Other Women's Jobs // A Day in The Life and Career of Louise Leighton

NAME: Louise Leighton

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @revive_reformer_pilates

JOB TITLE: Founder of REVIVE Pilates studio

MOVED TO THE UAE IN: 2008

Louise is the Founder of REVIVE, a Reformer Pilates group exclusively in Dubai. The headquarter studio in Fairways, Jumeirah Golf Estates was opened in May 2023 and just recently they opened a second studio called REVIVE+ in Jumeirah Golf Estates Golf Club and Country Club – introduced to offer more flexibility for members that can’t make the half past classes and to ease the waitlist.

Having lived in Dubai for over 15 years, Louise trained as a Pilates professional and fell in love with the exercise when she saw the transformative benefits both physically and mentally for herself and in others.

Louise was previously a schoolteacher and has always found joy in empowering people to overcome challenges, pursue their passions, and grow into the best version of themselves.

As a founder of a homegrown business in the UAE, Louise has loved nothing more than the journey of entrepreneurship and building a space where people can challenge themselves, grow, and feel supported in their fitness journey.

REVIVE combines dynamic classes with personalised guidance from the team of expert instructors to deliver effective workouts that complement strength, flexibility and recovery.

Let's discover a day in the life and career of Louise:

7:30 AM – School Drop-Off

The day starts with the usual school run—bags packed, last-minute reminders, and navigating the morning Dubai traffic that somehow changes daily.

8:30 AM – REVIVE Session

Either getting in a workout or attending a class at REVIVE, depending on the schedule. With two studios now up and running, it’s also a good time to check in on how everything is running—seeing familiar faces, hearing client feedback, and making mental notes on what’s working and what could be refined.

10:00 AM – Team Check-In & Emails

A mix of catching up with the team, reviewing schedules, and sifting through emails—some important, some that could have definitely been a quick WhatsApp. There’s always something to tweak, whether it’s class planning, instructor schedules, or planning the social schedule. I’m so focused on making sure members are getting the best possible experience, especially with so much saturation in the Reformer Pilates space. This also applies to content creation.

12:00 PM – Business Meetings & Strategy

Meetings with the team to go over plans for REVIVE and REVIVE+ from branding & creative activities for our members to further expansion ideas, to making sure the new studio is settling in smoothly. The second location has been a great next step for the brand, but naturally my mind races more about what’s next, how to keep the experience seamless across multiple spaces, how to serve everyone etc. Midday is my power hour to reflect, review and plan ahead.

2:00 PM – Lunch & Marketing Review

I usually have a salmon poke bowl for lunch and am likely running around getting things done before the kids get home and cause chaos in the house. Checking content & keeping up with community management, discussing ideas for the studio with the social manager. Dubai’s fitness and wellness space is always evolving so I’m always trying to keep up to date with trends, launches, potential partnerships and collabs etc.

3:00 PM – School Pick-Up

Back to school for the afternoon run—sometimes peaceful, sometimes a lively Q&A session.

4:00 PM – Admin & Emails

Another round of emails, admin tasks, and generally making sure there’s nothing urgent or any issues with the schedule or the team I need to be present for.

6:00 PM – Evening Routine

Dinner, bath time, bedtime.

8:00 PM – Downtime or Social Plans

A chance to either unwind with family or head out for an event, depending on the day. The balance between work and personal life is always something I am grateful I can make happen.

10:00 PM – Wind down, review the day, plan for the next 

A final moment to check in on what worked today, what needs adjusting, and what’s next. The vision for REVIVE is always evolving too. Then, finally, a chance to switch off before it all starts again.