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	Television Coverage: » FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 1 » FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 2 » FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 3 » FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 4 » KARE 11 News (July 2009) » FOX 9 News (January 2009) » FOX 9 News (November 2007) - Part 1 » FOX 9 News (November 2007) - Part 2 » FOX 9 News (November 2007) - Part 3 » WCCO 4 News (February 2007) Newspaper Articles: » Star Tribune - January 12, 2009 » Star Tribune - March 8, 2007 » WCCO - February 2007 "Studio fills the physical therapy gap " 2009 Star Tribune Issue Date: January 12, 2009 by Todd Nelson Studio U in Minneapolis' Uptown area offers clients whose insurance sessions have expired an affordable alternative. Plus, there's Pilates and personal training. After 10 years as a staff physical therapist, Kristin Procopio was ready to exercise her independence as an entrepreneur. The result is Studio U, a private workout boutique in Minneapolis' Uptown area that Procopio said fills a unique niche in the Twin Cities by offering physical therapy, Pilates and personalized training all in one location. Procopio, a licensed physical therapist who also is certified as a Pilates instructor and personal trainer, believed that clients who had run out of insurance-covered physical therapy sessions would be willing to pay out-of-pocket to continue treatment at Studio U. She figured that those clients then would move on to Pilates work or personal training at her studio. She hoped that those additional offerings would motivate other clients -- those whose symptoms returned when they had failed to exercise on their own after completing physical therapy -- to continue working out at her studio. "I saw a gap from when people left us, even though they were feeling pretty good, and how they maintained feeling good," Procopio said, recalling her time in the Park Nicollet health care system. "I saw the possibility that, if only people would pay for their health care services a little bit and trust the professionals and come in, they could maintain what they had gained." And, so far, that wager has paid off. "They came in, and I'm seeing a great response." Procopio expected to end 2008 with close to $225,000 in revenue, up 40 percent from the year before. She opened the studio in October 2006 with proceeds from the sale of a house. Revenue has grown every month, even as the economy has soured. "I believe that's because I have clients who are intelligent and see the value of keeping themselves healthy," Procopio said. "So far, people just keep coming in." Some may visit less frequently or opt for group classes instead of private sessions, she said. Studio U's rates for Pilates classes are in line with what studios typically charge, and package pricing is available for every service, Procopio said. Group classes range from $18 for mat classes to $40 for equipment classes, she said. Clients need to take three individual sessions, which cost $70 to $80 each, before joining group classes. The physical therapy evaluation costs $110. If business tapers off, Procopio said she could focus on in-studio group classes and possibly ramp up corporate classes, which Studio U has done in the past. Otherwise, Procopio would like to look at opening more studios. "I would love to see more out there," she said. "But I wouldn't want to lose the personal feel that I have here." For now, she may consider expanding the space at her current location, and perhaps adding nutritional or other services. While at Park Nicollet, Procopio concentrated on sports medicine and integrating Pilates and personal training into her practice. She also taught private Pilates classes for three years at Calhoun Beach Club before opening her own studio. The studio last year retained 50 percent of the clients it had in 2007; many come from doctor referrals and a growing number from word-of-mouth referrals, Procopio said. She has four independent contractors working at the studio, three instructors and a physical therapist who also teaches Pilates. Procopio has expanded her space to include two private studios and one for group classes. Each studio has Pilates equipment, and one also features the Power Plate, a high-tech machine that uses vibration technology to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility. Procopio said Studio U was the first in Minnesota to offer the Power Plate. Although Procopio skipped writing a business plan, the usual first step for new entrepreneurs, she got advice from her husband, who works in finance. She put a lot of time into deciding where to open Studio U, choosing Uptown because it's close to the city's lakes, which draw runners and walkers who might need her services, and it is close to a large population of baby boomers and other potential clients. Procopio sees physical therapy as the foundation of her Studio U practice. New clients get an evaluation of their strength, flexibility, posture and muscular balance, and undergo physical therapy to rehabilitate joints and muscles. Clients then proceed to Pilates to increase their core strength and later to personal training to help them reach fitness goals. Studio U client Jane Thompson said she has gained strength and flexibility and has lost 3 inches from her waist size since she began working with Procopio three times a week in March. At that time, Thompson faced back surgery and suffered unrelenting, searing pain from injuries suffered years ago in a car crash. Over the summer, she said she was pain-free for the first time in years. With her improved fitness, Thompson said, she also has been able to discontinue blood pressure medication she said she had taken for years. Procopio also helped Thompson, a licensed psychotherapist, make changes to ease the physical toll of her long workdays. "How I got my job, Kristin Procopio" 2007 Star