Meet Heidi Swan | Instructor and Owner at Heidi Swan Pilates

We had the good fortune of connecting with Heidi Swan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Heidi, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Funny enough starting my own business wasn’t actually a plan I had at all. Except when COVID happened and my line of work was shut down I had to find a way to support myself. So I bought a reformer, got rid of my living room furniture so I’d have room. and started letting clients come to my house so I could keep teaching. This turned out to be more successful than I could have imagined, everyone wanted to bring their friends with them, I bought a second reformer, and eventually got so busy the HOA complained and I moved my living room studio into an actual studio and started Heidi Swan Pilates .

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
My business was started in my 600 sq ft apartment during COVID, before that I was teaching at several other Pilates studios. I would teach privates, small group classes, and classes of up to 12 people.
My real passion was teaching privates and semi-private sessions where I could use my eye for detail and form a relationship with clients and make everyone feel confident and strong in their bodies.

What sets me apart from other instructors is my attention to form and muscle imbalances , creating a workout plan that is specifically tailored to each individual body based on strengths/weaknesses and imbalances.
Also, I make the workout FUN. Nobody wants to keep doing a workout they don’t enjoy. Making people laugh and playing music my clients like enjoy so they leave every session feeling better than they did walking in.

How I got to where I am today is simple – hard work, putting effort into my clients,making them feel good, and caring about people and being kind. My business was started by word-of-mouth and I am very blessed that it has continued that way since 2021 and I haven’t needed to advertise.

One thing I have learned is that setting boundaries and limits to how many hours I work a day is VERY important. It’s easy to get burnt out and when I try to cram too many people into a day, I’m not giving 100% to each client and it’s more of a “just get through the day” mentality. So determining the number of hours I can work each day and still be able to give 100% to my clients I’d say is the biggest challenge I’ve had to figure out.

I’d like people to know that Pilates is for everyone, my oldest client is 83 years old! I love that I can offer personalized workouts for all age-ranges and see how it positively affects their life. A lot of people are nervous to start Pilates, the equipment looks intimidating and large group classes can be daunting. Heidi Swan Pilates offers only private and semi-private sessions, creating an inviting and easy place for all ages and fitness levels.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
This is a tough one! So many great places to go.
The first day, I would start at the Henry for some great coffee and brunch, followed by a walk and a good workout at the Village.
For dinner I’d go to Christopher’s at the Wrigley Mansion, best food and amazing views of the city.

Day two – full spa day at the Global Ambassor followed by dinner at Buck and Rider.

Rest of the week would go explore up in Flagstaff, Prescott and Sedona.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
First off, I have to thank my clients that have stuck with me since day one of me teaching out of my small apartment. Without them there would be no Heidi Swan Pilates. I would also like to thank my family for their ongoing support.

Instagram: @heidiswanpilates

Image Credits
Professional black and white photos – Nichole Kathryn Studios