As featured on the Grand Ole Grind Podcast, Hosted by Andrea De Leon and Jodi
Gillian Gossow left a career in Manhattan finance to follow her passion for yoga and Pilates, eventually founding Bad Girls Yoga & Pilates, a premium mobile yoga and Pilates company now operating across more than 15 US cities and Cabo. What started as one woman teaching private classes in Charleston has grown into a nationwide brand built around celebration, community, and making yoga and Pilates accessible to everyone. In this conversation, she shares the origin story, the philosophy behind the rose toast, and her hard-won wisdom on building a business from scratch.
ORIGINS
How did you first get into yoga and Pilates?
My first class was Bikram, which is 105 degrees and 40% humidity, 26 poses done twice, 90 minutes in front of a mirror. I drank the Kool-Aid for a while, but eventually had a silent conversation with myself mid-class and realized I hated every second of it. What I did love was the idea of yoga itself. So I found vinyasa, or flow yoga, with music and variety, and fell in love with that. From there I incorporated Pilates, which became a natural complement to the yoga work I was doing with private clients. I was working in finance in Manhattan, quit my job, signed up for teacher training, and started teaching yoga and Pilates in New York doing private clients, corporate classes, and studio work.
Where did the name Bad Girls Yoga come from?
Years ago I did an intensive teacher training in Costa Rica with an instructor I truly worshipped. We all had to put together a 20-minute lesson and teach it to the group while she evaluated us. I worked so hard and thought it went beautifully. She just looked at me and said, I didn't understand any of that. It crushed me. I started to feel like, people like my classes, but I'm a bad yoga teacher. I can't teach the way she wants. And something clicked: if I'm a bad teacher, I'm going to be the best bad teacher there is. I'm going to make a class I love. Whoever is feeling it, great. Bad Girls Yoga grew out of embracing that insecurity, and of course it's a play on words since most of our clients are bachelorette parties and we end every class with rose.
THE BUSINESS
Why target bachelorette parties and girls trips specifically?
When I moved to Charleston, I saw bachelorette parties everywhere. It's a big girls trip destination. I noticed there wasn't anything that really captured that vibe. You can find beautiful yoga studios offering private classes, but nothing that felt like it was actually made for a celebration weekend. I wanted something that had the energy of a girls trip but gave you a moment to slow down inside of it. It was really just looking around at my surroundings and identifying something missing in the market.
How do you customize each yoga and Pilates class?
You tell us what you want on the playlist, or let us handle it. You tell us the vibe, the experience levels of the group, any injuries or pregnancies, whether you prefer rose or a non-alcoholic option, and whether you want more of a yoga flow, a Pilates focus, or a blend of both. It is completely built around you. I never want yoga or Pilates to feel intimidating. Our classes are for any level. You can literally lay on your mat the entire hour and everyone is completely fine with that. It is as low pressure as it gets.
How did the company grow beyond Charleston?
My original intention when I started was just to move to a new city and teach yoga and Pilates. I never thought it would be more than that. About a year and a half in, people kept encouraging me to expand, so I started hiring and training teachers in Charleston, and from there it just kept growing. We are now across more than 15 cities in the US and in Cabo. Most of that growth has happened in the last two years.
THE ROSE TOAST
Why does every class end with rose?
I want the class to feel like a celebration, not your usual Tuesday 7am routine. After class, I want a toast. And it is not really about the rose at all. It is about taking a moment to be still, to look your friends in the eyes, to be like, here we are. Think about why you toast when you go out to dinner. You're taking a second to say, I appreciate this. It turns a simple moment into a celebration. The rose gives it that feeling even if you just take a sip, take a picture, appreciate where you are. Someone who does not drink at all can still be fully part of that moment.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
What advice would you give other entrepreneurs?
Let mistakes roll off you as fast as you can, but actually learn from them. I used to dwell on every booking error or misstep and it would eat at me. Now I process it, let it go the same day, and make sure I never repeat it. That is how you make the process better. It is also a lot of throwing things at the wall and seeing what sticks. And sometimes if you surrender a little, you look up and think, wow, I did not have to force that at all.
Where do you want to take the brand from here?
I want to keep expanding, get into more cities, and continue building out the retreat side of the business. We do one yoga and Pilates retreat a year right now and I would love to add more. The bigger priority is just keeping the quality and the caliber of what a client can expect when they book with us. The growth has to stay aligned with the brand. I love just watching where it wants to go organically.
5 BACHELORETTE PARTY TIPS FOR CHARLESTON
Charleston is one of the most popular bachelorette destinations in the country, and for good reason. Gillian Gossow built Bad Girls Yoga & Pilates here, and nobody knows how to do a Charleston girls weekend better. Here are her top five tips for making the most of it.
01 Book a private yoga or Pilates class as your first morning activity.
There is no better way to start a Charleston bachelorette weekend than with a private yoga or Pilates class for your whole group. It gets everyone moving, laughing, and actually present before the go-go-go kicks in. A Bad Girls Yoga & Pilates class is fully customized to your group, ends with a chilled rose toast, and sets the tone for the entire trip.
02 Stay somewhere with outdoor space you can actually use.
Charleston has gorgeous vacation rentals with piazzas, courtyards, and garden spaces. Prioritize one. Morning coffee, late night debrief, or a private yoga session right on your porch, that outdoor space will become the soul of your weekend.
03 Do at least one thing that is not a bar.
Charleston is so much more than its nightlife. A walking food tour through the French Quarter, a sunset harbor cruise, a private chef experience, or a yoga and Pilates class followed by brunch on the water. Build in at least one activity that creates a real memory beyond the drinks.
04 Make time for King Street, but shop early.
King Street is one of the best shopping streets in the South, with boutiques ranging from local designers to national names. Go in the morning before the heat and the crowds, grab coffee, and take your time. It is a much better experience than fighting afternoon foot traffic.
05 Slow down on purpose.
Charleston has a pace all its own, and the best thing you can do is let yourself actually feel it. The good moments on a bachelorette trip go fast. Build in pockets of stillness, a long brunch, a quiet morning, a yoga and Pilates class before the day starts. You will leave feeling like you were actually there, not just surviving the itinerary.
"If I'm a bad teacher, I'm going to be the best bad teacher there is. I'm going to make a class that I love, and whoever is feeling it is great."