How a tech-savvy husband and Pilates obsessed wife built a platform to help the Pilates industry
Hannah's passion for the Pilates industry is the heart of PlankeApp. After discovering Pilates in Boston post-college and getting certified in 2015, she transitioned from advertising to full-time instruction. Her experience navigating the industry's chaotic hiring processes sparked the idea for PlankeApp. Today, she owns The Reformery, a studio in Rochester, NY and still teaches every day, keeping us connected to the real needs of instructors and studios.
PJ brings over a decade of software development experience to PlankeApp. As Hannah's husband, he witnessed the industry's hiring challenges up close and knew technology could help. When he's not coding, PJ is also the founder of Greener Closet, an AI-powered platform for healthy and sustainable clothing.
After college, Hannah moved to Boston and discovered Pilates through weekly mat classes. She fell completely in love with the practice and got certified to teach.
Over brunch on a weekend getaway, we started discussing an ambitious idea: a platform that could connect Hannah to teaching jobs anywhere, so we could travel while she could teach. The initial concept of PlankeApp was born.
We moved to NYC, and Hannah transitioned from advertising to full-time Pilates instruction. That's when she experienced the industry's chaos firsthand: job postings on Craigslist, Instagram DMs, phone calls, in-person interviews. Never knowing what a studio would be like before arriving for the demo, and realizing that interviews were just as much about finding the right fit as studios offering the job.
Hannah thought to herself: "There has to be a better, more efficient and more connected way." With PJ's software development background, we started building early versions of PlankeApp on nights and weekends while Hannah continued teaching and understanding the industry's real needs.
A breakthrough moment: we discovered the Traveling Pilates Facebook Group and realized our vision aligned perfectly with thousands of instructors facing the same challenges. We partnered with the community, validating that PlankeApp could solve a real, widespread problem.
We launched the PlankeApp mobile app in summer 2022. Studios and instructors immediately embraced the platform. The growth has been remarkable—over 3,500+ professionals now depend on PlankeApp, with the platform growing over 100% year over year.
We're launching our new browser-based web application with a modern look and feel, expanding PlankeApp's reach and making it easier than ever to connect studios with instructors across the globe.
In our digital world, we believe boutique fitness—and Pilates specifically—is an antidote to the modern world of screens, Zoom calls, and superficial connections. When you're in a Pilates class, you're present, connected to your body, your breath, and the people around you.
But for this industry to thrive, the professionals who make it happen need tools that actually work. Our mission is simple: simplify the business side so you can focus on what you do best—teaching Pilates and building real human connections.
We've built PlankeApp for people like us—passionate about Pilates, frustrated by outdated processes, and committed to growing this incredible industry together.
Whether you're an instructor looking for your next opportunity or a studio ready to streamline your hiring, you're in the right place.
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