JPPilates

I’ve been reflecting on this year’s May Day event. I keep coming back to the idea of how it It would have been so easy to cancel. It was going to rain and who wants to do Pilates in the rain? Honestly, not me. But that’s never really been who we are at JPPilates. We grow stronger when we choose to keep showing up, even when conditions aren’t perfect, even when things feel hard, even when the plan changes.

And honestly, it feels fitting that the event didn’t go exactly as expected. Because if this past year has taught me anything, it’s that small business ownership is learning to pivot constantly. Rarely do things go according to plan. Expecting the unexpected has become part of the journey.

So there we were, gathered in the place where so much of this story began.

12 years ago, I became a mom. I walked the path of the Monument with a stroller, trying to feel like myself again. Those walks eventually became JPP Stroller Bootcamp. For over a decade now, hundreds of moms have shown up here beside me.

This space also carried us through the pandemic. In 30-degree weather, we still gathered at the Monument as a community when life felt isolating and uncertain. We moved our bodies, supported one another, and built friendships that still exist today.

Last year when I stood here, we were teaching out of a tiny 480-square-foot studio while waiting for the keys to a new space. I had no idea how we were going to pull it off. But over the months that followed, my family, friends and I worked harder than I ever thought possible.

And now, standing here a year later, I look around and feel nothing but gratitude. We are a true community filled with strength, connection, and people who continue to inspire me every single day.

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When you’ve carried something on your own for so long, it can feel almost impossible to let people in. JPPilates was never just a business to me — it was personal. Which is why I never dreamed of building a “team.” I wanted to build a family.

And somehow, these two became the heart of it all.
iacaboni and have shown up with unwavering energy, endless support, and the kind of joy you can’t fake. They didn’t just help open a studio, they helped breathe life into it. Because that’s what family does. They show up. Again and again.

Lauren and I have been teaching together in Boston for 20 years. We’ve taught everywhere — malls, parks, gyms, studios — growing up alongside this industry and alongside each other. Lauren, thank you for saying yes when I called. You walked into JPP at exactly the moment I needed you most, bringing comfort, history, laughter, and familiarity into brand new walls. I’m endlessly grateful for you.

And then there’s Ali. This year, Ali gave JPP so much more than anyone could ever see from the outside. She carried boxes, hung curtains, answered all of my calls, talked me through hard days, and somehow still showed up every single time with kindness and belief. May Day marks one full year of her teaching — and watching her grow into this role has been one of the greatest gifts. Ali, I am so unbelievably proud of you.

This studio was built with love, but it stands because of people like this. And for the first time in a long time, this dream no longer feels like something I carry alone. 🤍

Photos by

May Day through the years 💐

Every year I look back at these photos and realize how much has changed… and how much has stayed the same. The classes have grown, the crowds have gotten bigger, the details more layered — but one thing has always been constant: my kids right there in the middle of it all, “helping.” 🤍

Helping carry mats. Helping set up. Helping hand things out. Helping ask 400 questions while I’m trying to organize chaos. Helping by simply being there beside me through every season of building this community.

What people see on the outside is a great event, but behind every May Day is my family giving their time, energy, patience, and love to help make these moments possible. They have shared me with this community in so many ways, and I’ll never take that for granted.

One day I hope my kids look back and remember not just the events themselves, but what they witnessed: people gathering, friendships forming, women supporting one another, and a community built with heart.

JPP has always been bigger than fitness to me. It’s been about creating something meaningful for people to belong to — and my family has been part of that mission from the very beginning. 🌸