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Studio Owner Story: Denielle Wegman, barre3 Richardson
Meet Denielle, the owner behind barre3 Richardson. A former special education evaluator and mother of two boys, Denielle transformed a years-long dedication to the barre3 workout into a rewarding second career when she took the leap to purchase her local North Dallas studio—turning a childhood dream of fitness ownership into a vibrant reality.
When she isn’t on the studio floor empowering her team or cultivating a five-star experience for her clients, you can find Denielle cooking, enjoying outings with her husband and sons, or unwinding with her favorite Bravo reality TV shows. Above all, she is passionate about creating a welcoming sanctuary for her community—complete with an in-studio Play Lounge that makes carving out time for movement stress-free for local parents.
Below, Denielle shares her journey from education to franchise ownership, how barre3 supported her through pregnancy and postpartum recovery, and the unique, team-first culture that makes barre3 Richardson a true community cornerstone.
B3: What first led you to discover barre3, and what made you realize early on that this workout was going to be an essential part of your routine?
I originally discovered barre3 in 2012 while living in Austin, Texas, and later found barre3 Richardson when I moved to North Dallas in 2019. I knew there was something different about barre3 because I was willing to wake up and take the early morning classes before work. I noticed how much better I felt on the days I took class. I had more patience for my then 2-year-old and more energy during the day. My body craved the workout then, and it still does all these years later.
B3: How did doing barre3 throughout your second pregnancy—and your subsequent experience with pelvic physical therapy—deepen your trust in barre3 as a functional, research-backed workout?
During the pandemic, I have a specific memory of taking outdoor classes in 30-degree temperatures while 7 months pregnant. I was able to take class until one week before my son was born. Thanks to barre3, my body felt completely different for my second delivery—it was faster, my recovery was easier, my muscles were stronger, and I didn’t have the intense back pain from breastfeeding that I had the first time. I see it all the time in our studio—the women who move with us consistently during their pregnancy are able to return sooner and look lighter in spirit postpartum.
I also love to share my experience with pelvic physical therapy after my second delivery. I was experiencing some typical postpartum issues, and had just started to return to barre3. The exercises my physical therapist was working on with me were the same moves we do in class! When I told her, she said, “You should keep going to barre3.”
Both of these experiences made me realize the extent that barre3 classes have improved—and continue to improve—my everyday life. I can always trust a barre3 workout to support my body in a safe, functional, and research-backed way.
B3: Unlike owners who build a studio from scratch, you took the leap as a resale owner by purchasing an existing business. What led to that pivot, and what inspired you to pursue barre3 Richardson?
It was summer and I was working as a special education evaluator with a 4-year-old and 6-month-old at home. I was not looking forward to going back to work; I wanted to lean into the things that made me a better mom, a better wife, and made me feel good.
At that time, the previous studio owner announced she was moving and would be selling the studio. For days, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. As a child, I dreamed of owning a dance or fitness studio—I even worked at my local dance studio in high school. Finally, I brought up the potential of purchasing the studio to my husband. He encouraged me to reach out to learn more about the opportunity, and it all happened so fast! I had the first conversation in August and closed on the studio on November 15.
B3: What was it like stepping into an already-established barre3 Richardson community as the new studio owner? How did you navigate making the space uniquely yours while honoring its history?
Stepping into this role was a major transition for me. Before becoming the studio owner, I was a quiet client who didn’t know many people in the community yet. My goal from day one was to lead with a growth mindset and a “team first” perspective—always cheering for and supporting my team.
Navigating ownership as a new owner can feel all-encompassing at times, which is why the Support Center and barre3 studio owner network are so important. The relationships I have there make managing my studio possible.
Over the years, I’ve made the studio uniquely mine by hiring from my gut and working with people whose values match mine: client-centered, fully present, in love with barre3, and hard workers who know how to “make it happen.” Every person on my team—whether they’ve been with the studio for 10 years or 10 days—is someone I believe in and care deeply about.
