Well, Well, Well

"Teachers have the gift of witnessing our students. Leaders have the gift of witnessing our teams and our people." What happens when you combine real street smarts, deep mindful practice, and a refusal to treat your employees like numbers on a spreadsheet? In this episode, Laura connects with Danni Pomplun, the founder of the iconic San Francisco-based HAUM Studios, who gives an inside look at how...

“People think the workout is going to fix their lives… The workout is the vehicle to something greater." Why is it so difficult to build a reliable, predictable team of fitness instructors? In this episode, Laura sits down with industry veteran Shay Kostabi, co-founder of Fitcarma, to dismantle the myth that boutique fitness has an unfixable "people problem." Shay shares her fascinating, non-linea...

"If we can’t be in a room together and move, the battle is lost."  How do you build a community so strong that students step in to care for one another? In this episode, Laura Munkholm welcomes Justin and Greg, the owners of Sol Seek Yoga, to discuss their unique path from corporate New York to West Coast wellness entrepreneurship. Justin and Greg reveal how they navigated the transition to taking...

"It’s actually easier in a lot of ways to sell ten $3,000 tickets than it is to sell 200 memberships every month." Whether you’re a veteran studio owner or a wellness leader dreaming of your first international getaway, this episode serves as your ultimate roadmap to the $400 billion retreat industry. Join Laura Munkholm as she sits down with Jen Russell, owner of Seattle’s Flight Room and a maste...

"Take up space. That’s one of my favorite phrases to say: get bigger and take up space." In a world dominated by digital filters and survival-mode social media, what does it actually take to create a lasting human experience? In this episode, Laura Munkholm sits down with industry "shining light" and brand consultant Zack to discuss his 60+ city tour of boutique fitness studios. Zack pulls back th...

How do you compete with the big guys when you’re running a local boutique studio? According to Zach Mills, founder of ONBRND, it’s not about outspending the giants; it’s about out-thinking them. In this episode, Zach joins Laura Munkholm to share his journey from collegiate athlete to marketing lead at Xponential Fitness—where he oversaw brands like YogaSix and AKT—to eventually launching his own...

“We don't just need hot Pilates; we need a community-based brand... that human interaction piece is the backbone." What happens when you say yes to an opportunity you feel totally unqualified for? For Kenzie Wesp, it meant becoming a business owner before she even graduated college. In this episode, Laura Munkholm sits down with the powerhouse behind Nashville’s Trueform and Format studios to disc...

"When the leader of the business is clear about exactly who they are delivering to... they’re able to forge their own path instead of trying to blend in." The Pilates boom is here. Is your studio protected? The boutique fitness landscape has shifted. With Pilates-based concepts now accounting for a staggering 40% of all new studio openings, the "business as usual" approach is no longer enough to s...

Is boutique fitness becoming too transactional? In this episode, we sit down with Erin, founder of La Forme, who walked away from a 21-year corporate career to redefine what it means to show up for a workout. We dive into how she transitioned her high-level operations background into a human-centric studio model that prioritizes community over calculations—and how offering a solid sweat session is...

“Your confidence and your aspiration has always gotta be bigger than the impact that you’re having on others, because that’s how your impact grows." In this high-impact session, "C-Suite Whisperer" Mike Lipkin reveals why your inner game is the ultimate driver of outer success, arguing that a leader’s aspiration must always exceed their current impact to fuel growth. He introduces the concept of t...

“If you can consistently enroll just two new members each month, you can add $50,000 a year in annual revenue by the end of the first year.” Many studio owners feel like they’re working nonstop…yet their bank account doesn’t reflect the effort. In this episode of Well, Well, Well, Laura sits down with Julian Barnes, co-founder and CEO of the BFS Network, to decode the latest State of the Industry...

"You can lead your team from a calm energy." This is the conversation every studio owner needs to hear. Many boutique fitness owners struggle with finances, feeling lost or frozen by overwhelming metrics. In this episode of Well, Well, Well, finance expert, Lauren Schoenfeld, Founder, CEO + CFO of Active Core Consulting, peels back the shame and simplifies the path to financial clarity. Lauren, wh...

“When it comes to movement, it’s about the pleasure principle. What brings you joy? That’s the key.” We all enter the fitness industry because it fired us up, but somewhere along the line, the constant competition, the selling, and the feeling of burnout can take over. In this must-listen episode of Well, Well, Well, host Laura Munkholm welcomes Jessica Maurer, Director of Education for the Mental...

