How A 2-Location Pole Studio Doubles Revenue, 6x Conversions

What The Cheeky Peach achieved in 2 years with Kenko:

The vision

Born in Patchogue Village on Long Island, NY, The Cheeky Peach opened its first location in 2022 as a pole dance studio built around movement, creativity, self-expression, and the freedom to “just be”.

Jess

Being a pole dancer since her late teens, Jess saw a gap in the fitness community. She wanted to create a space that felt inclusive, empowering and judgement-free. Pole dancing gave her confidence and strength like nothing else, and she wanted to share that with others. It didn’t take too long for The Cheeky Peach to become an essential part of the Downtown Patchogue business community, and open a second location in Lake Ronkonkoma in 2023. Now, the Cheeky Peach has become at the heart of the Long Island community when it comes to giving back, especially when it comes to Women’s History Month and women’s health. Recently, they served their annual Tampon Drive to serve women and girls in the Long Island community in need.

“What makes us different is that we believe that when our cup is full, we are able to pour back into others.”

- Jess, Owner, The Cheeky Peach

The challenge: More time teaching, less time on software

Initially, she onboarded with the industry's default. It was the platform every studio seemed to use and the only one she knew at the time, but as she began to grow, she found herself spending too much time troubleshooting bugs, answering emails, and helping students navigate a system that just wasn't built for them. When something broke, real help was hard to reach. And every year the price went up while the product stood still, so she was paying more to fight the same problems.

“A lot of my day was spent stuck at the screen, instead of doing what I love most, which is teaching. I even found myself hesitant to step into teaching for a few hours because I was worried I’d miss a message, a booking, an issue, or a potential client. ”

- Jess, Owner, The Cheeky Peach

On top of that, members couldn't sign up for a subscription on their own. They had to contact the studio directly to convert, so every message, phone call, or DM that slipped through was a membership lost. Jess felt that fall on her.

Before anyone touches a pole, Cheeky Peach already feels like a place people belong. The photos, drawings, plants, and small details all carry the story of the studio’s community.

That led Jess to look for something built to work the way her studio actually did. What she found did exactly that, making booking effortless for members and freeing her team to be present and connected in real time.

How Kenko helped

Once Jess saw Kenko, she was surprised that it was a “one stop shop.” It was able to give her a lot of time back as an individual and a business owner, while granting her students a lot of autonomy in their decision-making on coming to the studio. On the platform, they could decide if they wanted to come once, twice, or become a frequent member. 

Custom and personalized automations

Before Kenko, Jess was carrying a lot of the follow-up herself. Her previous software required a lot of manual work, so she was the one checking in with new leads, fixing platform issues, and making sure members showed up to classes. After setting up Kenko’s Journey automations once, she set the studio up for a strong foundation for years to come. Clients received personalized reminders, potential members were guided toward the next step, and Jess no longer had to contact every person one by one.

“Automations gave the customers more directions, and they overall became more informed consumers.”

- Jess, Owner, The Cheeky Peach

Branded app that helped members convert

Jess wanted the app to feel easy to understand the second someone opened it. Clients could check the schedule, book their next class, and choose a membership or credit pack without needing someone to walk them through it. It gave The Cheeky Peach a place on their clients’ phones, so booking a class felt simple whenever they were ready to come back.

Show up in their pocket. Stay top of mind. Make coming back the easy part.

Booking without the hand-holding

Kenko helped make booking feel simple enough for clients to handle on their own. They could check the schedule, choose a class, buy credits or a membership, and manage their bookings without needing Jess to guide them through it. That gave Jess and her team more breathing room in the day, and more time for the part of the work they actually loved: teaching and being with their community.

“I honestly feel like I have more time to be myself. I’m no longer constantly reacting or putting out fires, and that has been really important for my mental and physical health. I have more freedom, more balance, and more space to be the best leader I can be for my community, and be proactive and intentional in how I run a studio.”

- Jess, Owner, The Cheeky Peach

The results

Doubled revenue since joining Kenko

Kenko has transformed how the studio’s backend operations worked. As Jess puts it, “Since joining Kenko, we nearly doubled our revenue compared to our second year on a previous platform,” which is when Jess opened her second studio.

6x conversion to memberships

One of the biggest things Jess missed on her previous platform was the ability to sell recurring memberships without having her intervene. But after moving to Kenko, the impact showed up across more than just memberships. Credit pack sales, for example, grew from 178 to 1,092, a 6x increase that reflected a smoother path from interest to purchase. With a better digital experience and Journey automations guiding clients at the right moments, Jess no longer had to manually push every newcomer toward their next step because Kenko was doing it for her.

Fewer no-shows and higher class occupancy

Journey automations also played a crucial role in making sure people showed up to a class, but they worked best because they were not happening in isolation. They were part of a larger Cheeky Peach experience, supported by a branded app, an on-brand website, and a seamless backend. As a result, no-shows dropped by a half since their last year with the previous platform.

With Kenko, Jess was able to create a studio experience that felt personal to members, easier for her team to manage, and built for continued growth.

“Kenko has given us so much freedom, and helped me become not only a better business owner but a better friend, community member and daughter.”

- Jess, Owner, The Cheeky Peach

 What this means if you're running a studio

Whether you're opening your first studio or looking to grow an established one, the challenges are often the same: getting discovered, turning interest into bookings, and building a loyal community that keeps coming back.

That's exactly where Kenko helps. Start with a free Studio Growth Audit and we'll show you where your biggest opportunities are.