Today we’d like to introduce you to Tina and Don Holtz.
Tina and Don, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’m an Emergency Room doctor here in Los Angeles, where I’ve been practicing for the past 17 years. The job is grueling, hectic, and fast-paced. Shifts last between 10-14 hours and usually leave me and my fellow front-line coworkers (nurses, doctors, lab techs and clerks) feeling exhausted, used, and unappreciated. One of my outlets for dealing with the stress of my job is through the physical and mental exercise of hot yoga. I’ve been practicing hot yoga for years and when the pandemic hit, the yoga studio where I practiced had to shut down permanently. This took a heavy toll on me, and when the quarantine and mask mandate were finally lifted, I began thinking about the possibility of reopening the same studio where I had practiced. After much thought, I brought the idea to my husband who was on board. After a few months of planning, we finally opened Valley Hot Yoga Wellness Center to the public on March 7, 2022.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road has been filled with potholes, lane closures, and challenges. My husband is a self-employed professional photographer, but neither of us has ever actually owned or operated a brick-and-mortar small business. This has truly been a trial-by-fire experience. I still work as an ER doctor at two different hospitals, and my husband still shoots and is heavily involved with a local art gallery, so it’s been a challenge juggling it all. Every day, we’re at the studio from 6am until 10pm. He and I are the cleaning crew, the maintenance crew, the bookkeepers, the front desk staff, and the customer service department. A few months in, we realized we needed help and our friend Gillian offered to step in as our business manager. This was a game changer, and we couldn’t have done it without her. We’ve been incredibly blessed with amazing and kind yoga instructors and members, and they’re certainly the lifeblood of Valley Hot Yoga. The community they’ve all helped build is warm, caring, and nurturing, and it’s become a safe haven for many people in these tense and stressful times.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Valley Hot Yoga is a “Ma & Pa shop.” As a husband and wife team, we don’t have a glossy, corporate feel. We take a more personal approach, and we know our members well. Our yoga instructors are experienced and attentive, and each one brings a passion for yoga and its ability to heal. In addition to hot yoga, we offer a weekly guided meditation class, a monthly Kundalini women’s circle, Reiki, hydration therapy, and private yoga sessions.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
We have a tremendous network of friends that we’ve relied heavily on during this entire process. We’ve gotten valuable advice on legal matters, building maintenance, bookkeeping, marketing, scheduling, hiring, and many other areas of business that we have no experience in. And again, we owe a huge debt of gratitude to our friend and business manager Gillian.
Pricing:
- $30 intro special for 7 days of unlimited yoga
Contact Info:
- Website: www.ValleyHotYoga.com
- Instagram: @ValleyHotYogaWellnessCenter
- Facebook: Valley Hot Yoga
- Yelp: Valley Hot Yoga Wellness Center
Image Credits
COPYRIGHT DON HOLTZ PHOTOGRAPHY
