Today we’d like to introduce you to Emma Scott.
Hi Emma, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I’ve taught in the fitness industry since 2018, working across three or more studios at once while also running a social media management business on the side. Working at that many studios across multiple cities and modalities gave me a front row seat to how fitness studios and gyms actually operate, and it also showed me a gap that kept showing up everywhere I went. We didn’t have enough spaces that felt genuinely community-focused and inclusive, especially in mine and my wife’s own Northeast Baltimore neighborhood.
We opened The Village Well as a reformer studio because Pilates is such an effective container for accessible, inclusive movement, and the reformer itself was designed to support the body through that kind of practice. It gave us a way to meet people where they are, whether that’s a beginner nervous about their first class or someone rebuilding strength after an injury.
Having taught for almost a decade in spin, pilates, yoga, sculpt, and personal training, I’ve always known that the reformer was just the beginning for The Village Well. We’re growing with the knowledge that wellness is done best with diversity of body, mind, soul, and community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Honestly, no, and I wouldn’t want it to be. Growth has been slow by design. I wasn’t interested in getting to 500 members on day one, I wanted the right members who would really benefit and see themselves in the space. Building it that way meant prioritizing real community over a quick spike in numbers.
The proof is in the retention. In this whole time, we’ve had a total of three people cancel their memberships, and all three were moving out of the area, not leaving because the studio wasn’t working for them. Everyone who’s part of The Village Well right now is here because they want to build it with me, not just show up and disappear.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about The Village Well?
The Village Well is a boutique reformer Pilates studio in Lauraville, right on Harford Road in Northeast Baltimore. We specialize in reformer Pilates as a full movement practice, not just a workout trend, and we keep our classes small so every instructor actually knows the people in the room.
What sets us apart is culture. A lot of fitness spaces are built around headcount or how many people you can pack into a class. We built The Village Well around the opposite idea, that people show up and stay when they feel known, not anonymous. That’s true whether someone’s a total beginner or has been working out for years.
In the coming months, we’re expanding just a block away with a new space for Mat Pilates, Barre, Yoga, and fitness so our community has even more ways to move together, all within the same neighborhood.
We also run THE LAB at The Village Well, our accredited Pilates teacher training program, among other training programs, so we’re not just a place to take class, we’re also a place to build a career in this industry the right way.
What I’m proudest of isn’t a number, it’s the fact that our members are building this community with us. People stay because they belong here, and that’s the whole foundation the brand is built on.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
Just that The Village Well is always open to new faces. If you’ve ever felt like a number at a big gym or intimidated to try Pilates, Yoga, or Barre for the first time, this is a space built for you. Come see what it feels like to be known.
You can find us at 4801 Harford Rd in Lauraville, or follow along at @thevillagewellbaltimore.
Pricing:
- $11-$35 per class.
- Memberships begin at $105
- Teacher training begins at $1500
Contact Info:
- Website: https://villagewellbaltimore.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thevillagewellbaltimore/
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/thevillagewell
