From Patient to Instructor: Building a Global Community with Hilal Leigh

This week I sat down with Hilal Lee — certified STOTT Pilates instructor, studio founder, app creator, and the 2024 Pilates Journal Instructor of the Year — based out of Dubai and reaching Pilates lovers everywhere through her mobile app and social media community. Hilal's story is not your typical career pivot. A serious neck injury in 2014 that left the left side of her body temporarily paralyzed became the turning point that led her to leave a successful corporate career and pursue Pilates full time. What struck me most about her story is not just the courage it took to make that leap, but the sheer discipline and strategic thinking she brought to it. She had a plan — and she worked it. In this episode, we covered: Leaving corporate behind — why a near-paralysis experience became the catalyst for a completely new life, and why she says she might never have left without it The romanticization of becoming a Pilates instructor — what it actually takes, including years of early-morning and late-night shifts, continuous education, and learning in a second language Why solid training matters more than ever — with weekend certifications flooding the market, we got into why a rigorous foundation (and ongoing education) isn't optional if you want to truly serve your clients Building a one-to-one practice and staying sane — the isolation of solo teaching, and how community, workshops, and getting out to events is what keeps the spark alive Creating the Hilal Pilates app — how she built a mat-based library of 250+ classes from scratch, during COVID, with a baby at home, and why knowing your audience is everything Pricing yourself fairly — a conversation I know so many of us need to have. Hilal's perspective: benchmark your peers, trust your education, and know your market. You have earned it. Pilates as a foundation for everything — whether your clients go on to lift weights, play pickleball, or just want to pick something up off the floor without pain, we are giving people the tools to move well for life Face fitness and fascia — Hilal's newest certification and why posture work from the neck down shows up everywhere, including on your face ~ Connect With Hilal ~ Instagram - @hilalleighpilates Website - hilalleighpilates.com ~ Connect With Me ~ Instagram - @adriana.rotella Website - adrianarotella.ca