Laura Savard, Lena Cannizzaro
and Arica Bronz
Pilates Space
Burlington, VT
“We’re not just Pilates anymore,” said Laura Savard, who, with Lena Cannizzaro and Arica Bronz, purchased Burlington’s Pilates Space. “We wanted to turn this business into something more holistic that wasn’t just focus on Pilates. The three of us have very different skill sets that compliment each other. Lena is a physical therapist, Pilates teacher, and practices craniosacral therapy; Arica is an Anusara Inspired Yoga teacher and Pilates teacher; and I’m a Holistic Health counselor – I teach whole foods nutrition.”

In 2008, the trio – then employees of Pilates Space – became faced with the prospect of having to find new employment when their boss decided to sell the business. But rather than go their separate ways, the women decided to take the leap into entrepreneurialism and purchase the business.

“It just made sense,” said Savard. “We went to the Small Business Development Center to find out how to buy a business, and they directed us to Community Capital.”

“Like a lot of young people who are trying to start a business,” Bronz noted, “we didn’t have access to that kind of capital, so I’m really glad Vermont has an organization like Community Capital.

“And although we worked with our loan officer to secure finding,” said Cannizzaro, “he offered much more in terms of resources than we would have been able to get through a traditional bank. I feel like Community Capital really understood what we wanted to do and they helped us get through the many details of buying a business.”