Having two careers is something I’ve always done. Sometimes I can’t even imagine what it would be like to be able to come home from one job and have nothing else to do. It started off 15 years ago with me being an aspiring Dancer and Accountant. Then I was a Managing Director of a national dance competition and an Accountant. Now I’m a Vice President of Corporate Finance and a Pilates Instructor. This last one has been my constant for the past 5 years and a duality that I enjoy.
My journey into the world of Pilates began around 12 years ago in New York City when someone recommended I try it after suffering a dance injury. During my first session, I remember thinking how great it felt on my body, and I had a feeling in that moment that I wanted to learn and, eventually, teach this method. Unfortunately, having just begun a corporate job as an Accountant, I wasn’t able to study it as diligently as I had hoped and found myself taking class sporadically over a year period. After moving to Los Angeles, CA to start a national dance competition, I relied on a Pilates mat video series to keep me connected, rolling my mat out on the living room floor (or in a hotel room when traveling) to get in some practice. It wasn’t until 6 years ago, when I was suffering a lot of headaches and a sore neck, that I found a local chiropractor who used Pilates for rehabilitation. I decided to give it a try and ended up going twice a week for 6 months. My body started to change, my headaches dissipated, and I couldn’t wait for my sessions each week. At that point, I knew I was ready to start my instructor training and enrolled in a classical program in Santa Monica, CA.
Jumping ahead 5 years, I’m now a certified instructor in the classical method, and I teach private clients mornings and/or evenings at local studios in both Santa Monica and New York City, depending on where I’m working that week. I also teach a monthly mat class at my corporate job as part of a health and wellness initiative. (I love getting my coworkers away from their desks!) I’ve often been asked why I don’t just start teaching full time or open my own studio. Clearly others can see how passionate I am about teaching Pilates! And it’s a question I’ve often asked myself. I’ve been given some really amazing opportunities to make full-time teaching a reality, but each time I’ve turned them down. For me, personally, I think it comes down to two things. First, I like the balance. Running a financial department challenges me in many ways and satisfies what people call my “math brain”. However, being in a corporate environment 5 days a week doesn’t offer many creative outlets. And, as a former dancer, this is something I crave daily! That’s where Pilates comes in. I can spend a few hours a week working with clients and practicing a physical method that I’m incredibly passionate about, which challenges my brain in different ways.
Second, of course, is the financial aspect. I can’t lie and say that I don’t enjoy the financial perks of corporate life. I’ve been very successful in that part of my life, and it’s hard to walk away from all that I’ve accomplished and the security that it provides. I also don’t have to worry about the normal financial concerns that most Pilates studio owners and full-time teachers do, like keeping a certain number of clients, dealing with rent and overhead, or managing health insurance. I teach at my leisure and because I love spreading its benefits to others.
Looking into the future, it’s hard to say where I’ll be in 5 or 10 years. The more I study the classical Pilates method, the more I want to share it with everyone around me. It’s changed my life in many ways and brings me joy to help others change theirs. Perhaps opening a studio will be part of my future, and surely my business background will come in handy if I do. All I know is, for now, the dual career life works for me and is preparing me for whatever comes next.
Kimberly Mills currently splits time between New York City and
Santa Monica, CA where she teaches at Pilates Challenge and
Ocean Pilates, respectively. She’s also currently enrolled in first generation teacher Jay Grimes’s masters program “The Work” in Los Angeles, CA, an in-depth study of the classical method based on Joseph Pilates’ intentions and techniques. For more information or to inquire about a session, Kimberly can be reached at pilateswithkim11@gmail.com.