Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Wilson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I was born and grew up in a very small town in Romania on the border with Ukraine. As a young girl, I saw the fall of Communism in 1989, and even though things improved, it was always my dream to move to America. I knew there would be more opportunities there.
When I was 20 years old, I got my chance. I moved to New Jersey with only $100 in my pocket. I met other Romanians and cleaned houses and hotel rooms with them to start. After a year in New Jersey, I wanted to see the West Coast, so I moved to LA, and got my massage therapist license. Los Angeles was the version of America I dreamed of as a girl – it was beautiful and sunny, everyone was kind and smiling all the time, and there was this amazing energy of possibility.
I began working for a physical therapy clinic in Santa Monica, which is where I was first introduced to Pilates. I knew right away that this was what I needed to do. Massage helped people but only short-term. I felt like Pilates would be a more longterm solution to get people out of pain and strong. Without even taking a class, I enrolled in STOTT Pilates Comprehensive Training Program. I was very lucky to be one of John Garey’s students at his satellite studio in Long Beach.
A few months later, in 2005, I completed my exam and rented a room in an office building across the street from the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills. This was where Natural Pilates was born. That studio grew from one room with me teaching private sessions to two group classrooms and five private rooms on two floors with 20 instructors.
From there, I expanded to Brentwood and West Hollywood, then to Sherman Oaks. During the pandemic I moved two studios outdoors, and we continued to offer masked group classes.
After the pandemic, I opened two locations in New York City (Soho and Upper East Side). Last month, we opened in Manhattan Beach. We have 3 more locations on the way in 2026: Miami, FL, and Upper West Side and Flatiron in NYC. It is a thrilling process every time. I love that all our locations create a sense of community and foster new friendships centered around fitness and healthy lifestyles.
In addition to the brick and mortar studios, I have also launched my own accredited teacher training program and continuing education workshops, as well as my own line of Pilates props. I am always busy, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I am so grateful to be living the American dream.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, definitely not. The pandemic was pretty brutal for so many industries, especially small businesses. I was lucky that one of our locations (West Hollywood) has an outdoor area. I quickly turned that space into an outdoor studio, and we started doing Reformer classes outside. All our clients were ecstatic. I then realized that the hotel industry was also suffering, so I reached out to hotels near my studios to see if we could arrange something. We re-opened Natural Pilates Brentwood in the parking lot at The Luxe on Sunset. Teachers and their husbands helped put down flooring and build tents. My mom sewed covers for all the equipment. It was a labor of love, but it kept most of the studio locations afloat. I did have to close Silverlake, but I still consider myself lucky.
Another pandemic silver lining was the creation of Natural Pilates TV. We started offering daily Mat classes in April pf 2020, which was a lifeline for many of us teachers and our studio clients. NPTV is now in its fifth year and is thriving.
Juggling a growing business and my family is sometimes challenging, but I am a person who thrives on activity. My motto is: Each day is a new opportunity to improve yourself! TAKE IT. And make the most of it!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Natural Pilates is a Pilates studio in what many would consider saturated markets (LA and NYC), but what sets us apart is our athletic approach to the classical Pilates repertoire. Our classes are very accessible to all levels and all ages because we focus on simpler, more functional movement patterns and then challenge clients more with increased reps, props and varying spring tension. We have 70-year olds in our group classes who have been with us for 20 years. They’re amazing and their endurance and fitness level are a testament to our method of teaching.
I train all my instructors to focus on the form of their clients. I encourage lots of hands-on cueing because in my experience that helps clients find the correct form and feel the exercises in the correct muscles. We also try to engage with every client in class by learning the names and creating a positive and inviting space to work out.
We are still working on this, but I am very proud that we have created brand consistency across seven locations on both coasts. Clients in New York will get the same amazing class experience in LA and vice-versa. We use state-of-the-art equipment (Reformer, Tower and Chair) and keep our studios very clean. We want our clients to feel that taking class at Natural Pilates is an elevated spa-like experience, but one that is open to everyone, no matter their fitness level. We want everyone to feel welcomed, and we have created administrative and instructor training that all employees take in order to create that feeling.
We offer many class formats – from beginner to advanced, from pre-natal to specialized target-training classes – to meet the needs of all clients whether they are just starting out or have been with us for 2 decades!
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
Every entrepreneur dreams of the reward — freedom, success, impact. But few are willing to face the truth: there is no reward without risk. Risk is the price of progress. Reward is the return for courage.
Over time, I’ve learned a few principles that keep that balance clear:
• Always know your worst-case scenario. If you can survive it, you can take the risk.
• Build safety margins into your risk-taking. Hope for success, but prepare for turbulence.
• Bet on yourself, but do the math first. Confidence is essential — but so is cash flow.
• Surround yourself with advisors who challenge you. Real growth happens when you’re forced to defend your vision with logic, not emotion.
Every time I’ve taken a risk, I’ve learned that courage without calculation is chaos — but calculation without courage is stagnation.
As business owners, we walk a fine line between fear and faith. We risk stability for the promise of something greater. And that’s exactly what sets entrepreneurs apart: the willingness to act despite uncertainty.
Pricing:
- First 3 classes for $100
- 5 group classes for $235
- 10 group classes for $450
- 20 group classes for $800
- Private sessions $135/hour
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.naturalpilates.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/naturalpilates/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NaturalPilatesLA/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/natural-pilates
- Twitter: https://x.com/naturalpilates
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClD6WfZbiIzYUoQ86dtBD7g
- Other: https://www.naturalpilatestv.com
Image Credits
Delia Bush