B3: You transitioned to studio ownership after a career in education. How did your background as a special education teacher and Educational Diagnostician prepare you for the day-to-day realities of running a barre3 studio?
Being an educator prepared me for studio ownership because no day is ever the same, and you wear many hats at once. Being a quick thinker and problem solver is essential to owning a studio. As an educator, lessons didn’t always go as planned, just like the internet and sound system sometimes act up while teaching class in the studio. As a teacher, I became an expert in pivoting, and I continue to use that skill as a studio owner. Plus, leading a diverse classroom and creating a positive classroom culture taught me how to manage a team so every team member feels supported and successful.
B3: How do you structure the management and day-to-day operations of your studio?
My team is responsible for creating a five-star experience for our clients. My role is to provide all of the resources and tools they need to be successful. I act as the Studio Manager and employ a Lead Mentor and Operations Lead. Our team is successful because everyone has strengths that we lean into. We take the best of every individual to make one phenomenal team.
B3: You’ve mentioned that the barre3 Richardson Play Lounge is very popular. How have you intentionally designed your studio to be a sanctuary and a lifesaver for local moms?
It’s rare to find a place where you can work out and truly feel that your child is safe and loved. As a mom of young kids, making that happen has been a top priority for myself, my staff, and our clients.
Providing remarkable childcare also directly supports my business goals—people talk, and a five-star experience for children keeps caregivers coming back for more barre3! We hire quality staff that I trust and ensure we have a developmentally appropriate, screen-free play space. We stock diapers and wipes, have kid potty seats and handwashing steps ready, and our team even sets out each child’s favorite toys before they arrive.
My favorite client feedback was when a mom texted me: “I’m booking my classes for the week… the kids are begging to go to Play Lounge!”
The Play Lounge is also deeply personal to me because, as a new mom, I struggled to find other moms to connect with and didn’t feel comfortable at traditional mom groups. At barre3 Richardson, parents and caregivers can meet like-minded people and build relationships in a low-pressure environment. Plus, there is so much value in our kids seeing us prioritize our health and wellness.
B3: How does the barre3 Support Center foster your success as a business owner?
The Support Center held my hand during my transition into studio ownership. I had a billion questions and they were always answered promptly. I couldn’t have done it without them. My favorite thing the support center does for us is continually provide resources so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. They provide in-studio programming with implementation guides I can easily follow.
B3: What would you want our readers to know about the barre3 studio owner community?
The Support Center is amazing, but the real MVPs are the studio owners. It is the most magical, incredible, brilliant group of women I’ve ever met. The women in the owner network have been a lifeline for me in a job that can feel isolating at times. When I’m stuck on a problem, a solution is just moments away by reaching out to our owner network. Everyone is happy to share ideas and help, because one of us growing means all of us will grow.
B3: What differentiates barre3 from other fitness brands and concepts, especially when it comes to mental wellness and letting go of control?
Barre3 instructors are truly next-level. The training each instructor receives before ever getting behind the mic is far more in-depth than other fitness brands. Because our instructors are so knowledgeable, they’re able to create a safe space for clients to go deeper—both physically and mentally.
Taking a group fitness class requires a certain level of vulnerability. The supportive environment created inside a barre3 studio allows even the most Type-A individuals (speaking from experience!) to let go, surrender control, and learn to trust their bodies.
B3: Is there any data or fun studio milestones you’d like to share with us to demonstrate your studio’s unique community or meaningful milestones in your time as an owner?
I love setting goals for the studio and crushing them. I communicate my goals with the team and throw them a party or get them a gift when we achieve them. My first few years of ownership the goals were small, like increasing revenue by 1k per month or selling 5 memberships. But we kept crushing my goals! So, I started making more lofty ones, and now we are crushing those! We are currently 13 memberships away from my dream number of members. I know we are going to make it happen and I just can’t wait to celebrate!
