Carrie’s Pilates Plus Marks Milestone, Plans Franchise Expansion

Former model Carrie Minter Ebers turned her love of Pilates into Carrie’s Pilates Plus. Today, it’s a growing franchise with recovery, lifestyle add-ons and digital ambitions

When Carrie Minter Ebers launched Carrie’s Pilates Plus in West Hollywood in 2013, boutique fitness was already booming. But most studios offered a narrow focus: cardio, strength or Pilates. Minter Ebers, a former model turned fitness entrepreneur, wanted something more complete.

“What if you could bring them all together in a single, music-driven workout?” she wondered.

“I started Carrie’s Pilates Plus because I wanted a workout that checked every box — efficient, challenging and glamorous,” Minter Ebers said. “Pilates had completely transformed my body when I was modeling, but it also became my mental reset. I fused that foundation with strength training and cardio to create a 50-minute, music-driven experience that leaves you stronger, leaner and more energized — and I wanted to share that with as many people as possible.”

Building Beyond the Sweat

Part of what fueled early traction was the variety of programming Minter Ebers built into her studios, designed to welcome beginners while still challenging advanced clients.

Carrie’s Full Body Burn is often viewed as advanced, while the Beginner Form Pilates class breaks down the machine and each exercise in detail, clarifying form and targeting specific muscle groups. The studio layers in specialty formats too, including themed classes, workshops, bootcamps and muscle group–focused sessions, with member favorites such as the 90-Minute Bootcamp, “Abs & A$$,” Twilight Pilates and a newly added Pilates & Prosecco at one location.

To support its mix of classes, Carrie’s Pilates Plus relies on the Transformer 2.0, a patent-pending reformer designed and assembled in the U.S. Built with industrial-grade materials, its folding mechanism reduces the footprint to less than five square feet, giving studios flexibility to repurpose space and enabling non-Pilates facilities to add Pilates without major real estate tradeoffs.

Together, the unique class formats and the Transformer reformer gave the brand an edge that quickly attracted attention. The West Hollywood studio soon built a devoted following, including clients who began flying in from other cities.

“Honestly, my first focus was getting that West Hollywood studio just right — the vibe, the results, the culture,” Minter Ebers recalls. “But as soon as clients started flying in from other cities and asking how they could bring Carrie’s home, the bigger vision clicked. The franchise model grew organically from that demand, and today we’re in multiple cities with a plan to keep expanding into markets that share our love for movement, music and transformation.”

Today, Carrie’s Pilates Plus has expanded to Dallas, Plano, Toronto and Orange County’s Saddleback, which this July celebrated its one-year anniversary.

Why Saddleback Worked

Launching in Saddleback was more than just a real estate decision. Minter Ebers said the success of the location came down to treating it like a local brand.

“Saddleback worked because we treated it like a local brand from day one,” she said. “We partnered with trainers who understood the community, invested in marketing that felt personal — not cookie-cutter — and chose a location that was accessible but still felt premium. We also made sure the studio culture matched the energy of the neighborhood, so members felt like they were part of something special from their very first class.”

The Saddleback location also offers exclusive private studio rentals for “Pilates Parties” with add-on options for light refreshments and celebratory mimosas.

Evolving With Member Expectations

Carrie’s Pilates Plus has also thrived in part by keeping a finger on the pulse of what members want and tapping into the magic that is about more than sweat and reformers. For Minter Ebers, who also advocates for mental health and serves on the board of Camp Summit for individuals with disabilities, Carrie’s Pilates Plus is a platform for resilience and empowerment.

“Members today want more than a great workout — they want an experience that supports their whole lifestyle,” Minter Ebers said. “That means varied programming to keep things fresh, recovery options so they can train consistently and a genuine community both in and out of the studio. Our job is to give them a space where they feel seen, supported and challenged in equal measure.”

Looking Ahead

The brand’s growth trajectory is far from over. Minter Ebers sees continued opportunity in franchising, particularly in cities where loyal clients are already traveling to attend class. She is also eyeing new ways to integrate recovery, lifestyle services and digital offerings.

“Franchising is still a huge focus — especially in cities where our members are already traveling from to take class,” she said. “We’re also exploring more recovery and lifestyle integrations in-studio, plus digital offerings so members can train with us no matter where they are. The goal is to keep innovating without ever losing that in-person magic that makes Carrie’s, Carrie’s.”

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