Hidden Gems: Meet Maxine Clifford of pūrvelo cycle

Today we’d like to introduce you to Maxine Clifford.

Hi Maxine, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I didn’t set out with a master plan to become a studio owner. I started as a teenage intern at a cycling studio, working the front desk, cleaning bikes, and learning the environment from the ground up. I was drawn to the energy of indoor cycling and the impact a great class could have on someone’s mindset. That experience led me into instructor training, then into teaching, and eventually into management roles where I learned the operational side of running a studio: staffing, sales, retention, and community growth.

As I moved deeper into leadership, I realized I didn’t just enjoy coaching, I was interested in building the full experience and business behind it. I saw an opportunity to create a studio model centered on rhythm, presence, and personal challenge rather than performance metrics. That is now the foundation for pūrvelo.

I purchased my first studio in Charlottesville, VA, and focused on building a strong team and a member-driven culture. Shortly after, I purchased the location in Athens, GA, where we’re continuing to grow with the same community-first approach.

My path hasn’t been linear. I’ve navigated financial pressure, operational setbacks, and rapid leadership growth, but building from the ground up has given me a practical, inside-out understanding of the business. I’m proud to be growing these studios as a young female and LGBTQ+ entrepreneur and to create spaces where people feel both challenged and welcome.

Today I split my time between strategy and execution, developing leaders, supporting my teams, refining the brand, and scaling the experience across locations. The core objective is simple: deliver a workout environment that helps people show up fully and leave stronger than they arrived.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I came up through the studio system as an intern, instructor, and manager, but ownership is a different level of responsibility. You’re suddenly accountable for everything.. financial performance, staffing, retention, marketing, facilities, all at once. There’s no real off switch.

Some of the biggest challenges have been financial pressure and scaling responsibly. Boutique fitness has tight margins, and small miscalculations can have real consequences. I’ve had to learn quickly how to make disciplined decisions, manage cash flow, and adjust strategy in real time rather than waiting for perfect conditions.

Leadership growth has also been a major learning curve. Managing people, especially in a high-energy, personality-driven environment, requires clarity, consistency, and hard conversations. I’ve had to develop thicker skin, communicate more directly, and build stronger systems so the business doesn’t depend on any one person, including me.

Expansion added another layer of complexity. Opening and operating in multiple markets forces you to tighten operations, documentation, and team development. It exposed gaps, which ultimately made the organization stronger.

I don’t view the obstacles as detours, they’ve been my training ground. Most of what I know now came from situations that didn’t go according to plan.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about pūrvelo cycle?
pūrvelo is a rhythm-based indoor cycling studio built around presence, musicality, and personal effort rather than performance metrics. We removed screens and leaderboard-style data from the ride experience so the focus stays on how you feel, how you move, and how you show up, not how you compare. The class is guided, beat-driven, and strength-focused, but riders are always encouraged to take ownership of their experience in the room.

We specialize in immersive, music-led rides that blend cardio, resistance, and upper-body work into one structured class. Every ride is coached with intention, not just motivation, so clients understand what they’re doing and why. Our programming is consistent, repeatable, and scalable, which makes it approachable for first-timers but still challenging for experienced riders.

What sets us apart is that we train both effort and awareness. Many fitness spaces push output and intensity above all else. We coach intensity, but we also coach presence, control, and agency. Riders aren’t chasing numbers, they’re building internal benchmarks and confidence. That shift changes how people relate to fitness long-term.

Brand-wise, I’m most proud of the community and instructor standard we’ve built. We invest heavily in instructor development, class structure, and coaching quality so the experience is strong across the board, not dependent on one personality. The studio culture is high-energy but grounded, welcoming but disciplined. People know what to expect when they walk in: clarity, challenge, and connection.

I also want readers to know that while the workout is serious, the environment is inclusive. You don’t have to “look like a cyclist” or be in perfect shape to belong here. We meet people where they are and coach them forward.

At the end of the day, pūrvelo isn’t just about a workout. It’s about giving people a place to be fully engaged for 45 minutes and leave feeling stronger and more centered than when they walked in.

What’s next?
Looking ahead, my biggest focus is growing pūrvelo through additional franchise locations. We’ve spent years refining the class model, instructor training, operational systems, and brand standards, and I’m excited about bringing the experience to more markets in a thoughtful way.

What matters to me isn’t rapid expansion for its own sake, it’s disciplined growth with the right partners and the right leadership in each studio. The strength of pūrvelo is the consistency of the experience and the quality of the coaching, so future growth will stay rooted in strong instructor development and clear operating standards.

I’m also continuing to invest in our training and leadership pipeline so that we’re not just opening more studios, we’re developing more high-level coaches and studio leaders. That’s what makes expansion sustainable.

On a personal level, I’m looking forward to building at a larger scale and stepping further into the CEO role, spending more time on strategy, brand evolution, and leadership development while still staying connected to teaching and the in-room experience that started all of this.

The long-term goal is to establish pūrvelo as a recognized rhythm-based cycling brand known for presence, precision, and community, and to grow without losing what made it special in the first place.

Pricing:

• Single Class: $25
• 10 Class Pack: $219
• Unlimited Membership: $149/month
• Premium Membership: $129/month
• Basic Membership: $79/month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://purvelocycle.com/
• Instagram: @purveloathens
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maxine-jewell-clifford-195b32167

Image Credits
Cecily de la Pena (headshot and pride shot)
Olivia Johnson (cycle room photos)