We were lucky to catch up with Angeliki Papadakis recently and have shared our conversation below.
Angeliki, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
Yoga provides a mechanism for healing, not only physically but really deep healing from within. I continue to be mesmerized by yoga and marvel at its magnificence daily. The instructors that work with us feel the same way and are the most dedicated and gifted instructors I have met in our South Bay community. They are experienced and have devoted their lives to the service of their students. Unlike some of the corporate entities, at Kefi, we value them and make sure they know it.
We have a small community and provide support and guidance for our students. We also offer true beginning yoga to really spread the gift of it and make it approachable for everyone. We serve all ages and levels. We offer yin as well to target mobility and meditation providing our students the balance they need in their practice. The instructors do not just recite scripted sequences, they really TEACH their students not just the physical asana but the philosophy of yoga as well. They get into the trenches with their students through visual & verbal demonstration along with hands-on-adjustments. They find modifications that work for their students to feel the benefits of the poses and mentally connect with what they are experiencing.
Further, we provide the first three classes for $3 so newcomers can baptize themselves in our community prior to buying anything full price. We make them free Kefi Coffee on the weekends (freshly roasted primo beans brewed to perfection by Kefi Coffee | KEFI COFFEE) and always have ice tea and crisp apples ready for them after class. I have never attended a studio like Kefi so I wanted to provide a place where the community is cared for in an authentic and extensive way.
Further, the trend now more than ever when it comes to yoga studios is the sterilization of yoga teachings by corporate entities that provide large facilities, luxury amenities, and in some instances even disallow the use of Sanskrit in their classes (the ancient Indo-European language of India which was used in the foundation of yoga teachings). All of these factors tend to limit the capacity for intimate connections among the students and between the students and their instructors. I think it’s more important than ever to support small businesses in this post-pandemic society where people are craving social interaction and unique local experiences to foster the community’s overall sense of well-being and resilience. We want to be one of the catalysts for that in our community.
Kefi is a special place. Come and see us soon.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
After graduating law school and practicing law in LA and San Francisco for several years, I wanted a change. The legal world was stressful and contentious. I found the corporate environment stifling. I grew up in my family’s Greek dinner house where every night was like hosting a party. Throughout my youth and teen years, I also trained in ballet and contemporary dance studios and choreographed in and around the greater Los Angeles area. These were more creative, fulfilling environments for my personality. I never felt truly authentic in the law firm lifestyle. After half a decade amongst blue blazers with gold buttons and a couple of children, I needed to heal my body and mind. I started practicing yoga more diligently than ever before and decided to obtain my teaching certification. I love the positivity cultivated in the yoga studio and helping others find that in their bodies and minds. I worked for a chain studio and although I loved teaching in the studio, I saw the same stifling corporate conditions weighing on the students and instructors there. During the pandemic, I and all the instructors I knew were laid off. With this extra time, I started weighing and balancing how I could provide students and instructors with a better experience that what I had found in studios throughout Los Angeles. I’ve learned that when people go to a studio to take a yoga class, they are looking for genuine connection and inspiration. At Kefi Yoga, we provide that. We are concerned with caring for the well-being of our students and making them feel comfortable so they can explore the full potential of their yoga practice both mentally and physically.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
I started practicing yoga because my then roommate Rhiannon Bailard took me to a donation-based power yoga class in Santa Monica led by Bryan Kest. From that point on, I found yoga to be an extremely effective stress reducer and cultivator of inner joy. While practicing law in San Francisco, I discovered the Yoga Tree studio and Rusty Wells. Every class was an awesome experience and a great break from the reality of long hours at the firm. Each class provided a positive perspective in my life. Upon returning to Los Angeles and starting a family, I left the hectic legal world and obtained my yoga certification. I’m here now to share what I have learned so far through the gift of yoga practice.
During the pandemic in 2020, when our studios in the South Bay closed, my family and I moved our yoga practice to the park, my mom’s back yard and on the deck of my home in San Pedro. I reached out to some former colleagues of mine that were also serving their family and friends through free yoga in outdoor areas. Teaching is a practice as well as taking class. Instructors need to teach and students need their practice especially during times of uncertainty. We provided that to ourselves and our communities. Our instructors have hearts of servants and looked to aid the community through the gift of yoga. As the months turned into a year, we started looking for a more permanent concept and found one at 23812 Crenshaw Blvd. in Torrance. We were able to open the doors to our studio on April 1, 2021 and have enjoyed having this home base. I truly believe if everyone had the practice of yoga in their lives, the world would be a better place and all would be happier. Yoga keeps me stable, calm, happy, centered and filled with appreciation. Sharing this practice fills me with Kefi!!
Kefi (κεφι) is a philosophy. It is a Greek term that has no direct English translation but encompasses the spirit of joy, passion, euphoria, and enthusiasm. Kefi is an overpowering emotion you have when you completely let go in the moment, release inhibitions, and allow yourself to joyfully feel the life pulsing through your body and soul. I felt this concept encompassed what I wanted to impart to the community through our practice.
Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?
Acute dedication is necessary to launch and sustain a small business of any kind but especially in the service industry. Generosity is always an important foundation of being a good human. It fosters appreciation from all those around you and brings their best intentions to the forefront. Finally, communication is key in any service oriented industry. Being clear, concise, direct and authentic with your customers and staff is paramount. This allows understanding and a more seamless functioning along with fostering space so people feel they have the ability to voice their authentic selves and be heard.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.kefiyoga.com
- Instagram: @kefiyoga
- Facebook: @kefiyoga
- Linkedin: kefi-yoga
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/kefiyoga
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kefi-yoga-torrance
- Other: https://g.page/r/CYRBheQH1uSzEAI/review
Image Credits
Taso Papadakis https://tasophoto.com/#/