Building a Life Rooted in Purpose and Presence

[00:00:00] Speaker A: You've said a couple of things I'm dying to dig into. [00:00:02] Speaker B: Okay. [00:00:02] Speaker A: And I knew this about you anyway, but you made it very easy to take you there. You've mentioned the word two or three times now, community. And I've noticed that about you. And every time I hear and I'm hearing new pieces of the story, which is really great for me, but it's clear to me that you're just driven. Like you hydrate your nervous system by the poor into others 100%. And, and this is a place that can truly embody that. And I know what I've witnessed since this became Hague is exactly what you were meant to do. You're building it now, and it's so warming to me to see. This episode of Roots to Fruits is produced and distributed by Be Connected, a Midwest social media and digital growth agency. [00:00:52] Speaker B: Foreign. [00:01:00] Speaker A: Here we go, another episode of rootsterfruits podcast. I am your host, Kelly Williams and I have a special one for you. Today we are live at a yoga studio in the outside northeast side of Cincinnati, Ohio, and I'm joined with Emily Dressler. Emily is an inspiring entrepreneur who seamlessly blended her passion for yoga with her expertise in marketing to create a thriving business. She is a founder of Happily Ever Yoga, a power based yoga studio built on community, movement and music. Before launching her own studio, Emily spent over a decade as a marketing executive leading operations and automation strategies for major companies like Cisco, Healthcare Cell and Veritiv. A company that I know from the packaging industry. With a deep understanding of branding, customer and engagement, and business growth. She leveraged her corporate experience to build. Hey hey. Yoga is more than just a studio. It's a space for connection, balance and transformation. As a business owner, yoga instructor, and mother of three, Emily understands the challenges of balancing work, wellness and family life. Today, she's here to share her journey from marketing executive to entrepreneur, the lessons she's learned along the way, and how she's using her expertise to create an unforgettable yoga experience. Welcome, Emily. [00:02:20] Speaker B: Thank you. So honored to be here. Thanks, Kelly. [00:02:23] Speaker A: Been wanting to have this podcast with you for a while because yoga is an important part of both of our lives. So we'll weave that in. Let's just start with your story. [00:02:32] Speaker B: All right, so all the way back to the beginning of yoga or. [00:02:35] Speaker A: Yeah, I want to know what was that moment that yoga clicked and why and what led you to yoga before that click. [00:02:43] Speaker B: So I was actually transferred to Denver, Colorado and probably about 15 or so years ago I started practicing yoga and that's how I was meeting new friends. And I will be honest, it was all about the physical practice. At that time. It was yoga sculpt. It was power yoga. It was getting into a handstand. And then I started to realize there's so much more than just the asanas and the physical practice. I was using the yoga throughout my career, obviously taking a deep breath before a presentation. There were a lot of elements that I was slowly starting to uncover, but I still didn't quite understand the power of yoga. Fast forward to having each kid, the different stages of my life. Yoga kept coming back into it and kept evolving. And even before we had kids, Ben and I relationship actually started in yoga. I traveled a lot. [00:03:31] Speaker A: You actually met in yoga? [00:03:32] Speaker B: Well, we didn't actually meet in yoga, I should say. Let me clarify. He followed me to yoga, but so I would travel a lot for business, was all over the world, globally. And he'd be like, hey, I really want to hang out with you. And I was like, well, cool. Come to yoga. And sure enough, he started falling in love with yoga. And that's when my practice was actually getting a lot deeper too. It wasn't just about the power yoga anymore. We were starting to go to the restore classes and, like, learning a little bit more about what yoga meant. So when we were getting married, I was like, hey, maybe we just ask my dad to, like, help us open a yoga studio. And he's like, what, are you embarrassed? You don't want to have a wedding? And I was like, no, I want to have a wedding, but I really want a studio. And so we kept yoga in our practice. Then we decided to move back home. We were going to transfer, actually to Dallas. But long story short, I stayed with the same company and started working remote. We looked all around Cincinnati, and while the studios were great, it wasn't what we were looking for. So we were looking to open our own. And then we found out we were pregnant with Eloise, our oldest. We're like, okay, maybe this isn't the right time. And then fast forward, we. We started teaching at a studio which happened to be two doors down from the studio that a lot of us met at. So it was just weird how the full circle comes. And so pregnant with Savina, we're like, oh, we want to do. I always say that I felt like it was, like, inspiring my business. I always wanted to have my own something, but every time I was pregnant, I was like, yoga studio. Like, something just kept coming, kept drawing you. [00:04:57] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:04:57] Speaker B: So it just kept drawing me to yoga. And I think it's obviously wasn't just the physical practice. It was the mental. There were so many pieces that I needed at those stages in life. And the creativity, I've heard a lot about that with pregnancy and stuff. Like, the creativity was there. So we bought this big mobile trailer. I don't know if you remember it, but it's like, hey, on the way [00:05:13] Speaker A: I heard about it. [00:05:13] Speaker B: Yeah. And Covid happened. So sadly. [00:05:17] Speaker A: So you have a mobile yoga truck? [00:05:19] Speaker B: We ended up selling it, but yes, it's this giant. You'll have to ask Ben. It was huge. I mean, very big. We're going to open it up. So we'd go to businesses, schools, festivals, and. And you could either. Or meditations. We could close it up and you could go in and it would be more like private and we could do even private sessions in there. But with the whole 6ft thing, we're like, nobody's gonna go inside of this. And then beyond that, even the outdoor things, a lot of the festivals or things shifted. So we decided to sell the trailer. But it was very fun. [00:05:51] Speaker A: So did you have to build this trailer? [00:05:54] Speaker B: So we custom had it custom made, actually. And I feel like things always happen for a reason. We hadn't seen Ben's grandpa for a while and right before. So we purchased it in Georgia. Atlanta, Georgia. So Ben and his dad went to go pick up this trailer that we had custom made to suit our yoga studio. And sure enough, that was the last time we saw. Or I didn't actually get to go, but the last time Ben and his dad got to see his grandpa and they both him and his wife passed from COVID So it's just interesting how stories all weave together. [00:06:27] Speaker A: And that's why I wanted to have your story on the show, because it is a very interesting story. Like, you kept being reminded. Not yet. [00:06:34] Speaker B: Correct. [00:06:34] Speaker A: Stay open. Yes, Right. [00:06:36] Speaker B: But it kept coming back. Like, it's like I always tell people, I felt like I needed to have my three kids or I needed to have these moments like connecting Ben with his dad or grandpa. There were just a lot of cool things. So. So that was that. And then we also had a studio in our basement, so our neighbors would come over, friends, family. It was really awesome and fun. But at some point we were like, okay, we have two kids. Where are we gonna put the toys? We, like, kept that going for a while. So anyways, it's slowly like the toys would come in, we'd have to get them out to do the classes. And so a lot of our hay in the basement friends started coming to the studio. We all taught together, so it was really cool. So it was introducing those people to a larger community. So it all happens for a reason. So that was Savina. And then fast forward, I get pregnant again. We're all teaching at that studio together. I'm like, I really want. I love this place, but I've always wanted something more. Like, I want our space, and I want a really big community where people feel really connected. And it's more than just the physical practice. There's so many elements to it. And that's when we decided to open a small studio with our friend. He has a CrossFit gym. And we're like, this is a safe way to keep my career. I was always afraid to step away, but also, I can keep doing my passion so I can teach yoga in the morning. I'm still building this business, you know, on the side. It was a lot of fun. We met a lot of really cool people. But. So that