Pearl Studios

Review: Owner Janet J[redacted] and her company is conducting suspicious activity with their Fitness Classes and Instructor Opportunities ([redacted]) that seems like a Scam/Online Fraud and theft. On top of False Advertising that is causing people to loose money while she makes a profit.

On the website and her emails they promote women empowerment, become an instructor and become your own girl boss, you are working as an independent, they will support you every step of the way, you got quiet the opposite. Non communication when you had questions, lots of talking in circles from the company and owner, false accusations/blame & encouraging people to spend money for their gain. The only communication you get quickly and consistently is when it comes to paying them more money. (3+ emails in under 24 hours)

The certified Instructor training cost about $300- held in orlando fl. Traveling from NYC- being a mom of two boys that start school in September 2015, I have spend over $1,600 including , flight, hotel, rental car, gas/tolls, baby sitter, luggage fee and certification cost. All because Janet claimed she will personally help us with the business, we are like her babies, she will help us get started and up and running. Instead, she ignores selected emails, spends her times promoting other certification dates without posting locations/studio address of where the training will take place, and doing photo shoots and interviews with magazines and other brands. We never even got a shout out on their social media page or email to at-least announce the new instructors and their locations to let their clientele know.

A couple months into teaching vixen workout and figuring out on my own how to promote, coming up with a business plan or an idea to recoup the cash spend quickly, the company accused me of selling videos, pretending to be an employee of vixenworkout and not identifying myself as an instructor, among st other things, promoting false classes and locations, etc without contacting me to ask any questions an retrieving information. I was also accused of hosting a certification training, which I have not done any of the following. This company jumps to conclusions without gathering information from the person directly.

I was notified to update my social media page, email and online class registration page, which I have done all and included proof the changes within the time frame. I also asked for suggestions and specific information to avoid any further confusion and asked for help, and received little communication from Janet J[redacted]/Vixen Workout. I even sent the same email repeated time and still no response. I never received any notification the proof was received of not. This was back in November 2015

While in the process of working with a non profit organization I was willing to volunteer my time to teach Vixen Workout Classes for Free in the bronx, held and interview and set up a location, I got an email 2/**/16 that I am terminated as a certified instructor from Vixen Workout. No notice, no emails, not even any information about any problems and concerns to at-least inform me.

Here is the catch, I registered in January *, 2016 for a second certification training held in Miami Florida that was promoted back in November 2015, which cost $179. I registered late since Janet J[redacted] like to change locations, and dates of certifications last minute without any notice, like people don't have to take time off from work and arrange family obligations. I booked my flight, hotel, transportation, took time off from work, booked a sitter for both my kids, who goes to 2 separated schools, I also have the volunteer fitness program starting, 2 studios booked in the bronx for 2/** & 3/** to teach Vixen Workout, (the 2/** class had over 20 guest paid and ready for a vixen workout class). Had a studio booked for New Jersey 3/*/16, Studio booked in Queens 3/**/16, 2/** and weekly Monday classes in the Bronx, for stay at home/Single moms.

The training in Miami was scheduled for 2/**/16 Sunday, I emailed them on 2/**/16 after 5pm about a question about my account and registration for Miami Fl, 2/**/16 around noon I get an email sent to my inbox that I am terminated, without a Refund. Yes TWO DAYS BEFORE THE EVENT, RIGHT BEFORE I WAS SCHEDULED TO FLY OUT TO FLORIDA FROM NEW YORK CITY. you can't cancel hotels less then 24 hours of reservations without paying a fee, and switching fight was not an option due to the last minute notice. I responded about the lost in studio time and travel expenses since she knows I was coming, she charged my credit card, and never got a response.

Which all was in the thousands of dollar, studio reservations can not be canceled, can not be refunded, and I was only using those locations to teach Vixen WOrkout since there were no classes in those areas for Vixen, not everyone can travel to manhattan to take a class. Also the clients who registered are out of their money due to this situation.

Thats money taken away from my family, I can not get back and food out of both my children's mouth that we do not have.

Janet J[redacted] promotes how she was a single mom, divorced, not having money to feed her family in her video on youtube promoting how vixen workout got started, then now after getting all this press exposure, and taking peole hard earned cash and promoting potential false hope. To have me spend my hard earned cash and turn around termination my status as an instructor with no refund or atleast offer money back for travel cost. TWO DAYS BEFORE THE TRAINING.. That's very unprofessional, and shows how money hungry her tactics and actions and her mindset. With no reasons, or notice. I have done nothing but promote her classes, teach her choreography and set up classes in areas that clients have been begging for a class. I do not have a car, I live in the bronx, and I travel ALL THE WAY TO NEW JERSEY, QUEENS, LONG ISLAND, BROOKLYN to teach her fitness class since she is not opening up these locations, and then to just stop it without a notice or reason. TWO DAYS BEFORE I AM FLYING OUT FOR A TRAINING I PAID FOR.

Her instructor opportunity is potentially scamming people to believe you will have help, be independent, but you are really paying her every month, $25, plus $200-$300 a year for new and renew certification fee just for her to be your boss, and treat you as an employee.. which may be illegal to avoid certain tax laws and fee by the state.Desired Settlement: Discontinue business with both Janet J[redacted] and the Vixen Workout. If this matter escalates to a legal court case, your location can be listed as an accessory to a potential crime/online money fraud/scam being done on your property, and promotion your location as a place of business on their website (where potential fraud & false advertising is conducted) ([redacted]) or notify the company to resolve the matter by sending the amount requested ($5K) to refund monies/fees/ and expense lost with their specious false advertising claims about the instructor opportunities & lack of communication. Their actions has caused food and money to be taken away from my children and can not be recouped. This is a three year old company, I would hate for your company to become effected is the media and press gets a hold of this situations.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Pearl Studios regarding complaint ID [redacted].Sincerely,[redacted]

Review: I booked a room for February *, 2016 at Pearl Studios room studio B and invoice $210 to pay when I arrived on February [redacted]. When I got there I was told there was two rooms booked under my name. I let them know I only had one room booked which was studio B. The employee working that evening confirmed it was a mistake. A few days later on Feburary [redacted] I was charged $121.50 for the other room. I contacted pearl and spoke to both Steve & Victor who both respond from the same email address so it is difficult to tell who you are speaking to. The email exchanges were

rude and accusatory. They both claim I called and made 2 reservations for the same day but they only sent one invoice which was for studio B. They cannot provide documentation supporting booking the other studio or emailing me the invoice. Steve also told me "I think your booking elsewhere is a great idea. " and when I asked to have the owners contact information he let me know " The buck stops with me her at Pearl Studios. ".

Its obvious that it was a clerical error made on Pearl's part because they cannot provide documentation of sending me an invoice for studio A and claim Steve called me to confirm if I wanted to confirm both studios. They also cant explain why I was given a 20% discount off the room. The reason I was given a discount was because Studio B was a large room and the only space available when I booked and I only needed a small room. So they discounted the room so I would book it.Desired Settlement: I would like a refund of $121.50.