They will only loan based on personal finances and collateral. Luckily, the space we found didn’t require the funding my original plan had required so we went another route and it all worked out perfectly.
Now that we’re up and running, the challenge is to work on the business while working in the business. Marketing, client retention, social media, the list doesn’t end! Finding the balance between work & life is hard for sure.
As you know, we’re big fans of Gold Lion Pilates. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Gold Lion Pilates came to life with a heartfelt mission: to offer a boutique Pilates experience like no other. We believe in building a community rooted in trust and connection, where every client receives personalized care, support, and guidance on their path to feeling amazing and having fun while reaching their fitness goals.
Our approach combines the time-tested principles of Pilates with a modern, science-backed methodology that’s tailored to meet each client wherever they are in their fitness and life goals. Whether a beginner looking to build core strength, an athlete aiming for peak performance, or someone seeking post-injury rehabilitation, our skilled instructors are here to guide and support our clients every step of the way. We believe in the transformative power of Pilates to not only enhance physical strength and flexibility but also to cultivate a deep sense of body awareness and mindfulness.
We offer small group classes and private sessions with concierge like service. Our studio has state of the art equipment, expert instructors, a beautiful aesthetic, and quality amenities.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Risk taking is definitely scary for me! I don’t come from a family of entrepreneurs and was encouraged to get a good job and play it safe. I grew up in a home where my single mom was struggling to become financially stable for as long as I can remember. So for me quitting my secure job that I was with for 7 years was very scary…
It did help that my husband is an entrepreneur himself and is very encouraging and supportive of my business. Looking from the outside in though, we both now are self employed and own small businesses which means that there is really no financial stability in our world which can be terrifying to some but we don’t think about it that way. Failure isn’t an option and we both work really hard in our businesses everyday. Our passion and quality of service in our businesses shows to our clients and that sets us apart from our competition.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://goldlionpilates.com
- Instagram: @goldlionpilates