was hard. [00:08:00] Speaker A: Yes, it's really hard. [00:08:01] Speaker B: It is hard. You know, your dad, how. I mean, how do you manage it? [00:08:05] Speaker A: I get asked that a lot. [00:08:07] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:08:07] Speaker A: And I think it's because I only have one speed. I mean, I'm just. My. My mind never stops same. And. And. And whatever that object is that I'm studying, it just always studies. [00:08:17] Speaker B: And it's your passion. It always comes back around. I feel like the connectedness that we [00:08:21] Speaker A: talk about, synchronicity patterns constantly come back. [00:08:24] Speaker B: So that was Jack. So Jack was our third child and our last. But we were on spring break, and my uncle, who is a very successful entrepreneur in Florida, came down. He lives in Florida. So we met at the resort we're at. I was like, uncle Randy, I can't. I don't think I can do the corporate world anymore. Like, I've learned so much. It's amazing. But I want to do my own thing. I want to help people. Like, I want to actually see me helping people on a daily basis instead of, like, assuming or through big businesses. It doesn't feel as intimate or I feel like there was more to it. And I was always. My mom was a counselor, and she helped so many people. I was like, I want to be like her. I want to help people. My dad's always the kindest person, just giving, giving. And, like, how can I give more? So I said that to my uncle. He's like, oh, I think it will happen sooner than you think. And I kind of, like, smiled like, maybe you're right. Then you call me, literally, I'm from vacation, and you call me and you're like, hey, do you still want, like, a real yoga studio? Do you want more or do you have too much on your plate? I know you're a mom. Like, that was amazing. So. [00:09:26] Speaker A: Yeah. Because this wonderful place we're at right now was just a. A wonderful opportunity to not only take the risk, but I think an easier pathway to the risk. Correct. Because it costs a lot of money to build these studios, it costs a lot of money to lease the building, [00:09:42] Speaker B: and it costs a lot of money to quit your corporate job. [00:09:46] Speaker A: So this was kind of just a great situation. You obviously know what happened in our old city, so we needed a new place. And there was just this whole community of fear and worry that. That this special place that they. I wouldn't say taken for granted, but it grown so connected to. [00:10:00] Speaker B: It was part of your everyday life. Imagine, like, life without it. [00:10:04] Speaker A: And it was all in the balance of, is it going to be here anymore? And when I was talking to a mutual friend of ours who is Heartfield of emerald Green, lovely human being, but she wasn't interested at a point in her life, I'm like, what about Ben and Emily? Like, oh, they got too much on their plate. And I probably wouldn't have called had it we not realized that our kids were in the same. [00:10:30] Speaker B: Cause you saw. You saw me walking out with Sabina. [00:10:34] Speaker A: With Sabina, yes. So I'm like, I'm calling, and my call just happened to be Synchronicity. [00:10:39] Speaker B: And I think I was at lunch or something or maybe on the way to work. We had just run into each other, and I thought, timing wise, I was like, wow. Like, is this real? Did he really just ask this? I'm like, this is. This has to be a sign, you know, because I had been dabbling with this idea for. We wanted to open a studio for over a decade. I mean, so it wasn't just like. [00:10:57] Speaker A: And the name. Hey. Has its own story and life. It's not a newbie. No name has been around for a while. [00:11:03] Speaker B: Oh, we literally trademarked it well over a decade ago. And that was when we were first starting where we thought we were going to start our first studio. That never happened. So we kept paying for things. I think there was one point where we abandoned some things. We're like, oh, shoot, we probably need to go back in case we ever circle back. And then we kind of just stuck with it. [00:11:20] Speaker A: And it's a great name. [00:11:22] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:11:22] Speaker A: I love it. Because, hey, yeah, because we were going to do a Broga, a men's class for, you know, men my age. I feel like we all know we need yoga, but we're intimidated. We're afraid to take that, afraid we'll be embarrassed or whatever. It's like, hey, hey, man. [00:11:37] Speaker B: Got this. [00:11:38] Speaker A: Get in here. Let's just. [00:11:39] Speaker B: And that's why we want it, because it can go across the board. It's in it, and we can use it to, like, hey, yoga now. Hey, Pilates. We've expanded, so it can just kind of go with whatever, where it's catchy, but it also works, like, masculine. And it works in all different ways. I feel like it's like I went, hey, yeah. Hey, get your attention. Hey, you need to do this way [00:11:58] Speaker A: to get your attention. [00:11:59] Speaker B: Yeah. We went back and forth a lot, and I wanted something simple. That's what Ben and I. I. And being in marketing, too, we're like, what's something that is simple but it will capture people's attention? Or if they aren't sure what it means, they're curious enough to ask. You know what I mean? Y. Yeah. So that's. That's how it became. Go ahead. [00:12:19] Speaker A: Well, no, I was just going to say. So how long have we been here now? [00:12:22] Speaker B: So we've been here. So that's also part of our story. I always think about, like, when we talk about some of our. You know, we can go off on a little tangents and stuff, but I think about, like, alignment and synchronicity or just different things that you and I have talked about. So not only did you call me right when we were coming back from spring break, when I was, like, really getting to the point where I was feeling like I need to make this move, but I'm hesitant to. Shortly after that, we found out that my sister was sick. And she was probably one of the biggest people that kept telling me, hey, what are you doing? Like, you are teaching yoga at 5:15 in the morning. You're going to the office, you're coming home, you're building your business, you're teaching at night, and you're gonna burn yourself out, and your kids are your number one. And I'm like, absolutely. They are. Like, of course they know that. Right? But so at that point, I was like, okay, she's sick. Maybe I'm not just trying to step away from corporate for my, like, family of five. Like, I always was thinking, it's, like, for my kids and our family. And then I was traveling a lot over the years, and it's just a lot for a mom and traveling on top of it. A lot. It's a lot. So, anyways, I was like, okay, I'm gonna help my sister go through treatment. I'll help my parents. And that's what my purpose is. I was like, all coming together. Well, fast forward. It was really quick. Just, like, a few weeks. She started treatment, and then, sadly, she passed away. And it always goes, I go back to that alignment. It's like, I. I feel like I had to have those babies, but it kept popping back up. But I think there was a bigger story and a bigger timeline than I even knew about. And sure enough, my last day at corporate, I'm sitting there like this, like, with my boss handing stuff over, and he's like, you sure you don't want to extend your deadline? Like, we can work with you? Or, you know, do you want to work a little bit longer? And something in my gut was like, you know, I don't know, maybe we should just wrap it up. But maybe. And then I get a text, literally, that was like, rush to the er. Your sister's in kidney failure. And my heart, like, I just, like, was like, I don't know what to do. And I, like, showed him the text. Sorry, that's me. And he was like, you need to go. So I didn't even wrap up my last day at my corporate job. There was no, like, celebrating that. And I loved my job. Like, don't think that I was trying to get out of corporate because I, like, didn't like it, or I traveled all over the world. You know, I got to go to really cool places. I met amazing people and built teams, and little did I know that I was learning these skills and tools. I always say that, like, I thought I was like, oh, I could be the next, you know, CMO or CEO. But little did I know I was doing it for my business instead of just climbing the corporate ladder or whatever my goals were at that time in life. But I just always go back to that timeline of, like, okay, this might be a sign that my sister is saying, you're on the right path. Like, it was the worst weekend of my entire life. But I was like, okay, this is what I'm supposed to do. I'm stepping away. I'm opening. Not. It wasn't just about opening my own business or an own studio. It's creating this space, this community, to help people be better for themselves because you show up better for those that you love. You know? Like, my