STUDIO NOIR

Private · Master Plan · v1.0
STUDIO NOIRPRELAUNCH WAITLIST

STUDIO NOIR · Prelaunch Waitlist Strategy

Goal Phase 1: 200-300 qualified names by Full Open (July 2027). Convert 60 to paid membership in first 12 months of operations.

Goal Phase 2: 2,500-4,000 qualified names at Phase 2 Flagship Open (2030). Convert 400-600 to paid membership in Phase 2 Year 1.

Owner: Tia Dunn, Marketing Director.

Phase 1 thesis

The waitlist is not a signup form. It’s the pre-open member community.

Every person on the list should feel like they’re already inside the story — watching a building rise, receiving letters from Taj, seeing things the public doesn’t see. By the time the doors open, the waitlist should be the room. The public opening is for everyone else.

We’re not measuring size Phase 1. We’re measuring conviction. 200 conviction-heavy waitlist members convert at 25-35%. 2,500 spray-and-pray waitlist members convert at 5-10%.

Phase 1 target: warm, small, high-conversion.

Phase 1 landing page

URL: studionoir.com or vault.thewalkergroup.studio (subdomain kept for compatibility) Load time target: under 1.2 seconds Design principle: editorial masthead. One image. Three lines of type. One field.

Above the fold

STUDIO NOIR Where athletes train and artists perform. Raleigh, opening summer 2027.

[ email field ] [ Request an Invitation ]

Below the fold, one scroll

The building. A single hero image. Interior render or on-site construction photo depending on month.

The intention. Three short paragraphs. Founder-signed.

Raleigh deserved a room like this a long time ago. A room built to the standard of a great hotel, programmed to the standard of a real training facility. Prosecco at the door. Someone who knows your name.

STUDIO NOIR is a luxury pole and movement studio opening this summer. We’re building it small on purpose. The room is intimate. The teachers are known to me personally. The founding members will be 30 people, and everyone will know each other’s name.

Membership is offered, not sold. If you’re the kind of person who has paid for multiple memberships and quietly loves none of them, this was built for you.

Taj

Founding member track (below the fold).

If you would like to be considered for The Founders (30-person charter cohort, permanent rate lock at $349/month, first seat at everything), request an application. We’re reviewing applications in cohorts of 10, starting late 2026.

[ Apply for The Founders ]

Phase 1 waitlist growth channels

Ranked by expected contribution:

1. Taj’s IG audience (organic, primary)

Taj has an existing audience of ~30-50K (adjust as this grows). Monthly IG posts + reels documenting buildout, weekly stories from Taj, one longer-form post per month announcing a milestone.

Expected: 60-70% of Phase 1 waitlist comes from here.

2. Trill’s IG audience (organic, secondary)

Trill posts occasionally about STUDIO NOIR, especially when a pro dancer signs on as a founding member or teaches a residency.

Expected: 15-20% of Phase 1 waitlist.

3. Tia’s cross-brand posting

Tia posts on Nomad Society + her own channels. Cross-referral, mostly Triangle and NC audience.

Expected: 5-10% of Phase 1 waitlist.

4. Waitlist member referrals

Simple referral mechanic. “Know someone who belongs at STUDIO NOIR? Send them the link. When they sign up, we know who introduced them.” Adds a personal touch to future outreach.

Expected: 5-10% of Phase 1 waitlist.

5. Triangle word of mouth

Trill and Taj mention STUDIO NOIR at RDU networking events, dinners, coffee. Tia has a small Triangle network too.

Expected: 3-5% of Phase 1 waitlist.

6. Small paid ads (optional)

Meta and Instagram ads only if organic is falling short. Budget: $500-$1,000/month for the 3 months before open.

Expected: 5-10% of Phase 1 waitlist if used.

Total expected Phase 1 waitlist at Full Open: 200-300 names.

