Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Marcus Stanback. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Marcus, thanks for joining us today. Setting up an independent practice is a daunting endeavor. Can you talk to us about what it was like for you – what were some of the main steps, challenges, etc.

As a full time entrepreneur I had started a marketing business to pay my bills with the skills had learned from my corporate sales job. As business developed, I used my flexible schedule to ensure that yoga made its way into my daily routine. It was like as long as I kept my mat in sight and listened to that inner voice when it said “time to practice” my days were golden.

The thing I noticed most that caused my practice to become daily was how I felt after a day of missing my yoga practice. My neck and back ached oddly, my mind was everywhere and I did not have that sense of peace I had began to enjoy as a result of daily practice. And this is when practicing early in the day began.

I figured if I wake up and practice yoga first, there’s no way to miss my practice. Plus, all the other yoga I do through the day is extra progress. This routine of starting my day this way got easier and easier until it was harder for me to skip my practice than it was to get up on the coldest day and get to it.

Knowing what I know now, I recommend anyone who’s serious about anything to begin their day with it in some way as a form of meditation to honor your intentions behind what it is you do.

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.

I am a 500 hour certified yoga instructor and a certified stretch therapist with specialization in mobility, functional body awareness, restorative practices and pain relief. I began practicing yoga because of pains in my neck and spine from poor posture and have since helped many others use yoga to relieve pains in their bodies. Pain relief has become one of the main reasons clients come to me and through a balance of strength, mobility, movement, and rest we return the body to its natural state of ease.

Yoga is at the center of all my offerings so as we breathe and remain present I am able to clarify imbalance and offer paths to solution. I tend to work with students and clients over a longer period of time to ingrain lifestyle changes simply as a natural result of being present with your yoga practice. This is where the concept of Daily Growth Yoga and the Daily Growth Gang was born.

The community I am building amongst other healers in the DMV and across the country is the true flex. I am blessed to have several peers in the wellness space to collaborate with on beautiful events and experiences that collectively heal our communities. I’ve created space for black people in wellness who look like me and that was the original goal.

I am a yoga instructor because there was not enough black male representation in yoga when I needed it growing up. Watching young black men of all ages do yoga with me through my career has warmed my heart and kept me going. I know that the work I’m doing is needed.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

I think it’s most helpful in the wellness industry to build a community. No matter how strong your marketing, branding, business or finances a community is what wellness is about. The goal of wellness is a healthy community in one sense or another, so building community must be a central focus of your efforts in order to succeed.

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

So I’m in the midst of a pivot still as I respond to this interview honestly. I recently began hosting my own classes and events instead of teaching a heavy schedule at a studio. It’s been tricky, demanding, scary and rewarding, but most of all exciting.

Without the safety net of a studio paying me I really have to use all my resources to host a successful class, event, workshop or retreat. This pivot has shown me what more I’m capable of when I bet on myself fully. I’ve been paid more money even at classes with less students. I’ve taught better and more inspired classes that students have connected with. And I have more fun to keep it blunt.

This is the new chapter for Daily Growth Yoga. We can call it “Outside the Studio”.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.dailygrowthyoga.com/links
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/dailygrowthyoga?igshid=NzZlODBkYWE4Ng==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DailyGrowthYoga?mibextid=2JQ9oc
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcus-stanback-9653075a?utm_source=share&utm_campaign=share_via&utm_content=profile&utm_medium=ios_app
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@dailygrowthyoga?si=_Y94johi2rHxPQf6
• Other: Booking: https://bookdailygrowthyoga.as.me/

Image Credits
Tut Shoots Camelia Janelle