I recently went one-on-one with Jade Winter. Jade is a former Olympian and is the co-founder and CEO of Studio Pilates International.
Adam: Thanks again for taking the time to share your advice. First things first, though, I am sure readers would love to learn more about you. How did you get here? What experiences, failures, setbacks, or challenges have been most instrumental to your growth?
Jade: Thanks, Adam – I really appreciate the opportunity.
I got here through a mix of passion, grit, and a refusal to quit, even when things got tough, and they often did. People often see where the brand is now – the global footprint, the polished studios, the growth – but what they don’t always see are the years of struggle, uncertainty, and relentless problem-solving that happened behind the scenes.
I grew up in Kingaroy, a small outback town in Queensland, Australia. Life was simple and opportunities were limited, but from a young age, I was drawn to movement. Ironically, I first got into swimming because I nearly drowned as a toddler in our backyard pool. What started as a safety measure quickly turned into a lifelong passion that ultimately led me to represent Australia in the 1996 Olympic Games.
After retiring from professional sport, I felt pulled back to that discovery. I knew Pilates had the potential to transform lives far beyond the athletic world. Around that time, I met my wife, Tanya – a fellow swimmer and a qualified physical therapist – and together we dreamed up what would eventually become Studio Pilates International, with just a $10,000 credit card advance, which certainly wasn’t glamorous – it was risky and scary.
We had no investors, no roadmap, and no safety net of any kind. Tanya and I did everything ourselves. Every cent mattered, and every mistake hurt. But those early days taught me resourcefulness and built a level of resilience I still draw on every day.
I’ve also had to grow through plenty of business and leadership setbacks, learning that just because I had the vision didn’t mean I had all the answers, and I couldn’t do everything. I’ve had to develop the ability to let go, to trust others, to build systems that empower people rather than trying to do everything myself. That’s been one of the hardest but most rewarding shifts from founder to leader.
What’s gotten me through it all is the same mindset I developed as an athlete: discipline, humility, and a belief that showing up with purpose every single day will move you forward – even if it’s just by one inch.
Adam: What is your most meaningful memory from your Olympic experience? And what is something that would surprise people about the life of an Olympian?
Jade: One of my most meaningful memories was walking into the Opening Ceremony, surrounded by the world’s best athletes, under the Australian flag. That moment was surreal. It was electric. Years of early mornings, sacrifices, setbacks, and relentless training all led to that one walk, in that one stadium, with the world watching. It was emotional and grounding at the same time. It reminded me that hard work, done quietly over the years, does lead somewhere extraordinary.
What might surprise people is how unglamorous the day-to-day life of an athlete really is. It’s not red carpets and magazine covers, it’s alarm clocks going off before sunrise, saying no to parties and vacations, and repeating the same drills over and over with extreme discipline. It’s lonely at times, but it also builds a mindset that never leaves you.
Adam: What are the best lessons you learned from your Olympic experience?
Jade: That chapter of my life shaped everything that followed, not just in sport, but in business and leadership. Training for the Olympics taught me far more than how to work hard. It instilled resilience, discipline, mental toughness, and an unshakeable work ethic. Those lessons became the foundation for how I built Studio Pilates International.
One of the biggest takeaways was that success isn’t about talent alone. Everyone at that level is talented, but the people who make it are the ones who can show up consistently, push through discomfort, and stay laser-focused on long-term goals, even when progress feels painfully slow. You learn that plateaus aren’t failures, they’re just part of the process. That mindset has been invaluable in business. There’s no shortcut. You must be willing to keep turning up, even when it’s hard, even when no one’s clapping yet.
While I was still competing, I was introduced to Pilates as a cross-training tool, and it completely opened my eyes. I saw firsthand how powerful it was for injury prevention, recovery, mobility, and core strength. It made me feel stronger in the pool and more in control of my body. There was nothing else like it. That experience planted a seed, I knew Pilates had the potential to help everyone, from athletes to everyday people, in a way traditional fitness couldn’t.
And just like preparing for the Olympics, building a business takes a team. You need a coachable mindset, a willingness to listen, and the humility to learn from every failure. Swimming taught me all of that, and it’s still how I approach leadership today.
Ultimately, my Olympic experience taught me to chase goals that feel just out of reach and to never back off from discomfort. That mindset helped me build my company into a global brand, and it’s what continues to drive me every day.
Adam: How did you come up with your business idea and know it was worth pursuing? What advice do you have for others on how to come up with and test business ideas?
Jade: The idea really came from my own experience as an athlete and my discovery of Pilates as a powerful training tool. After retiring from competitive swimming, I saw how Pilates could transform strength, recovery, and body awareness in a way that traditional workouts didn’t. We (Tanya and I) were quintessential solopreneurs, we wore all the hats that a small business owner wears.
