Shah Perkins is giving her passion its own space. “I had the idea on Jan. 11, 2025,” she says. Nearly a year to the day later, LuxeCore Pilates + Wellness opened.
The Trinidad and Tobago native grew up in West Palm Beach, Florida, and always had an interest in health and wellness. She earned a degree in healthcare administration and a master’s in medical sciences — while running track and field — at the University of Central Florida before becoming a registered nurse through the former Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Though she wanted to become a doctor, she found fulfillment as a nurse.
Still, she says she knew that career was not her end goal: “I just knew that I wanted more.”
Perkins began practicing pilates in 2019 and earned instructor certification in 2024. At first, she taught virtually or rented space in Chicago, Illinois. She knew she wanted to take the leap and start her own studio, but leaving a career behind felt terrifying.
“I needed to believe in myself and trust the vision I had for my future. I didn’t want to stay comfortable while wondering ‘what if’ for the rest of my life … So, I took the risk and decided to go for it,” Perkins says.
She signed a lease for 8887 High Point Drive, Ste. G, in Newburgh on Oct. 31 and put the space together herself with equipment, furniture, and accessories she purchased. It was important that her studio have amenities such as a sauna and cold plunge for contrast therapy, red light halotherapy, zero-gravity massage chairs, and compression therapy boots. LuxeCore Pilates + Wellness opened Jan. 5, 2026, with classes covering reformer pilates, ballet-inspired barre workouts, and yoga. She and two instructors teach classes, with most clients being beginners.
“There’s an exclusivity in pilates. … I wanted to have women of any size. Whether you are 100 or 400 pounds, you can do pilates,” Perkins says. “Even when one person shows up, and I keep telling myself ‘consistency,’ that’s what it is.”
Six months into running her business, Perkins has developed her own pieces of advice. “Nothing grows from staying comfortable. Success is not built overnight; it’s … sacrifice, long nights, and continuing to show up even when nobody sees the work behind the scenes … Create something that makes people feel seen, heard, welcomed, and supported.”