Tribune Issue Date: March 08, 2007 by Aimee Blanchette Job: Founder and owner of Studio U, a Pilates boutique in Minneapolis' Uptown that combines physical therapy with personal training. Your job in a nutshell: I evaluate a person's body for strengths and weaknesses, then offer an individual workout program based on the latest in Pilates machines and techniques. Education: Master's degree in physical therapy from Chapman University in Orange, Calif. Previous experience: I worked at Park Nicollet Clinic for ten years, when I got my full comprehensive Pilates certification. Then I worked at Calhoun Beach Club. Salary: Well, as most people know, in a start-up business there really is no salary for the first year, there's only expenses. But if the concept of Studio U takes off like it should, we should be turning a profit by our second year. How did you get your job? I'd been a physical therapist for 10 years and most of that time I specialized in sports rehabilitation. I saw that people would leave physical therapy and go about their normal lives, but they'd reinjure themselves. I saw a need for a place where people could get some insight on their bodies to make their fitness routines work well for them. Studio U opened in October and I've had a huge response from people who've had chronic back pain or other injuries, as well as people who are trying to make it to the next fitness level. Job pros: I'm my own boss; set my own hours; decide how my business actually runs, and how I spend my time. Job cons: Snow days like we had last week. If I'm not working, I'm not making money. I have to make sure to keep up the equipment and worry about all the little nuts and bolts that I didn't have to as a staff therapist. Why do you think this will be a successful business? People are taking responsibility for their bodies these days. They love the idea of having someone tell them what's wrong so they can focus on keeping strong and they're willing to pay for it, which is fabulous. What prompted you to start a business? I was content in my other job, but I felt too young to be content and had to do something. What else does Studio U offer that a regular fitness studio doesn't? It's the first place in Minnesota to offer Power Plate, which uses vibration technology to reduce cellulite, improve muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion and bone density. What lesson did you learn about starting a business? Take the leap. I didn't consider myself a businesswoman before, but all of a sudden, here I am. I'm growing as a businesswoman, as well as a physical therapist. How did you decide on physical therapy? I always thought I would be a doctor. My freshman year of college I went on a ski trip and tore the ACL in my knee. I went to physical therapy and another patient asked me if I ever considered working in physical therapy. I said, "No, I would never hurt someone like they're hurting me!" Well, I started to get to know physical therapy better and I realized that with the rapport that you develop with your patients ... it was a natural fit. Dream job: Seeing Studio U growing across the state and seeing other therapists taking an interest in stepping outside the traditional world of physical therapy. "Methods That May Give More Than Quick Fix For Pain" Jeanette Trompeter Reporting (WCCO) © MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserve February 2007 Most of us at one time or another have dealt with an injury, ache or pain. A lot of us struggle with neck and shoulder pain, lower back problems, and knee ailments. Maybe you've even been sent to physical therapy for the problem, which provides some relief, but maybe not long-term. One Twin Cities woman hopes to offer more than a quick fix. In her decade as physical therapist, Kristin Procopio has helped a lot of people get control of their aches and pains, but once she helped people find relief, her job was done. However, the end to her patient's pain? Not necessarily. Procopio was also a Pilates instructor and felt if she could combine her two practices, pain prescriptions would be longer-lasting, so she opened Studio U. A client of Kristin's, Elizabeth Trudeau said she dealt with chronic shoulder problems that went down the back of her right shoulder, up her neck and then down her chest. "What we need to do is open up her chest, draw her shoulder blades back and let those muscles not work so hard," said Procopio. Trudeau's 18 years of styling hair had taken a toll on her shoulder. Acupuncture, chiropractic and massage all provided relief, but not for long. She was skeptical that the tiny movements Kristin prescribed would make any difference, but her skepticism quickly subsided. "I felt relief that day, but then I also felt it the next day and the remaining of the week," said Trudeau. Procopio helps clients strengthen the tiny stabilizing muscles so often ignored which often leads to pain in our larger muscles. She also incorporates Power Plate technology. Power Plate is vibration technology. It's kind of like trying to keep your balance riding on a bus down a rough gravel road. "What happens is all the little stabilizing muscles that normally don't have to work, they kick in, and they have to start working and the big muscles have to stop working so hard," explained Procopio. Trudeau was breathing a little harder after spending just 30 seconds on it. "It sounds crazy that those little tiny movements could cause such fatigue, but as you can hear I am breathing loud and I consider myself pretty physically fit. It feels like nothing I've ever felt before. It's really invigorating," she said. Power Plate is hot right now with Hollywood's elite. Procopio's clients get it only as a finishing touch after she's put them through the paces she feels will lead them to an active lifestyle absent of pain. Procopio is working with some of the doctors she worked with in her physical therapy program, but she is not insurance based.

