We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Cocchi-Miller. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.
Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?
Intentional Minds was born from the idea that all people, including kids, need yoga. When most people think of yoga, they think of asana, the poses. Yoga is much more than that. Yoga means to yoke, or unite. It’s the union of your mind, body, and spirit. Yoga is not only a practice you do on a mat, it’s what you carry off the mat with you as well. It’s how you interact with others, it’s how you choose to deal with your frustration, it’s how you react to challenges. In a way, yoga is life’s balancing act.
As a college student, I went to my first yoga class in 2006. I loved it for all the reasons most people do. I got to move my body, clear my mind of the endless thoughts and to-do lists, and the restful savasana that came at the end was like an out of body relaxation experience. I was hooked! Yoga was bomb. I was in.
I became an elementary educator in 2010 and continued with my yoga practice as a form of stress relief. It wasn’t until 2018 when I decided that I wanted to learn more, so I signed up for a 200 hour yoga teacher training. Even though I never wanted to teach yoga, I was craving the depth of yoga that I couldn’t see from that weekly drop-in class. Hands down, best decision I’ve ever made in my life. Yoga taught me how to heal, how to grow, and how I want to move in this world. Yoga gave me the tools I needed to be the best version of myself.
As an educator, I would see the struggles of my students. The stress, the anxiety, the anger, the heartbreak, everything in between. That’s when I knew I needed to pivot. My students needed the tools that I couldn’t give them as a classroom teacher. They needed more. And what kind of teacher would I be if I couldn’t give them tools to help them with what matters most? I knew I had to find a way to teach kids strategies to manage their mental wellbeing in addition to enhancing their cognitive abilities. So I left the classroom in 2021, took several business classes, completed two children’s yoga teacher trainings, and took the deep dive into starting my own business. Now, Intentional Minds has several program offerings for children of all ages.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a Georgia native that considers the Decatur area my home. For as long as I can remember I wanted to teach. I’d come home from school and set up my dolls and stuffed animals with books in their laps ready to teach them. In 2010, I obtained my early childhood education degree from Kennesaw State University along with a minor in Spanish. I began teaching and while working as an educator, I received my Master’s degree in Curriculum & Instruction along with a gifted endorsement. In 2018, I decided to get my 200 hour yoga instructor certification. I ended up leaving teaching in 2021 and then decided to hone in on kids yoga by getting my children’s yoga instructor certificate in 2022. I’m an avid traveler, hiker, backpacker and hold my Wilderness First Aid certification through NOLS.
Working as an educator definitely enhanced the need for yoga in my life to reduce daily stress and tension. Seeing how much yoga benefitted me and the tools I was able to employ because of it made me want to share these teachings with my students. So, I left public education and started Intentional Minds LLC to focus on kids’ mental wellbeing and cognitive enhancement through kids yoga, enrichment classes, and outdoor camping programs.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
Like I mentioned before, I worked as an elementary educator for 11 years. I’ve always wanted to teach. I feel like teaching is in my bones. It’s where I thrive. My last 7 years in the classroom were at a place that I’m very proud of. It’s a great school with amazing students and top-notch educators. I loved my job! Never a dull moment, lots of themes, hands-on activities, and a loads of fun. However, the most challenging part of education is that the job is never done. I found myself working 80+ hours every week. I wasn’t able to have a work-life balance and let’s face it, you can’t be the best for other people when you are burnt out. I knew something had to give.
I decided that the last couple of years that I’d put up some boundaries around work. I’d have my set work hours and wouldn’t take any work home. I would multitask at lunch and on my planning period. I was hustling, getting it done, and going home. It was supposed to be great, but it didn’t feel right. It felt like I was barely scratching the surface at work. I had free time and my sanity, but I knew I couldn’t continue on like that.
I made the jump at the end of the 2020-2021 school year. I had no plan in sight, but I resigned. I just knew that I needed some headspace away from the daily grind and I’d figure out what was next when the time was right. It was in that time and space where I was able to think, to reflect, and to come back to who I am and how I want to move in the world. I saw a space that didn’t exist for kids in this way. I saw Intentional Minds.
What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?
My yoga teacher, Swami Jaya Devi, once told me, “You change the world one person at a time.” That is a sentiment that I live by. Intentional Minds is still a small business. I work at various locations with many different groups. My goal is to be authentic. I strive to offer self-regulation tools, stress-management strategies, and mindfulness outlets that are relevant to the folks in front of me. I honestly think relating to people is the best way to reach them.
Every person I work with is a walking testimonial for my business. I have business cards and a banner at every event. I ask folks to follow me on social media where I share tools & techniques, sign up for my newsletter to see what upcoming public classes they can attend, and email me for private inquiries and events. I make myself available and respond in a timely manner. I think that authenticity is what has helped Intentional Minds grow the most.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://intentional-minds.com
- Instagram: @intentionalmindsatl
- Facebook: @intentionalmindsatl