Born in Manhattan and raised in Italy, Nicole Perkovich moved to Miami nearly penniless, a single mother to a young daughter and with no idea of where she could turn. But – always artistic, talented and determined – she persevered and cut her own path. “I had passion and desire,” she says, “so I figured I was rich.” A spinal injury during the birth of her daughter almost crippled her, but she made a complete recovery by choosing Pilates, “the art of balancing all the muscle lengths and strengths in the body,” over surgery. Today, she is a master Pilates trainer and owns a 6,200-square-foot building in Miami, the home of Sanctuary 7, The Studio. One of the largest Pilates studios in the world, her clients include Madonna, Gloria Estefan, Paulina Rubio and Emmerson Fitapaldi – all referred by word of mouth. Now, she says, her life is nearly perfect. “My daughter, Victoria, recently graduated from FIU with honors and a 4.0 GPA and is preparing to enter UM Medical School to study genetic engineering. All that’s missing,” she says, “is Prince Charming.”