This upcoming January 2027 will be the studio’s 10th anniversary, and I can’t stop thinking about it. The amount of women our team has been able to support over 10 years is incredible. I needed this studio as a client and I am still pinching myself that this is my job. The studio is my absolute favorite place to be.
B3: Why should other business-minded women consider barre3 franchise ownership?
Owning a barre3 studio is more than just business ownership. I am deep in my business every day, not because I have to be, but because I absolutely love it. Being a studio owner is an opportunity to transform the lives of folks in your community – and it comes from the heart. That’s what makes a barre3 franchise different from other brands – each barre3 owner wants to care for others and build a space where people can heal.
B3: We have to ask a fun one: you mention in your studio owner bio that when you aren’t running a business or wrangling your boys, you love all things Bravo TV. If you had to describe the energy of a barre3 class using a Bravo reality show or personality, what would it be and why?
Honestly, I’d probably describe barre3 as the opposite of a Bravo show! Bravo is unpredictable and dramatic. Barre3 is consistent, steady, and grounding. Maybe that’s why I love Bravo so much, it’s the complete opposite of my day-to-day life!
But if I have to, I’d say a barre3 class is most like Ciara Miller from Summer House. She has so much depth and is a brilliant woman that works hard while looking fabulous. She’s consistent and steady, and she cares deeply for her people. But at just the right moment she’ll throw on her party pants—just like a cardio burst in barre3 Signature!
B3: To sum it up, what excites you most about owning and operating your own barre3 studio?
I love seeing the moment things truly change for our clients. Sometimes it’s a few weeks in, sometimes it takes a few months. But there is this magical moment when the reason they show up changes. It goes from an external reason – like losing weight or changing their body shape – to something deeper. It becomes about moving because it feels good! The body change comes, but their priorities shift. It’s what made me fall in love with barre3, and I get to see it happen every day at the studio.
Ready to start your own studio ownership journey? Click here to learn more about the barre3 franchise opportunity and how you can join our network of 200+ studios worldwide.
Photo credit: Rose Webb Photography
Meet Denielle, the owner behind barre3 Richardson. A former special education evaluator and mother of two boys, Denielle transformed a years-long dedication to the barre3 workout into a rewarding second career when she took the leap to purchase her local North Dallas studio—turning a childhood dream of fitness ownership into a vibrant reality.
When she isn’t on the studio floor empowering her team or cultivating a five-star experience for her clients, you can find Denielle cooking, enjoying outings with her husband and sons, or unwinding with her favorite Bravo reality TV shows. Above all, she is passionate about creating a welcoming sanctuary for her community—complete with an in-studio Play Lounge that makes carving out time for movement stress-free for local parents.
Below, Denielle shares her journey from education to franchise ownership, how barre3 supported her through pregnancy and postpartum recovery, and the unique, team-first culture that makes barre3 Richardson a true community cornerstone.
B3: What first led you to discover barre3, and what made you realize early on that this workout was going to be an essential part of your routine?
I originally discovered barre3 in 2012 while living in Austin, Texas, and later found barre3 Richardson when I moved to North Dallas in 2019. I knew there was something different about barre3 because I was willing to wake up and take the early morning classes before work. I noticed how much better I felt on the days I took class. I had more patience for my then 2-year-old and more energy during the day. My body craved the workout then, and it still does all these years later.
B3: How did doing barre3 throughout your second pregnancy—and your subsequent experience with pelvic physical therapy—deepen your trust in barre3 as a functional, research-backed workout?
During the pandemic, I have a specific memory of taking outdoor classes in 30-degree temperatures while 7 months pregnant. I was able to take class until one week before my son was born. Thanks to barre3, my body felt completely different for my second delivery—it was faster, my recovery was easier, my muscles were stronger, and I didn’t have the intense back pain from breastfeeding that I had the first time. I see it all the time in our studio—the women who move with us consistently during their pregnancy are able to return sooner and look lighter in spirit postpartum.
