Today we’d like to introduce you to Sarah Ingram.
Sarah, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Grassroots Yoga began in the Summer of 2015 really more as a hobby for me. I had a corporate 9-5 cubicle job at the time that I was very happy and comfortable with. I had a strong home yoga practice, and friends began asking if they could come over and follow along. I started a tiny little email list and invited friends and family over each week.
Those friends started bringing friends of their own and my little group started to outgrow my old bumpy, cracked, dark and dusty cement apartment patio space, so I decided to move my classes to local parks and open it up to the community on a donation basis.
I wanted to pursue a teaching certification, but since I didn’t have the financial means to do so, I made a commitment to save every penny I made from donations and thought that perhaps in a few years I might have enough to pay for training. I began thinking of creative ways to offer yoga to the community outside of parks and ended up in some pretty interesting places like breweries, beaches, clothing boutiques, and hair salons.
Each class I would show up and take a chance, having no idea if anyone would show up.
Fortunately, they did show up, and in just six months I was able to raise enough for teacher training. I was truly humbled by the support! In early 2016 I got my teaching certification, but I really had no intention of becoming a teacher full time, I just enjoyed the education and side hobby outside of my full-time job. That same year I was fortunate enough to be offered a full-time management position at the studio I trained at.
Leaving the corporate world was one of the scariest times of my life and was a huge risk, but by then I knew in my heart that this was what I was meant to do. I quit my comfy salary position in the title & escrow industry, accepted the studio management job, and continued to manage a few Grassroots Yoga’s park classes on the side.
The following year I had a wake-up call. I noticed that our yogis needed more. As a leader in the community, I felt they were being let down by the studio I worked for. I realized that my values and belief system simply did not align with theirs any longer. We ended up parting ways, and soon after the yoga community learned I had left that studio, they strongly encouraged me to move Grassroots Yoga from the parks into a brick and mortar space.
My husband and I worked tirelessly for the next 10 months to get Grassroots Yoga open in a permanent location. The process was not easy, but on January 18th of 2018, we officially opened our doors for business.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Nothing rewarding in life comes easy, and this couldn’t be more true for the life of a business owner. I would have been skeptical if opening the studio went smoothly. But I was able to accept the challenges as learning opportunities that would make me a stronger businesswoman and leader. Each time I faced a challenge, I told myself that it was a test, to see if I’m really committed. Will I abandon my dream when times get tough? Or do I continue to relentlessly push for my vision?
A major challenge I faced was jumping head first into owning a business of this caliber. I really had no idea what I was doing. I had management experience, but I certainly was never coached on how to open a 2,500 square foot business that required a full construction build out. I spent a day in and day out basically taking a high-speed crash course in business ownership. I’m really really grateful for all of the people that offered their professional help and advice.
Another challenge along the way was experiencing the Thomas Fire in December of 2017 when we were at the tail end of construction. The studio is located only a quarter of a mile away from the path of destruction, and I remember watching the flames roar past my own home and in the direction of the studio. We were all unsure if the studio would still stand come morning. Luckily, it survived, and once the evacuation orders were lifted I felt we needed to help.
Although we were still a construction zone, we were able to turn our parking lot into a donation center to help the victims that lost their homes or were still under evacuation. It was incredible to see Ventura come together to help out in the dense smoke. Many didn’t have pollution masks because all of the stores were sold out but they stayed anyways and risked their own health for a higher good. From the volunteers to the donations, to the strangers who stopped by just to share hugs and stories, to the local businesses that stopped by to drop off food, coffee, and water for us, it truly was a community in action.
Ventura rallied together and we all took care of one another even if we’d never met. As luck would have it, we partner with a local non-profit and they were able to directly distribute donations to families in the area that needed help. As a business owner and community leader, I felt obligated to help and it was a really proud moment for me.
Grassroots Yoga – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Grassroots Yoga, obviously, is a yoga studio. However as many may not know, the word “yoga” actually means “union”. Yes, we practice union of mind, body, and spirit, but we also practice union outside of ourselves. The best term to represent that is “community”. You simply can not have a community by, even if inadvertently, excluding people.
What I wanted from Grassroots Yoga was a way for everyone to feel included. I wanted to offer a wide range of classes and workshops that would suit all stages of life, all different bodies, and all different goals. Whether someone is looking for a hot, powerful and sweaty workout, non-heated gentle/passive movement, a spiritual experience, or simple meditation, we would be able to accommodate them.
Our studio clientele and staff have been described as “wildly diverse”. And what makes it even more amazing is that those wildly diverse people have all gotten to know and love each other. Our teachers and students care about one another. We notice when someone is gone, and cheer when we see them walk in. Our space is full of warm, inviting, safe, and positive energy and we strive to make everyone feel like Grassroots Yoga is the second home.
What I’m most proud of as a company is that we are bridging the gap in the industry and bringing people together through love and support. I actually believe that some of our students really come here to be with their community. Many of our students don’t have family or a support system in town, and coming to the studio gives them that.
I believe what sets us apart from not only other yoga studios but also other businesses, is that we give back in a big way. My mission for Grassroots Yoga is to give back 5% of our revenue to the community. When building my mission, I had seen so many companies give back 1% or a portion of their profits, but I had never seen a company give back 5% of revenue.
To break it down, we immediately shave off 5% of total revenue BEFORE we take care of our expenses and it goes right to a local non-profit. It was a huge risk when I built the company backbone, but it was something that I was not willing to negotiate. I wanted to do more because I knew we could do it as a community, I just needed to provide them the opportunity to do it.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
To me, success is executing and then maintaining your “why”. There’s an awesome TED talk by Simon Sinek that hits the nail on the head. He says that “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it”. And where most business owners go wrong is that they mistake profit for the why, when actually profit is just a result.
Another mistake a notice is when business owners make the product or service the why. You can make the best product in the world, but no one will buy it from you if you don’t live by the story behind it. In reality, a clear and strong vision and mission is your why. Using your why sets the base for every single decision you make, no matter the cost or risk. If you can uphold and protect your why, success is inevitable.
Pricing:
- $49 New Student Intro Month
Contact Info:
- Address: 2280 E Main St Suite B Ventura, Ca
- Website: www.grassrootsyogaventura.com
- Phone: (805)628-3676
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @grassroots.yoga.vta
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grassroots.yoga.vta/?ref=settings
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/grassroots-yoga-ventura
Image Credit:
Mario Fuentes Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageLA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
