Opening Soon

Before Sheridan St. Claire opened her boutique Pilates studio in St. George, Utah, she was a former gymnast with two bad shoulders, a sore back, and no clear path forward. That changed when she discovered Pilates—not as a workout trend, but as a way to heal. Her journey took her from Utah to Florence, Italy (where she noticed how Europeans stayed healthy without ever stepping into a gym), and then to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii, where she found a movement community that inspired her to create her own back home.

In this episode, Sheridan talks about opening her studio in the middle of COVID, choosing a minimalist and intentional approach to class sizes, launching her own Pilates app, and how she’s built a loyal following through events and word-of-mouth. This one is packed with honest insights for anyone building a brick-and-mortar fitness studio brand.

Highlights:

• How Pilates helped her avoid double shoulder surgery at age 19
• What she learned from living in Florence, Italy about movement, health, and slowing down
• The moment in Hawaii that made her realize she needed to build her own studio back home
• Opening Symmetry Pilates right as COVID hit in 2020
• Why she caps classes at 8 reformers, even though she could squeeze in more
• Growing entirely by word of mouth and local events
• Launching the Symmetry On Demand app and juggling five Instagram accounts
• What she’d do differently if she were starting from scratch

Episode Links:

• Symmetry Pilates Website
• Symmetry Pilates Instagram
• Sheridan’s Instagram
• Download the Symmetry Pilates App

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ 

Jordan Feise spent over a decade working in B2B SaaS marketing at companies like Gong and early-stage startups. But after years of struggling to find consistent, high-quality brow care, she saw an opportunity to build something different. That idea became Two of a Kind — a brand-forward, service-first beauty studio in Los Angeles that's now profitable, growing, and known for its ultra-personalized approach.

In this episode, we talk about how Jordan went from side hustling pop-ups out of a branded Sprinter van to building a 950 sq ft studio with a team of 12. She shares her hiring playbook, how she nailed customer retention, and why she’s focused on “perfecting the recipe” before opening more locations.

Topics covered:
→ How Jordan pivoted from SaaS to beauty
→ Starting with pop-ups and scaling while still working full-time
→ Hiring and training the Two of a Kind way
→ Why her brand aesthetic is intentional and inclusive
→ What it means to build a service business with real process
→ The truth about press, PR, and organic growth
→ Profitability by month 3 — and what’s next

Episode-Specific Links:
→ Two of a Kind – https://www.twoofakindbrows.com
→ Jordan Feise – https://www.instagram.com/jordannfeise/
→ Two of a Kind Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/twoofakindbrows
→ Behind the Brow Substack – https://substack.com/@behindthebrow?

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ 

 After eight years in tech and a detour into custom resort wear with her brand Malibu Darby, Darbe Canady followed her instincts, and her wardrobe, into the world of vintage fashion. Today, she runs Sunset Club Vintage, a highly curated, appointment-only shop in San Diego known for its timeless designer pieces and stunning aesthetic.

 In this episode, we talk about the highs and lows of manufacturing, how she bootstrapped her way from pop-ups to a brick-and-mortar store, and why trusting your gut might be the best business decision you ever make.

🔍 Topics Covered:

→ What Darbe learned from launching her first brand, Malibu Darby
 → Why vintage is lower-risk and higher-margin than custom apparel
 → The gut feeling that led her to Sunset Club Vintage
 → How she built traction through pop-ups and word of mouth
 → Why investing in a beautiful space can drive organic growth
 → Tips for sourcing and curating vintage inventory
 → How she balances design, operations, and storytelling
 → Advice for aspiring vintage founders

🔗 Episode Links:

→ Sunset Club Vintage: https://www.sunsetclubvintage.com
→ Darbe on Instagram: @malibudarbe
→ Sunset Club Vintage on IG: @sunsetclubvintage

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ 

On this episode of Opening Soon, we sit down with Shobha Tummala, founder of Shobha, one of the most trusted names in hair removal. With six locations across New York City and Washington, D.C., Shobha built a category-defining brand around threading, waxing, laser hair removal, and sugaring—before most people even knew what those services were.

A Harvard Business School grad and former Bain & Procter & Gamble consultant, Shobha walked away from a fast-track corporate career to open a threading salon in the back of a salon in SoHo—armed with just a handwritten letter to Vogue and a bet that New Yorkers were ready for a better beauty experience.

We talk about:
→ How Shobha opened her first salon by renting a chair from another salon
→ The handwritten letter that landed her in Vogue before she had a storefront
→ Why she bootstrapped instead of raising venture capital
→ Her approach to scaling without compromising on quality
→ The systems she built to maintain consistency across six locations
→ How she’s thinking about products vs. services in today’s beauty market
→ What she would’ve done differently (and why she didn’t pay herself for years)
→ Advice for anyone considering opening a brick-and-mortar business in 2025

Episode Specific Links:
→ Shobha Salons – https://www.myshobha.com/
→ Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/myshobha

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ 

In this episode, Alan sits down with Samantha Score, the founder of Bodhe, a beautiful coworking and social club for creatives, professionals, or freelancers based in San Diego, California. Sam shares her inspiring journey of moving cross-country, building community from scratch, and launching not just one, but two thoughtfully designed physical spaces, all while working a full-time job in tech sales.

They cover:

• How a spontaneous move from NYC to San Diego during the pandemic sparked the idea for Bodhe
• The grassroots growth of the SD Network and how it became the foundation for her business
• What it really cost to open her first 275 sq ft location 
• Why she didn’t want to tap her existing community to launch Bodhe—and how she built a new one
• The process behind opening a second, 1,400 sq ft space and hiring her first employees
• The reality of juggling tech sales, content creation, and running a business
• Her future plans for expansion—and why she’s leaning toward licensing over franchising

This is a story about boldness, serendipity, and scrappy execution—and a must-listen for anyone thinking about starting a brick-and-mortar space or growing a community-first business.

Episode Specific Links

• Bodhe on Instagram
• Samantha Score on Instagram
• Bodhe design by Wooters Design
• Interior curation by Terra Mar Interiors
• Artwork by Parker Heath

📩 Contact Sam: [email protected]
 📍 Locations: La Jolla, San Diego

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/ 

In this episode of Opening Soon, we sit down with Cassie Piasecki, the powerhouse behind The Full Routine — a pilates meets full body transformation brand that expanded to three locations in just one year. Cassie shares how she built her fitness empire from the ground up, her approach to finding the right locations, hiring instructors, and marketing to a loyal client base. Whether you're dreaming of opening a fitness studio or scaling your retail business, you'll find practical, actionable tips in this conversation.

Topics covered:
→How Cassie opened 3 pilates studios in 12 months
→The challenges of hiring and scaling
→Her process for location scouting and lease negotiation
→What it takes to stand out in a competitive wellness market

Episode Specific Links:
→The Full Routine - https://www.thefullroutine.com/
→Cassie Piasecki - https://www.instagram.com/cassietfr/

Made possible by Signs and Mirrors, the leading sign, fixture, and furniture shop for events and retail stores.

Opening Soon Links & Resources
→ Signs and furniture for events and retail stores: https://signsandmirrors.com
→ NYC and Houston’s first self-portrait studio: https://fotolab.studio
→ Follow us on Instagram: @openingsoonpodcast
→ More episodes and guest info: https://www.openingsoonpodcast.com
→ Your Host Alan Li: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alan-li-711a8629/