Television Coverage:

» FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 1
» FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 2
» FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 3
» FOX 9 News (January 2010) - Part 4

» KARE 11 News (July 2009)

» FOX 9 News (January 2009)

» FOX 9 News (November 2007) - Part 1
» FOX 9 News (November 2007) - Part 2
» FOX 9 News (November 2007) - Part 3

» WCCO 4 News (February 2007)

Newspaper Articles:

» Star Tribune - January 12, 2009

» Star Tribune - March 8, 2007

» WCCO - February 2007

"Studio fills the physical therapy gap "
2009 Star Tribune
Issue Date: January 12, 2009
by Todd Nelson

Studio U in Minneapolis' Uptown area offers clients whose insurance sessions have expired an affordable alternative. Plus, there's Pilates and personal training.

After 10 years as a staff physical therapist, Kristin Procopio was ready to exercise her independence as an entrepreneur.

The result is Studio U, a private workout boutique in Minneapolis' Uptown area that Procopio said fills a unique niche in the Twin Cities by offering physical therapy, Pilates and personalized training all in one location.

Procopio, a licensed physical therapist who also is certified as a Pilates instructor and personal trainer, believed that clients who had run out of insurance-covered physical therapy sessions would be willing to pay out-of-pocket to continue treatment at Studio U.

She figured that those clients then would move on to Pilates work or personal training at her studio.

She hoped that those additional offerings would motivate other clients -- those whose symptoms returned when they had failed to exercise on their own after completing physical therapy -- to continue working out at her studio.

"I saw a gap from when people left us, even though they were feeling pretty good, and how they maintained feeling good," Procopio said, recalling her time in the Park Nicollet health care system.

"I saw the possibility that, if only people would pay for their health care services a little bit and trust the professionals and come in, they could maintain what they had gained."

And, so far, that wager has paid off.

"They came in, and I'm seeing a great response."

Procopio expected to end 2008 with close to $225,000 in revenue, up 40 percent from the year before. She opened the studio in October 2006 with proceeds from the sale of a house.

Revenue has grown every month, even as the economy has soured.

"I believe that's because I have clients who are intelligent and see the value of keeping themselves healthy," Procopio said. "So far, people just keep coming in."

Some may visit less frequently or opt for group classes instead of private sessions, she said.

Studio U's rates for Pilates classes are in line with what studios typically charge, and package pricing is available for every service, Procopio said. Group classes range from $18 for mat classes to $40 for equipment classes, she said. Clients need to take three individual sessions, which cost $70 to $80 each, before joining group classes. The physical therapy evaluation costs $110.

If business tapers off, Procopio said she could focus on in-studio group classes and possibly ramp up corporate classes, which Studio U has done in the past. Otherwise, Procopio would like to look at opening more studios.

"I would love to see more out there," she said. "But I wouldn't want to lose the personal feel that I have here."

For now, she may consider expanding the space at her current location, and perhaps adding nutritional or other services.

While at Park Nicollet, Procopio concentrated on sports medicine and integrating Pilates and personal training into her practice. She also taught private Pilates classes for three years at Calhoun Beach Club before opening her own studio.

The studio last year retained 50 percent of the clients it had in 2007; many come from doctor referrals and a growing number from word-of-mouth referrals, Procopio said.

She has four independent contractors working at the studio, three instructors and a physical therapist who also teaches Pilates. Procopio has expanded her space to include two private studios and one for group classes.

Each studio has Pilates equipment, and one also features the Power Plate, a high-tech machine that uses vibration technology to strengthen muscles and improve flexibility. Procopio said Studio U was the first in Minnesota to offer the Power Plate.

Although Procopio skipped writing a business plan, the usual first step for new entrepreneurs, she got advice from her husband, who works in finance. She put a lot of time into deciding where to open Studio U, choosing Uptown because it's close to the city's lakes, which draw runners and walkers who might need her services, and it is close to a large population of baby boomers and other potential clients.

Procopio sees physical therapy as the foundation of her Studio U practice. New clients get an evaluation of their strength, flexibility, posture and muscular balance, and undergo physical therapy to rehabilitate joints and muscles. Clients then proceed to Pilates to increase their core strength and later to personal training to help them reach fitness goals.

Studio U client Jane Thompson said she has gained strength and flexibility and has lost 3 inches from her waist size since she began working with Procopio three times a week in March.

At that time, Thompson faced back surgery and suffered unrelenting, searing pain from injuries suffered years ago in a car crash. Over the summer, she said she was pain-free for the first time in years.

With her improved fitness, Thompson said, she also has been able to discontinue blood pressure medication she said she had taken for years.

Procopio also helped Thompson, a licensed psychotherapist, make changes to ease the physical toll of her long workdays.

"How I got my job, Kristin Procopio"
2007 Star Tribune
Issue Date: March 08, 2007
by Aimee Blanchette

Job: Founder and owner of Studio U, a Pilates boutique in Minneapolis' Uptown that combines physical therapy with personal training.

