Meet Lesley Clayton | Pilates Instructor, Studio Owner

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

Hi Lesley, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
You can’t succeed without taking risks, but the only risks you should take are ones that are calculated at length. I felt confident signing a lease once I laid out all of my worst case scenarios and realized I could still handle what I was taking on.

Your reason for taking a career risk should be motivated by an unwavering belief in what you are creating and an aim toward sustainability. Figure out your logistics so you can continue to do it at a pace that eventually keeps you sane and protects your passion for it. If you are trying to replicate another studio/business because you see their success, while lacking a sincere belief in what you are creating, then I would highly advise against taking that risk.

What should our readers know about your business?
Train Pilates Studio is an authentic Pilates studio specializing in private and small group Pilates classes located in the Bluffview neighborhood of Dallas. All seven of our instructors are comprehensively educated through accredited programs requiring a minimum of 450 hours of training.

I opened up Train in 2018 after three years of building a consistent client-base and searching for a space. I hired my first instructor and have since grown into a larger location with a staff that I am extremely proud of. Clients come to our studio searching for the missing link in their workout. Our instructors have the knowledge to modify your movements, retrain inefficient movement patterns and create real change in people’s bodies.

We are just over four years old now and have gone through changes and have faced many challenges just like any other business. Staying the course with our philosophy of reeducating people how to move is only part of the reason for Train’s success. Train Pilates Studio wouldn’t be standing without the mentorship, manual labor and acts of kindness from my family, friends, clients and incredible team of talented instructors.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I am not a born and raised Dallas Texan, so I feel slightly like an imposter giving the best advice for this. I will say that Dallas is one of the greatest spots for Tex-Mex that I cannot seem to get tired of. The Mesero restaurants are still a favorite, but my number one spot will always be Doce Mesas on McKinney Ave. The only other thing I would do is plan a weekend around a Stars game at American Airlines.

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?
Angela Pawlicki Diamond, owner of Amplified Pilates Center in Chicago, was my mentor at the early stages of my Pilates career. She built her business from the ground up into the huge success that it is now. Angie is the optime of professionalism and consistency in teaching great Pilates. I can truly say I applied everything I’ve learned from her to how I run my studio in Dallas.

Website: https://trainpilatesstudio.com/

Instagram: @trainpilatesstudio

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/trainpilatesstudio

Image Credits
Beckley Photography