Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Guizzetti.
Hi Stephanie , we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I discovered Pilates in 2012 when I was looking for a way to deal with chronic pain from being born with club feet and undergoing multiple surgeries as a child. I began to regularly practice the classical method on the reformer, which always starts with “footwork.” It was not long before I noticed my range of motion increasing and my pain decreasing. Naturally, I fell in love with the method and what it did for my body — particularly for my pain — so I decided to enroll in a comprehensive training program. I graduated from that program in 2013 and started teaching full time.
I have taught at studios across Minneapolis and St. Paul, as well as for a brief period in the Bay Area. I expanded into working as a physical therapy aide, where I discovered functional neurology. I worked for the Functional Neurology Center of Minneapolis, helping people with concussions and other traumatic brain injuries. I hold a B.F.A. in Communication & Design with a deep love of furniture design. I spent the next chapter of my journey working at a furniture design company in Minneapolis while teaching on the side out of my home and at studios on nights and weekends.
In 2020, I had my first child and my first C-section. Pilates, once again, helped heal my body. In 2022, I had my second child and my second C-section. After my son was born, I was left with a body I no longer knew and began seeking out studios to reconnect with my practice. That is when I first noticed a gap in the market. The large gyms did not feel like the right fit, nor did the more boutique fitness studios. It was then that I began speaking with others in my community — namely women around the same age and stage of life — and realized I was far from the only person who felt this way. It was then that I began iterating on what Flow House would eventually become.
I spent about three years crafting business plans and pondering the idea of opening a studio. With the encouragement and support of my family, I leased a space in NE Minneapolis in September of 2025. We had a soft opening in December of that year and formally opened in January of 2026.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
LOL, no. Two days after formally opening the studio, Renee Good was murdered by ICE agents in South Minneapolis, less than 15 minutes away from our doors. One of the tenets of Flow House is community, and during that time our community was really hurting. I had a media strategy for the start of the business that I essentially threw out the window and turned the focus to what mattered most at that time, which was being there for our neighbors. Our grand opening party turned into a donation drive where we collected non-perishable items and raised money for rent relief funds. We added donation-based and virtual classes, and I learned in a very real way that people must always come before business.
Since then, as the circumstances in our city have calmed down, I have become more familiar with the normal ebbs and flows of small business ownership, specifically in the movement space and the seasonality of things.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Flow House is a movement studio and lifestyle shop. We offer classical mat Pilates, as well as several styles of yoga. Our lifestyle shop carriers women-owned, eco-friendly, or handmade items, all which are centered around helping you create small moments of ritual throughout your day and allow you to return to the feeling you have in your body and mind after you leave a movement class. It is my goal (and I like to think people feel this when they enter the space) that Flow House be inclusive and non-intimidating, where all people feel welcome. Flow House is about celebrating and meeting your body exactly where it is. We are about fun and functional movement. We do not take ourselves too seriously but we do take helping people move in a functional and safe way very seriously. We are about moving for longevity to live a full and healthy life. We have regular weekend pop-ups where we partner with other local business, to again foster and build community. We also offer kids yoga once a month, which is arguably my favorite class. I love watching children (including my own) connect with their body through breath.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
We have recently started a book club at the studio amongst the instructors, we are digging into The Art of Gathering by Priya Parker.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.flowhousempls.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/flowhouse_mpls
