What’s the concept?
Platefit is a premium vibration wellness brand, based in Los Angeles. We offer a wide range of 27-minute workouts centered around Power Plate machines, a medical grade device which uses harmonic vibration. The plates are always moving in three directions – left to right, front to back and up and down - which activate muscles, making them contract 30 to 40 times per second.
We use the science of vibration to wake up cells, increase circulation, drain and detoxify the lymphatic system, reduce inflammation and accelerate recovery time. The body’s response to vibration increases serotonin and HGH and reduces cortisol.
How did you come up with the idea?
Fourteen years ago, when I was 26 years old, I went to the gym with a friend and saw a vibrating platform in the corner. I asked the fitness instructor what it was, and they didn’t really know how to use it, or show any interest. I had a go for 30 seconds, which changed my life! Intuitively I knew it was amazing and great for the body and I wanted to know more.
That night I went home and started my research, finding out that pro-athletes were using vibration technology, as well as doctors, chiropractors and a range of other health professionals for different applications, including to help fine motor skills and treat Parkinsons. It’s great for increasing power, as well as circulation, range of motion and stretching.
After six sessions I saw a huge difference in my body: I felt leaner, tighter and stronger. I was sold. Shortly afterwards, I quit my job to open a studio. I had the vision of hundreds of studios and making vibration technology available for everybody. I quickly realised that a lot of people didn’t know what it was, so it became another passion project of mine to educate people on its benefits and bring it to the masses.
How did you bring the idea to fruition?
Shortly after quitting my job, I started training Cher on her Power Plate and we decided to open a studio together. Four months in, she decided it wasn’t for her and we closed the studio, but she let me lease the machines really cheaply.
I struck out on my own and found a 200sq ft studio in West Hollywood with very cheap rent, and room for five plates. I painted it myself and brought in a boombox. There was a really affluent school opposite and I started marketing myself there and grew my customer base via word of mouth among the moms.
How has it grown since then?
I met my husband four years ago and got pregnant really quickly and at that point we made the decision for me to teach less and build and expand the brand. He believed my concept was much bigger than ‘the corner of a gym.’ Platefit was born was from that point.
We invested some money in creating a cool brand, formalised a seven day training course, found some instructors and launched the second studio in Brentwood. This was followed a year later by Studio City. We will launch Sycamore in October and are looking to expand by three or four more studios in the next year. Each studio is slightly larger than the last; the upcoming studio is 1,200sq ft and will have 15 Plates.
We have plans to grow across the US and globally. People know yoga, Pilates, HIIT and Barry’s Bootcamp, but many don’t know vibration training and it’s my intention, passion and purpose to make it available and bring it to the world. At the moment we are growing the chain ourselves, but further down the line we may look for financial backing, or franchise the concept.
Who are your customers?
In the early morning we get the young working men and women, and these are followed later on by moms. We also get high school athletes who are competing in sports and want to get stronger, as well as older people. We recommend that people come three or four times a week to get the best results.
How much do you charge?
It is $27 for one class, but we also have packages and memberships and we’re on ClassPass.
Is LA a difficult market to launch health and fitness concepts?
It’s probably the most competitive market in the world for health and fitness, but there are also lots of people who are willing to try new concepts. I think that if Platefit can survive and thrive here then it could work anywhere.
There are some copycat concepts, who have come to our classes and replicated what we do and launched in other places, so they’re doing our research for us.
