We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ravinder Pilson. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ravinder below.

Hi Ravinder, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.

After taking my first Bikram class while on vacation in Austin, I was shaking, exhausted and at the same time exhilarated. I took class there every day and was hooked. I had to find a place near home where I could continue this all-encompassing practice. Upon returning home and researching, I realized the closest studio to me was in Studio City (half an hour away with no traffic), so I started going there. From developing a regular practice there, I knew I wanted to bring this practice to my community and help others feel as good as I did from the inside out.

I set out on the trek to become a certified Bikram yoga teacher, and from there taught at Studio City, LA headquarters and in Encino before finding the perfect space in Santa Clarita to open up my own studio. I had no idea then that that would involve so much construction, dealing with the City, architects, engineers, inspectors, merchants, and construction workers. I had no idea it would take so much longer than everyone had promised and cost so much more than anyone had anticipated. It was a draining, exhausting and what seemed like never-ending experience that pulled me into a downward spiral that towards the end felt like it would never end.

I remember when the inspector finally did sign off and give us the Certificate of Occupancy, I felt like a huge load was lifted off my shoulders. Then the creative side of me was instantly re-lit. I scrambled and changed my thinking and actions from construction to opening up an actual yoga studio! I had all the back-end work done already, and now I needed to get the space set up for people to come in.

If you build it, they will come! We did, and they did!

From construction to opening to dealing with COVID and ever-changing regulations, nothing goes as smoothly as you would hope. Keep putting one foot in front of the other, and keep going. It’s sink or swim!

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

Hot For Yoga in Santa Clarita is a hot fitness studio. We specialize in Bikram yoga (hot yoga) and Inferno Hot Pilates, as well as meditation, Vinyasa, and yin yoga. We built the studio from the ground-up, dealing with over a year and a half of construction before opening our doors. By constantly pivoting and never missing a class, we survived the “COVID-era.” We dealt with the numerous restrictions and regulations by going from in-studio only to online only, to both in-studio and online, to outdoors and online, and now again to in-studio and live online classes as well as a vast 24-7 video on-demand library. Our incredible community stuck with us and supported us as we supported them and collectively navigated through these uncharted waters. Whenever you go into a new studio, the first class is always the most intimidating. Our team and our community are so welcoming to first-timers…we’ve all been there and understand! We all do the best we can, whatever that may be at the time. We practice without judgement and without comparing ourselves to the person next to us or to a previous version of ourselves. You work to your body’s current capabilities, even if that means laying down and absorbing the heat, instructions, and energy the whole class.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The “COVID-era” was constant pivoting on our part. We constantly pivoted and never cancelled a class. We dealt with the numerous restrictions and regulations by going from in-studio only to online only, to both in-studio and online, to outdoors and online, and now again to in-studio and live online classes as well as a vast 24-7 video on-demand library.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Word of mouth has been our biggest draw. Our community and students are amazing, supportive, compassionate and passionate people who want to share the benefits this practice and our studio have brought to them with those they know and love.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.HotForYogaSCV.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/HotForYogaSCV
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/HotForYogaSCV1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hotforyoga
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/HotForYogaSCV
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOuwZsQY9Q5TKhqqMraZqBg
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/hot-for-yoga-santa-clarita-2

Image Credits
Armin Razmy Leire Baztarrica