$126K Before Opening Day: Inside Rare Yoga’s Second Location Launch
Noelle Connolly & Christian Ralston, Owners of Rare Yoga
Rare Yoga’s second location launch was met with:
$126,000 in founding pre-sales, surpassing the original $80,000 goal and proving the demand for a second location
One-third conversion from a 300-person launch list into founding members and intro passes—reflecting strategic segmentation and phased campaigns
83 founding members secured pre-opening, creating a robust, high-commitment revenue base before day one
48% total revenue growth across both locations month-over-month, showing the immediate impact of a well-executed expansion strategy
Turning Demand into a Second Location
Business partners Noelle and Christian had built something special in Bondi Beach, Australia: Rare Yoga, a studio known for its thoughtful teaching, grounded community, and a fiercely loyal membership base. But with Bondi nearing capacity, a growing population of Sydney office workers looking for a sanctuary after hours, and momentum building behind their signature “Rare” experience, the pair knew it was time to expand.
Enter Surry Hills: a vibrant, high-density neighborhood with 230,000 residents, strong foot traffic, and a completely different client avatar than Bondi’s beach crowd. It was the ideal location for Rare’s next evolution.
With Telomere supporting strategy, pricing, automations, and pre-sale infrastructure, Noelle and Christian launched Surry Hills with the kind of precision most studios only dream of. In just a few weeks, they transformed a 300-person interest list into something more than just names on a spreadsheet.
Growing without Diluting the Brand
Rare wasn’t opening “Bondi 2.0.”
Surry Hills has a much larger population base (230,000 vs. Bondi’s 73,000) and a very different feel: more office workers and driven, “Type A” clients vs. Bondi’s more casual, beach-town rhythm. The new studio needed to:
Function as a “work day-friendly” studio with:
Staggered evening blocks
50-minute lunchtime classes designed for office workers
Launch with a strong founding revenue base to support a two-location model
Hit ambitious pre-sale goals without sacrificing long-term retention
There were also real operational constraints. Growing from one studio to two requires an in-depth understanding of studio software and how to isolate location performance, which can often take up important time out of any studio owner’s schedule to dive into.
Rare was also keen on bettering their intro sales and retention rate. Surry Hills needed to launch strong and plug those gaps, so the second location didn’t just add top-line revenue, but built sustainable recurring income.
Founding Revenue First, Retention Infrastructure Second
1. Build a Premium, Pre-Sold Member Base
To front-load cash flow and set Surry Hills up as a strong, self-sustaining location, the team finalized a founding pricing strategy designed for high upfront revenue:
6-Month and 12-Month founding memberships
Structured founding passes in Momence as “bill now, activate on first use” to lock in revenue while preserving client flexibility
Targeted an initial $80,000 pre-sale goal, tied directly to the founding membership structure and revenue needs.
Campaigns were rolled out in phases:first to a 200-person interest list, and later to a 300-person launch list, which ultimately delivered a one-third conversion rate into founding members and intro passes.
2. Launch Surry Hills as a Distinct “Night Studio”
Rather than mirroring Bondi’s timetable, Surry Hills was positioned very intentionally, launching with ~25 classes per week, prioritizing evenings and 50-minute lunch slots. The team also aimed to maintain a 7:30 AM start (vs. 6:30 AM) to match local demand.
ClassPass was also temporarily blocked to Surry Hills to prioritize founding membership and intro pass purchases.
This allowed Rare to create a high-value, high-intent funnel into Surry Hills from day one—rather than filling new classes with low-yield, low-retention channels.
3. Building the Long Game: Automations, Teacher Training, and Sustainable Growth
Behind the scenes, Rare and Telomere were building the infrastructure that would allow Surry Hills to thrive long after opening weekend. The team refined every step of the client journey—from the first visit to long-term membership—tightening automations so new clients felt guided, not lost. Drop-ins were directed toward the intro pass, frequent visitors were nudged toward class packs, and the 14-day intro sequence was reworked to feel clearer, shorter, and more actionable. Telomere also laid out a full win-back strategy to re-engage clients at 30, 60, 90, 180 and 360 days, ensuring no one fell through the cracks as Rare transitioned into a two-location brand.
A Strong Launch + Major Revenue Lift
Surry Hills didn’t just open: it landed with force. Rare converted ⅓ of their launch list, including 83 founding members, generating $126,000 in pre-sales and surpassing their original goal.
Opening weekend confirmed the demand. Classes saw strong numbers for a brand-new schedule, giving Surry Hills immediate traction and a warm start with its newest community.
Across both studios, the momentum was unmistakable. revenue jumped 48% from Month to Month. Membership revenue climbed 37%,and AutoPay saw its strongest month yet with 44 new contracts. Even ClassPass ticked up by $2,000—despite Surry Hills being intentionally blocked to protect intro and founding sales.
What’s Next: From a Sold-Out Launch to Smarter Retention
Rare’s attention now turns to strengthening the long-term metrics behind that growth: teacher training. The upcoming months will be dedicated to generating demand for the 200-hour program through refreshed content, stronger CTAs, and targeted lead nurturing.
Surry Hills proved that expansion isn’t just a bigger footprint: its thoughtful strategy, clear KPIs, and the systems to support sustainable growth. Now the work shifts from launch success to long-term retention across both studios.
Ready to launch with confidence? Telomere gets it. We’re here to optimize, automate, and help you prepare for scalable growth. Let’s get started on the studio of your dreams.
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