We recently connected with Robin Gulley and have shared our conversation below.

Robin, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

It’s a fun story, though the business name is not necessarily original. My business /company name is Robin’s Nest and my name is Robin (hence not so original). But, here’s the story behind my name. At birth my parents named me Bonnie Louise; however, after taking me home from the hospital my mother tells me I would open my mouth to nurse like a little bird. She realized then they’d not accurately named me and changed my name to Robin Renee. So this is the first part of the story.
Growing up I had a tendency to check on my friends to the point of being bothersome, you know -adnauseam. The repeated questions like, “are you sure you’re ok?” I just always wanted to know how folks were doing and I wanted them to be good. I’m not completely different today, though I don’t repeatedly ask that question. Instead, I created an environment that could be compared to a bird’s nest. An environment that provides nurture, safety, accountability, and growth. A place for connection and community. A place that prepares one to soar! Robin’s Nest!!

Robin, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

As a child I loved watching dance musicals on TV. I’d watch Shirley Temple, Gene Kelley, Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, and my favorite -Sammy Davis, Jr. The syncopated rhythms of tap stirred something in me and I’d beg to go outside in the rain so that I could do my version of “Singing in the Rain”. My love of dance didn’t stop with tap only, I was fascinated and enthralled with ballet, so much so that my parents bought me a ballerina doll named Dancerina one Christmas. It wasn’t many years until I’d have the opportunity to take formal ballet classes. I then danced throughout high school and auditioned into a highly regarded Cal State dance program. I was a young first year college student and lost focus, got distracted, and went back home after a year and a half. My parents made it clear I’d need to get a job, so I got a job with the electric company and worked there for many years. I learned quite a bit about providing quality customer service and care, but my love of dance never left. In fact, when things were difficult, I’d find myself dancing to express the hurt or pain I didn’t have words for, eventually dancing in church in praise to God.
My business, Robin’s Nest and it’s flagship program – Dancing to Freedom (DTF) was birthed with hope that what brought me healing and freedom could bring healing and freedom to others. Because DTF was birthed during the covid pandemic, I wrote it as a 21-day women’s devotional with accompanying videos, with hope that one day I could gather women in person.
My hope has been fulfilled as I have had the honor and privilege to facilitate small group DTF workshops. These workshops provide a safe space to explore soul issues using dance and movement instead of words. I had a participant say, “One day in Robin’s Dancing to Freedom workshop is worth a year of talk therapy.” Be on the lookout for our 12-week DTF course where we go deeper in our work around intimacy, connection, and community.
Robin’s Nest provides other programs that promote self-awareness, empathy, connection, and community in young and old alike, with the newest program -Bridging Cultures Through Dance.

Have you ever had to pivot?

It was about 15 years ago on a flight back to California from Kentucky when I heard in my spirit – Robin’s Nest. I had no idea what this meant. It would be over the course of the next several years that I would begin to have an inkling of what this might be, although initially I presumed it would be a Christian coffee house with live entertainment. (I was an avid coffee drinker at the time). Over time, it became clear it would have something to do with dance. I was writing ideas on napkins, envelopes, scrap paper for a place I could bring women and girls together to explore the power of dance for healing.
When the 2020 new year began I felt firm in my spirit it was going to be the year for Robin’s Nest to locate a facility and begin the Dancing to Freedom program. Covid changed this plan and just as I was going to put it back on the shelf, my husband in his God-given wisdom suggested I write a book and film the program sessions. At this point I’d written a rough curriculum, so I made a shift and pivoted to create the devotional from my curriculum.

Can you open up about how you funded your business?

I have worked a full-time job for the past 40+ years (up until this past June 2024). I haven’t always been compensated in a way that I could use my income to start a business, but my most recent employment (prior to my very recent retirement) afforded me the ability to raise capital to fund not only the start of my business, but to keep funding it as needed. Now that I’ve retired Robin’s Nest has been fortunate to secure a few business contracts.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.robinsnest.online
• Instagram: @robingulley @robins_nest7
• Facebook: Robin Gulley / Robin’s Nest
• Linkedin: Robin Gulley
• Twitter: @RobinGulley1