I also love to share my experience with pelvic physical therapy after my second delivery. I was experiencing some typical postpartum issues, and had just started to return to barre3. The exercises my physical therapist was working on with me were the same moves we do in class! When I told her, she said, “You should keep going to barre3.”
Both of these experiences made me realize the extent that barre3 classes have improved—and continue to improve—my everyday life. I can always trust a barre3 workout to support my body in a safe, functional, and research-backed way.
B3: Unlike owners who build a studio from scratch, you took the leap as a resale owner by purchasing an existing business. What led to that pivot, and what inspired you to pursue barre3 Richardson?
It was summer and I was working as a special education evaluator with a 4-year-old and 6-month-old at home. I was not looking forward to going back to work; I wanted to lean into the things that made me a better mom, a better wife, and made me feel good.
At that time, the previous studio owner announced she was moving and would be selling the studio. For days, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. As a child, I dreamed of owning a dance or fitness studio—I even worked at my local dance studio in high school. Finally, I brought up the potential of purchasing the studio to my husband. He encouraged me to reach out to learn more about the opportunity, and it all happened so fast! I had the first conversation in August and closed on the studio on November 15.
B3: What was it like stepping into an already-established barre3 Richardson community as the new studio owner? How did you navigate making the space uniquely yours while honoring its history?
Stepping into this role was a major transition for me. Before becoming the studio owner, I was a quiet client who didn’t know many people in the community yet. My goal from day one was to lead with a growth mindset and a “team first” perspective—always cheering for and supporting my team.
Navigating ownership as a new owner can feel all-encompassing at times, which is why the Support Center and barre3 studio owner network are so important. The relationships I have there make managing my studio possible.
Over the years, I’ve made the studio uniquely mine by hiring from my gut and working with people whose values match mine: client-centered, fully present, in love with barre3, and hard workers who know how to “make it happen.” Every person on my team—whether they’ve been with the studio for 10 years or 10 days—is someone I believe in and care deeply about.
B3: You transitioned to studio ownership after a career in education. How did your background as a special education teacher and Educational Diagnostician prepare you for the day-to-day realities of running a barre3 studio?
Being an educator prepared me for studio ownership because no day is ever the same, and you wear many hats at once. Being a quick thinker and problem solver is essential to owning a studio. As an educator, lessons didn’t always go as planned, just like the internet and sound system sometimes act up while teaching class in the studio. As a teacher, I became an expert in pivoting, and I continue to use that skill as a studio owner. Plus, leading a diverse classroom and creating a positive classroom culture taught me how to manage a team so every team member feels supported and successful.
B3: How do you structure the management and day-to-day operations of your studio?
My team is responsible for creating a five-star experience for our clients. My role is to provide all of the resources and tools they need to be successful. I act as the Studio Manager and employ a Lead Mentor and Operations Lead. Our team is successful because everyone has strengths that we lean into. We take the best of every individual to make one phenomenal team.
B3: You’ve mentioned that the barre3 Richardson Play Lounge is very popular. How have you intentionally designed your studio to be a sanctuary and a lifesaver for local moms?
It’s rare to find a place where you can work out and truly feel that your child is safe and loved. As a mom of young kids, making that happen has been a top priority for myself, my staff, and our clients.
Providing remarkable childcare also directly supports my business goals—people talk, and a five-star experience for children keeps caregivers coming back for more barre3! We hire quality staff that I trust and ensure we have a developmentally appropriate, screen-free play space. We stock diapers and wipes, have kid potty seats and handwashing steps ready, and our team even sets out each child’s favorite toys before they arrive.
My favorite client feedback was when a mom texted me: “I’m booking my classes for the week… the kids are begging to go to Play Lounge!”
The Play Lounge is also deeply personal to me because, as a new mom, I struggled to find other moms to connect with and didn’t feel comfortable at traditional mom groups. At barre3 Richardson, parents and caregivers can meet like-minded people and build relationships in a low-pressure environment. Plus, there is so much value in our kids seeing us prioritize our health and wellness.
