Building a membership model in retail is a balancing act.

You want steady revenue, but not at the cost of accessibility. You need structure, but also flexibility. Above all, you want your customers to feel like they’re part of something.

That’s exactly what Nickie Toussaint and Karen Lewis, co-owners of Collective Dance Fitness in Chicago, have created. Their boutique studio offers high-energy dance-based fitness classes from cardio to ballet-inspired strength training.

Their membership model works not because it’s perfect on paper, but because it reflects the needs of their community.

If you’re looking to create or improve your own membership business model, Collective Dance Fitness offers a clear, inspiring blueprint for how to do it right.