124. From Passion to Platform: How I Built A 10K+ Wellness Community IRL Grounded in Patience & Purpose (Ft. Olivia Santelli, Founder of Rise Pilates Club)

In this episode, I sit down with my close Chicago friend of five
years, Olivia—founder of Rise Pilates, certified instructor,
content creator, podcast host, and someone I deeply admire for
her ability to balance so many roles while fearlessly chasing big
dreams.


Olivia is the founder of Rise Pilates Club, an
accessible social wellness community in Chicago that has brought
together over 10,000 people with movement. What started as a
passion for making wellness more inclusive has evolved into a
thriving space, both in-person and online, through WITHIN the
app, where members can access tools for both mental and physical
well-being on demand.We start by sharing how we met through
Sports Illustrated and how our friendship has grown alongside our
creative journeys. Olivia walks us through her intentional
path—starting with her time working for the Chicago Cubs, then
moving into social media management—all strategic steps that
ultimately set her up to launch her own app and online wellness
community.


And then came the wild summer of 2024: what began as a few casual
outdoor Pilates sessions turned into a movement—literally. Over
2,000 people showed up at the beach to be part of Rise Pilates, a
community Olivia didn’t plan to build, but fully embraced.


We talk about what it means to build slowly, with purpose, and
how trusting your gut can lead to impact far bigger than you
imagined. If you’re in a season of creating, pivoting, or
starting from scratch—Olivia’s story will remind you that you
don’t have to rush to build something real.





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Show Notes~


RISE SIGN UP
- https://www.sweatpals.com/RisePilatesClub


WITHIN - https://within.mvt.so/