For Ainsley Hightower, the path to business ownership was completely unexpected. With a background in journalism and a long career in marketing strategy and fundraising, the mother of three simply wanted an outlet to find herself amidst the chaos of early motherhood. She started out taking fitness classes and eventually became an instructor at the NEIGHBORHOOD barre in Memphis. When the original owner offered to sell her the struggling studio, Hightower hesitated at first. Thanks to some soul-searching at a yoga retreat and encouragement from her father, owner of multiple restaurant franchises, she realized it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Despite taking over the business at an incredibly busy time in her life, Hightower leveraged her marketing background and the brand's franchise support to completely turn the studio's finances around, bringing it out of the red and into profitability within just seven months. Now, three years after taking the reins, she has driven 30% year-over-year growth. Building on this incredible turnaround, Hightower recently signed a lease to open her second NEIGHBORHOOD barre studio, fulfilling her long-term goal of bringing the fitness brand to her home community of Germantown, Tennessee.
1851 Franchise spoke with Hightower about her unexpected journey into business ownership and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Ainsley Hightower: I went to the University of Mississippi for journalism and had a long career in marketing strategy and fundraising. My path to becoming a barre business owner had nothing to do with what I’ve done in my career. About five years ago, a friend who was an instructor at the studio asked if I would be interested in coming in and doing some teaching. I have three little boys, and I had just had my second child, so I thought it would be great to do something that let me find myself a little bit. I auditioned, became an instructor, and eventually left my full-time career to work freelance from home and teach classes. Then, six months after my third son was born, the original owner of the Memphis studio came to me and said she was selling the studio and offered to sell it to me.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Hightower: When the owner first offered to sell me the studio, I declined because I had a six-month-old and two other little boys. Around the same time, my yoga studio was running a yoga teacher training I completed, and I felt a pull on my spirit. I realized that I did want to own a fitness studio. Two weeks later, the owner came back and said she still thought I should buy it. My husband, who is a commercial banker, looked at the numbers and was hesitant because the studio was in the red. I talked to my dad, who owns a couple of food franchises, and he told me it's not every day someone basically gives you a business. I knew what it took, and I knew I could do it, so I went back to my husband and said, "We're doing it!" He got on board- he knows when I set my mind to something, I won’t allow myself to fail.
1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Hightower: I honestly didn’t have much knowledge of franchising. Because I didn't expect to be a business owner, I knew almost embarrassingly little information—I didn't even know that I was going to have to pay royalties. However, I will always tell people that I could not have done it if it weren't a franchise. The support, the guidance, and the built-in team are big reasons my business is successful. The resources taught me so much about running my business, making money, and meeting my goals.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Hightower: From a barre lover's perspective, there is no other brand with the variety of formats that our brand has. You don't find that anywhere else. I really appreciate that the brand and leadership are constantly looking to keep that evolution going so that we don't get pigeonholed.
It's really exciting that no matter what's trendy or what people are looking for, you can make a client's experience match their needs. I also love that our classes are so accessible. There's a modification and an advancement for every single thing we do, so everyone is making the class their own.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Hightower: We actually just signed the lease for our second studio. People in Memphis kept asking if I was going to open a location in the suburbs where we live. We noticed a space with a "for lease" sign right near our house, and all the pieces fell into place. Opening a second location has been the goal for so long and there’s still so much to do, so that’s still the dream.
Beyond that, my main goal is for someone to hear NEIGHBORHOOD barre and know exactly who we are and where we are in my community. I want to build brand recognition around Memphis and for people to associate our studio with an effective, inclusive and all-around fun workout
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Hightower: My best advice for other franchisees is not to be afraid to pay for help and delegate. If you have to pay more for help and take home less so your quality of life is better, it's worth it every time and you won’t experience burnout as often.
I also tell people that your franchise is only as successful as much as you are present. People have to know your face and associate you with the business. At the same time, remember it's still just a job. I'm a mom and a wife first, so those things are still top priority. You have to find a good balance of showing up and staying on top of everything, without feeling like you have to do it all and control it all.
About NEIGHBORHOOD barre
Founded in 2011 by Katy Richardson, NEIGHBORHOOD barre delivers a fresh, modern approach to fitness, one that is welcoming, effective, and rooted in community spirit. With studios across the United States, NEIGHBORHOOD barre combines low-impact, high-result training with an inclusive atmosphere that empowers clients of all fitness levels. For more, please visit www.neighborhoodbarre.com.
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Starting as an instructor as an outlet outside of motherhood, Ainsley Hightower took a leap of faith to purchase the Memphis studio and is now preparing to open her second location in the suburbs.
