In 2017, Lilly Sabri was renting a local community hall for £25 an hour to host Pilates classes, hoping for at least three attendees to break even. Eight years later, she is the owner of Lean With Lilly, one of the world’s top fitness apps, with over six million followers online. The turning point? Posting workout videos on YouTube.
Before her rise to fame, personal trainers typically worked with a small number of clients, often one-on-one or in group classes. However, Sabri’s reach is far more expansive. Her most-viewed video has amassed over 87 million views, a number that exceeds the population of most countries. In fact, one fan recently shared that he often hears Sabri’s voice before his wife’s in the morning as she follows along with her workouts.
Sabri’s success is all the more remarkable given how difficult it can be to motivate people to exercise. According to the World Health Organization, 31% of adults and 80% of adolescents fail to meet recommended daily physical activity levels. Despite this, Sabri has found a way to inspire millions to get moving.
Sabri’s journey began in 2017 when she was balancing three jobs and living with her mother. Initially trained as a physiotherapist, she worked for the NHS while also volunteering at local football clubs like Barnet and Watford. She was still living at home, unable to afford her own place, and working long hours at Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust.
In her spare time, Sabri trained as a Pilates instructor and began teaching evening classes. This combination of physiotherapy and Pilates led her to create the Lean Method, a fitness approach that blends Pilates principles with a more athletic focus. Recognizing the limitations of working with clients in person, she turned to social media to share her methods on a wider scale.
Her first YouTube video wasn’t perfect, but she was determined to learn. Through a series of YouTube tutorials, Sabri honed her content creation skills, focusing on follow-along home workouts that catered to all fitness levels. Her physiotherapy background helped her provide clear verbal cues and accessible movement options for viewers.
Sabri’s online following grew steadily, reaching 30,000 subscribers in her first three years, but it wasn’t enough to make a living. The turning point came with the Covid-19 pandemic. As countries locked down, people turned to home workouts, and Sabri saw her YouTube channel explode. Italy was the first to go into lockdown in March 2020, leading to a surge of new subscribers. Other countries soon followed, and Sabri’s videos became a go-to source for people looking to stay active during isolation.
Recognizing the opportunity, Sabri adapted her content strategy, using the time to refine her approach and expand her reach. The strategy paid off. Her channel grew rapidly, and she continued to build her brand, leaning into her personal values and messaging.
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