kids even say, mom, you need to go to yoga. Like, they can tell at what point that I'm getting a little anxious or frustrated. [00:15:34] Speaker A: My wife says I get. Yes, yeah, yes. [00:15:35] Speaker B: See, Exactly. So, like, we all need it. And that was the whole point is like, not just getting. Not having my own business. Like, yes, I've always wanted to do that, but it was creating that space, that community. And my sister's last two wishes literally were also. She was always giving. She's literally knew she was going to pass away. And she's like, obviously watch over my kids. And then two help moms and parents, you know, take. Get the care they need, whether that's like doctors or going to yoga or doing things for themselves, because they're always putting everybody else first. And a lot of times people think it's selfish or we'll look at it or you feel guilty. Like I used to feel guilty. Like, I know I need to go to the gym, but I'm not going to see my baby in the morning if I go to the gym or only see them for two minutes instead of like 30 minutes where we can snuggle. And sometimes it was like, no. But if you do that, it's not like you have do it every day. Right. But if you're doing that, you're actually showing them that, like, taking care of yourself is important, that you're managing your nervous system. You're getting into a better space for them, so you show up better for them. Right? [00:16:35] Speaker A: Yes. You've said a couple of things I'm dying to dig into. [00:16:38] Speaker B: Okay. [00:16:39] Speaker A: And I knew this about you anyway, but you made it very easy to take you there. You've mentioned the word two or three times now, community. And I've noticed that about you. And every time I hear and I'm hearing new pieces of the story, which is really great for me, but it's clear to me that you're just driven. Like you hydrate your nervous system by the poor into others 100%. And this is a place that can truly embody that. And I know what I've witnessed since this became hay is exactly what you were meant to do. You're building it now, and it's so warming to me to see the range that we'll get into later. But you said something else, nervous system. And I think that is very, very important. Because no matter how hectic things get, there's a very important thing that we all need to just remind ourselves, right? Is no matter how crazy and incoherent it gets out there, we control our coherence here. And that regulated nervous system is the best gift you can give your children, your friends, your families just to be regulated with, which means don't let shit get to you. You know, you just. It's life. And. And this is why people stay in yoga. They go to yoga for the physical back pain, or they need the sweat, or they want the challenge. But they stay in yoga for very different reasons than what got them there. [00:18:02] Speaker B: I agree. And when you said that, it always makes me think of my dad, always said, there's nothing to worry about until there's something to worry about. And that always resonated with me because my mind is one. Like, you talk about the million miles per minute. Like it's always going. It doesn't stop. And sometimes it's a good thing and sometimes it would be a challenging thing for me because I would spin on like a what if scenario or what you know, or. [00:18:25] Speaker A: And then it starts to affect your presence. [00:18:26] Speaker B: Correct. And then you're not present. And then. So I don't want to teach my kids that. I don't want them to see or. Or if I am doing that help that if I see patterns in them, like, hey, I used to feel like this. Here's things that I do or sometimes I still do. And when I catch myself, because I have been practicing yoga. Yoga is not just the physical practice. It's the way we respond to things. Do we pause? Do we take a breath? Do we. So you'll see little Jack, like, take a deep breath. You know, it's just so cute. Like they're picking up on those things that we're trying to teach and we're still working on. I'm working on it every day. And it doesn't mean you have to be on your mat every day. That's one thing too, that I think sometimes people think, yes, it's great if you can move your body every day. But it's not just the physical piece. There's very much all the other elements of, like the way you respond, the way you treat others, the way you react, you know? [00:19:17] Speaker A: Yeah. But, you know, the. I feel like we don't spend enough time. Because I like you, I travel to yoga studios whenever I'm traveling. And it's just very rare to find one that embodies all elements of yoga. [00:19:31] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:19:31] Speaker A: Because it. Your physical body, there's three bodies. You've heard me say, this is three bodies. The physical body, which is your skeleton, your muscles, your tissue, your veins, organs. That's your physical matter. And then you have that electrical body, which is breath and the nervous system, it's those electrical signals that travel through that 70% of your body is salt water. Right? It's how you communicate. But it's also. Now the third body is the, the somatic body, which is the fascia that wraps all of us underneath our skin. That silvery web is so conductive, it communicates up and down the body. And that's when you, you feel a room before any thought enters your mind. Right? It's that, that, that, that. I call it the antenna. Yoga helps get your antenna back to where now you're truly emitting a signal that others can pick up and you're reading theirs because, yes, you're, you're. And it. And that's why yoga is not a sport. It's not a. It's a practice. [00:20:27] Speaker B: A practice. [00:20:28] Speaker A: It's always a practice. [00:20:29] Speaker B: Always a practice. Yes. [00:20:31] Speaker A: We need daily practice. [00:20:32] Speaker B: We do, we do. We're always practicing. I always. And that people always ask, like, what's your favorite show? Or what is your favorite book series? And I was the weirdo like, oh, I like self help. And they're like, all looking like, oh, come on. I'm like, that's what I listen to. Or that I'm always trying to either better myself or learn more to help the business, the community. And when I say the business, I mean, like, what's the next yoga certification? What? I'm always trying to bring new things into the studio because I just want every. To thrive and succeed and to live life. Like, sadly, I learned all to. I mean, I know a lot of people have sadly felt this way too, but like, my sister was only 40 years old. 40. That is just. And there's so many other people that have had to experience earlier, like, I can't even imagine. I don't even want to think about it. But I did learn way too soon that life is actually way too short. And you just don't know if you're promised tomorrow. Not to sound negative or morbid, but like, you've got to live life to the fullest. And if something isn't working, like, let's work through that or let's try something instead of just getting stuck in a pattern that doesn't feel right. Because living life to the fullest is just so important and it means different for everybody. [00:21:44] Speaker A: And corporate America is challenges that it does on a daily basis. So it's not like we start to disconnect from the world. But I think those of us that over our practice and time on earth, you know, we start to raise that mass into energy up here. That's when you start to realize that you're kind of allergic to those conditions. [00:22:05] Speaker B: Yeah, I will say. And again, my sister and others would call out. I would be at family dinners or even on vacation, and I'm like, oh, my CEO is calling or my CPO is calling. And like, okay. And then like, you don't get paid enough to answer the phone call, but I would go answer it because I was a good employee, whatever that means. But I always put, like, my heart into everything. And I started to notice. So I quit my corporate job a little over a year and a half ago, basically the age of hey, here. And I was telling my mom recently. I was like, mom, my heart is not racing in the morning anymore. I literally, my heart would just pound because I had, like, so many things I needed to do. [00:22:42] Speaker A: And I was always, you're already at the office. [00:22:44] Speaker B: Correct, Exactly. And it was. And again, I've learned so much. But I started to notice, especially once my sister was sick and I was really getting to the end of, like, months, seeing what real life can bring you. I would be sitting in meetings. I'm like, this just isn't important, you know, And I. It was really hard for me to be in that space. And that thankfully, though, made it easier for me to disconnect. I still have all the same passions. Like, actually a lot of my skill set, I was in marketing, operations, automation. All that translates really nicely here to owning a business. So I'm so grateful for all that experiences. But