Business & Tech

Silver Lake's Pop Physique Sculpts the Creative Class

Mom Jennifer Williams turned her career as a dancer and Pilates instructor into a unique workout that's one of the fitness industry's hottest properties. And it all started in a little studio on Sunset Boulevard in Silver Lake.

Silver Lake resident Jennifer Williams is very busy these days. She's raising three kids in the neighborhood and overseeing a franchise that is booming, Pop Physique.

The chain offers more than 45 classes a week at its Silver Lake studio alone.

But Williams still finds the time every Thursday morning to teach a class at the .

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Pop Physique blends techniques from dance, Pilates and weight training in an efficient one-hour workout set to inspiring music.

It's popular with the ladies, but their men are also encouraged to attend.

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That's not really surprising, since Jennifer's husband Deric--a marketing expert--is also deeply involved with Pop Physique.

Jennifer took some time out of her busy schedule to reflect on her business and what it's like to be an enterepreneur mom in Silver Lake.

Our Q&A follows.

Patch: How is the Pop Physique work out different than Lotte Berk or the Bar Method or other body sculpting classes? 

Jennifer Williams: It is based in the Lotte Berk exercises, but I have used my extensive dance and Pilates training to modernize and add to/freshen it.  Pop Physique is in another realm, it is much more intense and artistic in both expression and experience.  

Patch: What was the first Pop Physique class like? 

Williams: Insane!  It was me teaching to the editors from Daily Candy.   It was so much pressure but, actually really, really fun.  I felt it all come together and of course they loved it. A week later we had wait lists on our classes and the rest is history...

Patch: How much is the class you still teach on Thursdays in Silver Lake different than that first class? 

Williams: I have grown as an instructor and made my class faster-paced and more intense.  It is so nice to see both clients that have been there since the beginning and the brand new clients just falling in love with Pop.    

Patch: Pop Physique is now in a space used by choreographer Ryan Heffington for a long time. (It was a publishing company before that.)  Did you look around for a long time before settling in your current location? 

Williams: We actually had a real lease on that space for years vs Ryan rented out part of the building 1-2 days a week for one class. We have always been there 7 days a week. We did search for a long time and that space really fit aesthetically what we were doing best.  It was great to take over the entire building and utilize all of the space for Pop.  

Patch: Do you think being in Silver Lake was somehow instrumental to your success?  How?   

Williams: Absolutely! We envisioned "Sculpting Silver Lake" billboards prior to opening, and now they are a reality. It was an underserved market and we conceptualized it for the Creative Class.  We are those people.  We knew what we wanted and made it.  I think that is when the best products and services are created. 

We lived three blocks from the studio in a modern home and really knew the climate.  I think our style stood out to the rest of LA and the world.  And that started here in Silver Lake.  It will always be the first studio, the Flagship. Pop Physique in Silver Lake set the tone for the revolution and Pop Physique couldn't have started anywhere in the world than Silver Lake. 

Patch: You have been opening new Pop Physique locations rapidly. When did you get the idea to expand and how did you get the help you needed to do so? 

Williams: My husband Deric really pushed our initial expansion.  I think women like to focus and nurture: sort of look at one and make sure it is good first and then expand, whereas guys seem to sort of jump in.  We have had a combination of company owned locations in our expansion and Instructors that have opened additional studios under our brand.   

Patch: What's been the role of media in expanding your empire (i.e., DVDs, online, etc.)?  

Williams: The media has played many different parts in all facets of Pop.  Our clients are really active in social media.  They really want to be part of our lifestyle and are proud to promote us as part of their own expression of what they do.  

Patch: You are now a successful businesswoman. What single experience in your life do you think most prepared you for that? 

Williams: Not college (I didn't go).  I think intuition and knowing what I would want as a client.  My dance training and Pilates background has certainly shaped what we do in the studio; our company was started as more of an artistic concept, rather than a business one.

Patch: What would you like to do next as a fitness expert and also as an entrepreneur? 

Williams: We have started different businesses in life.  I think we are serial entrepreneurs.  But, I really love this.  Fitness-wise, I think I could create many different workouts, but this one works so well.  I will keep updating it and creating new event concepts, new variations, etc.  

Patch: Is there a place you go in the neighborhood to rejuvenate?  To have a great time? To have a great cup of coffee? 

Williams: I love Allegria: it's O.G. and classic across from the studio.  I love Local, it's the place where the first Pop Physique postcards were ever distributed.  I love Forage.  I love to buy my children's shoes at Wee Soles.   Echoplex is always fun for a night of dancing.

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Click here to find out more about classes at the Silver Lake location of Pop Physique.

Pop Physique also has locations in Studio City, Mar Vista, Seal Beach, Costa Mesa and Century City with one coming to San Marino.


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