How a Growth Mindset Impacts Your Studio Business Success

So in today's episode , we're diving deep into how cultivating a growth mindset can make or break your studio's growth and success . I'm sharing some of the latest research and insights from industry thought leaders to help you really optimize your mindset for both professional and personal growth . Well , hi there , I'm Saren Glanfield .

I'm a business and marketing strategist just for boutique fitness studio owners like you . If you're ready to be inspired and make a bigger impact , you're in the right place . All you need are a few key strategies , the right mindset and some support along the way .

Join me as I share the real-life insights that will help you grow a sustainable and profitable studio . This is the Pilates Business Podcast . Welcome back to another episode of the Pilates Business Podcast . I'm your host , sarah-ann Glanfield , and I'm so glad you're here with me today listening to this specific episode .

As this is , I will have just wrapped up my Thrive at the Beach CEO Retreat , where we dived into a lot of the topic that we are talking about today .

And the reason why I spend quite a lot of time talking about this in that kind of an environment is because of how critical this is to your long-term success for yourself in your career and in your business .

And I think there's a lot of fluff out there when we talk about mindset and we talk about this type of a work , and I've spent quite a lot of time reading and educating myself on the type of mindset that the most successful people out there cultivate , and a while ago I was introduced to a book called the Growth Mindset by Dr Carol Dweck that I'm going to

talk a little bit about today , and there are a number of other books actually that I found really valuable and insightful on this same topic .

When you start to recognize and see how much the way that you approach and think about certain things in your business then impacts the way that you see opportunities , the way that you approach challenges and problems , the way that you see how the potential in your business really exists oh , my goodness , it really is . It really is life changing .

It really really does shift the trajectory of your business is a habit that you kind of have to feed over time . It's not something that you can switch on all of a sudden . It's something that you have to practice and the more you practice , the more it kind of comes into your day to day . So you probably heard the term growth mindset thrown around .

It's not new , it's been around for a while and it's really . This is kind of what I want to kind of dive into with you today and it is a bit of a buzzword , but it really is more than that .

The way that you think , the way that you approach your challenges and even the way that you interpret things that go wrong can really direct the way that you then the next action that you take and the way that you think and feel about your business . And as studio owners I know that there is constant pressure , any business owner .

There is constant pressure from all the different directions , from marketing to management , to meeting the needs of your clients , and some studio owners are able to take that in their stride , while others perhaps even struggle to get off of the starting blocks that struggle to even perhaps make it through that sort of first sort of stage of studio growth , and

oftentimes I see it every single day of the week . It really does come down to mindset , and so I want to talk a bit with you today about how , why having a growth mindset is really , I think , crucial to your long-term success , but also happiness , and how you can perhaps start cultivating this in your own life and in your business as well .

So I want to talk to you about some of the latest or some of the insights that we get from industry . Thought leaders like Dr Carol Dweck , like Simon Sinek people you might have heard of If you haven't .

This is probably about when you're going to go find them on YouTube or Google them , and you'll find that there is a lot of really , really valuable research that they have done on how impactful it can be to really cultivate a specific mindset .

Okay , so I want to talk a little bit and first of all , if you're not familiar with growth mindset versus fixed mindset , this is what Carol Dweck's work is particularly focused on in her book Mindset the New Psychology of Success , and if you read that book , you will know that this is really about how we think , about how we perceive our own abilities and

potential , and she specifically kind of compares these two mindsets . One is a growth mindset and the other is a fixed mindset . So a growth mindset is a belief that our abilities , our intelligence , can be developed with time , with more effort and with sort of a commitment to that development .

And this mindset isn't just about putting in more hours , it's not just about working hard .

It's also about recognizing and embracing some of the challenges that might come up learning from feedback , being able to receive feedback well , perhaps even receive a little bit of criticism , and being able to take that and use that to develop and further your business and your success and your personal growth as well .

A fixed mindset , in contrast , is the belief that our abilities are static . We are the way we are , it's just the way it is . All those kind of things that you often will hear people say that's just how it is , it's just the way it is , it's the way I am .

And that means that that is often linked to this sort of like I am good at A and I'm not good at B , I'm good at this one thing and I'm not good at that . So it's sort of this idea that we are either good at something or we're not good at something . Right , we are either good at something or we're not good at something right .

And so in the context of our world , what this looks like often that I hear is people come to me saying to me I'm not good with numbers or I'm not good at marketing . And often what happens is because perhaps that is a story that we have been telling ourselves for a long time , or perhaps our whole lives .

We often avoid it , we don't often invest in our skill set around it because we've accepted that that's just the way it is . But a growth mindset in that scenario would say well , I'm not so good at numbers , but my business needs me to know it and I know that I can learn it .

A growth mindset would say maybe I don't love social media , but I need to figure out how to make this work for my business . And this very subtle shift in thinking can really make the biggest difference between a studio that is perhaps struggling , that is just getting by , that is plateauing , to one that really , really thrives .