I don't have the racing heart that I had every day because I wanted to make sure I was performing not for me, but like, for the company. Right? Like, if I mess something up, it impacts so many other things. So now if I mess something up, it's my family. Right? Which obviously is really important. But it just, like, the repercussions are different. I always say, like, I was so. I would have bosses that were like, you know, put it out there and fail fast. But there were some places that said that, but then actually, like, it wasn't okay. You know what I mean? So now I'm like, okay, if I put something out there and I fail, it's okay because you are all going to support us. Like, nobody's going to be like, oh, that was a bad idea, or it was a bad idea. We laugh about it and then we move on. [00:23:56] Speaker A: But for something like this, I mean, this is. This is. In a lot of ways, you're gambling the family On a vision or on a belief. Do you feel like that 10 years made a big difference in where you are now versus had you pulled it off in the beginning? [00:24:10] Speaker B: Okay, yeah. So really good point. I think it would be really different. I don't know. I mean, I'm sure I would still as it have evolved as a mom, but I was. It probably would have been more about the physical practice for a longer time, [00:24:25] Speaker A: to be honest, because even in I introduce you as a, as a power based studio, but this is. It's evolved. It has evolved, yes. [00:24:32] Speaker B: Tremendously in the last year that I would say. [00:24:35] Speaker A: And it's so exciting. [00:24:36] Speaker B: So exciting. [00:24:37] Speaker A: Oh, I love it. [00:24:38] Speaker B: We get great feedback. I mean, people are loving. [00:24:40] Speaker A: So let's go through some of the wonderful things that do here. [00:24:42] Speaker B: Yeah. Do you want to talk about like classes? Do you want me to. [00:24:45] Speaker A: Yeah, just. And I'll riff on any of the ones. [00:24:48] Speaker B: Yeah. Add in where you want to. You're part of the community. [00:24:51] Speaker A: Because we're not going to do a tour of the studio. [00:24:53] Speaker B: Yeah, I wish we could. That'd be fun. [00:24:54] Speaker A: You would see everything we're about. [00:24:56] Speaker B: So. Yeah. So we have what we call our hot studio, yet we do more than just hot classes in there. And it's candlelit, it's dim lighting. We did not want mirrors in that room. We do have mirrors in our Pilates reformer room. I'll get to that in a second. But for the yoga element, I found that even me or others, I would observe them and they were watching themselves. I feel like more from a physical space, like, do I look strong? Is my posture right? Which is important? But we have really skilled professional yoga instructors like Kelly. They went through hours and hours and hours of training and continue to get trained in different things to help people so they're not out of alignment both verbally and then if comfortable physically. So. So we don't need you to worry. Am I in alignment? My hope is that our teachers are, you know, watching and walking around the room. They're visually able to see and then verbally get people into the right spot. So instead of being like, am I in the right alignment? Oh my gosh, the person next to me is so strong or, you know, starting to compare themselves or even it's like, hey, I'm really strong. It's like, but is that what you're worried about in this moment? [00:26:01] Speaker A: Or I've gained a few pounds. Correct. [00:26:03] Speaker B: Oh, like, oh, this tank top needs to look better on me. [00:26:06] Speaker A: And yeah, it's an invitation to spiral in back places and it can be [00:26:10] Speaker B: really good if you're practicing on something new. Don't get me wrong, but you can. [00:26:14] Speaker A: Workshops. [00:26:15] Speaker B: Exactly. So we. And that's another when you ask what we offer. So like the whole slew of classes, we also do workshops for those reasons. So if someone wants to get in a handstand, sure, our teachers might have that as a peak posture in certain classes, like our more intermediate to advanced. But we really want you to actually take the time to like step back and then see where you're at so you can safely. So you're not just going in there and like throwing up a handstand and then falling and getting hurt. So workshops and then throughout. And I really want to do more of this four wave cycle training too. I've been reading a lot about getting really inspired by some of the stuff for our hey. Method. But we've seen. Or you guys haven't seen yet. But some of you that are listening may have seen. We've really evolved our offerings too. So we have yes, Power Yoga, we have sculpt, so you can use weights, we have mat Pilates, but we've really, we have like slow flow or more flows. Restore, yin and restore. So we're hitting the nervous system a little bit deeper. Like gentle yoga. You're. You're going to stretch more, you're going to be more on your mat. You're really thinking about breath, mindfulness, you're coming into the room as thoughts arise, you use your breath to come back into the space. So really challenging yourself. I mean, even in the physical power practices, you're still doing this. But this is to complement those days that you really need more of like a reset instead of just like a nervous system. Because if you're just going hard all the time, the cortisol, like there's so many elements. [00:27:39] Speaker A: You never relax. [00:27:40] Speaker B: Yes. You never relax. And so. And your body's always tight or it's sore. It's like, well, you need to undo that. So the fascia. The fascia. You know, there's all these different things. You don't want to get like too tightened up or your web is like stuck. [00:27:52] Speaker A: So it gets dehydrated and tight and it doesn't cleanly signal. [00:27:55] Speaker B: Yes. So we offer all that. And then sound has been a really huge addition. Reiki. Congrats. Kelly is now able to practice Reiki. So there's just so many things that have really become powerful for this full wave or this full circle of yoga. So it's not just every day you're Doing power. You're giving yourself time to reset. [00:28:15] Speaker A: And if you've never been in a sound journey or a sound bath, highly encourage it. It's got bowls and gongs and flutes and hand pans, and you're just in such a melodic vibrational. It's. [00:28:29] Speaker B: It's amazing. [00:28:29] Speaker A: You're floating. It's. It's such an amazing. And you come out of it, you're not tired. I remember the first one I did. I'd drive 45 minutes to it, and the whole time like, oh, man, it's late. I'm gonna come back. I've never felt alive. Yeah, I wasn't. I wasn't. I was just sleep. Well, I was a slept. [00:28:45] Speaker B: And energized isn't the right word. I mean, more like. [00:28:47] Speaker A: Yeah, I was just. I was alert. [00:28:48] Speaker B: Yes. [00:28:49] Speaker A: And awake. And I just felt amazing. [00:28:51] Speaker B: Yes. So you definitely need to try when I tell you. And it might take some people. I say this with yoga in general, you might need to go a couple times, especially even just an asana practice. Like more of, like the flows of the power. Because if you don't know the verbiage, sometimes people get intimidated. Like, what is a warrior to? And even though we cue to get you there, sometimes when you're new to something, you're not hearing the cues. So I always say, like, I'll never forget. [00:29:15] Speaker A: Because you're in your head. [00:29:16] Speaker B: Correct. And you're in your head. Do I look okay? Am I doing this right? Am I? And I'll never forget the first class I went to. Maybe not like the first first, but when I was transferred to Denver, Colorado, like, what, 15 or whatever years ago, it was at this point I went to a class with my friend, and they were doing Lion's Breath. And I was like, what is this? Why did you bring me to. [00:29:35] Speaker A: I remember the first time I heard. I'm like, I don't know what that is. [00:29:38] Speaker B: And now I'm like, obsessed with yoga. I'm obsessed with breath. I'm obsessed with all the things. And I can't forget Pilates because I have historical low back issues. It runs in my family. Grandpa, aunts, dad, cousins. Like, it's just between the L3, L5. And it's like this shooting nerve pain. And it comes and goes. Since sixth grade was the first time it happened to me. And no matter how much I work my core after three kids that, you know, caused a little bit of a setback, that's okay. They're worth it. But it's really important. And I Feel like Pilates compliments our yoga practice. So well getting into those small muscle movements that you're slow, your control, you're really building that core strength. You'll find yourself get longer. I mean, I know you do in yoga. [00:30:20] Speaker A: I like it somewhere between power and yin, right? You're holding really good tension on that