We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Cummings recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. One of the most important things we can do as business owners is ensure that our customers feel appreciated. What’s something you’ve done or seen a business owner do to help a customer feel valued?

Growing up I could not help but notice how my fathers’ interactions with people affected them, aside from him being was the most charismatic human I have ever experienced, as a child I was more amazed by the way every salesperson, teacher, waiter, grocery cashier RESPONDED TO HIM. The joy and happiness, the gratitude, is what I felt-it was palpable. As I got older I noticed that, besides my father’s irrefutable charisma, he knew everyone’s names, and more often than not, their children’s names and what they were doing in life. Going to the local bank, “Hey Mary! How ya doing?”, I could just see Mary’s face light up, “Hey Eric! how can I help you today?”, “How did James do on his Physics exam last month? Did Sara get into Rutgers?”. Before I was old enough to have the words for the effect my father had on people and external circumstances, I just FELT the joyful energy he created in almost every human he interacted with. These interactioms would change the energy of any space or place we were in. My father never told me “remember people’s names”, but maybe something in my subconscious “knew” that was a huge part of this magical effect he had on people”; and the spaces and places we saw them. He always knew and remembered peoples names; I feel this is a very overlooked detail in most businesses these days.

I love the book “How to Win Friends and Influence People” by Carnegie Melon, originally published in 1936. The title felt deceptive to me, (I literally avoided it for ages); when I finally read it I was immediately regretful that I waited, I also understood why it is timeless, such an important book, and remains so, even in 2024. It teaches us important lessons in human relations and how we relate to humans in our personal and business lives, which often overlap. This is especially the case as a small business owner, often imperative. I have learned through owning and operating two successful Yoga studios, how important it is to authentically care and know about your customers, this is how community grows and thrives- and “word of mouth” will always be the best adverting. Before I opened my first Yoga studio, I was teaching at other studios and I was so authentically thrilled to see students return to my classes remembered their names, I believe, and I teach my teachers in training this; what Carnegie Melon said is true, “every persons’ favorite word is their name”, hence the fastest way to build yoga classes is to remember your students names! At both of my studios we used a software that would show you the names of students signed into class, I trained all my teachers to “look there if you can’t remember”, as it is not easy for everyone, as well I think very few people can remember everyone’s name. Once I started seeing the change in peoples faces, the light that you can see in their eyes, perhaps I got addicted to making people happy, well I know I did/am.

So I would say the most powerful way to show customer appreciation is to authentically care about your customers, at the very least know their names, or have software that helps! There is something so magical about walking into a place and being greeted by your name, I would say “Let’s be The Cheers of Yoga Studios”, referencing an old show called “Cheers”, “where everyone knows your name.”, without the bar! I think the best way to show your customers that you appreciate them is to actually, authentically appreciate them. I feel that some of the most powerful ways that we can convey our appreciation for our customers is to know their names, ask them how they are, and mean it.

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?

Hello!
I hope you are so happy, I am Ashley Cummings.
I have been teaching Yoga and Meditation for 18 years, I have built two Yoga schools:
– Just Breathe Yoga/ North Miami Beach
– Agni Yoga/ West Hollywood

Current Offerings;
– Private Yoga
– Yoga Teacher Training/ In Person + Online (NON-YOGA ALLIANCE)
– Body Work
– Pre-Natal Yoga
– Online/ Zoom Yoga
– Meditation

I am very proud of how gifted I am in facilitating people feeling better in their bodies.

We’d appreciate any insights you can share with us about selling a business.

I love this question, I was literally tricked out of my business- or it was “legally stolen”? So because it was built, a turn key operation, and I was emotionally attached (try to avoid emotional attachments in sales!), I had an offer that reflected the value of JUST BREATHE YOGA accurately; I needed that money, but that space was so special to so many, it was unimaginable to sell it to a known sell out. But I chose to trust a woman who was a teacher and manager at the time, she promised to “keep the studio going in the tradition that I built it; REAL YOGA. Sadly she was actually behind my back with the potential buyer (sellout scammer), they got the lease and a studio and clients and everything in it for zero dollars. They fired my teachers (my family), changed the name, students emailed me for months, so upset. The most hurtful part was that they were so greedy and delusional that they the studio into the ground in less than two years.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

YES!
Osho, Stuart Wilde, Krishnamachaya, Marcus Aurelias, Seneca.

Books:
– “The Power of Now”
– “BREATH”
– “How to Win Friends and Influence People”
– “Weight Loss for The Mind”
– “The Infinite Self”
– “Untethered Soul”
– “The Alchemist”
– “The Body Keeps The Score”

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.ashleycummingsyoga.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/venicecanalsyoga/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/AshleyCummingsYoga
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ashley-cummings-yoga-santa-monica-2