B3: How does the barre3 Support Center foster your success as a business owner?
The Support Center held my hand during my transition into studio ownership. I had a billion questions and they were always answered promptly. I couldn’t have done it without them. My favorite thing the support center does for us is continually provide resources so we don’t have to reinvent the wheel. They provide in-studio programming with implementation guides I can easily follow.
B3: What would you want our readers to know about the barre3 studio owner community?
The Support Center is amazing, but the real MVPs are the studio owners. It is the most magical, incredible, brilliant group of women I’ve ever met. The women in the owner network have been a lifeline for me in a job that can feel isolating at times. When I’m stuck on a problem, a solution is just moments away by reaching out to our owner network. Everyone is happy to share ideas and help, because one of us growing means all of us will grow.
B3: What differentiates barre3 from other fitness brands and concepts, especially when it comes to mental wellness and letting go of control?
Barre3 instructors are truly next-level. The training each instructor receives before ever getting behind the mic is far more in-depth than other fitness brands. Because our instructors are so knowledgeable, they’re able to create a safe space for clients to go deeper—both physically and mentally.
Taking a group fitness class requires a certain level of vulnerability. The supportive environment created inside a barre3 studio allows even the most Type-A individuals (speaking from experience!) to let go, surrender control, and learn to trust their bodies.
B3: Is there any data or fun studio milestones you’d like to share with us to demonstrate your studio’s unique community or meaningful milestones in your time as an owner?
I love setting goals for the studio and crushing them. I communicate my goals with the team and throw them a party or get them a gift when we achieve them. My first few years of ownership the goals were small, like increasing revenue by 1k per month or selling 5 memberships. But we kept crushing my goals! So, I started making more lofty ones, and now we are crushing those! We are currently 13 memberships away from my dream number of members. I know we are going to make it happen and I just can’t wait to celebrate!
This upcoming January 2027 will be the studio’s 10th anniversary, and I can’t stop thinking about it. The amount of women our team has been able to support over 10 years is incredible. I needed this studio as a client and I am still pinching myself that this is my job. The studio is my absolute favorite place to be.
B3: Why should other business-minded women consider barre3 franchise ownership?
Owning a barre3 studio is more than just business ownership. I am deep in my business every day, not because I have to be, but because I absolutely love it. Being a studio owner is an opportunity to transform the lives of folks in your community – and it comes from the heart. That’s what makes a barre3 franchise different from other brands – each barre3 owner wants to care for others and build a space where people can heal.
B3: We have to ask a fun one: you mention in your studio owner bio that when you aren’t running a business or wrangling your boys, you love all things Bravo TV. If you had to describe the energy of a barre3 class using a Bravo reality show or personality, what would it be and why?
Honestly, I’d probably describe barre3 as the opposite of a Bravo show! Bravo is unpredictable and dramatic. Barre3 is consistent, steady, and grounding. Maybe that’s why I love Bravo so much, it’s the complete opposite of my day-to-day life!
But if I have to, I’d say a barre3 class is most like Ciara Miller from Summer House. She has so much depth and is a brilliant woman that works hard while looking fabulous. She’s consistent and steady, and she cares deeply for her people. But at just the right moment she’ll throw on her party pants—just like a cardio burst in barre3 Signature!
B3: To sum it up, what excites you most about owning and operating your own barre3 studio?
I love seeing the moment things truly change for our clients. Sometimes it’s a few weeks in, sometimes it takes a few months. But there is this magical moment when the reason they show up changes. It goes from an external reason – like losing weight or changing their body shape – to something deeper. It becomes about moving because it feels good! The body change comes, but their priorities shift. It’s what made me fall in love with barre3, and I get to see it happen every day at the studio.
Ready to start your own studio ownership journey? Click here to learn more about the barre3 franchise opportunity and how you can join our network of 200+ studios worldwide.
Photo credit: Rose Webb Photography
