Krissy Vann | Host, All Things Fitness and Wellness
PIRL, a new platform designed to connect consumer wellness brands with boutique fitness and wellness studios, has officially launched with thousands of studio partners across the United States.
The platform aims to simplify how brands execute marketing activations across multiple fitness locations while creating additional revenue opportunities for studio operators through partnerships, sponsorships and experiential campaigns.
PIRL's network includes several established boutique fitness brands, including PVOLVE, SoulCycle, STRONG Pilates, BATHHOUSE, Hot 8 Yoga, AARMY, Studio (MDR), Tone House, Megaformer Studio and Peachy Studio.
The company was co-founded by CEO Ali Kaltman, formerly head of partnerships at Grüns, and Chief Commercial Officer Daniel Rabinovich, former vice president of brand partnerships at Barry's. Both founders identified challenges in the traditional brand partnership process after working on opposite sides of the industry.
“I wanted to do so much more in the studio space, but the infrastructure simply didn’t exist to do it at scale,” said Kaltman. “Our goal is to help brands connect with the right studio communities, streamline activations and make smarter decisions about how they spend their experiential, sampling, and retail media budgets.”
For boutique fitness operators, brand partnerships can provide a valuable revenue stream, but negotiating and managing individual deals often falls to studio owners and managers who are already responsible for daily operations.
“Without dedicated software, a studio’s inbox is typically the place where lucrative brand conversations go to die,” said Rabinovich. “Studios have built highly engaged communities that are valuable to brands. PIRL makes it easier for brands to connect with these communities and ultimately generate revenue and enhance the member experience.”
The launch comes as participation in the U.S. fitness industry continues to grow. According to the Health & Fitness Association, fitness facility membership reached a record 81 million Americans in 2025, expanding the potential audience for brands looking to connect with health-conscious consumers.
PIRL, which stands for Partner In Real Life, operates as a centralized marketplace where brands can coordinate campaigns across multiple studios without negotiating separate agreements at every location. The platform manages the process from contracting through payment, supporting activations such as product sampling, private class buyouts, campaign sponsorships and full studio takeovers.
The platform also allows brands to develop customized campaigns, including creator-led fitness classes, co-branded challenges and multi-city activations. Studios can be matched with brands based on fitness discipline, member demographics and geographic market.
For larger boutique fitness networks, the model offers an opportunity to streamline partnerships across multiple locations.
“With a network our size, brand partnerships used to mean negotiating the same deal one studio at a time. PIRL turns that into one offer, backed by real negotiating leverage. Every studio that wants in is in,” said Julie Cartwright, President of PVOLVE.
Early activations have also demonstrated how brands can connect in-studio marketing campaigns with measurable consumer engagement.
Leisure Hydration used PIRL to coordinate a product sampling campaign across 16 Hot 8 Yoga studios, incorporating custom QR codes designed to connect the in-person experience with retail purchases. The campaign generated hundreds of SMS sign-ups and sparked discussions around a potential wholesale partnership.
Personal care brand goodwipes has also used the platform for community-focused marketing activations.
“As a brand deeply focused on community and activation, working with PIRL was a no-brainer decision. They made the process easy and fun, and the results have been undeniable. We’re excited to continue the goodwipes journey with PIRL in 2027 and beyond,” said Meredith Diehn, SVP of Marketing at goodwipes.
As boutique fitness studios look to diversify revenue beyond memberships and class packages, PIRL is positioning brand partnerships as a more accessible commercial opportunity for operators of different sizes.
For consumer brands, the platform offers a way to reach established fitness communities through in-person experiences while reducing the administrative demands of managing campaigns across multiple locations.
