58 FITNESS BUSINESS CANADA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

PROF ILE

Moira started teaching Pilates after re-turning from New York. The couple set upshop in their cramped one-bedroom apart-ment. Lindsay constructed Moira’s firstpiece of studio equipment called a “Re-former” out of sheer necessity. Pilateswas very much a cottage industry at thetime and access to equipment was verylimited. This machine was at first con-structed out of wood, but soon Lindsaydecided to design one made out of metal inorder to accommodate adjustability issuesamong clients with differing needs.

FROM THE BEGINNINGPilates was still a relatively unknown

method of exercise when they first openedtheir Toronto studio back in 1987. It wasLindsay’s perseverance and determinationthat managed to land Moira her first tenclients, including ballerina Karen Kain.Overnight, that number jumped to 80 af-ter Toronto Life Fashion published a storyon Kain’s use of the regimen.

The new technology made waves inthe marketplace. The decision to form abusiness came from the notion of wantingto create a more modern looking and func-tioning Pilates Reformer. “We thought ofcreating a Reformer that had adjustabilityto suit the user and was both ergonomi-cally and esthetically appealing,” explains

Lindsay. “We wanted to build a better‘mousetrap.’”

In 1992, Lindsay and Moira decidedto showcase their creation to the Pilatescommunity in Los Angeles. They dividedthe unit into smaller pieces so it wouldcost less to send across the border andinvited people to view the signature piecein their hotel suite. “I think we had 75 to100 people come through,” recalls Lindsay,“and it seemed like, bang, all of a suddenwe had a huge interest. “ Though not allof their industry affiliates liked what theyhad done with the original model, Lindsaysays the reaction was one of both amaze-ment and curiosity with the new design.Much to their delight, the purchase or-ders started flying in. Lindsay describesthe visit to Los Angeles as “a magical mo-ment” – a definite turning point in theSTOTT PILATES story.

The following year the companystarted manufacturing Reformers on a

large scale and in 1995 incorporated abrand new line of equipment establish-ing STOTT PILATES Equipment.They now have five variations of theoriginal model being sold in the com-mercial fitness world.

A Canadian Success StorySTOTT PILATES®

By Kay Stevenson

hen Lindsay and Moira Merrithew first em-barked on this journey together, they had noidea that almost two decades later they’d berunning such a successful international Pilates

organization.Lindsay was attending the prestigious Juilliard School

in New York and pursuing his acting career. Moira wasa professional dancer when a foot injury forced her tohang up her pointe shoes in the early 1980s. Shortlythereafter, she was introduced to Pilates and later stud-ied under Romana Kryzanowska, one of Joseph Pilates’protégés.

“We thought of creating a Reformer thathad adjustability to suit the user and wasboth ergonomically and esthetically ap-pealing,” explains Lindsay. “We wanted tobuild a better ‘mousetrap.’”

W

ing routine. Today, Pilates also appeals tocompetitive teens who want to build corestrength, athletes who want to prevent orattend to injuries and older adults who sim-ply want to make getting out of bed easier.“In order to strengthen the body, smallermovements are effective,” explains Moira.“You have to work the inner mechanismfirst and then the larger outside muscles –always remember that you don’t have tohurt to get results.”

With this in mind, the Merrithewshave taken steps to dispel the myth thatPilates is only for women. “Many pro ath-letes are incorporating Pilates into their

conditioning regimens today, and the ma-jority of these athletes are men,” explainsLindsay. “These are guys who go throughintense training for their sport. Perhapsthey are introduced to it while on the mendfrom injury, but most are sticking with itthroughout the season and I think we’regoing to see a lot more men in the futureseek the benefits of Pilates.”

METHOD OF EXERCISEFOR A LIFETIME

The public’s approach to health andfitness was changing. People were becom-ing more in tune with their bodies. Fit-ness instructors and gym owners wererecognizing their clients’ needs for tonedphysiques, injury prevention, increasedstrength, stress management, condition-ing for athletic skills, rehab and exercisesthat facilitated the mind-body connection.

This contemporary form of exercisewas beneficial for people of all ages, fit-ness abilities and levels, and could beadapted to enhance anyone’s current train-

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008 FITNESS BUSINESS CANADA 59

Together Moira and Lindsay Merrithew haveevolved the Pilates method and refined Pilatesequipment for mass appeal.

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A LEADER IN THE INDUSTRYSTOTT PILATES® today is a Cana-

dian-based company still run by Lindsayand Moira Merrithew. As co-founders ofthe organization, they have their respec-

tive roles and complimentary skills. Lindsayis President and CEO. Moira is ExecutiveDirector, Education and Master Instruc-tor Trainer.