So I'm sure we are all human , we all have this sort of these tendencies . No one is a hundred percent growth mindset and no one is 100% fixed mindset . We kind of have there's sort of a scale and a range for where most of us kind of sit , and different topics , different things will lean us . We will lean more into one or the other right .

Perhaps when it comes to movement and perhaps trying a new movement or pushing yourself when it comes to your movement practice or a particular exercise , you might be more growth mindset . You might think , oh , I can do that , or if I do a little bit extra of this , I know that I can be a bit better at that .

But maybe when it comes to things like writing or numbers , you might be more on the fixed mindset side , and this is a lot to do with a lot of different phases of life and seasons that you're in as well .

So it's really the first kind of step I would say , as always , is awareness and having awareness for where you find yourself showing up with a growth mindset , where you find yourself saying to your teacher , perhaps your instructor , that you maybe take a class or a session with on a regular basis yes , I really want you to challenge me today and I'm open to it

. Right , that will be kind of a growth mindset attitude , and where you're kind of thinking I don't want to hear that or that doesn't apply to me or I don't want to be challenged , I don't want to be sort of , I don't want there to be challenges put in front of me , and it's kind of interesting to where that shows up .

And that's kind of the first step .

So I want to talk a little bit next about how your mindset directly shapes your business decisions , because this is really where the rubber meets the road , because the way that you think about your business and the way your mindset kind of sits , and where your mindset sits when it comes to your business , doesn't just stay in your head .

It actually plays out in every decision that you make , from how you lead your team to how you respond to feedback , to reviews , to suggestions from people , and so it really does play out in real life in your business , and you are experiencing the result of your mindset every single day .

So if you're familiar with Simon Sinek , he wrote quite a few great books . Actually he has a fabulous TED Talk all about your why and your purpose , and I encourage everybody to listen to that TED Talk . It's very insightful and really really valuable .

One of the ones I would recommend you read is called Leaders Eat Last , and if you've read that book you'll know that leadership is about cultivating a culture where your team feels safe to try and to innovate .

And when you have a growth mindset , what we find is that that ripple effect spreads and that growth mindset is something that you find other people may have as well and you might embrace it in others . You might even find that it trickles all the way down to the types of clients that you attract into your studio .

So when you have a growth mindset for your team , it fosters an environment where learning is valued . Perhaps you are more focused on help sort of your team learning more than you are on everyone being absolutely right all the time .

So your team then will feel perhaps more empowered to suggest new ideas , to suggest feedback , to run with an idea , to try new approaches and learn themselves , rather than being so scared to try and scared of failing . And this kind of mindset also is crucial when it comes to perhaps taking some risks in your business .

I know many of you perhaps have thought about launching new types of classes , either this at a different time , or perhaps actually the most interesting sort of phase of the business where I see a fixed mindset show up is when it comes to pricing and with a growth mindset , you might see this as an opportunity to sort of be fluid and to learn and to move

forward . And others will perhaps stay stuck and stagnant with their pricing strategies for years because there is a concern of fear behind that that it would all go wrong and it is the way that it is and people don't have enough money and all of those sort of , I would say , lack mindset versus abundance and growth .

You will find this might show up in lots of different places and , by the way , I'm sharing all this with you , not because there is anything wrong with you if that's where you're at , but perhaps to plant the seed for you of making it , being aware of this , so that maybe there is an opportunity to think a little bit differently about those things , and also

then , therefore , that the trickle effect that it might have on your business Okay . So when you will , you will always embrace or you will always face , I should say , challenges in your business .

There will always be challenges that come along and I think a fixed mindset assumes that if there is a challenge it means that there is a problem with you or your business . But a growth mindset would say challenges happen in a business . Let's focus on moving forward through the challenge .

Let's solve this , because there probably is another one right behind it , and being open to that and being embracing of that and being embracing of what that teaches you and what you might learn from solving those problems , is where there is a lot of potential and opportunity for real growth in your business

. If you are blocking off problems by avoiding them , then you will find that you put roadblocks up all around sort of every business , every sorry , every growth in your opportunity , in your business .

It's sort of like if you were at a crossroads or at a roundabout where there are multiple different directions to go and that is , each one of them has sort of some potential issues , some potential problems , and there is also a huge opportunity on the other side of those .

You're putting roadblocks up in front of every single road and so you're kind of keeping yourself stuck , and that's kind of what a fixed mindset does to the growth of your business . You're stifling your business growth . With a growth mindset , the opposite is true . You're going to have a hard time picking which road to go down .

So there is more opportunities when you're able to shift your perspective a little bit , because a growth mindset really helps you see those obstacles more as opportunities . Okay , so how do we actually cultivate this growth mindset ? And the good news is that this isn't something you have or don't have . Right , that would be a fixed mindset attitude to this .

So if this is something that you don't have or don't have , it's something that you can practice . It's something that you develop over time . And so , you know , I want to share with you just a few things that perhaps might help you .

First of all , simple habits that you can do daily to reflect on your mindset and your approach to challenges can be very , very powerful .

