Today we’d like to introduce you to Natalia Ilyasova.
Hi Natalia, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi, my name is Natalia, and I’m the founder of the boutique fitness studio “Wild & the Barre” in Redwood City, where we specialize in barre — a fun, full-body workout inspired by ballet but designed for everyone.
The idea to create a Barre studio came to me about 6-7 years ago, but my story starts way before and further away from that. I have a Master’s Degree in International Economic Relations, and before I opened my fitness studio I worked in finance for over 15 years at big corporations analyzing risks and strategies for small and medium businesses. Later on, I worked on the consumer side in banks.
Then, one day, a client suggested I try a barre class, and I loved it from that very first session. The movements looked simple, but the impact was powerful—I could feel every tiny muscle in my core, legs, and arms. I loved how my body would shake and strengthen from the inside out. I became a regular and eventually, obsessed.
I didn’t realize ‘till recently, but those barre classes helped me so much mentally. When I started classes I was going through a divorce and I remember how I would come to the class stressed and emotionally exhausted, but in the middle of it my mood would change. I would let go, and by the end of the class I felt happy and strong.
Time passed, and I felt that instead of working for banks I wanted to try something different, something more meaningful for me, something I could create myself. I wanted to combine my experience and knowledge from finance and business with my passion for health and barre.
I loved the workouts, but I couldn’t help thinking about what I would do better if the studio was mine. How would I structure the exercises and the variety of the workouts? What music would I use? How could I make a kid-friendly place? How could I make a beautiful, inviting place that doesn’t feel like a “gym”? These ideas wouldn’t leave my mind. I knew that I really wanted to have my very own barre studio.
Of course it wasn’t a light decision. By then I met my husband Raymond, and with my brother Misha we made a great team that was able to make my crazy ideas come true. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without their support.
What I really wanted – was to create a very special place, a very welcoming place, with no judgment, for all ages and fitness levels. I also wanted to create a place that wouldn’t look like a gym. I wanted a beautiful space, with art and live plants on the ceiling, more like a boutique hotel.
Because I had this clear vision I decided not to become a franchisee. So we started from scratch with the business plan, company name, logo, branding, and doing the entire remodel with our own hands.
And I believe we achieved my vision. Unfortunately for us, the pandemic hit right as we were about to have our grand opening in March 2020. It was scary to see a lot of established fitness studios closing. But we didn’t have any other choice but to keep trying. We did live streaming classes, and workouts in the park, and whenever the restrictions allowed we opened our doors to the studio with smaller capacity and masks. I was constantly thinking about creative ways to stay alive. It definitely wasn’t easy but I don’t regret it and actually am happy to have had this experience.
These days we offer barre classes every day, as well as a few dance classes and barre classes for older adults during the week. And we are building our community, with fun events and nights out when people stay after class to get to know each other over snacks and cocktails. It’s lovely to see clients meet at the studio and become friends outside of our classes.
That is what matters the most to me: when people who come for the workout, but stay as a family and friends.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Unfortunately for us, the pandemic hit right as we were about to have our grand opening in March 2020. It was scary to see a lot of established fitness studios closing. For our first two years fitness business were locked down most of the time, and people were afraid to gather and work out. Even after the pandemic was over, many people didn’t go back to classes in person. In addition, many people had lost their jobs, so having money for their fitness was often difficult.
Another aspect was getting people to know about us, especially since they weren’t out and about much during our first two years. I still think that the freedom we had to follow my vision made it the right choice not to franchise, but it also made it a rockier path to become known: we didn’t have national marketing behind us.
Finally, the small business grants from the Federal government were all based on 2019 revenues, and since we were a new business they weren’t available to us at all. Our applications were all denied because we had no revenues in 2019, so we received no help.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I covered most of this in the “my story” question, but in addition:
– Barre is unique because it blends ballet technique, Pilates precision, and strength training, but what really sets it apart from other fitness methods are the results you get from very small, highly controlled movements. You create long, lean definition, intense muscle engagement, and increased mobility—all with low impact and high effectiveness.
– Unlike all the other barre studios in the area, we offer different styles of barre workouts. Some of them are dance-inspired barre classes that combine feminine, graceful movement with strength and flow. Others bring in the structure and precision of personal training, with a focus on strength, alignment, and body awareness. This balance allows our clients to choose what they need on any given day, whether it’s emotional release, a feel-good sweat, or a serious strength challenge.
– Barre classes for older adults
– Kid-friendly place: parents can bring them while they exercise; we have toys, games, books, and even a tee-pee!
– Wild & The Barre is more than a fitness studio. it’s a blend of movement, self-expression, and connection.
– We specialize in creating experiences, hosting free themed holiday parties, where we build our community and give back to it
– I’m most proud of how Wild & The Barre has become a safe place for self-expression. It’s not just about fitness. It’s about feeling amazing. It’s about friendship, celebration, and honoring your body with love. And how much people love the place, as reflected in thousands of amazing reviews
– What sets us apart is the feeling you get when you walk through our doors: a beautiful and very comfortable/welcoming environment and effective workout
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love that Redwood City has a really vibrant, high-energy, and growing community, far more than the surrounding cities. New businesses are opening all the time, and new people are moving in all the time. I also really appreciate the support we’ve gotten from the city, including business community meetings and workshops, advice, and so on.
The thing I dislike is that the attention of the city is too focused on the Theater District, and not enough on the Woodside and El Camino corridors.
Pricing:
- New clients special: 1 week unlimited for $29
- New clients special: 3 weeks unlimited for $99
- Unlimited membership: $200/mo
- 10-class pack: $220
- Single class: $30
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wildandthebarre.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wild_and_the_barre/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildandthebarre/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nataliailyasova
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/wild-and-the-barre-redwood-city
- Other: https://share.google/9mtkhRrbTyPHFjKpv
