141: It's A Feeling ft. Sydney Dumler

In this episode, host Alex sits down with Sydney Dumler — founder and CEO of Forza Pilates, Nashville's most talked-about wellness brand and cult-following luxury studio trusted by Kelsea Ballerini, Sabrina Carpenter, and Kacey Musgraves — for a conversation about what it really means to build a brand that doesn't just look like luxury, but feels like it from the moment you walk in the door.Sydney came to Nashville to be a pop star. She left Belmont with a Music Business degree, moved into studio management, worked her way up to Director of Operations overseeing 75 employees at 22 years old, and then did what every great operator eventually does — she stopped building someone else's vision and started building her own. Forza Pilates launched in 2022, and within two years earned recognition from The New York Times, landed a second location inside Soho House, and built a product line, retreat series, and digital platform that positions the brand squarely at the intersection of fitness, fashion, and lifestyle. And every single celebrity client who has walked through the door? They paid to be there.She didn't chase the aesthetic. She obsessed over the feeling. The way the towels are folded. What the studio smells like. What it means to walk into a space where your name is remembered. Because to Sydney, luxury was never about price — it was always about hospitality. And that distinction is exactly why Forza works.💬 Topics we cover:What luxury actually means in a fitness studio — and why Sydney thinks hospitality is the word we should be using insteadHow a 2-million-view TikTok criticizing her prices led to one of Forza's most iconic branding decisionsThe Soho House story — how the worst thing that happened to her in year one accidentally gave her a second locationWhy all of Forza's celebrity clients came organically — and what the Nashville community makes possible that most cities can'tHow she takes inspiration from Chanel and fashion houses rather than other fitness brands — and what that means for her creative directionWhat she did when a major client experience went wrong — and why she showed up in person instead of sending an emailWhy she stayed the face of the brand even as the team grew — and what founder-led marketing has done for Forza's growthWhat she'd tell any founder who is waiting to feel ready before they moveIf you've ever wondered what separates a brand people talk about from one people are obsessed with — this is the episode for you.New episodes drop every Monday. Ready to Cultivate? Hit Subscribe.⛺️ Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Camp Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📝 Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎥 Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on CultivateConnect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⛺️ Learn more about ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Camp Collective⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠📝 Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠🎥 Follow Cultivate with Alex Canavan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apply⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to be a guest on CultivateConnect with Alex Canavan, the host of Cultivate on her ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠This episode is brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Diam Media Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