So simply reflecting on the end of each day you know , take a few minutes to think about what went well that day , what you learned out of the things that came up , and even journaling through these , can be really very , very powerful , especially when done on a consistent basis and when you reflect on what you have achieved and reflect on also the obstacles that

you have worked through , then that helps to keep you in a mindset of really continuous improvement . Now , I know life happens , I know that things some days are tougher than others .

I know that you know I have my son is homesick from school today , juggling a lot of different things , and life happens You're all not just wearing one hat in the world and things can get a lot sometimes . So I know that when you're in especially in a stressed out kind of state , you're in a state of some more of higher stress .

It often is more likely that you will fall into a fixed mindset , and again , this is where being aware of that mindset can really help , and mindfulness practices can really help you to stay grounded and focused on your growth mindset , which helps you to keep moving forward , especially helpful during those challenging times .

Now when it comes to growing your business and setting goals , I'm a big fan of the SMART goals framework , as I'm sure many of you are , and that means that goals need to be specific , measurable , achievable , relevant and time bound , and setting goals that challenge you is essential for developing a growth mindset .

Now , the key word that I think is in that is , that is helpful . Inside of the smart goals framework is the third , which is achievable , and oftentimes when we set goals , we are all or nothing , and we are .

I want to make $5 million , or else there's no point , and again , that fixed mindset will keep you small , so we want to make those goals achievable and measurable and with that smart goal framework , it's a tool really that I recommend that you use when you're setting goals , both annually , quarterly , monthly and weekly , to make sure that you are developing your

business in a way that is sustainable to you .

Another kind of tool that I kind of have in my toolkit that I use and I recommend that studio owners that I work with use are affirmations , and we know already from the conversations we've had here today that the stories that we tell ourselves , the way that we interpret things in our life and in our business , really fuels our reactions and our actions , and so

we want to make sure that we are fueling our actions , reactions and our mindset with stories that are empowering . And affirmations can play a huge role in shifting your mindset and also a very , very doable and achievable ways to kind of cultivate that growth mindset .

So , instead of perhaps saying I'm not good at numbers , right , perhaps you can reframe that to I'm learning how to look at my numbers , I'm learning how to do my KPIs , I'm learning how to read a budget . So you are shifting that language ever so slightly , but the repercussions can be quite dramatic and impactful . Okay , and I know that you know when .

What I've observed from working with studio owners is that the more open you are to cultivating this type of mindset , to cultivating opening up , I should say , to opportunities , recognizing that it might not always be easy , but knowing that you have the tools available to you to work through challenges , is so incredibly powerful .

And when I look across the studio owners who are truly doing exceptionally well in this industry , it is because , fundamentally , underneath it all , they have the mindset that their business has needed it from them to be able to grow to the position it is at today . So this isn't about just surviving day to day .

It's about creating that foundation for a sustainable , growing , profitable studio business . Because , underneath it all , it's about resilience .

And when you view challenges as opportunities , you're better equipped to re-navigate the ups and downs of running a business , because you're learning , you're open to learning , you're open to feedback , you're open to suggestions , you're adapting , you're improving , you're refining , you're upgrading , you're up-leveling , which means your studio isn't just surviving , it's always

thriving , it's growing , and so this is . I cannot tell you how critical this truly is to your success . And if you aren't taking the time to think about , think about your mindset . How funny is that ? I really recommend that you perhaps take some time to learn a bit more about some of these different approaches .

The growth mindset Leaders , eat Last by Simon Sinek Dr Carol Dweck , are both excellent resources to really learn how you can foster that growth mindset and truly set yourself up for long-term success , not just in your business , but in every aspect of your life . So as we wrap up today's episode , I wanna remind you that mindset is not a static trait .

It's actually something that you can develop and strengthen over time , and when you're able to shift your perspective , embrace challenges and commit to perhaps ongoing , continuous learning , you're not just setting your studio up for growth and scale , but also yourself for perhaps a more fulfilling and more impactful career .

So take a moment , have a think about your current mindset . Are there areas where you might be holding yourself back , building those roadblocks even for yourself ? Or maybe there are steps that you can take today to start fostering that growth mindset perhaps affirmations setting some smart goals and so on ?

So it's often these very small but very consistent changes that lead to the biggest results that we see in our business . So I hope this is helpful to you as you go about building your boutique fitness studio business .

And if you really enjoyed what you heard today , I'd be so appreciative if you could take a quick minute , go to wherever you're listening to this and rate and review this podcast .

It would mean so much to me and help to get this out there into our community of teachers and instructors so that more people just like you can feel encouraged and supported on their journey in our industry . So that more people just like you can feel encouraged and supported on their journey in our industry . Did you love this episode and want more ?

Head to spring3.com and check out my free resources that will help you run a profitable and fulfilling studio business . And before you go , one last reminder there is no one way to do what you do , only your way . So whatever it is that you want to do , create or offer , you've got this .

Thanks again for joining me today and have a wonderful rest of your day .