#5 // Emma Stallworthy, Your Reformer // How a Lockdown Spark Became a Global Pilates Company

In this episode, I’m joined by Emma Stallworthy, co-founder of Your Reformer - the brand bringing the full studio Pilates experience into homes and commercial spaces across Australia, New Zealand and the U.S. What began as Emma’s personal shift from HIIT to Pilates during a challenging fertility chapter became a bold idea in lockdowns: studio-grade, design-led reformers paired with an on-demand class platform. You’ll hear how Emma and her husband Ben sold their Melbourne gym chain, bootstrapped early content (including shoots while 35 weeks pregnant!), and built an “affordable luxury” product that people are proud to keep in their living rooms. We get into manufacturing, thoughtful brand and app design, scaling via D2C and fast-growing B2B partnerships, and the realities of building a global company with your life partner. Emma shares how passion is operationalised in their team - and leaves us with two powerful takeaways for anyone with a bold idea. [00:00:00] – Introduction: Meet Emma Stallworthy, co-founder of Your Reformer [00:04:10] – The Spark: Fertility struggles, nervous-system balance, and discovering Pilates [00:07:45] – Strength from Stillness: Movement as meditation [00:13:40] – Lockdowns & Opportunity: Renting reformers, Zoom classes, and on-demand insights [00:17:25] – The Leap: Selling the gyms, a week on Hamilton Island, and a new mission [00:20:05] – Building the Machine: Finding the right manufacturer; foldable but durable [00:26:15] – Brand in 3D: Premium visuals, app + website cohesion, and an iconic photoshoot [00:29:50] – Values in Action: Hiring for passion, training every new starter, living the guidelines [00:33:10] – D2C vs B2B: Why studios & gyms adopt reformer + software (yield, retention, referrals) [00:37:25] – Going Global: AU/NZ to U.S., local hubs, and smart market sequencing [00:45:20] – Vision & Next 12 Months: Software roadmaps and measured expansion [00:48:10] – Advice for Bold Ideas: Start before you’re ready - and find someone to lean on [00:50:00] – Where to Find Emma & Your Reformer Find Your Reformer at https://yourreformer.com.au/ and Instagram @yourreformer To get in touch, DM us via Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boldideas_au/