After seven years in a single location, Tanya and I had each instructed more than 50,000 classes (for a total of over 100,000 classes between the two of us). That studio was the start of something much bigger than we ever imagined… It led us to have a clear vision going forward: to help combine the precision of physical therapy, the grit of elite sport, and the feel-good factor of a luxury experience into one efficient, 40-minute workout.
We moved to a new venue, incorporating our new vision and strategy, which we then intensively road-tested for three years before proceeding into franchising. Today, Studio Pilates International operates in six countries and continues to grow rapidly. But it all started with a belief that it’s about how the workout experience makes people feel about themselves that makes the true impact.
My advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to begin with something you have a deep understanding of and genuine passion for. Then, establish standard operating procedures for all processes, develop training programs for consistent execution, and continuously test and adapt your idea. Starting small and maintaining close connections with your customers allows you to build something truly desirable.
Adam: What are the key steps you have taken to grow your business? What advice do you have for others on how to take their businesses to the next level?
Jade: When we decided to scale, we treated the business like a franchise even before it officially became one. We created clear procedures and systems that worked consistently, no matter who was involved. After ten years proving the model and unit economics, we knew it could run without us.
Franchising was a natural next step, not just about chasing growth, but because the foundation was ready. We then focused on strategic territory mapping, thorough training programs, centralized education, and strong pre-launch marketing to set each new studio up for success.
My advice is to focus first on perfecting your core product or service. Make sure you have a proven, consistent model before trying to scale. Build strong systems and processes that deliver quality no matter who’s involved. Next, listen closely to your customers and team, and be ready to adapt. Scaling isn’t just about growth – it’s about sustainable growth that maintains your brand’s integrity and delivers real value. Finally, invest in the right infrastructure and people to support your expansion. Growth is a marathon, not a sprint, so be patient and intentional every step of the way.
Adam: What are your best sales and marketing tips?
Jade: One of the most important lessons I’ve learned is that long-term sales and marketing success starts with a product or service that fills a genuine need for a customer. It also isn’t just about selling the product or service – it’s about building a clear, repeatable system that others can follow to achieve the same great results. Whether you’re growing a franchise or scaling any business, consistency is the name of the game.
Before you think about expanding a business, you need to ask yourself: Can someone else step into this business, this role, follow a system, and get the same great outcome? If it relies too much on your own personal talent or relationships, it’s a sign you’ve got work to do. That’s not a business, that’s a job with overhead.
Also, walk the walk when it comes to sales. If you can’t sell your own product or service, nobody else will figure it out for you. Especially not someone who isn’t financially invested in the business the way you are. From there, build systems around it. Don’t just rely on charisma when selling, document what works, script the best conversations, automate what you can, and create tools your team can use. Make success replicable.
And finally, be clear on your mission, your values, and your non-negotiables. Sales and marketing aren’t just about customer acquisition, they’re brand-building tools. Every ad, every email, and every word of copywriting should reinforce who you are, what you stand for, and why it matters. If you don’t have that defined yet, invest the time to get it right and then share it with your team, your customers, and anyone who will listen.
Adam: In your experience, what are the defining qualities of an effective leader? How can leaders and aspiring leaders take their leadership skills to the next level?
Jade: The most effective leaders I’ve observed – and tried to become – share a few defining traits: clarity, consistency, humility, and an unshakable sense of purpose. Leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating a vision so clear that others want to help build it with you and then showing up relentlessly to make it a reality.
To take your leadership to the next level, you must be open to discomfort. Growth requires it. Surround yourself with people who’ll challenge your thinking, not just validate it. Build systems that hold you accountable. And be willing to do the internal work, because great leadership isn’t just about managing others. It’s about managing yourself first. I think true leadership is about impact. Leadership can come from any level within an organization, it’s not a top-down type of thing. And the more you grow your capacity to serve others, the more powerful your leadership becomes.
Adam: What are your three best tips applicable to entrepreneurs, executives, and civic leaders?
Jade:
- Stay Mission-Driven: Always keep your core purpose front and center – it guides decisions and motivates your team through challenges.
- Build Strong Systems: Whether in business or community, consistent processes create reliability and scalability.
- Invest in People: Train them, never blame them. Creating in-house training programs for your staff is the linchpin to success. Leadership is about enabling others to succeed, training provides the framework for this.
Adam: What is the single best piece of advice you have ever received?
Jade: The advice I return to repeatedly comes from Jocko Willink: “Discipline equals freedom.” It might sound paradoxical at first, but I’ve found it to be profoundly true in sports, business, and in life. For me, “Discipline equals freedom” isn’t just a quote, it’s a leadership philosophy. It’s how we built Studio Pilates. It’s how we scale with integrity. And it’s how I personally stay grounded while pushing forward at full speed.
