February 26, 2017

Meet Nikkita Weerasinghe of BeneFIT Body in Woodland Hills

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikkita Weerasinghe.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story?
My journey to owning a studio happened organically. I was in Nursing School at San Diego State University when I first stumbled upon Pilates. I had always struggled with my weight and body image, being in the Nursing School made it hard to keep up with a healthy routine and maintain balance. I found a Groupon online and I was hooked after my first class.

Pilates had everything I ever wanted in an exercise modality. I was constantly challenged physically and mentally, I have still never taken the same class twice, nor have I taught it, which made it exciting and new every time. I felt my body changing and craved those moments in class where I wanted to give up during an exercise but pushed through, those were the moments that felt like meditation. My mind and body were changing for the better. I honestly believe it got me through the most stressful times in school. Being a student at the time I couldn’t afford the classes so I got a part time job in the studio, managing it which came with the perks of free classes. That evolved into learning how to teach and getting certified, before I knew it I was ready to graduate from Nursing School, while managing and teaching classes at the Pilates studio.

It was then that my wheels began to turn. I thought, why not? What’s the worst that could happen? The reality is, I had no idea about the logistics of owning a business. I barely passed math and never took an Economics class in my life, I was a Science major. I was simply certain, call it an instinct, this was what I was supposed to do. I had found my purpose. I believe in the benefits of Pilates, I value the sense of community the studio brings and I embody the average woman simply striving for balance and a healthy lifestyle. Flash forward a year and a half later, I own a quaint studio on the “Boulevard” as any LA native would know is a great location. I wish I could say I’ve found that balance or healthy routine, but I haven’t. I am, along with my amazing clients and team, in my journey, happy of where I am but, constantly striving to be better than I was yesterday.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Oh gosh! When people ask me this, I always say it’s been an “adventure” some moments, days, if I’m lucky, I am a soaring victoriously on the back of my dragon and others I’m just barely pulling myself out of quicksand. But I’m always reminded of how lucky I am when I see how I have helped my clients.

Struggles….well…almost everything in the beginning. I made the bold choice of doing EVERYTHING on my own. I figured less money out, more money in and I could make back my investment sooner. My mom always says, “hard work and a little luck is all you need’. So I did it. Looking back, I don’t know how. But I did. I taught myself QuickBooks. I created all my social media material, I taught all 68 of the classes every week, cleaned the studio and handled the customer service end of it. It was the single most empowering thing I’ve ever done and I would do it over again a million times. In those eight months, I learned more about myself and life than I had in my twenty-eight years on this planet.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about BeneFIT Body – what should we know?
I own a Pilates studio, but I like to think of it as more of a fitness studio that has reformers (the most common Pilates apparatus). I say this because we also use small weights, props, the ballet barre and the TRX in every class. I have found that I’ve taken the foundation of classical Pilates, breath with movement, proper form, and alignment and flow and I’ve created a more exciting, challenging and fun version of Pilates. Unless you know classical Pilates, you don’t understand how slow, controlled and precise every movement is.

We also work in a group setting of up to twelve clients, which is almost unheard of in the Pilates industry. It was only recently that it became acceptable to have that many clients in a class. We strategically simplify the movements and layer on challenges so that all our clients can work out safely and efficiently.

What makes us different? I’m not sure, I haven’t been to anything Pilates studio in LA but as I said before, I’m an average girl striving for balance and health. I find that most women are, I aim to provide a place where they can achieve that, even if it is only for an hour.

We like to think that a happy mind and a healthy body is a journey, not a destination, we promote the constant evolution of self. We don’t have levels, our classes revolved around where you are in your Pilates journey. Our basic class is “Develop” where clients can learn and understand the basics of form and alignment and the equipment. Our intermediate or mixed level class is “Practice” where clients can practice the skills and understanding they’ve acquired and our highest level class is called “Challenge”, pretty self-explanatory. I wanted to do this because I remember feeling this urgency to move up in the levels at a fitness studio, I don’t want that for my clients. I want them to embrace where they are now in their journey and work towards evolving at their own pace. I guarantee regardless of the class, my clients are challenged constantly.

I think in a city like LA where everything is about comparing and fitting in, this concept lets you accept who you are. Love yourself first, take care of yourself first, because you have to live with yourself for the rest of your life, right?

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I could not even think of doing any of this without the support of my mum. I still have no idea why she even believed in my little vision. Just last month I told her, I plan to create a brand, I want to have at least three studios in the valley and host retreats in tropical destinations. She simply said, “Well Nikkita if you asked me two years ago, I’d say I have no idea if you can do it, but now I am certain you can do anything you put your mind to”. How many years have I waited to hear those words??? Haha!

I also can’t go a day without being thankful for my small team of employees, we’ve grown into a solid family over the past few months, most of them started off as my clients. They trained with me and now work for me, which even adds to the depth of the community we’re lucky to have here at the studio.

Last but definitely not least, I am just a girl talking to herself in a 1600 sf studio without my dedicated clients. They are who I live for, even the days when the business side can get so overwhelming, I can take a deep breath and think about the butts I will be kicking later on that day. They inspire me and motivate me consistently.

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