“We want to go upstream to look for a solution, before you get to downstream sick care.”  The health of our nation is at a crisis point, yet 80% of what determines our health is ignored by the $4.9 trillion "sick care" system. In this powerful episode, we sit down with Dr. Gloria Winters, Chief Health Officer of the YMCA of the USA, to dissect the critical gap between preventative wellness and cli...

"If we’re just taking them to the other side of a workout, that's easy to leave, that's easy to replace." Tired of chasing fitness trends? Host Laura Munkholm and experienced brand strategist Barry Kostabi reveal the single most powerful strategy for building a resilient wellness business: shifting from selling a workout to selling an identity. Drawing on his global experience, Barry explains why...

“Start with your why. Share it often. People want to be a part of something bigger.”  In this episode of the Well, Well, Well podcast, join host Laura Munkholm as she sits down with Talitha and Genevieve, the dynamic co-owners of Humble Warrior Yoga. This unstoppable duo is on a mission to build a multi-location brand by staying unapologetically authentic in a crowded market. They share their wild...

“Do what you love. Trust your instincts. Create your boundaries. It’s all hard work, so you want to love it.” – Jill Dailey In this episode of Well, Well, Well, Laura sits down with Jill Dailey, founder of The Dailey Method and one of the pioneers who brought boutique fitness to the West Coast. From starting the first barre studio in San Francisco 25 years ago to scaling to nearly 70 franchises—an...

"You're only as good as your worst instructor's worst playlist." What does it take to build a timeless fitness studio? More than just aesthetics, according to Barbara Chancey, the visionary designer behind hundreds of award-winning studios. In this episode, she joins Laura to reveal her unconventional approach to design, which focuses on creating a space that empowers instructors, fosters communit...

"Let the bots do what the bots do best, and then let the humans do what the humans do best." The majority of boutique studios aren't profitable long-term, but the smartest ones are changing the game with a secret weapon: AI. In this powerful and honest conversation, Laura interviews Cat Zbar of Telomere Consulting, an expert on applying AI in the fitness and wellness industry. Cat shares practical...

"If you don’t know your numbers, you can’t grow. It’s that simple." What does it really take to succeed in the boutique fitness industry today? In this episode, Laura sits down with Josh Biro—founder of the Yogapreneur Collective and longtime coach to studios across North America—for an honest, unfiltered conversation on the state of consulting, the evolving wellness consumer, and how to stop mist...

"Everything starts with mission, vision, and values.” What does it truly mean to lead with heart, cultivate deep community, and build a business that transcends the ordinary? In this special in-person episode of Well, Well, Well, Laura travels to Denver to sit down with Danielle Barbeau, founder of The River Yoga . Discover how Danielle navigated the wild journey of growing a studio (including a h...

"We fill their bucket so they can go back and fill their clients' buckets."  In this insightful episode of Well, Well, Well, host Laura Munkholm welcomes Amy Boone Thompson, CEO and owner of IDEA Health and Fitness Association. With over three decades of experience, Amy offers her unique perspective on the dramatic evolution of fitness coaches, instructors, and trainers. They discuss the rise of h...

"A good exit strategy is just good business strategy." Thinking about selling your studio one day? Even if it's years down the road, this episode of Well, Well, Well is a must-listen. Laura Munkholm chats with Mitch McGinley, a former yoga studio owner who has now brokered over 60 sales and $10 million in transactions. Mitch pulls back the curtain on the emotional and logistical rollercoaster of s...

“We’re seeing a cultural expansion of wellness — it’s not just about green juice or meditation anymore. Your relationships are wellness, too.” In this provocative and powerful episode, Laura Munkholm sits down with Jackie Wilf, the driving force behind business development at Arya, one of the most disruptive and fast-growing brands in the sexual wellness space. Together, they unpack how Arya is re...

 "We take away the intimidation factor." How do you turn a single fitness studio into a nationwide franchise—and reinvent the game all over again? Laura Munkholm sits down with Allison Beardsley, founder of Club Pilates and Red Light Method, to reveal the highs, lows, and hard-earned lessons of scaling a wellness empire. From overcoming a tough childhood in Kentucky to pioneering one of the bigges...