Sadie Lincoln, co-founder and CEO of a chic barre fitness studio, hopes to redefine success in the fitness business through digital means.
▲Sadie Lincoln, CEO of Barre3
“I don’t like that model where one guru or leader tells everyone what to do — it’s just a false sense of power,” says Sadie Lincoln, co-founder and CEO of the trendy fitness chain Barre3. The Portland native calmly explains why she avoids the star trainer or fitness influencer-driven model adopted by many competitors.
“I believe in collective intelligence,” she says. “Our company wants to cultivate that ability in our clients. When it comes to transforming lives, we believe coaches have the same impact as childcare providers or front desk staff.”
These days, this kind of soothing business philosophy is all the rage, with many companies trying to create such an atmosphere for learning. But in my view, only Lincoln has truly put it into practice. Last fall, after a workout session at Barre3’s West Village location, she led a discussion.
After the high-intensity workout, Lincoln gathered everyone to sit on the floor with her. Cross-legged, she shared modern technology’s frustrations in her personal life — like having to record everything on camera. She also revealed a few awkward moments from a recent family trip, then opened the floor for others to talk about their love-hate relationship with smartphones. At the end, she talked about how “mindfulness” helped her kick the habit of filming every sunset.
“Everything we do in our fitness classes reflects how we approach life,” she told participants. “We all know that big lie the fitness industry loves to tell: ‘Do this, and you’ll get that.’ But it’s not the 60-minute workout that changes you — it’s the learning, and applying what you learn in class to your life.”
Lincoln isn’t your typical fitness business owner; much of her behavior reflects the hippie style instilled in her by Eugene, Oregon. She grew up in a somewhat nomadic, gypsy-like community where kids were taught to be individualistic and follow their intuition. Though her company now has 130 studios, exotic wellness spaces, and an online digital community, she remains as introspective as she was in her youth.
This is also why Lincoln surprisingly announced that Barre3 would limit its growth. Even with sky-high popularity, she remains focused on what she already has. In a way, she’s a believer in the “less is more” philosophy.
“I got into the boutique fitness industry hoping to build a community rooted in connection,” Lincoln says. “That’s my goal.”
Redefining Growth
In 2008, Lincoln left the communications and strategy department of fitness giant 24 Hour Fitness, giving up a decades-long career to pursue her dream. She wanted to create a company that not only helped customers get fit but also inspired them spiritually. Her ideal boutique gym would combine cardio, yoga, and Pilates at a fast pace while building self-confidence and, ultimately, a sense of community. Lincoln emphasizes that physical and mental benefits are key.
“Personally, I felt something was missing — that powerful sense of connection between me and my workout, and how that connection impacted my life,” she says.
Chris Lincoln, Barre3’s co-founder and Sadie’s husband, helped open the first Barre3 studio in Portland with a unique concept: “fighting loneliness.” Many of Sadie’s friends, neighbors, and colleagues talked about “suburban isolation” and longed for meaningful connections. The two founders aimed to create a space where interactions felt genuine and natural. That’s why working out at Barre3 always feels so comfortable.
“We believe the connections we foster in these small studios are just as healthy-promoting as the intense, sweat-dripping workouts,” Lincoln explains. “We focus on our own development model rather than following the business philosophies of fitness giants, which often come with too many distractions.”
In Barre3 classes, instructors teach small, challenging movements and then use positive reinforcement to enhance the effect. This method originates from isometric exercises, where you hold a pose for an extended period (until you feel your muscles burning) to build strength. These workouts place less strain on knees, ankles, and lower back, reducing the risk of injury.
At first glance, you might think it’s just a group of women working out in a ballet studio. But Lincoln sees it as more of a mental exercise. The program is designed to guide participants toward deeper engagement from the start, with instructors encouraging everyone to “create your own moves because you are your own best teacher.”
“People become focused and feel connected because you’re not just exercising your muscles — you’re cultivating awareness and concentration,” Lincoln says. “In the process, you’re building confidence and forming connections with others. I think that combination is powerful.”
Building connections among clients, and between trainers and students, is no easy feat. That’s why this model is hard to scale — a class of 35 is already pushing it. For Barre3, teaching trainers how to build their own communities and connect with each visitor is crucial. To that end, Barre holds regular company meetings and workshops, dedicating time to employee development. This is not something that happens overnight.
This is also one reason Barre3 isn’t expanding too quickly. Lincoln and her team have seen some competing brands suffer brand damage due to overexpansion. So now, they prefer to focus on perfecting existing studios before considering further growth.
“We’ve definitely slowed our pace,” says Marilla Perkins, Barre3’s vice president of marketing and digital products. “For a long time, we were growing just for the sake of growth.”
Lincoln has her own unique take on this counterintuitive approach. In a recent interview with NPR, she used a yoga term to describe this pause. “Stillness is hard because it’s internal. You have to go deep inside to see what’s going on. So if you think of a company as a person, we’re deciding to pause and meditate for a while to figure out what’s really going on.”
Perkins says Barre3 will move forward with purpose, focusing energy on those already within the community. From this perspective, Barre3 is creating new tools on digital platforms that emphasize community-building content.
▲Barre3 Classes
Making Fitness More Human
Digitally rebuilding close connections involves multiple areas. Barre3 has launched a three-step approach on a rich-content platform: “Work Out, Build Connection, Foster Community.” It includes hundreds of workout classes, recipes, meal plans, workout journals, goal tracking, articles, and message boards. Members can ask any question — about form, mindfulness, or the dangers of refined sugar — and receive responses from trainers or health editors within 24 hours.
To support this, Barre3 has hired top nutritionists and wellness experts to answer questions online. It’s paying off: in 2016, Barre3’s online platform revenue rose 61%, in 2017 it increased 55%, and online subscriptions jumped 113%.
There’s also a program called “B3 All In,” which includes both in-studio and online content. It features fitness classes, “cleanse eating,” and expert-guided breathing exercises. Lincoln describes it as a method for focusing on both physical and mental health in a supportive, goal-oriented environment.
“In life, there are many things that distract us, making it hard to eat healthily or spend quality time with the people we love,” she said. “This program is about cherishing what we value and actually taking action.”
Last year, more than 20,000 people worldwide participated in the B3 Go All In program. Lincoln and her team attribute their success to making the digital experience more human — helping customers feel they’re more than just data points online. These participants know that no matter when, during the course of the program, they can always reach out to mentors and experts for guidance, as if they were still attending classes in that small, tightly-knit gym.
“We try to help people truly understand themselves and develop body wisdom,” said Perkins, who believes many consumers are seeking products that benefit both physical and mental well-being. “People today are constantly bombarded with information, especially in the health care space. Filtering out what’s useful from all that noise is a tough task.”
For Lincoln, humanizing the digital experience aligns with her business philosophy — it’s like the digital version of every small movement in class that ultimately strengthens the whole. The CEO says she wants to protect the brand and the community she’s built, and also resist the pressure to “scale up.” Most importantly, she hopes to shift the mindset of fitness companies — albeit with a bit of a hippie vibe.
“We see ourselves as an education company, not a fitness company,” Lincoln emphasized, expressing her belief that her unique slow-down approach is well-timed. “I think it’s more important now than ever for us to come together, share common values, and do good together. We need to realize we’re all in the same boat — everyone is connected.”