connective tissue, which we never really work. We never lubricate those parts of our muscles. [00:30:28] Speaker B: And it. There's the little muscles. Like we'll do sideline series and people. And it's like the lightest spring. So I don't know how familiar you all are with Pilates, but you have springs that basically you adjust throughout the class. And sometimes we'll be like one blue, which is the absolute lightest. And people are like, I'm strong. One blue will kill you. So it's just funny because it's not always lighter the easier because you're really challenging yourself. Slow with control to come back. So Pilates has been such a positive addition to the yoga studio. [00:30:58] Speaker A: And it's always overbooked. There's always a waiting list because you only. We only have. [00:31:01] Speaker B: I know you have to get more. We're like, we need more. And then we need more classes. So we're on it. We just. We're sending out a survey today actually to try to get more feedback on, like times of days, different styles. Are you. Do you like the jump board? Do you like more of a reset? [00:31:16] Speaker A: It's a good problem because everybody loves everything. They want more of it. All of it. From restorative and yen to yes day. We have Ariel in the same room. [00:31:24] Speaker B: So Ariel's so fun. Core strength, upper body nice and challenging. We've also done. That was one of the coolest things we ever did was the sound bath in the silks. So we lowered the silks all the way down and it was very restorative. I was snoring. Tasha had to come keep kicking my silk because I was like out of it because it was so relaxing. It was magical. We had special lights. The room was dim. It was really cool. Circling all the way back though to Pilates. That's where our aerial room is with the silk. So we kind of. It's kind of cool to see the week, especially through the weekend. Like the rooms, like snap into something different. It's really cool. But we do have a couple mirrors on one wall in the Pilates reformer room. Precision and posture. And we're on a machine. Right? We have to be really safe so it allows. We chose to be boutique Style. So we have limited reformers. We want you to feel like you're basically in a private session. And the point is you are on a machine. You are. And there are safety concern. Not like it's not likely you'll get hurt, but if you were standing on it and you don't step off. Right. Or things like that. So we. [00:32:30] Speaker A: Oh, I've moved them. I know, yeah. [00:32:32] Speaker B: Thank you, by the way, for being the strong man that can move them, because I can't. So basically we have that wall of mirrors so you can do a quick check in, but also so the instructor gets a full view of the room to really manage the safety of the space. [00:32:47] Speaker A: That makes a lot of sense. And then you have a room that's got like a massage table. So occasionally a pop up workshops. [00:32:53] Speaker B: Yes. [00:32:53] Speaker A: And also privates, which now I offer privates, which would be like a combination of restorative yin reiki, like a full chakra reiki session. Whatever your nervous system needs will tailor things for. [00:33:05] Speaker B: And we love that these private sessions we're doing a lot more of. Because there are few and it's some. Sometimes it's someone brand new that's afraid to try a group class. Right. We also have people that are working on something specific and they want to do that. And then especially with like sound or other nervous system things, the great full rooms have a whole nother energy. But sometimes people really just want that experience that's like catered towards like their needs. And it could be singular, it could be small group. We've had a couple mats in the wellness flex room. And then we actually do privates for Reformer too. Either single or duo. And it could be like one gentleman is working on his golf swing. And so we have really specific workouts tied to or sessions tied to that. We have prenatal, postnatal. We have people that are coming back from an injury so they're experiencing. [00:33:55] Speaker A: And children's yoga. [00:33:56] Speaker B: And children's yoga, yeah, we kind of do it all. So they're like pop up style and kids living. [00:34:00] Speaker A: That's community. [00:34:01] Speaker B: It's community. [00:34:02] Speaker A: It's a truly embodied community here and it shows. And the new faces we see on a regular basis. So cool to see. [00:34:09] Speaker B: Right? [00:34:09] Speaker A: Booked almost 2,000 spots last month. Right? Yeah. It's such a great place and you're [00:34:14] Speaker B: all making it happen. I mean, I'm so grateful and I believe like back to the kids. Well, I always say without it being like, we have yoga for everybody. We really do. We have yoga for everybody and everybody [00:34:26] Speaker A: so trauma Sensitive too. [00:34:27] Speaker B: Yes. And we do grief. I got actually certified in grief yoga. The gentleman that did the training, Paul Denison, is amazing. And it was so impactful for me. Like I attended as wanting something to help my family and me, myself, and I was like, I need to do this for other people. This is such a gift. Because emotions need motion. And sometimes a regular yoga class, yes, you can get it. You might come out and people will have emotional reactions, which is good. And it could happen. A sound bath, it could happen. But in this grief yoga, there's this whole process where you're cycling through different things and like you're moving to get the emotions out and just acknowledging them, not avoiding them, but you're experiencing them. You're. It's, it's just powerful. So highly recommend. If you're going through any kind of grief and it doesn't have to be the loss of a person. I always tell people that, well, that's, that's the thing. [00:35:19] Speaker A: Grief builds up in your system because corporate America says, be tough, work through it, perform. We're being reverberant or demonstrating empathy could be a liability. Right. [00:35:29] Speaker B: So. [00:35:29] Speaker A: So we carry all that residual grief and somehow you gotta compost that out of your system. [00:35:34] Speaker B: Yes. [00:35:34] Speaker A: This is the place to go to. [00:35:36] Speaker B: So funny you say that. And I actually had a leader one time say he doesn't believe that an empath can be a good leader. And I normally wouldn't bring this up on a podcast, but because you brought that up, I just felt like it really like struck me and I was like, I don't believe that's true. And that's why I wanted my own space, because I can lead, you can lead, we can all lead as empaths. I just, I feel like there is a path for everybody. [00:36:00] Speaker A: It's coherence. [00:36:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:36:02] Speaker A: Right. So, so you, you, you started. Hey, here, kind of like spring break. Was that trigger, right? My book was spring break. [00:36:10] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:36:11] Speaker A: Last year I started this book. It's embodied in it. But I put a pause for 10 years. [00:36:17] Speaker B: Yeah, 10 years. Yeah. [00:36:19] Speaker A: And. And when I was practicing yoga, it. I went for, for the back. Like, I remember being 70 years old and feeling that, that part of. And as I got older, lifting weights all the time, it got worse and worse. So I went to yoga for that and then found lots about my body that I learned from that. But they kept asking me, when are you going to do teacher training? And I joke, I say, when I hit a thousand classes. Well, I hit that and I didn't. But it was Kind of COVID forced the world to slow down. And I'm like, you know what? If I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it now. But I never had a strong opinion. Am I doing this because I want to teach? I still sometimes feel out of place teaching because I'm an older guy. [00:37:04] Speaker B: You're not old. And I think guys bring a really great presence into the studio. It's a different experience, but I feel [00:37:11] Speaker A: like what really drove me to it was what's embodied there. What's embodied in this podcast. It was such an important missing layer of my understanding of explaining the world and all of its incoherency. It helped me realize that because yoga is ancient to me, yoga isn't a practice. Yoga is observation of what a human being becomes when they're coherent. And coherent means their nervous system is authentic and they connect to other authentic nervous systems. And pretty soon you build a lattice that's as strong as water. You can walk right into water. You dive off a cliff and do a belly smacker, it'll kill you. So water taketh, water giveth, and water taketh away. And just to realize that we're all basically just a water molecule looking to connect. And it's that community drive, that coherence that we want is what I think's been driving you your whole life. And me as well, I was gonna [00:38:07] Speaker B: say, and you as well. I always talk about to. When you basically become the five people that you're around the most. So if you feel like you're. I don't know, there's so much that could be a whole nother conversation, but it's true. Like, you start to attract similar people or challenge yourself. You want to challenge yourself with people that are doing the next thing in to bring, like, the value to the space. But at the retreat, for example, I had someone come up to me. The one that we just had in Tulum, Mexico, and it was sold out. There were 28 people, which is a lot for. They were almost like, oh, you can't use. They told us we couldn't use some of the shallows. They're like, you're almost at, like, too much of a capacity. You're not going to fit everybody. But you can just use these bigger shallows. You won't be able to use the other ones. We're like, okay, that's okay. Like, we'll just deal with it. But someone came up and they're like, gosh, this group is just amazing. There's no drama, there's no, like, it's just everybody's happy, they're positive, they're building each other up. And I was like, well, yeah, like. And then they were like. And I think it's because we're attracting the. The same people. Right. [00:39:04] Speaker A: Energy attracts energy. [00:39:05] Speaker B: Yeah. Yeah. So it was just amazing. Like, everybody asked how it was. I'm like, magic. Like, that's the word that just coming to my head. It was just this energy that was so powerful and positive and building each other up and practicing different things. Some people were new to journaling, new to meditating, new to sound baths. And it was just really cool experience. So. [00:39:27] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:39:27] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:39:28] Speaker A: Something I want to circle back to. Restorative. I'm curious if you see the same thing. We're talking about the physical practice and mirrors and seeing yourself made me think of this. You know when your physical body doesn't lie, so if you're holding it, you don't need a mirror to know you're holding. [00:39:46] Speaker B: Correct. [00:39:46] Speaker A: Because it takes 60 to 70% muscle activation to get into a pose. When you're in a pose, your muscles and skeletons should be holding it. So if you're using a lot of muscle to hold a pose, that's actually the sign that something needs attention. [00:40:01] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:40:02] Speaker A: And if you start to just unlayer that over and over. And one of the clearest signals versus, you know, a warrior two that someone's holding is simply laying still and restorative. The. And obviously I. I see it often in men. Men that come into a restorative class have a hard time staying still. [00:40:20] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:40:20] Speaker A: And just because their nervous systems are in sympathetic mode all the time, they never. They never regulated down to parasympathetic. [00:40:28] Speaker B: It took me years. I was the person that was like, I'll never be able to sit through those classes. So I hear it from people all the time. I'm like, then you just need to practice. Because I couldn't either. My mind would go. And now I'm the one that's snoring. It just takes practice. But actually on the mirrors thing, another thing that popped in my head. And when you're talking about all this and just the awareness in your body in all the styles of classes, I practice with my eyes closed in a power yoga class for probably 95 even imbalance and stuff. My eyes are closed. I'm trying to feel inward my physical body in the mental space. And I challenge myself to do that. And now I just do it. It first used to be a thing like, okay, get out of your head. And now I Just naturally go into a state and my eyes are closed for most of my practice. [00:41:11] Speaker A: Even balance poses. Yeah, because a balance pose with your eyes closed. [00:41:14] Speaker B: I like amplify option to amplify. Close your eyes. But I'm always. But as a teacher, it's funny, I'm like, keep your eyes open because I'll start to get into that space. Then I'm like, I need to keep my eyes open to watch my people. [00:41:25] Speaker A: So I feel like the best hot power class is where you don't remember the class. You're in a moving meditation the whole entire time. [00:41:33] Speaker B: I love mood. Yeah. [00:41:34] Speaker A: And. And every time from. I put so much energy into my playlist. [00:41:37] Speaker B: Yes. Same. Because that's a big thing here. Experience. Yeah. I was looking back at things literally over 10 years ago that we had prepped and like started posting like for our Instagram or Facebook and it was all about. It used to be yoga driven music, mindfulness and meditation. Like those were. And it's obviously involved yoga music community, but it's always had. Community has always been an element and music has always been something I am extremely passionate about. So I think about the whole arc of a yoga class and I really think about what type you'll hear. I always say like the yoga music. I use a lot of like true yoga music at the beginning and you'll build the arc. You might hear something that's more popular today or something that some studios might be like, that's in a yoga class. But like to build the energy to get people to that peak posture, you know, then bringing them back down. And Shavasana. For me, I just. It's so important. I think you always need a Shavasana at least three to five minutes. Just allow yourself. You deserve that. And even if you don't know how to do it yet, the more you practice it, the more you will crave it and the more powerful it becomes for your body. [00:42:38] Speaker A: Key point. You start to crave it because your body now recognizes that it needs it and it gives it permission to have it correct. Because sometimes stillness, we feel guilty taking the time correct. And when people say, what should I do? [00:42:50] Speaker B: Anxious and stillness. [00:42:51] Speaker A: My answer is always the same. [00:42:52] Speaker B: Uncomfortable. [00:42:53] Speaker A: Legs up the wall. Just go find a wall. Put your legs up it and do nothing. [00:42:56] Speaker B: And do nothing. No, I know. And then the do nothing. Especially someone like you and I. I mean, I'm sure you struggle with it. My. I'm always on the go. So the do nothing. The Shavasana for me was really hard to learn and that's why I'm trying to help my kids younger. Like they have the Moshi app, you know, the kids meditation and things like that. Like teaching them younger how to regulate their nervous system so they don't turn to things that aren't healthy in the future. [00:43:22] Speaker A: The biggest challenge we have because we've got kids about the same age is getting them into a place where they can be bored on purpose. [00:43:30] Speaker B: Yes. I was just talking to somebody about that. Yeah. [00:43:33] Speaker A: And it's really hard because they, they don't like to be bored. And we just keep. You've got plenty of things in this house. [00:43:38] Speaker B: We hear that all the time. I'm bored. I'm like now. Thankfully they're super creative too. But we were just talking about that the amount of times we hear today's society. I'm bored. [00:43:47] Speaker A: I'm Generation X. We grew up bored. [00:43:50] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:50] Speaker A: Boredom was. Was our biggest obstacle to manage. [00:43:53] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:43:54] Speaker A: And we found ways to do it. Yeah. [00:43:56] Speaker B: And it's good. It's good for you. We, we just went on a trip that we were in a cabin and they had. So now they did have games and everything like that, but like air hockey, pool. But it was. We just wanted to like slow down and like. Yeah. Get rid of. And it was. It's just we had so much fun. And karaoke actually. So I don't know if that counts, but it was a blast. Jack was loving it. I'll have to show you videos, but [00:44:18] Speaker A: we need to get our little boys together soon. [00:44:20] Speaker B: But let's talk more about men's yoga. So Ben actually. So he started. Now I'm asking you questions. Is that okay? [00:44:27] Speaker A: Absolutely. [00:44:28] Speaker B: So Ben started, like I said, doing yoga to follow me. That sounds. But it was for himself too, but for us to get together. And he actually started his teacher training. We were. It was when I was pregnant with Eloise, actually. He pulled out because he was like, oh, I'm gonna be a first time dad. And we were gonna open the studio. And he was like feeling really called to do more. And also I wanted the support. And you even said that you didn't think I didn't start teacher training to teach either, though. Actually, it was the same kind of thing. Like my studio was like, hey, have you ever thought about teaching? And I was like, oh, I don't know. I travel a lot for