Our next account of Pilates career transitions comes from Brandi Albright.  Like Julie, Brandi had a full-time corporate job when she fell for Pilates.  Ever a goal-setter, Brandi determines what she desires and achieves it.  From part-time teaching in the evenings to presently teaching at 3 studios and averaging 25-28 hours a week, she is an example of being a Pilates instructor and maintaining the lifestyle corporate jobs have to offer.  Find out how she does it...

"Over the course of my life I have had some pretty amazing job opportunities.  I have worked in fashion to e-commerce start-ups. I have worked in the capacity of an administrative grunt, all the way up to department director.  One of the biggest complaints I had about working in the corporate world was the ridiculous hours and workload thrown my way with no personal gratification.  In contrast to this, one of the best perks about working in the corporate world was the consistent paycheck and health benefits.  All of that being said, nothing compares to the job I have now: Pilates instructor.  I have some of the most AMAZING clients on the planet, who bring a smile to my face every day.  How many people actually look forward to going to work, and get to laugh and have a good time? I have an incredible life.

My journey in Pilates began when I started having severe back pains stemming from my scoliosis coupled with my constant desk duties.  I was searching for something--anything--that would provide relief.  I must admit, I thought my initial Pilates sessions were boring, and silly (breathing for an hour???) and my back still hurt the next day. However, I decided to stick with it...just to see if Joe's promise of a new body in 30 sessions was true. To me, this was a money back guarantee; because if I didn't 'feel', 'see', or 'have' a difference after 30 sessions I was most assuredly asking for my money back! Needless to say, I never asked for a refund.  In fact, I almost went broke trying to afford as many sessions as I could. I had discovered a whole new world that was physically demanding, mentally stimulating and really helped my body look and feel great. It was at this point I decided I needed to learn to teach myself because this was something I needed to do every day.

I began the certification program while working at a very demanding job.  I think every test level it was a struggle for me to manage the hours of observation and self practice. However, somehow I managed to create a suitable schedule to get things done. I believe if you really want to achieve something, you can. Following my certification I would go to work during the day (9-5) and leave to teach Pilates at night (6-9). I was sort of like Batman...er...Bat-woman (is there a Bat-woman?). Although challenging at times, the gradual transition of teaching part-time allowed me to build my resume while also maintaining a stable income from my corporate gig. A year later though, my company decided it needed to 'trim the fat' due to the economic downturn.  It was at this point I remembered something that Jill said during our training session: 'You are learning a skill that will enable you to always have a job.' It turns out she was right.  

I threw myself into teaching full-time. It was either that or not eat. The initial transition from corporate to sole proprietor was HARD. I had to go through a business basics boot camp for entrepreneurship. I had to adjust to paycheck estimates verses consistent dividends. I had to allot for taxes at the end of the year. I had to downsize and determine what disposable income items would have to be eliminated. It probably took about 5 months to stabilize and organize my life. Now, I have been teaching full-time for over a year and am booked daily. I even have the luxury of turning down jobs and selecting the hours I want to teach. Oh, and all those disposable income items I had to eliminate months prior have mysteriously returned to my budget!  In five years I hope to have opened 2 studios in California and 2 back east where I am from. I know the prospect of opening 4 studios sounds  bit crazy.  However, doesn't being a Pilates teacher FULL-TIME sound crazy? Well I am, and I'm pretty successful at it. I have NO desire to go back to the corporate world. EVER. Hands down Pilates Technique certification was one of the best decisions I have ever made in my life."