We recently connected with Allison “Sonnie” Boyson and have shared our conversation below.

Allison “Sonnie”, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

At the beginning the clearest part was the magic we wanted to create—a safe place to play and move and grow, without rules or pressure. The name came from the mind of Dmitri Gonzales, the well known parkour move—a “laché”—where one swings their body through the air to create smooth, controlled energy that they then release to fly for just a moment before landing or catching the next goal. It is inspired by the French word lâcher, which means “to let go,” which felt right for reasons that would only become more clear as our community grew.

As time went on we worked to grow the heart of our studio, the name took on more and more meaning. It was so important to us to capture the essence of what we were creating: a space for freedom, self-expression, and growth. Really expanding on the deeper meaning of “letting go”—and moving forward—we found the phrase spoke to our community, to our values, and to the transformative journey we wanted people to take through movement.

Laché has become the perfect name to describe not only the mission of the studio to help propel students and gym-goers from one goal to the next, but also would wind up perfectly encapsulating how our business would grow and evolve through the momentum of our community.

Allison “Sonnie”, 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?

Our journey began with a vision to create a space where people of all backgrounds, ages, and abilities could not only get stronger physically but also find a sense of belonging. While we may look like a gym from the outside, at our core, we’re much more than that. We start by offering an incredibly wide variety of classes and workshops in everything from parkour and pole to acroyoga, aerial silks, trampoline, and trapeze—each designed to inspire confidence, creativity, and personal growth.

What sets us apart is the way we center community in everything we do. Our students come to us for many reasons—some want to get stronger, others are seeking fun workouts, and some may even want to try something new like aerial silks. But what they often leave with is so much more. We work to help people feel confident in their bodies, make meaningful connections, and, most importantly, find a place where they belong. Whether it’s someone who’s never felt confident in a gym or someone looking for a supportive space to express themselves, Laché is a place where everyone can show up as they are and feel at home.

We’re incredibly proud of the diverse, welcoming community we’ve built. Our students aren’t just learning physical skills—they’re gaining the tools to trust their bodies, push past their fears, and express themselves creatively. We’ve created a space where people can let go of their doubts and discover the joy that comes with truly embracing movement.

For us it’s not just about the techniques or tricks; it’s about the growth that happens along the way. We celebrate each person’s unique journey, no matter their experience level. So, whether you’re soaring through the air on the silks, flying through the air on a trampoline, or tackling obstacles in parkour, you’ll always find a group of compassionate and skilled experts here to support you every step of the way. What we want everyone to know is this: Laché Movement Co. is a space where you’re encouraged to let go of fear and embrace the freedom that comes with moving your body and expressing yourself—safely, confidently, and creatively.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

One of the most significant pivots we had to make came after a period of notable growth – which always highlights any gaps. When we first started Laché Movement Co., it was very much a passion project—a space driven by a love for community and movement. But as we started to thrive, we quickly realized that the challenges that come with growth were inevitable. The transition from a small, community-driven space to a larger business required a significant shift in how we operated.

We had always valued a close-knit, personal relationship with our students and staff, but as the number of people involved in the studio increased, it became clear that we needed to formalize our processes to maintain the quality of our community. We had to introduce clear boundaries and guidelines to handle situations where individuals, whether staff or students, were harming the peace of the community, often due to their own personal struggles.

It became critical to establish written, formalized values and policies to ensure everyone understood the expectations for behavior. At first, this felt like a tough shift, as we had always prided ourselves on flexibility and open communication. But as the business grew, we realized it was necessary to create a system that helped manage these difficult situations while also fostering a compassionate approach. This pivot wasn’t just about implementing rules; it was about ensuring the integrity and values of our community were maintained, even as we expanded.

In 2022 as we were just seeing the need for these changes, we further pivoted by bringing in additional owners, which allowed us to bring in fresh perspectives and ideas to continue adapting and growing. With this new team, we formalized our approach even more and took full advantage of the fourfold increase in input and perspectives to ensure we kept the spirit of our community intact, even as we scaled.

How’d you meet your business partner?

The story of how I met my cofounder, Dmitri Gonzalez, is rooted in the community and shared passions. Dmitri had heard of me through the grapevine and was eager to start a gym focused on parkour, and was looking for a consultant to help expand into other movement disciplines—particularly aerial arts. At that time, I was managing various classes at Inner Diva, and people in the community recommended me to Dmitri. Naturally, I was excited about the possibility of collaborating, and that’s how we connected.

We opened Laché Movement Co. on July 15th, 2017, with Dmitri bringing his knowledge of parkour and gymnastics and his teaching business, and me providing my experience in pole and aerials as well as managing classes and creating a welcoming, community-driven environment. It was a perfect blend of skills and passion, and we worked hard to create a space that prioritized both physical movement and the feeling of belonging for everyone who walked through our doors.

Fast forward to 2022, and the growth of Laché Movement Co. led us to realize that we needed to bring on additional owners to help support and formalize the business. Our community had grown so much that it was no longer sustainable for just the two of us to manage everything. This is when we welcomed eight new owners into the business: Brent Cotton, Alissa Winzeler-Cotton, Cali Thompson, David Wheeler, Rachel Adams, Zach Gibbins, Sarah O’Brien-Gibbins, and Tolly Moseley.

The new ownership team brought in a wealth of experience and diverse perspectives, which helped us navigate the growing pains of our expanding business. Some of us had known each other for years—Rachel and I, for example, had met through the community and became close friends. David had started years earlier as a student, who also became a dear friend. Both over time had become key partners as coaches and integral parts of the studio. Tolly, another key partner, was a coach we knew in the area who fit seamlessly into our culture and wanted to contribute to the studio’s growth.

Sarah and Zach moved to Texas and found a home at Laché, quickly becoming a part of our growing community. Dmitri had known Brent through the acroyoga community, and we were lucky to have him and his partner Alissa join as owners, bringing additional expertise to our team. Lastly, Cali, who had been an avid student and volunteer, was more than excited when we invited her to join the ownership group.

The timing of this expansion couldn’t have been better. Our business was facing some unique challenges, and the fourfold growth of perspectives, ideas, and expertise from our new ownership team has allowed us to not only address those issues but also refine our vision for Laché’s future. We’ve been able to leverage this collective input to strengthen our business and better serve our incredible community.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lachemove.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lachemovementco
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LacheAustin