Your job in a nutshell: I evaluate a person's body for strengths and weaknesses, then offer an individual workout program based on the latest in Pilates machines and techniques.

Education: Master's degree in physical therapy from Chapman University in Orange, Calif.

Previous experience: I worked at Park Nicollet Clinic for ten years, when I got my full comprehensive Pilates certification. Then I worked at Calhoun Beach Club.

Salary: Well, as most people know, in a start-up business there really is no salary for the first year, there's only expenses. But if the concept of Studio U takes off like it should, we should be turning a profit by our second year.

How did you get your job? I'd been a physical therapist for 10 years and most of that time I specialized in sports rehabilitation. I saw that people would leave physical therapy and go about their normal lives, but they'd reinjure themselves. I saw a need for a place where people could get some insight on their bodies to make their fitness routines work well for them. Studio U opened in October and I've had a huge response from people who've had chronic back pain or other injuries, as well as people who are trying to make it to the next fitness level.

Job pros: I'm my own boss; set my own hours; decide how my business actually runs, and how I spend my time.

Job cons: Snow days like we had last week. If I'm not working, I'm not making money. I have to make sure to keep up the equipment and worry about all the little nuts and bolts that I didn't have to as a staff therapist.

Why do you think this will be a successful business? People are taking responsibility for their bodies these days. They love the idea of having someone tell them what's wrong so they can focus on keeping strong and they're willing to pay for it, which is fabulous.

What prompted you to start a business? I was content in my other job, but I felt too young to be content and had to do something.

What else does Studio U offer that a regular fitness studio doesn't? It's the first place in Minnesota to offer Power Plate, which uses vibration technology to reduce cellulite, improve muscle strength, flexibility, range of motion and bone density.

What lesson did you learn about starting a business? Take the leap. I didn't consider myself a businesswoman before, but all of a sudden, here I am. I'm growing as a businesswoman, as well as a physical therapist.

How did you decide on physical therapy? I always thought I would be a doctor. My freshman year of college I went on a ski trip and tore the ACL in my knee. I went to physical therapy and another patient asked me if I ever considered working in physical therapy. I said, "No, I would never hurt someone like they're hurting me!" Well, I started to get to know physical therapy better and I realized that with the rapport that you develop with your patients ... it was a natural fit.

Dream job: Seeing Studio U growing across the state and seeing other therapists taking an interest in stepping outside the traditional world of physical therapy.

"Methods That May Give More Than Quick Fix For Pain"
Jeanette Trompeter Reporting (WCCO)
© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserve
February 2007

Most of us at one time or another have dealt with an injury, ache or pain.

A lot of us struggle with neck and shoulder pain, lower back problems, and knee ailments. Maybe you've even been sent to physical therapy for the problem, which provides some relief, but maybe not long-term.

One Twin Cities woman hopes to offer more than a quick fix.

In her decade as physical therapist, Kristin Procopio has helped a lot of people get control of their aches and pains, but once she helped people find relief, her job was done.

However, the end to her patient's pain? Not necessarily.

Procopio was also a Pilates instructor and felt if she could combine her two practices, pain prescriptions would be longer-lasting, so she opened Studio U.

A client of Kristin's, Elizabeth Trudeau said she dealt with chronic shoulder problems that went down the back of her right shoulder, up her neck and then down her chest.

"What we need to do is open up her chest, draw her shoulder blades back and let those muscles not work so hard," said Procopio.

Trudeau's 18 years of styling hair had taken a toll on her shoulder. Acupuncture, chiropractic and massage all provided relief, but not for long.

She was skeptical that the tiny movements Kristin prescribed would make any difference, but her skepticism quickly subsided.

"I felt relief that day, but then I also felt it the next day and the remaining of the week," said Trudeau.

Procopio helps clients strengthen the tiny stabilizing muscles so often ignored which often leads to pain in our larger muscles. She also incorporates Power Plate technology.

Power Plate is vibration technology. It's kind of like trying to keep your balance riding on a bus down a rough gravel road.

"What happens is all the little stabilizing muscles that normally don't have to work, they kick in, and they have to start working and the big muscles have to stop working so hard," explained Procopio.

Trudeau was breathing a little harder after spending just 30 seconds on it.

"It sounds crazy that those little tiny movements could cause such fatigue, but as you can hear I am breathing loud and I consider myself pretty physically fit. It feels like nothing I've ever felt before. It's really invigorating," she said.

Power Plate is hot right now with Hollywood's elite. Procopio's clients get it only as a finishing touch after she's put them through the paces she feels will lead them to an active lifestyle absent of pain.

Procopio is working with some of the doctors she worked with in her physical therapy program, but she is not insurance based.