Three Years of Prescription — A Conversation with our Founder Vanessa
Three years in, Prescription has become more than a place to move, it’s a method, a mindset, and a growing community built on intention.
To mark the milestone, we sat down with our founder, Vanessa, to reflect on the journey so far, from the early vision to what Prescription has become today and where it’s heading next.
Let’s go back to the beginning… when you opened the very first studio, did you ever think it would grow into what it is today, four more studios in just three years?
Honestly, no.. not in such a short time.
When we opened the first studio, the focus was not expansion. It was about getting the method right, creating the atmosphere, and building a community that truly understood what Prescription was about.
Growth came organically. Once people experienced the method, the rhythm of the classes, and the energy of the studio, the demand naturally followed. Opening new spaces became less about scaling and more about bringing the Prescription experience to new communities.
When you think about the past three years, is there a moment that really stands out to you?
There have been many special moments, but the most meaningful ones are always the same: seeing the community grow.
Watching people walk into the studio for the first time, sometimes unsure, and then seeing them return week after week stronger, more confident, more connected to their bodies, that transformation is incredibly powerful.
Another very emotional milestone was opening outside Lisbon for the first time. Porto represents a new chapter for the brand and a beautiful recognition of how far we’ve come.
What’s been the most unexpected part of building Prescription?
The speed at which the community formed.
When you start something like this, you have a vision but you never fully know how people will respond. What surprised me most is how quickly clients embraced the method and made the studios part of their routine.
It confirmed something I deeply believe: when movement is designed intelligently, people don’t just exercise, they connect with it
Community is such a big part of Prescription now. Was that something you always knew would be central to the brand?
Community was always central.
From the beginning, I didn’t want Prescription to feel like a place where people simply come in, work out, and leave. I wanted it to feel like a space where people feel seen, supported and motivated.
Pilates is powerful, but the energy of a room full of people moving together is something else entirely. That collective rhythm creates connection and connection creates community.
From one studio to multiple locations, plus recovery and wellness experiences, how has Prescription evolved for you over time?
The core idea hasn’t changed.
The Prescription Method, high-intensity Reformer Pilates guided by rhythm and precision, remains exactly the same.
What has evolved is the ecosystem around it. We’ve expanded into recovery, community events, retreats, and soon our first activewear line.
But everything we build always comes back to the same philosophy: movement as a foundation for wellbeing.
Opening in Porto feels like a big step, what made it feel like the right next move?
After four studios in Lisbon, Porto felt like a natural step.
It’s a city with a strong identity: elegant, authentic, and grounded. Foz do Douro in particular reflects what we look for in a Prescription location: proximity to the ocean, quality of life, and a community that values wellness and premium experiences.
More than expansion, Porto represents a new stage of maturity for the brand. It’s about bringing our philosophy to a new rhythm and a new community.
Looking ahead, what are you most excited about for the future of Prescription?
What excites me most is the potential to keep evolving the experience.
We’re continuing to open new studios, explore new cities, develop the Prescription Academy and expand our wellness ecosystem from recovery to retreats and activewear.
But what matters most is preserving the essence of the brand: precision, energy, community and a method that truly transforms the way people move.
If you had to describe the next three years of Prescription in just three words, what would they be?
Expansion. Depth. Energy
Quick Fire
Your go-to class?
Signature Dynamic Prescription
What studio playlist energy do you love?
Deep house with a strong rhythmic build: music that drives the movement.
