Walla, the leading platform revolutionizing the boutique fitness industry, today announced it has closed a $5 million strategic investment led by Social Leverage and Ankona Capital to accelerate development of its AI-powered Studio Performance Software, cementing its position as the clear leader in studio profitability solutions.
The funding validates the intentional move away from outdated, one-dimensional studio management platforms—operational relics that help studios track what happened, but can’t tell them what to do about it. Walla is creating a new category entirely: a growth-focused operating system powered by AI that analyzes performance against goals and benchmarks, then delivers clear, actionable guidance to improve the bottom line for ambitious studios and emerging franchises.
“Studio software shouldn’t just track operations; it should actively transform them into profit,” said Doug Hecht, CEO and Co-founder of Walla. “This $5 million investment is a powerful vote of confidence in our north star: that 95% of studios using Walla will be profitable within two years. That’s not a hope; it’s our commitment.”
“Traditional management software shows you what happened. Performance software analyzes what’s working against your goals and industry benchmarks, then tells you exactly what to do about it. That’s the fundamental shift that will transform boutique fitness.”
“Walla is uniquely positioned to leverage AI where it matters most—not just automating tasks, but actively driving revenue and retention,” said Gary Benitt, Managing Partner at Social Leverage. “This investment is specifically designed to scale Walla’s AI capabilities and expand its performance intelligence platform.”
Stop Managing. Start Performing.
Walla is fundamentally changing the conversation in boutique fitness. While management software helps a studio operate, Studio Performance Software helps a studio grow. Walla’s strategic repositioning is driven by industry-first, advanced AI capabilities that shift from reactive data tracking to intelligent performance analysis and prescriptive guidance, turning the complexity of disconnected reports into clear, actionable steps that drive studio revenue and retention.
The Industry’s Performance Edge
Walla’s Studio Performance Software is built around three pillars of intelligent growth, transforming data into decisions and decisions into profit, turning the complexity of running a business into clear, executable steps:
Instant Intelligence for Growth: Walla’s AI Performance Dashboards integrate “Real Talk” AI Business Analysis, converting complicated data into clear, profit-optimizing directives in under 30 seconds. The immediate analysis frees up hours that studio owners typically spend in spreadsheets, allowing them to make smarter, faster decisions.
Precise Performance Analysis: Walla analyzes studio data against goals, trends, and industry standards to show owners exactly what’s working and what needs attention—eliminating the time spent piecing together disconnected reports. With prescriptive recommendations for improvement and tools like WallaPredict’s churn detection, owners know where to focus their energy to maximize retention and revenue simultaneously.
The Automated Growth Engine: Walla works 24/7, leveraging marketing automation and expert human support to keep the sales pipeline full, nurture leads, and keep the studio growing, even when the studio owner is off the clock.
“Walla is simply not a management tool; it’s a performance engine,” added Doug Hecht. “We empower owners to stop working harder, start performing smarter, and secure a clearer path for profit to follow.”
Walla is the only studio performance software purpose-built for boutique studios and emerging fitness franchises looking to become more profitable. By offering a comprehensive suite of tools for management, sales, marketing, and client retention, Walla helps fitness businesses streamline operations, make more informed decisions with actionable data, and elevate the client experience through a superior booking journey. Built by industry experts, Walla reduces friction, eliminates the need for costly external integrations, and empowers studios to achieve operational excellence and focus on what matters most: growing strong, connected communities.
With this new capital, Walla will accelerate development of its AI-powered platform, expand its performance intelligence capabilities, and continue its mission to make profitability the standard—not the exception—for boutique fitness studios nationwide.
Learn more at hellowalla.com.
brittany@hellowalla.com
Walla
