How Popflow Studios Turned Grassroots Growth Into A Scalable Fitness Brand

Popflow Studios is reimagining what a modern fitness studio can look like. With dynamic yoga, mat Pilates, high-powered sculpt, and restorative stretch all under one roof, the California-based brand has built a loyal following around movement that feels energizing and holistic.

Founded by instructor Erin Ayres, Popflow initially began as a yoga-focused studio before naturally evolving into a multimodality fitness brand driven by client demand. In the early days, the business grew almost entirely through word of mouth, fueled by Erin’s loyal student following and a strong sense of connection that kept people coming back. Today, Popflow operates locations in Coronado and San Diego, with a third studio set to open later this year.

“Popflow is kind of a one-stop shop,” says Erin. “I wanted people to be able to hit all bases of the body instead of feeling like they have to spread themselves thin across multiple studios.”

What continues to set Popflow apart is its strong sense of community. Many members and instructors have been part of the studio for years, creating an atmosphere that feels warm and approachable.

Before Mariana Tek: Growing faster than Arketa could support

As Popflow evolved from a grassroots community into a rapidly growing brand, the operational needs of the business became significantly more complex. When the team opened its second location in San Diego, Studio Ops Lead Bill Hughes was brought on to help introduce more structure and operational processes to support the studio’s rapid growth.

At the time, virtual offerings had become increasingly important as demand for online classes grew. The team ultimately decided to move away from its original software, Mindbody, and transition to Arketa, largely because of its video capabilities and cleaner client experience.

But as Popflow continued to scale, the platform struggled to keep pace with the business itself.

“As we grew our member base, Arketa started slowing down a lot,” Bill explains. “The tools just weren’t there to support the level of growth we were experiencing.”

What once worked for a smaller operation started creating friction across both the client and staff experience.

On Arketa, Popflow struggled to build the marketing engine needed for growth 

The San Diego market showed huge potential, but the team quickly realized their system was limiting them. They lacked the automated marketing infrastructure needed to convert trial clients into long-term members.

Building those workflows inside Arketa proved difficult, expensive, and time-consuming.

“When we asked for support, we were told we’d be charged per automation,” recalls Bill. “It would have been incredibly expensive so I decided to do it myself. And once those automations were set up, they honestly just didn’t work.”

Managing multiple studios became increasingly complex

As Popflow expanded across locations, reporting and operational visibility became increasingly difficult to manage on Arketa.

The system lacked clear separation between studios, making it hard for the team to accurately understand how each location was performing individually. Much of the reporting process had to be handled manually.

The team knew they needed infrastructure designed specifically to support multi-location growth, not systems that would become more complex as the business expanded.

“We were already struggling with two studios,” Bill explains. “So we started asking ourselves, what happens when we open three or four?”

Turning momentum into scalable growth with Mariana Tek

The Popflow team began searching for a platform that could better support both the client experience and the realities of running a fast-growing, multi-location business. 

“What was really important to us is how the customer interacts with it,” Bill explains. “We wanted it to be really easy for them to book classes and have a branded app that reflects how Popflow looks and feels.”

But just as important was finding a platform that could support the studio’s marketing and operational growth behind the scenes.

“The other big focus was the CRM portion and the ability to have automations,” says Bill. “We didn’t want to spend two months trying to go through and set up every single automation individually.”

One of the biggest selling points for Popflow was Mariana Tek’s Satellite program, which gives studio teams access to strategic marketing support without needing to build an in-house marketing department.

“It’s just the two of us, so we don’t necessarily have time to set everything up ourselves,” shares Bill. “Having a marketing specialist we can meet with to help guide us and offer hands-on support is huge.”

Another major differentiator for Popflow was how quickly Mariana Tek continued evolving alongside the business.

“Over the last six or seven months alone, there’s been so much added to the platform,” Bill explains. “It feels like Mariana Tek is continuing to innovate and grow with us.”

What’s next for Popflow Studios

Since switching to Mariana Tek, Popflow Studios has experienced significant growth across both revenue and memberships. The studio recently celebrated its strongest month to date – nearly 3x their monthly revenue when on Arketa. Memberships have also more than doubled.

Importantly, the team now has the operational visibility and confidence needed to scale intentionally.

As Popflow prepares to open its third and largest location yet — a 3,000 square-foot flagship studio with two rooms — having the right systems in place is everything.

“It’s going to be a big jump forward for us,” says Bill. “And part of the ability for us to make that big leap is having Mariana Tek as a partner.”

Ready to scale beyond generic software?

Inspired by Popflow Studios’ story? Discover how Mariana Tek can help you create a standout studio experience, build stronger client relationships, and scale with confidence. Book a demo today to see how the right technology can support your studio’s next stage of growth.