Exercising her career options

From trading floor to Pilates mat

By Karen Tina Harrison | Special to amNewYork

September 10, 2007

Linda Farrell. (Photo by Melissa Hamburg / September 9, 2007)

The Big Career Switch: From Wall Streeter to Pilates pioneer

Who Pulled It Off: Linda Farrell, 38

What She Does: Farrell teaches the Pilates exercise method through her company, LindaFit Pilates (www.lindafit.com).

What She Used To Do: Farrell was a municipal bond analyst.

Why She Switched: "Remember Gordon Gekko and 'Greed is good'? In the Nineties, Wall St. was the place to be. The money was nice, but the passion wasn't there for me. I'd unwind from work at the gym and discovered Pilates."

How She Did It: "I quit my job and got an MBA, but I didn't want another cubicle job. Pilates gave me a mission for my career move. I got a job teaching Pilates and got noticed in fitness conferences and magazines. I started LindaFit in '04."

What A Pilates Pioneer Does: "I work every day. Several hours go into running my biz--scheduling, promotion, website. I take classes in anatomy, Pilates and ballet. I teach a couple of classes a day, and I prepare lesson plans and grade exams for my Pilates trainer students. I make media appearances and work on my DVD series."

Who Does This Job Best? "A Pilates teacher must be supportive, patient, diplomatic and a clear communicator. It helps to be in inspiring shape yourself. Running a business requires organization and commitment. And achieving breakout success demands focus and ambition."

How's The Dough? "In a startup, you have to spend money to make money, so funds are tight at first. Better money comes when you step out of the box and become a fitness expert and spokesperson."

What About Perks? "Pilates helps people feel great about themselves, so the psychic income is huge. And the fitness community takes care of its own by trading services."

What Else You Should Know: "When I worked on Wall St., no one ever thanked me. They said your paycheck is what you get. Now, students thank me after every class. I'd never go back."