Phase 1 waitlist nurture

Monthly email from Taj

  • T-9: Welcome. Here’s who we are, what we’re building, why now. Personal, founder-signed.
  • T-8: The Raleigh reason. Why we chose the Triangle. Photo from North Hills or Fenton.
  • T-7: Meet Trill (CSO). The Walker Group. Why the production capacity matters even for a boutique studio.
  • T-6: The Founders application opens (top 20% of the list only). Application questions asked.
  • T-5: First Founders selected. Meet a few (with permission).
  • T-4: The buildout. Photos of the space taking shape.
  • T-3: Instructor spotlights. Meet the lead pole instructor.
  • T-2: The signature scent. The prosecco. The music. What we’ve been thinking about.
  • T-1: Soft open invitation to Founders + friends. Full open invitation to full waitlist for booking.
  • T-0: Doors open. Welcome.

Email schedule sent through Mariana Tek’s email system or ConvertKit.

Occasional physical mail (for The Founders only)

Once we’ve selected the 30 Founders, physical mail becomes part of the ritual: - T-6: Welcome package (letterpressed acceptance card, small STUDIO NOIR pin, personal note from Taj) - T-2: Soft-open invitation (physical card, hand-addressed, brass wax seal) - T-0: Founder’s folio at intake (signed, permanent record of their charter status)

Physical mail cost: ~$25-40 per Founder × 30 = ~$1,000. Budgeted in soft-launch marketing.

Phase 1 The Founders application

The Founders is the charter cohort (see 03_CONCEPT_PROGRAMMING/01_MEMBERSHIP_TIERS). Application opens November 2026 to waitlist members only.

Application questions

  1. What draws you to STUDIO NOIR? (2-3 sentences)
  2. Have you practiced pole, dance, or movement before? At what level? (For our understanding, not to screen)
  3. How often do you expect to attend classes? (Once a month / weekly / multiple times per week)
  4. Are you interested in the recovery amenities we’ll add in Phase 2? (Not a filter, just data)
  5. Anything else we should know about you? (Optional)

Review process

  • Reviewed by Taj personally
  • Accepted if the answer to question 1 reads authentic (not sales-y, not “influencer discount” mindset)
  • 30 spots. Filled in cohorts of 10 across 3 rounds
  • Cohort 1: December 2026 (10 accepted)
  • Cohort 2: February 2027 (10 accepted)
  • Cohort 3: April 2027 (10 accepted, closes the door)

Rejection is rare

Only reject for clear misalignment (someone who wants a $99 pole studio experience, or wouldn’t respect the room). Approximate acceptance rate: 90-95%.

Phase 1 waitlist conversion (post-Full Open)

Waitlist members not in The Founders cohort are invited to sign up starting at Full Open (July 2027).

Sign-up path

  1. Email from Tia announcing Full Open, with booking link
  2. Landing page prompts: pick a first class, book a tour with Taj or Studio Manager (30 min), sign membership agreement, first month billed
  3. Follow-up email 3 days after first class confirming they’re active

Target conversion rate

  • Top-tier waitlist members (had multiple email opens, saved to the folder): 30-40% convert to paid
  • Mid-tier waitlist members: 15-25% convert
  • Bottom-tier waitlist members: 5-10% convert
  • Blended target: 20-25% of waitlist converts to paid membership in the first 6 months post-Full Open

At 250 waitlist and 22% blended conversion = 55 paying members in the first 6 months.

Combined with The Founders cohort of 30, that’s 60 first-year members hitting the base case (see 05_FINANCE/02_REVENUE_MODEL).

Phase 2 waitlist (preserved for reference, 2028+)

Phase 2 flagship waitlist targets: - 2,500-4,000 qualified names - Multiple influencer campaigns - RDU + regional press (WALTER Magazine, Raleigh Magazine, INDY Week, Business North Carolina, Southern Living, Garden and Gun) - National press pitching (Cultured, Departures, Vogue Business, WSJ Off Duty) - Corporate wellness B2B soft outreach - Cohort waves of Founders (charter tier expands as flagship supports it) - Team Hennessy activation for opening night

Full Phase 2 waitlist strategy rebuilt in 2028 alongside Phase 2 hiring (Marketing Manager, Community Manager) and Phase 2 capital raise.