March 6, 2017

Meet Alexa Parashos of Yoga In House in Los Angeles County

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexa Parashos.

Alexa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’d been practicing yoga since my early teens living in San Diego and always had an interest in maintaining a daily practice. I found that after years of work behind a desk working at length with computers I needed yoga and mediation in my life just to keep me sane. One day, I decided I just didn’t want to feel that way anymore and on a whim made the decision to resign. I chose to use my newly founded free time to pursue a career in wellness. When I received my teaching certification working at yoga studio in Los Angeles seemed cliché to me and I wondered where I would find my nitch within the wellness community. I remember having a conversation with my boyfriend, who is an attorney about the kind of pressure and stress career driven individuals feel. And then I remembered how I felt in the midst of the chaos that is conference calls and deadlines, sitting at a desk with no outlet for relaxation and often no time to hit the gym. I knew then that my purpose was to bring the gift of meditation and yoga to these people! The main objective of Yoga In House is to bring yoga to unconventional places in LA. We specialize particularly in office spaces or other places of employment where there’s is a high level of stress involved.

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?

It was challenging at first just to wrap my head around owning my own business and a yoga business at that. There are A LOT of yoga teachers in SoCal and usually when you tell people that’s what you do they kind brush it off as not a real thing. I meet a lot of working professionals daily, from attorneys to executives. I might be teaching at a corporate office downtown, at a work dinner with 10+ lawyers or attending a charity event with my boyfriend; and it’s a challenge to engage people who’ve already written off your entire profession. So I have to come at them first as a businesswoman and then as a yogi. That means always having my elevator pitch ready to go and cards on hand. Usually after I engage with them and let them know just how many Fortune 500 companies are implementing wellness for their employees, they are very interested in booking at least an introductory class for their office.

So, as you know, we’re impressed with Yoga In House – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
The best thing about my business is that after you book, the only thing we need you to do is show up. Good mood, not required! It’s our job to make sure you leave class in a better headspace then when you arrived. We provide everything; mats, music, blocks, straps etc. for the full yogic experience brought right to your office. And working in smaller cramped spaces is our specialty, we pride ourselves on being able to destress you at your desk! No really, we can do a desk or cubicle yoga for your entire team, but if you have a hallway or conference room that works great too. Our style of yoga isn’t going to put you in a headstand, unless you’d like us to. It really is more about relieving the general aches and pains and mental stressors that come with sitting or standing at a desk all day, working with computers and meeting deadlines. All of our teachers are educated in common workplaces injuries such as “tech neck” or carpel tunnel, which are problematic and can lead to surgery if not prevented. The good news is just 1 yoga class per week with a few small stretches daily can save your neck, back and mind. I would say we are most proud of the lives we’ve positively effected. I often get people who tell me they no longer experience back pain, quit going to their chiropractor and even have broken down in tears during meditation. There is no greater feeling than guiding people to help heal themselves.

So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Success for me was never about money, status or fame. I learned a longtime ago that in this “insta” culture of likes and followers that I truly preferred a tangible, meaningful life over a digital one. This is exceptionally true living in LA, there is a lot of posturing in this highly competitive city and it can really make you out of touch. My purpose in life is to bring a genuine quality to a space where it is needed most. I’ve worked at the offices of Oscar winning producers, national sports teams and fashion designers and they are all equally STRESSED. And every week when I step into my role as a healer at their workspace, I see them let their guard down for the hour and become a better version of themselves. It’s a beautiful thing to behold and it’s not recorded or posted on social media; it’s a real authentically private moment that only those people in the room share together. It can really bond an office and brings a sense of comradery among participants that may get people who work in opposite parts of the company to become friends and look forward to coming into work everyday.

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