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

Adriana, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. The first dollar your business earns is always special and we’d love to hear how your brand made its first dollar of revenue.

My confidence slowly increased and I began posting my progress on instagram. Then, other people started asking me to teach them. I always gave the same response – I did not teach, I just practiced for fun. As my personal practice grew, so did the amount of people who wanted to learn from me. I kept telling everyone I did not teach yoga and had no interest in doing so. I sounded like a broken record. Eventually I got tired of people asking me to teach them yoga and I used my college refund check to put a down payment on a Yoga Teacher Training in Towson.

I had no car and $10 and zero cents in my bank account. I knew I had a passion for yoga and I was curious if that passion extended to teaching. I had only taken one yoga class prior to the training and it wasn’t even a traditional yoga class, it was a Pilates Fusion class! I was so inexperienced and broke I showed up to the studio for teacher training with a bright green, $7 yoga mat from Walmart that was peeling.

Fast forward approximately two years, I received a call about “some athletes” who were looking for a yoga teacher to train them in the off-season. By this time I had a regularly scheduled class that I was teaching at one of the Under Armor Performance Centers in Baltimore, Maryland. It was a 45 minute Vinyasa yoga class and attendance was relatively good. Little did I know these athletes were Baltimore Ravens football players. I ended up training them for the rest of the summer of 2019. Three years later I am still a yoga teacher, hosting events, classes and private sessions. Now I have expanded to offering branded yoga equipment such as grippy, moisture absorbing mats and matching blocks which will be released later this year.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I have been a certified yoga teacher for 5 years and I provide instruction to groups in class and event settings. I also provide private sessions for those who are looking for a more personalized experience. I believe that yoga should be more accessible than what it is and I work to cultivate opportunities where people are able to experience all of its benefits no matter their economic status. Teaching classes and private sessions are rewarding but I live to create yoga events and workshops. I have hosted yoga and wine events, silent yoga events, and my newest venture is a yoga retreat that I hope to reveal early next year (2023).

I specialize in preventing and healing injuries sports and exercise induced injuries. I studied under physical therapists, orthopedists (sports doctors) and athletic trainers in college and this background knowledge and training sets me apart from others in my field. I was a student athletic trainer and one of my main duties was assisting with the rehabilitation of athletes after surgery or an injury so alignment and injury prevention are two practices I preach most.

Yoga is also a way to mange mental health and emotions and I bring light to that in my teachings as well. I read daily meditations and affirmations in my classes and I also highlight the importance of pranayama or breath control. Pranayama is one of the 8 limbs or principles of yoga. The breathing techniques practiced in yoga help clam the nervous system while aiding in relaxation and stress-relief.

I am excited to have come this far on my personal yoga journey which includes sharing the practice with others through teaching. When I started practicing yoga 10 years ago, before I ever thought of teaching. I had a minuscule amount of background knowledge. I wasn’t even stretching daily let alone weekly. I know for sure that consistency and courage can make any wish come true. So for anyone who wishes to walk around pain free or stress-free or both yoga I would highly recommend starting a yoga practice.

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Word of mouth has been the biggest blessing. Yes, I have a website and social media accounts but 9 times out of 10 when I ask someone how they found me or heard of my services someone has referred me. I went through all this time and spent hundreds to create a website and I feel like I don’t even use it! I think the most flattering compliment is when someone enjoys your time together so much that they willingly tell others about it. I have never had to reach out to an organization or sports team about a yoga teaching opportunity. Opportunities always flow to me and I am very grateful for that.

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

I am currently on the journey of repositioning and thinking outside of the box to create a more sustainable business career. Teaching fuels my passion for yoga however teaching several classes per week is not sustainable physically or financially. This is one reason why I am in the process of launching yoga equipment such as mats. Providing a useful solution to a problem and being able to sell that problem without having to be physically active just made sense. Almost everyone who was taking my in-person classes did not have a quality yoga mat or the knowledge on how to purchase one.

The pandemic forced me to pivot to virtual yoga instruction. It is not ideal for me because I am an in-person individual but when a large portion of my income disappeared because I couldn’t teach yoga classes anymore I had to make the change like millions of others. I still wanted to remain true to my company’s mission which is to make yoga more accessible and one aspect of accessibility is affordability so I began uploading yoga classes to Youtube.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.yogababe.org
• Instagram: realyogababe
• Twitter: realyogababe
• Youtube: Yogababe

Image Credits
@Ethecameraman