work. Like that would never happen. Yeah. And then now I love it. I'm so passionate about it. [00:45:07] Speaker A: How long did you practice yoga before you went into the. The training? [00:45:11] Speaker B: Probably couple years maybe. [00:45:13] Speaker A: Okay. I think that's I've seen people literally fall in love with it. They go right into teacher training. [00:45:18] Speaker B: I feel like I know now I'm trying. I need to go look at the timeline now that you said it. I'm actually. Because I feel like, well when I really practice yoga it was probably a quicker turnaround because I was at the studio all the time. But anyways, circling back to. So then Ben started his teacher training. He actually did his where you did. And then fast forward, he completed his actually right before COVID So we went on the retreat and it was like Covid was right after that. And so we actually. My parents came and watched the girls. It was really sweet. So we were there on the retreat, but we could still see our kids kind of thing. And he didn't really like start teaching right away. Like he would do a couple classes in our basement. More of like the yin restore. And he said the same things like he feels like as a man, sorry to speak for you. I wish he was here so he could speak to himself. But like he was like, I'll never assist. You know, there's certain things like tell me a little bit more about how you feel being a teacher. I know you touch on a little [00:46:14] Speaker A: bit, but I have never. And I don't, I just, I've never. There's I, I, I don't touch, I don't assist. [00:46:22] Speaker B: I. [00:46:22] Speaker A: Because I just, I. And I've always just rested on. It's one of the llamas non stealing. [00:46:29] Speaker B: Right. [00:46:29] Speaker A: That I'm, I'm expressing to them that they're doing something wrong. So I kind of have always chalked it up as that's a good reason. [00:46:39] Speaker B: Okay. But it was a reason perspective though. [00:46:41] Speaker A: It was a good reason. But then I get trained in Reiki which is touch. And now I realize how important touch is. And I'm really glad that you brought this back up because I've been thinking a lot about something that we were made aware of when we got trained together, which is. And we talked about other things like consciousness and. But the, the with Reiki science just came out in December. [00:47:10] Speaker B: Yes. [00:47:10] Speaker A: Showing that it's medically. Medical proof that it works. And I find that so fascinating because the reason we have scientific double blind studies with placebos is because of the ability, the, the body's ability to heal itself. That's exactly why we have it. So to see Reiki, which is self healing in, in a, in a scenario, [00:47:34] Speaker B: it's, it's exciting because it and sound is the same. They're proof you know, there's proof science behind for, for vibration, mental health and, [00:47:43] Speaker A: and just grief management. Yes, absolutely. Because it's all. Because we're all energy. It's all about energy. And you've been driven by that heart field your whole life. And when, when a heartfield is trying to build connections and square coherence and you're stuck every day in that environment, eventually, just like when you, your social circles kind of get filtered against that energy, which is why energy finds energy. So it's like you had this natural calling to build a nucleus of where that energy can find each other. And my gosh, Emily, you have built that here. [00:48:19] Speaker B: Well, you all. That's the thing I always tell you guys every single day. Like, it's. You guys, it's. It's a collaborative. It's. It's the teachers, but it's also the students and the members, like, the, the energy. And I can't tell you how many times people say that, like, wow, like, the community is real here. And it's not. There's no drama. It's not clicky. [00:48:37] Speaker A: Everybody's invited. [00:48:38] Speaker B: Yes, everybody's invited. And like, loved. And I saw this. It was probably on one form of social media, but it was something. It was like showing something about, like, do it. Does a teacher really think about me? And it's like the teacher's brain. It's like, I wonder if so and so got back from their trip. I hope their kids. Okay. Like, all day you're thinking about the different community members or like, I think about you all. Like, every day you think about the instructors, like, oh, I hope they're feeling better. I hope they did really well in that meeting or. And that's just. It's genuine and it's authentic. And that's something that we've been talking a lot about too, is like, authenticity. And just be yourself. Like, you don't have to. And I feel like sometimes in the corporate world, not that it wasn't me, but I feel like you do have to kind of present your, you know, certain parts of yourself you may not always expose because the situation. And that's fine. Like, the situation may not be right or just the leadership style doesn't really open up to it. And that's where I got really excited about even the marketing piece of having your own business. Like, I don't have to speak in a tone, a corporate tone. It can be conversational. It's authentic. It's us. And basically us talking right now could turn into content that we use to basically Share like what we do here because that's just who we are and we don't have to follow this brand guideline that's like super corporate, zipped up suit or tie kind of thing. [00:50:00] Speaker A: And that's what I love about your marketing experience coming in. Just the, the, the variety of ways of reaching out. And I don't know how anybody can follow your pages and not feel that energy of man, I'm going to go check that place out. And I, I feel like that that's why people, they either see it or hear about it. They come and they're like, yeah, I [00:50:18] Speaker B: feel, I feel very grateful because as circling back though to making the decision like as you can imagine because you and your wife both work like what a risk that is to like be like, okay, see you later. Other income because. And then with that too, we've had to be thoughtful about the marketing budget here. So I haven't invested a lot in paid advertising. So a lot of our word of mouth is word of mouth. And it's like via, like, oh, I love that instructor, you need to come see them or oh my gosh, this space is really beautiful and I feel comfort. So we've been really grateful. [00:50:50] Speaker A: But it's the best way to build it is right. [00:50:52] Speaker B: And it's authentic. [00:50:53] Speaker A: You went in to build a coherent nucleus of connection and community and it should spread that way. [00:51:00] Speaker B: That is true. That's really true. Yeah. That's the whole purpose of why we're doing what we're doing in anyways. [00:51:07] Speaker A: Yeah. So it's very exciting. [00:51:08] Speaker B: Yes. [00:51:09] Speaker A: So what's the next 10 years hold? What's your crystal ball show you? [00:51:14] Speaker B: Yes. Well, there's a lot of things I want to do, so. Well, Reformer was one that I had to wait on. So I wanted to do that from like almost day one. My cousins with the coffee shop, they're like, you need reforms. I'm like, I know, we really do. But Ben was like, hold on, like budget wise, whatever. So we got to make that happen. I also want to. And you all are aware of this. Like, I want to do more in the online space and that doesn't necessarily mean like just like a classroom, two that are virtual. It's like programs, more transformational things that supplement some of the retreat retreats. We're doing small groups more of like a coaching environment. And like us like having that community be accessible in your busiest days. So like you can't get to the studio or you're traveling for business or you're traveling for vacation. But you still want to be connected to the community. So there's more to come on. That time has just been one of the biggest things. More retreats. I want the. That was so life changing. [00:52:14] Speaker A: Even some local ones maybe. [00:52:15] Speaker B: And local retreats. Actually Izzy and family, they recommended some places that are drivable. They have a family friend. So that way people that maybe don't want to or can't travel, like just take a whole because they're kids or work or whatever it may be. So we want to make that more accessible. We've talked about doing like a weekend or a day retreat here in this space. So you can still get the benefits without having to travel for that. But I do want to do more of that because the feedback we've gotten was just amazing. Like just life changing, transformative. I didn't know I was coming for this reason. You know, there's just so much beyond the yoga practice. Like the physical practice. [00:52:54] Speaker A: Yep. [00:52:54] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:52:55] Speaker A: I find myself often if someone invites me to something, my first