Episode 10: How do I know I’m on track?

Tania Huddart: Your successes deserve to be celebrated. This is one of my favourite parts of running a business. A client who comes back after an injury. A class that finally fills. A teacher who's grown in front of you. We're so quick to notice what's gone wrong. We almost never stop to notice what's gone right. So I'll ask you what I ask everyone. How are you going to celebrate?

Host: Welcome to Build Confidence and Purpose with Pilates. I'm here with Tania Huddart: Pilates teacher, teacher trainer and author of Pilates & Purpose. Both voices you'll hear are made with AI. Every word Tania says is her own, and she's approved each one.

Last time, we talked about the hard days, when things go wrong or everything changes. This is the final episode of the season, and it's the question underneath all the others. Tania, how do I know I'm on track?

Tania Huddart: You stop, and you look. That's the honest answer. Most owners never stop to look. They're too busy running. So they don't know if they're on track, because they've never checked the map.

It's a bit like cooking without tasting. You can follow the recipe carefully, every step. But you don't know how it's turned out until you stop, and taste it. Then you know whether it needs a little more of something.

Host: Isn't that what the numbers are for? Revenue, attendance?

Tania Huddart: The numbers matter. I'd never tell you to ignore them. If the money isn't there, the studio closes. But profit isn't the only measure of success.

Look at whether clients stay. Look at whether your teachers are happy, and growing. Look at what your studio gives to the people around it. Listen to the stories your clients tell you about what's changed for them. Those things tell you whether your mission is working. The bank statement only tells you whether your bills are paid.

Host: So being on track isn't one number.

Tania Huddart: No. It's a picture. And you only see the picture if you step back from it now and then.

Host: Was stepping back something that came naturally to you?

Tania Huddart: Not at all. I learnt it late. It was only when Bruce Hildebrand interviewed me for his podcast, The Pilates Diaries, that I really saw the value of stopping to reflect. Now it's a regular habit. It keeps me grounded, and it keeps me focused on what's next.

Host: What does reflecting actually look like, for a busy owner?

Tania Huddart: It's more than looking back. It's a way to see how you've grown, learn from what was hard, and get clear about what's next. You look at the good and the difficult together, because both of them made you who you are.

I'd start with growth. Think about how far you've come since you first imagined your studio. What skills have you built? Maybe your teaching is more confident. Maybe you're better with money than you used to be. Notice the qualities that carried you through. Patience. Resilience. Creativity. And don't forget the relationships. The clients and teachers you've come to know. Ask yourself how you've built their trust. Those relationships are at the heart of your growth.

Host: Does that bring you back to the very first episode? The question of why?

Tania Huddart: It does. Think back to your first spark. What made you want to open a studio? Maybe it was sharing Pilates with people. Maybe it was making a welcoming place, or building something rooted in your community.

Those reasons still matter. They can guide your next steps. So when you reflect, start there. Is the studio you're running still the one you set out to build? If it's drifted, that's not a disaster. It's useful to know. You can steer back.

Host: Most people find it easier to list what's gone wrong.

Tania Huddart: They do. And the hard things belong in the picture too. Finding the right space. Managing the money. Building a team. Every owner meets those. They test you.

But each one taught you something. So ask yourself how you responded at the time. What did you learn? And how has it changed the choices you make now? When you see a challenge as a teacher, it stops being only a bad memory. It becomes something you know.

You might write down the hardest moment of your last year. Just one. Then write what it taught you. You'll often find the lesson is the reason things are better now. That's resilience. You build it by getting through things, and then noticing that you did.

Host: You've said before you didn't start out as a businessperson.

Tania Huddart: No. When I first trained, I never imagined owning a studio. Then I found I loved the business side as much as the teaching. I had to learn almost everything, through mentors, courses, and a lot of self-study. So when I look back, that's one of the things I'm proudest of. Not one big moment. All the learning.

Host: Let's go back to the cold open. Celebrating. Why does that matter so much to you?

Tania Huddart: Because we skip it. We hit a goal and we're already worrying about the next one.

Your successes might be a money milestone. A new class that took off. A client who's been with you for years. A lovely piece of feedback. Take stock of them. Notice how each one grew your confidence, and your belief in what you're building.

And include your team. Their work is part of your studio's story. When something goes well, it's rarely only you. So tell them. Thank them by name, and tell them what their part was.

Then look wider. How has your studio changed your community? Which client stories stand out? And then the question I always come back to. How are you going to celebrate? Actually decide. Put it in the diary.

Host: And gratitude? That's in the same chapter.

Tania Huddart: Gratitude brings balance. It moves your attention from what's missing to what's already there. When you're tired, that's easy to forget.