For Ainsley Hightower, the path to business ownership was completely unexpected. With a background in journalism and a long career in marketing strategy and fundraising, the mother of three simply wanted an outlet to find herself amidst the chaos of early motherhood. She started out taking fitness classes and eventually became an instructor at the NEIGHBORHOOD barre in Memphis. When the original owner offered to sell her the struggling studio, Hightower hesitated at first. Thanks to some soul-searching at a yoga retreat and encouragement from her father, owner of multiple restaurant franchises, she realized it was the opportunity of a lifetime.
Despite taking over the business at an incredibly busy time in her life, Hightower leveraged her marketing background and the brand's franchise support to completely turn the studio's finances around, bringing it out of the red and into profitability within just seven months. Now, three years after taking the reins, she has driven 30% year-over-year growth. Building on this incredible turnaround, Hightower recently signed a lease to open her second NEIGHBORHOOD barre studio, fulfilling her long-term goal of bringing the fitness brand to her home community of Germantown, Tennessee.
1851 Franchise spoke with Hightower about her unexpected journey into business ownership and her plans for the future. Here’s what she had to say:
1851 Franchise: Frame your personal story for us. What do you want us to know?
Ainsley Hightower: I went to the University of Mississippi for journalism and had a long career in marketing strategy and fundraising. My path to becoming a barre business owner had nothing to do with what I’ve done in my career. About five years ago, a friend who was an instructor at the studio asked if I would be interested in coming in and doing some teaching. I have three little boys, and I had just had my second child, so I thought it would be great to do something that let me find myself a little bit. I auditioned, became an instructor, and eventually left my full-time career to work freelance from home and teach classes. Then, six months after my third son was born, the original owner of the Memphis studio came to me and said she was selling the studio and offered to sell it to me.
1851: What did you do before franchising, and how did you decide franchising made sense for you?
Hightower: When the owner first offered to sell me the studio, I declined because I had a six-month-old and two other little boys. Around the same time, my yoga studio was running a yoga teacher training I completed, and I felt a pull on my spirit. I realized that I did want to own a fitness studio. Two weeks later, the owner came back and said she still thought I should buy it. My husband, who is a commercial banker, looked at the numbers and was hesitant because the studio was in the red. I talked to my dad, who owns a couple of food franchises, and he told me it's not every day someone basically gives you a business. I knew what it took, and I knew I could do it, so I went back to my husband and said, "We're doing it!" He got on board- he knows when I set my mind to something, I won’t allow myself to fail.
1851: What was your perception of franchising prior to becoming a franchisee, and what do you want people to know about franchising now that you are in it?
Hightower: I honestly didn’t have much knowledge of franchising. Because I didn't expect to be a business owner, I knew almost embarrassingly little information—I didn't even know that I was going to have to pay royalties. However, I will always tell people that I could not have done it if it weren't a franchise. The support, the guidance, and the built-in team are big reasons my business is successful. The resources taught me so much about running my business, making money, and meeting my goals.
1851: What made you pick this brand? What excites you most about this company?
Hightower: From a barre lover's perspective, there is no other brand with the variety of formats that our brand has. You don't find that anywhere else. I really appreciate that the brand and leadership are constantly looking to keep that evolution going so that we don't get pigeonholed.
It's really exciting that no matter what's trendy or what people are looking for, you can make a client's experience match their needs. I also love that our classes are so accessible. There's a modification and an advancement for every single thing we do, so everyone is making the class their own.
1851: What do you hope to achieve with your business? What are your plans for growth?
Hightower: We actually just signed the lease for our second studio. People in Memphis kept asking if I was going to open a location in the suburbs where we live. We noticed a space with a "for lease" sign right near our house, and all the pieces fell into place. Opening a second location has been the goal for so long and there’s still so much to do, so that’s still the dream.
Beyond that, my main goal is for someone to hear NEIGHBORHOOD barre and know exactly who we are and where we are in my community. I want to build brand recognition around Memphis and for people to associate our studio with an effective, inclusive and all-around fun workout
1851: What advice do you have for other people thinking about becoming franchise owners?
Hightower: My best advice for other franchisees is not to be afraid to pay for help and delegate. If you have to pay more for help and take home less so your quality of life is better, it's worth it every time and you won’t experience burnout as often.
I also tell people that your franchise is only as successful as much as you are present. People have to know your face and associate you with the business. At the same time, remember it's still just a job. I'm a mom and a wife first, so those things are still top priority. You have to find a good balance of showing up and staying on top of everything, without feeling like you have to do it all and control it all.
About NEIGHBORHOOD barre
Founded in 2011 by Katy Richardson, NEIGHBORHOOD barre delivers a fresh, modern approach to fitness, one that is welcoming, effective, and rooted in community spirit. With studios across the United States, NEIGHBORHOOD barre combines low-impact, high-result training with an inclusive atmosphere that empowers clients of all fitness levels. For more, please visit www.neighborhoodbarre.com.
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