Fitness Goal Unlocked: Electric Studio's Kristina Sy on How She Innovates Her Business to Move Forward into the Digital Space

Love, sweat, and gratitude—these core values drive Kristina Sy, CEO and Co-Founder of Electric Studio, to keep going despite the odds. Her business has grown into a community motivated by fitness goals not even the recent lockdown could hinder. As Kristina leads the pack in bringing the Electric Studio experience to the digital space, she proves that innovation is the only way forward.

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

When the lockdown was implemented back in March, Kristina made it a point to prioritize the team and the community. With their support, she was able to hold their first online class and launch Electric at Home. This digital offering became the first major step towards running Electric Studio in the new normal. “We’ve been iterating our business at lighting speed since that day,” she says.

The Starting Point

Electric Studio was created five years ago out of Kristina's love for indoor rhythm cycling. She quit her corporate job in New York and took the risk of moving back home after 12 years of living abroad to start her fitness business from the ground up. She shares, “I realized that if I was going to take a huge risk and start over, I should choose to go all in on what I was truly passionate about.”

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

From a tiny underground pop-up studio in Makati to four indoor rhythm cycling studios (Ortigas, Makati, Taguig, and Alabang) and one rhythm boxing studio (Ortigas) around the Metro, Electric Studio has established its presence as a go-to destination for fitness enthusiasts. Pre-pandemic, they fostered an upbeat community of riders who would eagerly come together in the studio for fun, themed indoor cycling classes, and even attend special events organized by the studio like their Electric Rooftop Rides.

While the studio spaces remain closed due to the pandemic, the Electric Studio energy isn’t slowing down as it finds a new space online.

Electric At Home

Convenience, without a doubt, served as a big advantage when Electric At Home was put into action. It has given members the option to work out at home and catch live or on-demand classes. Challenges still cropped up along the way, but these granted opportunities for Electric Studio to expand their fitness program.

“Since we couldn’t move our bikes out due to lockdown restrictions, the first thing we did was launch online classes that didn’t require equipment. We immediately went from being a studio that offered indoor cycling to one that provided five workouts: Indoor Cycling, Rhythm Boxing, Strength Training, HIIT, and Flow,” she explains.

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

When quarantine rules were eased up, Electric At Home finally signaled the return of indoor rhythm cycling by offering bikes for rent or purchase, plus exclusive access to cycling classes online. Moving all classes to the digital space is like charting new territory. Kristina thought it might affect the sense of community that made Electric Studio a familiar space where people could interact and feel good about themselves. 

“There were a lot of factors to consider when launching Electric at Home such as how to get our fleet of bikes to our customers and instructors, how to ensure the music and audio quality translates well over the internet, and how to motivate and provide feedback to clients you cannot physically touch. On top of that, the most important factor for us is how to keep the ‘community feels’ across a digital platform,” she says.

“Our small team had to take on new roles overnight and learn along the way. It’s been a rough ride and continues to be so, but it has shown us that being small and nimble has been instrumental in enabling us to serve our community and help our clients stay positive and strong mentally, physically and emotionally.” 

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

Nowadays, Electric At Home has not only reached different households in the Philippines, but also places like Singapore, the USA, Germany, and London to name a few. Word got out with the help of building a stronger digital presence. 

“Social media has been a strong force for us in the absence of our physical studios. It is currently our most important channel and it’s a great way to make the community feel each other’s presence. Seeing our riders stay consistent with their fitness goals—no matter the obstacles they face—lets us know we are on the right track,” Kristina proudly states.

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

Electric Studio remains active online by sharing updates on their new fitness programs and even inspiring content created and posted on social media by members of the community. These efforts not only boost Electric Studio’s digital presence but also the idea that they’re #ElectricStrong together even when interactions are limited online.

“Social media has been a strong force for us in the absence of our physical studios. It is currently our most important channel and it’s a great way to make the community feel each other’s presence.” 

It also warms Kristina’s heart whenever she receives touching messages from those who have tried and enjoyed the Electric At Home experience. Clients can attend live workout sessions through Zoom or access the video-on-demand classes in their free time. Either way, they are guided by instructors who are eager to assist clients and make them feel they’re not alone in their fitness journey.

Business As Usual

The pandemic has affected a lot of local businesses, but now we’re seeing more of these businesses rise up to the challenge by going digital. As a local business owner, Kristina along with her team work together in innovating the Electric Studio experience. “Technology is one area where we’ve continued to double our efforts. Unlike most studios that rely on third-party platforms, we [also] built our end-to-end online experience from scratch, which has allowed us to pivot quickly digitally.”

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

Kristina wishes other local fitness studios would be able to bounce back in the future. “Although we are competitors, it is critical that the fitness industry works together to survive and rebound when this is all over,” she says. 

Aside from running the company, Kristina also shows commitment as an Electric Studio instructor by regularly conducting indoor cycling classes and preparing herself to teach rhythm boxing in the near future. “I believe in [the importance of] truly knowing your craft and being completely in love with your product and experience,” she shares. It’s also her way of connecting with the team, riders, and business partners. 

“It is critical that the fitness industry works together to survive and rebound when this is all over.”

She takes pride in the recent partnership between Electric Studio and Globe Platinum. “We've been collaborating extensively during the lockdown. We started with Electric Weekend, a three-day fitness event for Platinum customers to help children from Baseco Compound continue their education at home with school kits from World Vision.”

Aside from giving back to communities in need, the two have joined forces in offering Platinum subscribers an extensive range of perks like free access to on-demand classes, advanced booking with Thea (Globe Platinum’s virtual assistant), and more promos to enhance the workout from home experience.

PHOTO: Andrea Beldua

Kristina admits there is still a lot of work to be done, but she sees a lot of potential in the way their partnership could benefit more people who turn to workout sessions for a sense of normalcy and an opportunity to de-stress in the midst of uncertainty.

While digital technology has helped Electric Studio power through the new normal, Kristina still hopes there will come a time when riders can finally return to the studios and enjoy working out together in person. She believes in-studio experience can co-exist with their digital efforts.

Kristina concludes, “I’m excited to one day, see both online and physical channels come to life for Electric Studio. Times of disruption bring many opportunities. Electric Studio will continue to deliver more innovations in the space and create compelling offers for our community. It won’t be easy, but thanks to our team of partners, instructors, and managers—the possibilities can be limitless.”

Learn more about Globe Platinum and Electric Studio’s partnership here. 

Photographed by Andrea Beldua

Fashion Styling by Loris Peña

Hairstyling by Slo Lopez

Makeup by Don de Jesus

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