It doesn't need to be grand. You might keep a gratitude journal. You might write a thank-you note to someone who helped you. I write a thank-you note more often than I used to. Or you can bring it into your classes, or your team meetings. One minute at the end of a meeting, where everyone names something they're grateful for. Small things like that change the feeling of a place. And they matter most on a bad week, because that's when you need them.

If you want to start tonight, try this. Name one person you want to thank. Then write down three things you're grateful for today. It takes two minutes. It's surprising how much lighter you feel afterwards.

Host: So that's looking back. What about looking forward?

Tania Huddart: Reflection points forward too. Picture your studio in five years. What do you hope it looks like? How does it feel to walk in? What part does it play in your community? Who's there?

Then break that picture into smaller goals. A new programme. A stronger online presence. More outreach. And for each goal, ask what steps it needs, and how your values will guide you while you take them. Write it all down. A picture you only keep in your head has usually faded by Monday.

Host: People talk a lot about legacy. Is that too big a word for a small studio?

Tania Huddart: I don't think so. Your legacy isn't a plaque on the wall. It's built every day. Every class you teach, every conversation you have, every decision you make. A client who got stronger. Someone who came back after an injury. Two people who met on the mat and became friends. That's legacy.

Start by deciding what you want your studio to stand for. Maybe it's welcoming every kind of body. Maybe it's caring for the planet. Those values shape your teaching and your culture.

Then your legacy grows when you reach outward. A charity class. Working with local health professionals. A programme for people who wouldn't usually get the chance. We talked about that in the giving-back episode. And it grows when you train and mentor your teachers. When your team shares your values, the good you do multiplies.

Your studio can be more than a place to exercise. It can be a sanctuary. A place where people feel supported and valued. That's worth building on purpose.

Host: And where do you fit into that, as the owner?

Tania Huddart: You have to look after yourself. Your energy, your balance and your passion set the tone for the whole studio. When you look after yourself, you serve your clients better, you lead your team better, and you last longer.

And take your time. Building a studio is a marathon, not a sprint. Give yourself space to fall in love with your business just as much as you love Pilates itself.

And set up your systems early. Be clear about the direction you want to go. That makes every later decision easier. It's also how you stay on track without having to think about it every day.

Host: The industry keeps changing, though. How do you stay on track when the track moves?

Tania Huddart: You stay curious. Pilates keeps changing, with new technology, new wellness trends, and clients who want different things. You can't freeze your studio in place.

So keep learning. Keep listening to feedback. Keep trying new ideas, small ones, and see what works. We talked about that in the last episode. Stay open to change, but stay rooted in your mission. That's the balance. Curious on the outside, steady in the middle.

Host: How often should someone do all this reflecting?

Tania Huddart: Every six or twelve months. Put it in the diary, like you would a client. It's not a one-off. It's a habit. Each time, you'll notice something you missed the time before. Make a cup of tea, find a quiet corner, and take your time with each question. There's no prize for finishing fast.

Host: What would you say to someone who's listened to the whole season and feels a long way behind?

Tania Huddart: That this isn't a finish line. It's the start of your next stage. You don't have to have done everything we've talked about. Nobody has.

The road ahead is full of chances. Each class you teach, each client you look after, each decision you make, adds up to something much bigger than profit. It adds up to the health of your community. So pick one thing from this season. Do it well. Then pick the next one. Walk it with purpose, creativity and courage.

Host: Let's pull it together. Three things to take away?

Tania Huddart: One. Being on track isn't one number. Look at your clients, your teachers and your community, as well as your money.

Two. Stop and look, regularly. Every six or twelve months. Look at your growth, your challenges and your successes.

Three. Celebrate, and say thank you. Then picture where you're going, and take the next small step.

Host: And the question to sit with?

Tania Huddart: Where do you see your studio in five years? Picture it properly. Then ask what one step this year would bring you closer.

Host: If you'd like to do this properly, Tania's Closing Reflections Worksheet is free at taniahuddart.com. It walks you through your growth, your challenges, your successes, gratitude and the next five years.

And that's the end of Season 1. Thank you for listening. Over ten episodes, we've gone from why you might want a studio, through setting up, pricing, your mission, marketing, teachers, keeping clients, giving back and the hard days, to this. If it's helped, please share it with a teacher or owner who needs it.

Season 2 is Teach with Confidence, built on Tania's first book, Teach Pilates with Confidence. It's for newer teachers, and for experienced teachers who've lost their spark.

Tania, last word?

Tania Huddart: Thank you for spending this season with me. This doesn't have to be the end of our conversation. Trust your instincts, and stay true to your values. Your next chapter is waiting, and thank you for letting me be part of your story.