Life and Work with Kristi Cooper

Today, we’d like to introduce you to Kristi Cooper.

Before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I started teaching Pilates when I was 15. I assumed I would get a “real” job one day, but I always knew Pilates would be in my life somehow. I simply love it!

In 2009, my best friend’s husband Ted and his business partner John called me to see if I was interested in attempting a business venture with them to stream Pilates videos online. Ted and I had a long history of friendship and one short attempt at creating a video podcast for iTunes. We made one Pilates video and dropped it because of the effort it took to create and because, at the time, we were planning to make all of our videos totally free. When I started to investigate more deeply and I saw what was happening with and to Pilates on YouTube, which is to say it wasn’t the Pilates I had spent more than half my life teaching, I decided we had to do a better job of representing Pilates online. Within one discussion, I knew I had a chance to leave the Pilates landscape better off than when I arrived, so along with my two business partners, John and Ted, we set out to become the first subscription video on demand service for Pilates.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
How many of life’s roads are smooth? The obstacles for me were pretty massive. I barely knew my way around a computer. I was in Santa Barbara where the videos were filmed, while my business partners were in LA. I felt like a “nobody” in the business, despite the desire to convince the rest of the Pilates community that I was trustworthy and that my intent was to leave the Pilates industry better than when I arrived. It was hard, but I was so enthusiastic that I hardly noticed any of those challenges in the beginning. As time went on and we were becoming our definition of successful, the challenges shifted towards teacher selection and managing content from a more integrative place. The challenges continue today and are evolving in a myriad of ways. But I’m going to keep going.

Please tell us more about your work, what you are currently focused on and most proud of.
Pilates Anytime is the largest Pilates video library online, offering access to the teachings of the highest caliber Pilates teachers in the world. With over 3,000 videos, we are proud to provide affordable access to anyone, anywhere, at any time. We specialize in inclusivity and represent over 40 schools of Pilates education from every level – beginning to advanced. We offer tutorials, workshops, and classes both aimed for the Pilates teacher as well as for the general practitioner. I feel proud to represent the teachers and the students who are working daily to share their knowledge of this incredible movement practice. Our practice videos pretty much cover every level, every Pilates apparatus, and most special cases, but I think the most unique aspect to our site is that within the normal subscription, our members have access to the Pilates Legacy Project. The Legacy project aims to be the most extensive online Pilates resource library, offering short documentaries, archival footage of the generation of teachers that came before us, and interviews of the students who help to maintain and preserve our heritage. This project required collaboration and donated materials from the most revered teachers in the industry. It is a great resource for all people participating in Pilates and pretty interesting even for those who aren’t!

Who have you been inspired by?
I had the remarkable experience of working with Oprah Winfrey for several years. In fact, I was her first Pilates teacher. Oprah inspired me long before I met her based on her willingness to listen, to see the potential in others, to believe she could make a difference, and most of all her ability to share generously, knowing the world just works better that way.

My mother inspires me in her ability to adapt to change. Where I suffer at the smallest of transitions, my mother sees the bigger picture and knows what transitions to make for the good of the whole. Even in the worst of times, my mom can adjust and move on. I think I apply that kind of thinking when I teach Pilates, but I still look to my mom for help through the big life-altering decisions.

Pricing:

• Pilatesanytime.com is $18 per month after trial. Cancel anytime.
• Use Promo Code KRISTI for 30 days free.
• Unlimited access to over 3,000 videos, including classes, tutorials, workshops, and discussions.

Contact Info:

• Website: pilatesanytime.com
• Email: support@pilatesanytime.com
• Instagram: pilatesanytimeus
• Facebook: Pilates Anytime

Image Credit:
Pilates Anytime

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