Solidcore is making gains inside and outside the studio, here’s how

Some positions are hard to hold: Just ask anyone who’s done a Solidcore class. They’ll likely also acknowledge the dimly lit workout space, the focus on slow-twitch muscle fibers, and the notable absence of showers (that last one is the source of much debate).

The boutique fitness space is hypercompetitive, but this premium-priced strength training brand (a single 50-minute class is upward of $37 in some markets) has proven it has staying power. Entrepreneur and philanthropist Anne Mahlum founded Solidcore in 2013 with $175,000 and sold it to private equity firm Kohlberg & Company for $88.4 million in 2023.

So how does the brand walk the tight rope of expansion, partnerships, and diversification to avoid that next-day soreness and regret? Revenue Brew spoke with Solidcore executives and an industry expert to work out how it’s building a flexible, yet ambitious, expansion strategy.

It’s all in the core

Before Bryan Myers was CEO of Solidcore, he occupied a role that was arguably just as essential: customer. Drawing on his experience in business expansions from his time at Sweetgreen, he took the helm at Solidcore in 2021.

“As a client, I loved Solidcore. There was no place else where I got that kind of workout,” Myers said. “From a price point standpoint, I just couldn’t get it to work. It felt like the pricing actually didn’t want me to be committed to the brand.”

So Myers changed the play: Solidcore went from a package model to a membership model. Myers said that the jump from approximately 20% recurring revenue to 60%–70% has helped service the company’s expansion goal of over 250 US stores by 2028.

Part of the strategy for Solidcore’s growth has been using data to inform store selection decisions where brand interest overlaps. For example, if the company has data that shows customers who enjoy Solidcore classes also like Cava, then the business may decide to open a store near the Mediterranean restaurant.

“We can start to think about how we colocate with other services that we know our core consumer uses,” said Myers.

Myers also cited the translatability of the studio and revenue strategy when thinking about sustainable expansion.

“I’m really proud of how portable our model is. Unlike most premium boutique fitness, it doesn’t just work in tier-one cities,” Myers said. “The reason why that’s really important to a growth company like Solidcore is that it means, as we grow toward 250 units, that we’re going to be in a lot more markets than a pure brand might be if they were at 250 units.”

Going global

With over 160 locations in 28 territories, Solidcore has put in the work to be a nationwide success: Now it wants to go global. One of the individuals leading the international push is chief commercial officer Anne Smith, who believes global growth will come down to pairing Solidcore’s guiding principals with knowledgeable partners.

“That means a diligent exploration of the right partners who are committed to preserving the nonnegotiable aspects of our brand, while providing the local expertise that will make Solidcore thrive in a new market,” Smith told Revenue Brew via e-mail.

In addition to going overseas, Solidcore is testing the idea of transforming into a larger fitness house that can offer various classes.

“We recently unveiled the [ ] Innovation Lab, a formal testing program focused on developing fresh fitness concepts and experiences. This is a formalized approach to test, listen, and learn, so we can build confidence through the candid, invaluable feedback from our community that has always shaped our innovation agenda,” Smith wrote.

Expert insight: retail expansion

Hubert Paul, partner at Simon-Kucher, consumer sector North America, said one of the most important things for Solidcore to keep an eye on is the unit economics of each new store.

“In boutique fitness, growth only holds if each new studio can reliably replicate quality, utilization, retention, and four-wall economics beyond the initial surge of demand,” Paul told Revenue Brew via email.

According to the Health & Fitness Association, median revenue growth in the fitness industry was 9.9% in 2024, with surveyed facilities averaging 5.5% net membership growth. Paul said the fine line to consider is whether Solidcore is scaling off durable repeat behavior or a temporary wave of trial and new studio openings.

“For Solidcore, that means using category momentum to deepen member lifetime value first, then expanding capacity. When openings start to rely too heavily on discounts, presale hype, or social buzz rather than stable renewals and full classes, that is usually the warning sign,” Paul said.