Episode Overview

Title: Why January Success Starts NOW: The Planning Strategy Every Boutique Fitness Studio Needs
Host: Seran Glanfield
Date: December 1, 2025

This episode of the Pilates Business Podcast is all about why boutique fitness studio owners must start planning now—well before January—to set themselves up for a strong start to the new year. Host Seran Glanfield shares her expert insights on proactive planning, shifting mindset from reactive to strategic, and leveraging January's unique opportunities to fuel studio growth and profitability all year long. Seran emphasizes the importance of preparation, intentional marketing, and systems that drive client acquisition and retention—so January becomes a launchpad, not just another sales cycle.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Why January Matters for Boutique Studios

• January is the busiest and most opportunity-rich month for fitness studios because of New Year’s resolutions and the “reset” mindset among clients.
• Seran warns that planning for January in January is too late: “If you want your studio to kick off the new year stronger than ever, you cannot afford to wait.” (01:20)

2. The Pitfalls of Last-Minute Planning

• Many studio owners mistakenly put off planning until the end of December or even after the holidays, often due to exhaustion or competing holiday demands.
• Reactive planning leads to scramble, missed revenue, and a chaotic start to the year:
  • “If you're expecting that you're going to have all that energy in the last week of December to pull together... campaigns and marketing ... then you're probably setting yourself up, not for success.” (06:06)
• "Momentum in your marketing and growth doesn't happen in real time. It actually happens by the things that you do in advance." (08:03)

3. Proactive Planning: The Key to Confidence & Growth

• Planning ahead creates space for strategic thinking, creative breakthroughs, and a strong leadership presence.
• Seran emphasizes moving from reactive to proactive mode:
  • “One of the goals I have for the studio owners that I am so fortunate to work with is I want to help them to move out of that reactive mode and into the proactive mode so you can show up with energy.” (06:45)
• Stepping outside daily operations (like at her Thrive retreat) helps unlock new ideas and direction for the business.

4. Practical Questions and Mindset Shifts

• Consider these guiding questions during planning:
  • What do you want people to most associate with your studio in January?
  • What’s the story you want to tell to your clients?
  • How will you nurture your community through December into January?
  • What systems can you put in place now for long-term client retention?
• Seran underscores that effective planning isn’t about piling on more tasks, but working smarter and strategically for sustained success.

5. January as a Launchpad—Not Just a Sales Cycle

• January should be leveraged to set the trajectory for the next 12 months, not treated as a one-off campaign:
  • “Don’t just see January as a one off campaign. Look at it as that launchpad for the entire year of growth.” (17:00)
• Mapping out the year—envisioning February, March, and beyond—ensures you stay ahead rather than always catching up.

6. Benefits of Early Planning

• Early planning brings clarity, breathing room over the holidays, and a confident, energized entry into the new year.
• Proactive work now leads to greater profitability, stronger brand reputation, more effective team leadership, better retention, and higher client lifetime value.

7. Seran’s Action Steps and Programs

• Seran invites listeners to start mapping out their vision and concrete plans for January and beyond now, not later.
• She highlights the benefits of her Thrive group coaching program, which centers on collaborative annual planning to create “momentum now for the year ahead.” (24:50)

Memorable Quotes & Timestamps

• On the urgency of planning:
  “If you're waiting until after the holidays to plan your new year and your next year, you're probably already behind.” (03:35)

• Why January isn’t just another month:
  “January is such an opportunity... people are just more primed to take action in January, more so than really at any other time of the year. It's like the fitness equivalent to tax season for accountants.” (10:20)

• Don’t rely on hustle:
  “Momentum doesn’t happen from reacting in January and being, you know, all in the, in the cortisone and in the stress and in the hustle. It comes from having...direction and...clarity...and a little bit of preparation ahead of time.” (08:45)

• On strategic, holistic planning:
  “You're not just filling classes, you're building something more than that. You're building a sustainable business, you're building a fulfilling business. And you're intentionally designing your business to be profitable.” (15:55)

• On January’s ripple effect:
  “When you start January strong, you actually set the stage for...the rest of that year and the year after. When you're strategic about how you're spending your time...you're not just filling classes, you're building a sustainable business.” (14:28)

• The most practical advice:
  “Don’t wait. Please start mapping out what you want your business to look like today.” (21:32)

Important Timestamps

• 01:20 – Why January is critical for boutique fitness studios
• 03:35 – What most studio owners get wrong about planning for January
• 06:06 – The pitfalls and consequences of last-minute planning
• 08:03 – How momentum is really built in business
• 10:20 – Why January is uniquely primed for studio growth (“tax season” analogy)
• 14:28 – The knock-on effects of strong January planning for the full year
• 17:00 – Viewing January as a launchpad, not a standalone campaign
• 21:32 – The call to action: start planning now
• 24:50 – The Thrive group annual planning workshop and its benefits

Final Takeaways

• Start planning your January and annual strategy now—not after the holidays.
• Treat the January surge as a foundational opportunity, not just a revenue spike.
• Leverage early planning for clarity, reduced stress, better business systems, and long-term retention.
• Tap into support and proven frameworks if you need help implementing this—like Seran’s Thrive program.
• Your studio’s future success is determined by how strategically you use these crucial weeks leading up to the new year.

In Seran’s words:
“There is no one way to do what you do, only your way. So whatever it is that you want to do, create, or offer— you’ve got this.” (27:10)