Lindsay has been the driving force be-hind the growth of Merrithew Corpora-tion and its premier brand, STOTTPILATES® since the beginning. He wasnominated twice for Ernst & Young’s En-trepreneur Of The Year® award and is afive-time recipient of PROFIT magazine’s100 Fastest-Growing Companies award.In addition to directing and growing thefully integrated business from a visionaryand strategic point-of-view, he has beeninstrumental in designing, producing andmarketing the company’s extensive equip-ment and video lines. He is a member ofOntario’s prestigious Innovators Alliancefor elite entrepreneurs, and is consultedregularly by the trade and business media.He holds a Bachelor of Commerce degreefrom Dalhousie University and is a gradu-ate of the Juilliard School of Performing Artsin New York City.

Moira is responsible for the develop-ment of the STOTT PILATES® exercisemethod. After an accomplished career asprincipal dancer with the City Ballet of To-ronto and the Atlantic Ballet Company, shewent on to retrain and certify as a Pilatesinstructor under the tutelage of RomanaKryzanowska at the original studio foundedby the late Joseph H. Pilates. In addition tocreating the curricula and support materi-als for the STOTT PILATES education &certification programs, Moira is the con-tent creator and featured performer in theSTOTT PILATES video series. She hasalso found time to train such high profileathletes as former Toronto Maple Leaf

goalie Ed Belfour, tennis great MartinaNavratilova and ballet icon Karen Kain.

With over 125 staff between head of-fice and the manufacturing plant, over15,000 trained instructors in 67 countries,50 Licensed Training Centres and two cor-porately owned facilities, one in Torontoand one in New York City, the company is fre-quently touted as the professional’s choice.

have a high regard for their personal in-tegrity and find them to be a class act eventhough we are fierce competitors.” JulieLobdell Founder and CEO, Peak Pilates

The education division designs cus-tomized training and certification coursesfor fitness instructors and for individuals.The commercial division manufactures awide variety of fitness equipment to sup-port these exercise programs. Ultimately,education and equipment go hand in handto make it all work.

Another key aspect to the success ofthe company is the decision to maintainstrong relationships with the people usingtheir programming and equipment – andto create profitable career paths for instruc-tors. Their emphasis is on creating a senseof community. According to industry leaderand chief executive officer for IDEAHealth & Fitness Association, Peter Davis,“… the fitness and Pilates industries arevery fortunate to have two such strongcontributors to inspire the world to fit-ness and wellness.” He says Moira andLindsay have the perfect combination ofcreativity, passion, business savvy and lead-ership which is unusual to find in a husbandand wife team. “They are not only won-derful business executives, but also ex-traordinary parents and quality people.”

ONE SOURCE – MULTIPLE SOLUTIONSAccording to the 2007 IDEA Fitness

Programs and Equipment Survey, 68 per-cent of facilities surveyed have Pilates asone of their program offerings. This is a 49percent increase compared to when IDEAfirst started tracking Pilates back in 1999.To help fitness facilities develop their ownsuccessful Pilates businesses, Lindsay de-cided to hire top industry professionals tolead their Full Solutions Division. The FullSolutions team offers club owners expertconsulting and business development op-portunities – from staffing, education, stu-dio equipment needs, timeline proposals,studio operations, marketing and on-go-ing support. Creating more opportunitiesfor facilities to increase revenue and in-structors to advance their careers is verygratifying to them.

Today, more and more physical thera-pists, rehab patients, baby boomers, ce-lebrities, pro athletes and regular fitnessenthusiasts are recognizing the benefits ofPilates. The Merrithews and their STOTTPILATES team, through all of their effortsover the years, have contributed to thisrealization and have earned the respect ofa grateful industry. FBC

60 FITNESS BUSINESS CANADA JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2008

“Many pro athletes areincorporating Pilates intotheir conditioning regimenstoday, and the majority ofthese athletes are men,”explains Lindsay. “Theseare guys who go throughintense training for theirsport. Perhaps they are

introduced to it while on the mend frominjury, but most are sticking with itthroughout the season and I think we’regoing to see a lot more men in the futureseek the benefits of Pilates.”

PROF ILE

For more information visitwww.stottpilates.com.

INNOVATION AND EDUCATIONA neck injury prompted Moira to be-

come more in tune with her body and soonthe couple was making a connection withthe rehab world. To keep up with modernmedicine and physiotherapy as a whole,they worked with numerous physicaltherapists, sports medicine professionalsand fitness professionals to evolve theoriginal method. Today STOTT PILATESis a contemporary, anatomically-based ap-proach with a combination of key medicalresearch and a modern day knowledge ofbiomechanics.

Lindsay says the mainstream fitnessindustry is what ultimately brought Pilatesinto the public’s eye, which in turn gavethem the opportunity to refine andcontemporize the method to make it moreeffective – and take the next steps towardnew pieces of equipment innovation.

Much of the Merrithew’s success canbe attributed to their individual contribu-tions and to their staff: quality instructors,licensed training centres, fitness affiliatesand dedicated employees. “I admire andrespect Lindsay and Moira, not only forwhat they have accomplished by buildingSTOTT PILATES into one of the leadingPilates companies in the world, but for whatI believe to be their principles and ideals. I