Bringing Pilates home to Harlem

Before opening the doors to her first Pilates studio, Tiffany Mason wrote down a number on a piece of paper: 20. At the time, she had only taught Pilates out of her one-bedroom Harlem apartment, with barely enough space to fit a small group of students. But she had a vision of purchasing 20 reformers — a type of specialized and expensive Pilates equipment that uses resistance to deepen muscle engagement — and opening her own brick-and-mortar studio in Harlem.

What she didn’t realize then was how much would happen before she could reach that goal, including a global pandemic. Luckily, Tiffany is someone who’s as strong on the inside as she is on the outside. Her determination continues to pay off, most recently with the opening of her third location of Harlem Pilates.

Falling in love with the reformer

Tiffany has always loved to move. She grew up in a big family, and her mother enrolled her and her four siblings in sports from an early age to keep them busy. “I had a sport for every season,” she says, “from soccer to basketball to lacrosse.” Those experiences taught her the importance of exercise — not just to help her feel good in her own body but also to quiet her mind.

In college, Tiffany started doing yoga and enjoyed the discipline of the practice. That eventually led her to take her first Pilates class. From the very start, she knew something was different. “When I got on the reformer for the first time, I knew it was special,” she says. “I fell in love and knew that I wanted to share it.”

Closing a gap in the market

Harlem is home for Tiffany. When she first started doing Pilates, there were no studios in her beloved neighborhood, so she had to commute long distances to take a class. She realized she probably wasn’t alone. “I knew that if I was facing inconveniences like going to Brooklyn or going downtown to get to a Pilates studio, I wasn’t the only one,” she says.

It was at this intersection of Tiffany’s newfound passion and her desire for a local studio that the idea for Harlem Pilates was born. At first, Tiffany was teaching classes out of her apartment while still working full time as an executive assistant — just one example of her resourceful, can-do spirit. After a few months, though, she was itching to expand into a commercial space.

“I was contacting different brokers and real estate agents, working, saving money. I knew that my idea was bigger than teaching out of my apartment, but I didn’t know it was going to require two years of working to actually reach that reality,” she says.

The yes that changed everything

Finally, Tiffany signed a lease on the perfect spot. “To be quite honest, I was shocked that my first landlord said yes,” she recalls. “I was like, ‘You’re going to let little old me with this little amount of money in my bank account rent from you? You’re telling me yes?’”

That first yes changed everything. After years of crunching numbers and dreaming up possibilities, she was positioned to bring her vision to life. “Sometimes you just need the right person to say yes to the right opportunity,” she says.

By the beginning of 2020, Tiffany had updated the space, bought a handful of reformers and opened the aptly named Harlem Pilates in the heart of her neighborhood — right before the COVID-19 pandemic. Just as Harlem Pilates opened its doors, every other studio closed theirs.

“The studio opened a month before the lockdowns, so I didn’t have any clients,” she says. “Virtual classes weren’t an option. It was a lot of waiting, paying what I could, communicating openly and holding on.”

Tiffany credits her relationship with her landlord for getting her through those first difficult months. Without their clear communication and mutual understanding, she doesn’t know whether Harlem Pilates would be where it is today.

“I'm usually pretty positive and confident, but this was the first time I was scared,” she says. “I literally asked myself, Why did I do this?” Without a business partner, Tiffany felt utterly alone in shouldering the burden of a new space and no one to fill it.

Tapping into inner strength

Ever the optimist, Tiffany now sees her experience of opening during the pandemic as part of her success. “As more people were teaching out of their homes, we were open. In a way, I think it led to us being disruptors in the space because we got to be the new leaders of this movement and this big boom that you’re seeing,” she says.

As Harlem Pilates began to regularly fill with students, Tiffany seized the opportunity to expand. In 2021, she crowdfunded her way to a second location with additional class and equipment offerings. Three years later, she opened a third, larger space — and still has a consistent waitlist for classes.

“Persevering came down to knowing myself and having an understanding of my neighborhood and the market,” Tiffany says. “In retrospect, everything makes sense. I’m so happy that I followed my instincts. There was fear, but also confidence.”

Using credit to create a haven

Like much of New York City, Harlem is bursting with vibrant energy. But step inside the doors of a Harlem Pilates studio, and you would never know that you’re in one of the busiest neighborhoods in Manhattan.

Tiffany designed each of her three Harlem studios to evoke a sense of clarity that can be hard to find in New York. “Style-wise, our look is the opposite of Harlem because it’s so noisy out there,” she says. “We want you to step in here and feel 45 minutes of calm.”

The design aesthetic is integral to the experience and an important piece of what makes Harlem Pilates so special. Tiffany had the vision for her studios early on, and she used the Ink Business Cash^® Credit Card to help bring it life.

“Chase was the only bank that gave me a business credit card,” she says. “We used it to buy chairs and other little things that make the space feel comfortable and help us operate at the high standard that I feel my community deserves.” She also uses the cash back she earns from her purchases to reinvest in her business.

“Throughout the financial part of our business, Chase has been a great resource,” she says. “They’re a huge part of why we’re here.”

A new legacy

Having overcome years of challenges to bring Harlem Pilates to life, Tiffany feels like her business is finally thriving — and only positioned to grow. She says, “I’m a hundred percent confident in Harlem Pilates’ future.”

Harlem is known around the world for its arts, history and culture. And thanks to her entrepreneurial spirit and perseverance, Tiffany is creating a whole new movement by reforming Harlem to be a haven for Pilates.

Discover Chase’s flexible product line

If you’re looking to start, manage or grow your business, consider reaching out to a Chase business banker. Contact your nearest Chase branch to learn more about how our products and services can help you strengthen your business. And for a glimpse into Harlem Pilates and to hear from Tiffany herself, check out our video spotlight.