Today we’d like to introduce you to Danii Callahan.
Hi Danii, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I began taking mat Pilates classes when I was in my early twenties at a rec center in my hometown of Lake Oswego, Oregon. I was always the youngest(by far) person in the classes and I remember wondering why there weren’t more younger people in class- they were challenging and always left me sore – in a good way! I grew up competitively dancing and was trained in ballet, tap, jazz, hip hop, acrobats, so the fundamentals of Pilates and the mind body connection was something that came pretty natural to me. In my late 20’s one of my girlfriends went through reformer Pilates training and began teaching at Nike, she gave me my first session on a reformer and I was hooked- attending her classes weekly. Another girlfriend of mine told me she thought it would be a good path for me as well- and so I went through my Pilates certification training. When I was ready to start taking on clients I had more than the studio that I was training at could handle, that’s when I decided I wanted to open my own studio. In September of 2023 I purchased 4 reformers, turned my parents basement into a studio, and opened my business. I had no business loan, no mentor, and really no help(aside from my parents). I never used any sort of marketing, just word of mouth, and 3 years later my business has exponentially grown, so much so that I find myself having to turn away new clients(don’t get me started on how difficult it has been to find and hire another instructor for my studio). I do all scheduling myself, directly with all of my clients, make up and teach all class plans myself. Each client of mine has a special place in my heart and I do truly love what I do.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Of course there have been some struggles along the way- about a year after opening my business I needed an uptick in clients, I purchased a sign that did bring me in some new clients but ended up being taken by the city for violating size codes(I clearly had no idea) I now have a much smaller sign…the personal trainer I work with has helped me in gain new clients through networking. My current struggle is that I’m having a very difficult time finding and hiring another instructor for my studio!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
I was trained in classic Pilates on all apparatus’ – my classes are fast paced and mostly classic reformer Pilates but I do add in props(magic circle, balls, weights, bands, etc) and my classes are also pretty difficult. I love to always have a spicy ab/core series, and a challenging glutes series. However- I do have a hand full of private clients of all different ages who require a much different type of session that my typical class sessions-so I am also a very versatile instructor.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love my hometown of lake oswego for its idyllic, small town feel, and the summers here are impossible to beat. Portlands restaurant/food/coffee scene is very special to me- along with all the memories of my childhood going into the city to shop and eat- especially during the holidays.
Pricing:
- Class sessions are $42 per class
- Private sessions are $75 each
- I require clients who are new to the reformer to take 3 private sessions before being cleared to join classes, they may purchase a new client package for $150
Contact Info:
- Website: https://pilateswithdanii.com/make-payment/
- Instagram: pilateswithdanii
