Founded in Solana Beach, California in 2009, CORE40 is a premium Lagree studio group now operating across San Francisco and Amsterdam. Its high-intensity classes are taught on Megaformer machines, using slow, controlled, strength-focused movement to deliver a challenging and consistent experience in every class.
Co-Founder Dean Grafos first discovered Lagree as a client in Palm Springs in 2007. Two years later, he and his wife opened CORE40’s first studio. Since then, the brand has continued to expand; first across California, then into Europe.
To learn more about CORE40’s growth story and decade-long partnership with ClassPass, we spoke with Dean, who focuses on trainer development and product quality, and Mabel, who has grown alongside the business—starting as a client, then becoming a trainer, and now leading CORE40’s Amsterdam operations.
Leveraging ClassPass as an off-peak solution and a new studio launch strategy
CORE40 partnered with ClassPass in October 2014 to solve a common boutique fitness challenge: filling off-peak classes. Like many studios, peak hours were strong, especially early mornings and post-school-drop-off classes, but midday and early afternoon sessions were harder to fill, limiting revenue potential. ClassPass offered a way to reach a large audience of people actively looking for new fitness experiences. “ClassPass was super impressive,” Dean says. “I believe you were already in Asia, you were already worldwide, so we were like, this seems like a more stable situation, and we gave it a shot.”
Mabel remembers CORE40 joining as “one of the first partners, especially in San Francisco,” and says that from the beginning, “it was a very successful partnership.” Over time, ClassPass became much more than a tool to fill off-peak classes; it changed how CORE40 opens new studios.
Before ClassPass, new locations often required a long ramp-up period, with classes starting at just two or three clients. That made it harder to reach break-even and create the high-energy experience CORE40 is known for. With ClassPass, Dean says CORE40 can now count on a quicker revenue stream.
CORE40’s Hayes Valley studio is a perfect example of this strategy in action. Mabel credits much of the studio’s momentum to a deliberate ClassPass campaign strategy, which helped drive demand and maximize reservations from opening week through the third month. By month two, Hayes Valley was running 59 classes per week; today, it runs 70 classes per week.
Using ClassPass tools to manage demand, seasonality, and growth
For CORE40, ClassPass is most effective when used strategically. Mabel manages tools like SmartSpot and campaigns with a clear understanding of seasonality, booking behavior, and direct-client demand. Because direct clients can book 30 days in advance, the team uses SmartSpot thoughtfully—preserving access for members and package holders while releasing ClassPass inventory when it makes sense. “We use SmartSpot depending on the season,” Mabel explains.
ClassPass campaigns, which allow partners to target specific ClassPass users with discounts, help CORE40 respond to specific business moments. During a new studio launch, they can drive early visibility and reservations; during slower periods, they can proactively protect revenue. That became especially important in December 2024, when CORE40’s San Francisco studios would typically see sales drop by around 20% during the holidays.
That year, Mabel combined SmartSpot with campaigns to release more inventory and offer a larger discount during a period when demand usually softens. “Usually when December comes, our sales would drop about 20%,” she says. “But this time around, I tried to play around with SmartSpot and combine that with our campaign tool…we actually came out quite okay for the month of December.”
For Mabel, the result underscores the value of having flexible, intuitive tools at her fingertips. She describes the Partner Dashboard as “easy to use” and “foolproof,” helping CORE40 make more informed, data-driven decisions across markets.
How ClassPass builds a stronger community
ClassPass also supports CORE40’s internal culture and product quality. For Dean, who leads trainer development, reviews are one of the most valuable parts of the platform, especially for newer instructors. “From the trainer’s perspective, it’s excellent feedback,” he says. It helps trainers see their blind spots and understand what is and isn’t working. When multiple clients flag the same issue, Dean can turn that feedback into a coaching opportunity, using real client insights to help trainers “up-level” their teaching.
Positive reviews are just as important. “Who doesn’t like getting five-star reviews?” Dean says. “Makes you feel better, gives you more confidence.” That recognition helps motivate trainers and reinforce the behaviors that create a great client experience. CORE40’s Amsterdam Studio Zuid has also been named Best of ClassPass three years in a row, a milestone Dean says gives “such a pump to our trainers” and serves as a meaningful badge of quality from real clients.
Perhaps the most important part of CORE40’s ClassPass strategy is cultural: every client is treated as a CORE40 client, no matter how they booked. “Whether it’s a ClassPass client or an organic CORE40 client,” Dean says, “they’re to be treated exactly the same.” While trainers may once have seen a class list full of ClassPass first-timers as a challenge, Dean now frames it as an opportunity to give them their product.
That mindset is central to the CORE40 experience. Some ClassPass clients eventually convert to direct memberships or class packs, while others continue booking through ClassPass for years because they value variety. “Every single person is part of our community,” Dean says. “There isn’t this class of ClassPass users. A client’s a client, and we’re there to give them the best experience and make them feel warm, and loved, and supported the whole time.”
Growing smarter with ClassPass data
As CORE40 looks ahead, ClassPass continues to shape the brand’s growth strategy. The team is exploring another Amsterdam studio and evaluating opportunities across Europe, using ClassPass market strength as one factor in deciding where to expand next. “If there’s a robust ClassPass market, it makes it another checkbox on the yes factor,” Dean says. As the team evaluates new cities, they plan to use ClassPass datato better understand demand.
After more than 11 years, CORE40 sees ClassPass as much more than a marketplace. The partnership has helped the brand fill off-peak inventory, launch studios with immediate momentum, stabilize seasonal revenue, improve trainer development, and make smarter expansion decisions.
The relationship with the ClassPass team has also been a meaningful part of the partnership. Mabel says that across years of working with different account managers, she has “always felt very supported.” Dean shares the same gratitude: “Every time we have a meeting or a call with the ClassPass rep, it’s always something we’re a bit excited for.” Looking back on the impact of the partnership, he adds, “I am where I am, in large part to ClassPass, so just gratitude.”
For other studios considering ClassPass, Dean’s advice is straightforward: “For us, any studio like ours, it’s really a no-brainer. It has to be a yes.” His recommendation is to fill the room, welcome every client, and use the tools available: “Keep the spots full, keep the vibes high, keep the studio supported, give them the opportunity to convert clients. Welcome everyone in and then utilize the tools and play with them so that you maximize it.”
