Her Story
About Erica
Erica Carter serves as owner and franchisor of Prayers and Pilates, a faith-based studio that incorporates Christian prayer and worship into Pilates classes. After 15 years in real estate, advancing through roles in sales, management, area sales management, and ultimately VP of Sales, she made a career pivot in May 2024 to pursue studio ownership following her discovery of Pilates in 2022 and completion of a comprehensive 500-hour certification covering all apparatuses. Erica attended the business school at A&M but did not graduate, drawing instead on her professional experience and faith to build the business, which now includes two operational locations, a recently launched first franchise, and a third corporate location in construction. Her expertise lies in the sales and operational strategies that sustain revenue growth amid an oversaturated market, and she attributes her success to acting decisively on opportunities, documenting processes through SOPs, and partnering with the right people. Erica is a mother of four boys and engages in community outreach, including partnerships with Campus Crusaders, free classes for churches, events at UTA, and charity drives for schools.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Erica
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think that it's one of those things where if you know you have something that's reaching others, you have to act fast... Because of competition... getting it out there in a positive way that can be recreated... going faster than... knowing business enough, and documenting, creating your SOPs... going to business with the right people.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
If you feel passionate about it, and you feel called to it, do the leaping... keep your heart aligned... if you're truly aligned with your calling and your ministry, and you have that passion for serving other people, then take the leap, and if God's at the forefront of it, He's gonna show up for you in the daily.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Pilates is an oversaturated market... people stopping us on every corner... the challenge is that it feels that it's trending... getting those people out there... to understand that it's for everybody... modifications, there are progressions.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.