process is because I feel like you'll get something positive out of anything that you do. So I start to think is, you know, and I just let intuition guide me. Just like when you're going around assisting, your intuition just tells you 100% this, this person's lower back. I'm drawn to her lower back. [00:53:18] Speaker B: Yeah. And we have people that walk out and say, like, did you come to my back or did you go to my feet for a reason? Or did you. Let me tell you, I mean, it's so cool. And we're like, you just go like you don't know. And you're like, you said your intuition guides you. It's really powerful. [00:53:31] Speaker A: And when you open that channel, which again, why yoga is a practice, I feel like those intuitions start out as patterns, but pretty soon you start listening to them. And so there's times I'm like, yeah, I'm going to go to that. And I don't know why, but I know I need to and I do. And it always leads. Proves why I went every time. Had that actually very, very recently in a sound bath designed for men. [00:53:57] Speaker B: Okay, cool. [00:53:58] Speaker A: Particularly technical engineers. [00:54:00] Speaker B: Oh, cool. [00:54:01] Speaker A: People who are trained in determinist, you know, certainty. You design out any ambiguity. That's the way. I'm an engineer. [00:54:11] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:54:11] Speaker A: Trained that way. But the belief is all. Everybody has an inner desire for consciousness and coherence and connection, which is embodied in ambiguity, which is you keep all options open. And so it was really a way to help those types of minds relax. [00:54:30] Speaker B: That's cool. [00:54:30] Speaker A: And it was really fun. So the snow that we had recently pushed it. But a few of us got together and I'm like, I'm going. And man, I learned some really valuable things in the discussion afterward. [00:54:42] Speaker B: Yeah, that's really powerful. And I worked with a lot of engineers and I've actually had some old colleagues reach out to have me come bring some of what we do. So when you talk about like the future and stuff too, definitely see more with like corporate and traveling maybe, or speaking on different things. And I could see you being part of that as well, just from experience. And that sounds super powerful, especially like knowing the gentleman, like similar gentlemen that you're talking with or worked with that I worked with. And a lot of times we're also taught, like, not to have emotion or you talked about like not being able to be an empath or not showing those sides of you, even if you are in the corporate world. So I think there's a lot to unpack and a lot of opportunity has to be thoughtful. Right. But I do believe that there's a lot of opportunity there. [00:55:28] Speaker A: You know, I was going to ask you this before coming from the corporate world, and I know you're going to agree with this to some, to some degree, but it's like, how do you do it is it only takes one leader in a business to realize how important his team's chemistry would be. If this were the excursion that he took them to, that he brought them to a place like this to synchronize nervous systems, to regulate breath, to lower the energy in a room, to dissolve all the things that are standing in our way. Bring them here. [00:55:58] Speaker B: Yeah, Right. Yeah. [00:55:59] Speaker A: This is what. This is what everybody needs. [00:56:01] Speaker B: They do. And that's. It was cool. Like at Cisco, they started to really. To recognize. I feel like. I know, I know a lot of times people might hear yoga and they think, like, I don't always love to use the term, but like, woo. Or like, is it really. But we're seeing sciences backing it. And that's why I just. [00:56:21] Speaker A: Overwhelmingly, overwhelmingly. And so it's awesome. [00:56:24] Speaker B: I've been so passionate. And yes, now doctors are prescribing it, which you can also use your HSA, FSA. [00:56:30] Speaker A: That's right. [00:56:30] Speaker B: our studio. Because it is so beneficial for your health. But that's why I just stayed so strong and true to my gut. Like, and there were even schools sometimes, like, oh, you can't really call it yoga. You can call it something else. Or I'm like, well, but it is yoga. And, you know, so I love to see after Covid. I'm so sad that Covid happened, but there was a huge shift, I feel like since then in corporations, like before I left the corporate world where they were starting to do well, more. More wellness programs and they were starting to include things like yoga and. Or they evolved the way they were doing it compared to before. And so I just. Yeah, I think there's a lot of opportunity there. [00:57:08] Speaker A: How much do you think people that again, what makes you go to a yoga studio is generally not why you stay in it and make it a practice. It's. It's realizing all the other embodiments of it. But how much do you think. Because I feel like this is lacking. So I'm curious your thoughts. I feel like people that are getting to that point where they get it, but there's so much more they don't know, they haven't tapped into yet. Like the yamas and the yamas, the chakras, the eight limbs, in totality, like there's that. I feel like these studios are kind of missing that educational opportunity. [00:57:42] Speaker B: Like right or wrong or people's beliefs. You will see a lot of them being probably to your point, more about the physical practice and they don't go as deep. And some people really want to go deeper. And. And I think even for me, like I shared, I fell in love with the physical practice first. But to your point, it's what was happening even if they didn't now. My studio in Colorado did talk about the eight limbs and the chakras, not. I mean, it might be like touched on as a theme or they wove it in, but the work. This is where I want to do more workshops and we've talked about this in like the 10 years too, but more workshops and trainings for the people that want to go deeper. But like, yeah, weave it into your purpose for your class, that highlight for the day. Or if they're your intention, your intention so like it. And it could be the theme of your class. So you could weave it in throughout the class. But that way people that are want, they're curious and they want to learn more, start to get the exposure. But if people just aren't ready for it or it's just not what they're ever going to want, then they can kind of. That way we can kind of serve both of those. [00:58:48] Speaker A: Because that's the key, right? Yeah. To service. [00:58:50] Speaker B: Yeah, because we want to service everybody. [00:58:52] Speaker A: But as the community grows, servicing that community equally is. It's a fun Challenge. Right? [00:58:58] Speaker B: It is. But I do think, like me personally, over the years I've become more and more passionate. Passionate about like the history of yoga, why and. And also how it translates in the everyday lives to. Of just outside of that physical practice like we talk about. [00:59:15] Speaker A: I didn't want to have you as my first guest. I wanted to get a few under my belt. But I knew this was the right time because for me the patterns are so clear of coherence and community and where we're at as a community, as a broader community. I feel like this is the right conversation to have today. So thank you. [00:59:35] Speaker B: Thank you. This was so fun. [00:59:38] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:59:38] Speaker B: Any other questions? Are we good? [00:59:40] Speaker A: We can forever just keep it going. Keep the magic. [00:59:44] Speaker B: Keep the magic. And come check us out if you haven't. [00:59:46] Speaker A: If you're ever in town and you're traveling to the Cincinnati, Ohio area, we're in a little area called I guess this is. Is this Loveland? [00:59:53] Speaker B: Well, technically, like this is Harper's Point, but it's like Loveland, Montgomery Mason are all like. Right. [00:59:58] Speaker A: It's all northeast corner Cincinnati. You got to come check it out. And then I'll look up the happily other yoga app or website. [01:00:05] Speaker B: Yeah, happily ever yoga.com and then Instagram is Happily ever underscore yoga. Yeah. [01:00:11] Speaker A: You won't be disappointed. [01:00:13] Speaker B: Thanks for the time. [01:00:14] Speaker A: Today I end every show with with my motto, bond soft and build strong until next time. [01:00:20] Speaker B: Thank you. [01:00:23] Speaker A: Thanks for tuning in to Roots to fruits. If this conversation resonated with you, follow and share it with someone else who trying to build something meaningful in the world. Healthy systems, strong communities and lasting change all start at the roots. For more insights breakdown, visit my website at KelleyWilliams me where you will discover resources you can read, watch or listen to that will help you in your own resonance journey. Until next time. Bond soft, build strong.