We recently connected with Corey Thibodeau and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Corey thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to start by getting your thoughts on what you are seeing as some the biggest trends emerging in your industry

Coming out of covid there was definitely a shift in the fitness/wellness industry. We saw people looking for a gentler, lower impact, form of exercise instead of an intense HIIT style workout. We saw a huge appetite and increase in demand for slower yoga classes and this actually lead me to opening up my second studio location West Side Yoga 108. This studio is warm and welcoming for any body as we know the heat is not for everyone! In the warm space we have started to offer gentler and slower classes including, Gentle Vinyasa, Gentle Rest, Presence & Peace and Yin Yoga, while adding additional Restorative and Slow Flow classes that we were already offering at our original location.

Corey, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Movement and music have been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I was a competitive field hockey player and worked extremely hard to play in college. My form of movement was exclusively working out for my sport. This included running, lifting, and skill work. When my senior season ended, I had no idea how to move my body or what I should be doing. This is when I found yoga.

Yoga was originally a physical practice for me, and I still had this competitive nature that was present on my mat. About 6 months into a consistent physical practice, I started to explore the more spiritual aspects of the practice, breath work, and meditation; this is when it started to change my life. About a year into my practice, I felt a calling to teach. I received my 200HR teacher training in 2015 and have been teaching ever since. When I moved to Rhode Island I struggled to find a yoga home. I taught at various studios but couldn’t find what I was looking for, so I decided to build it. I had my daughter in 2021 and whether it was the pregnancy hormones or just the transitional moment I was in, I visualized what a studio in my neighborhood would look like. 1 month after my daughter was born, I stumbled into our original space on Carpenter St. and within 2 weeks created and opened West Side Yoga. A year into West Side Yoga I decided to get my advanced 300HR training in Functional Movement & Mobility. This was a result of my changing physical practice postpartum and wanting to have a solid anatomy understanding as the owner of the studio.

The studio feels like home and is my second home. I have been a part of many teams in my life and the incredible community that we have built between the instructors and clients is something I didn’t even know was possible. Our instructors are welcoming and approachable, we connect with our clients outside the walls of the studio space. We don’t have any barriers and everyone can come as their true self. I said that music was part of my life (I grew up playing the piano and clarinet) and music is part of our studio. We offer classes with live music often and instructors can bring any music to their classes.

I am so proud of what I have built but I did not do it alone. My husband is my number 1 supporter and handles all the back-end aspects of the business. I have an incredible studio manager and content & marketing director. Without them the growth would not be possible. Giving our incredible instructors the space to teach their unique classes is what makes West Side so special. The biggest thing I always share as an entrepreneur is the true understanding and belief that you cannot do anything alone! Delegation, trust, and collective brainstorming is the only way to grow. Surround yourself with amazing people with a variety of backgrounds and perspectives and incredible things will happen.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Any advice for managing a team?

The biggest piece of advice I can give is to let everyone have a voice and let everyone be their authentic selves. In the wellness industry especially, it is important to let each person you bring on to the team teach in an authentic way, meaning, don’t dictate what their class should or shouldn’t be. I have hired a variety of instructors with different interests, specialties, and backgrounds. They are excellent at their craft and can lead a safe class. Why would I interfere? I don’t want everyone to be like me! That’s boring and also not realistic! My class is not for everyone but I have 25 other instructors so there is a class for everyone! By giving my instructors, the freedom to teach their own class, or offer a workshop that is interesting and meaningful to them, we create an environment that is free from this idea of people pleasing. Allow your team to show up as they are, you hired them for a reason. Leave them alone, offer guidance or mentorship when asked, and let them do their thing.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.westsideyogapvd.com
• Instagram: @west_side_yoga_pvd & @corey_on_earth

Image Credits
Ezra Enzo Photography, David Salafia, Victoria Costello