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

Hi Ava, thanks for joining us today. Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?

At Hotbox, every month we have a studio-wide focus. For February, our studio-wide focus is the second law of transformation (derived from Baron Baptiste’s 12 Laws of Transformation), “Be Willing to Come Apart.” I think this theme is very fitting when I think about taking a risk.

I have taken many risks in life, which is how I arrived at my current position as studio manager. Taking a risk requires a sense of surrender. The first big career risk that I made was becoming a classroom teacher almost 10 years ago. I worked in Greater New Orleans for 4 years in education and then moved to Philadelphia and taught for an additional 4 years. Within education, I was tested and pushed to my limits regularly. I can attribute much of my current success to having been a classroom teacher for 8 years. I believe that if you can teach children you can do almost anything.

In my third year of teaching in Philadelphia, I was given the opportunity to manage Hotbox Yoga. Every yogi has a yoga home. Hotbox Yoga is my yoga home. Every day after teaching children I would go to Hotbox either to teach or practice. Since moving to Philadelphia it has been my sanctuary. Although it was tricky to juggle managing a studio and teaching at a school simultaneously, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. In my current role, I am able to use many of the skills that I gained from education. I lead a team of 35 teachers and frequently provide them with feedback to support them in developing their craft. I took the risk to leave the classroom and to follow my passion. Education is still a huge part of my life, but it just looks a little different now.

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.

Hi, my name is Ava, I’m the manager of Hotbox Yoga. I got into the business of yoga purely because I love yoga and wanted to do more. Beyond practicing and teaching, I was interested in how to run a yoga studio.

Hotbox Yoga is a special place. We have over 1,000 clients every single week. Our studios are booming and it’s because of the community that we’ve cultivated. Hotbox values community above anything else. The team at Hotbox is passionate and the teachers teach with their whole hearts. We are a hot yoga studio and we primarily offer “All Levels – Power Yoga” classes. In a class at Hotbox, you can expect to be challenged and pushed to your edge. Most teachers at Hotbox teach from the framework of “Journey Into Power,” a sequence created by Baron Baptiste. We also offer workshops and teacher training.

What sets Hotbox apart from other studios is the price point, the community, and the quality of teaching. We are an affordable studio. We pride ourselves on being accessible. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to practice yoga. Our intro special, “$40 for 40 days” is one of the best deals in the city. Baron Baptiste says it takes 40 days to form a new habit. Our teachers are phenomenal. Every single teacher on the team has something special to offer. We have therapists, lawyers, chefs, teachers, etc. on our team. Our teachers are relateable and as I said before, they teach from the heart.

Hotbox Yoga is not just a yoga studio. It is so much more. It is a community, a place to build relationships, and a place to have transformational experiences.

Do you have any insights you can share related to maintaining high team morale?

Managing a team is hard work! It requires presence and patience. As a yoga studio manager, my first priority with the teaching team is to make sure they feel valued and supported. Having worked on a handful of teams in my education career, I know that it is incredibly important to have a strong relationship with your manager. I was lucky enough to have a phenomenal manager at the school that I taught at in Philly. She was organized, attentive, and challenged me to be the best version of myself.

As a manager, I make sure that I go to every teacher’s class routinely, so that I can support teachers. At many studios, managers and owners do not have the bandwidth to go to every teacher’s class. What is gained from attending every teacher’s class is connection. Beyond giving feedback, my goal is to ensure that teachers feel seen and supported. I have also learned how to give feedback, which is a very important skill as a manager. I always push myself to see everything that the teacher is doing well and then I leave room to discuss growth. I’ve learned that the best feedback is dialogue. I ask questions, which builds investment.

To maintain high morale as a manager, you must always see the positive and the good. It is so easy to be critical and judgemental, but what good is that really if it causes someone to shut down? Feedback is a two-way street. Your team needs to trust you and know that you can also recieve feedback.

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

Just like with any other field, teamwork is key to success in the business of yoga. I am privileged to work with Eliakim Ferich, the owner of Hotbox Yoga. She is a force to be reckoned with when it comes to owning and maintaining a yoga studio. She is a true visionary. I am also privileged to work with our other studio manager, Sarah Panetta. Sarah is one of the most hard-working people I’ve ever met. She is creative, determined, and inspiring. We each bring something special to the table, which allows us to productively collaborate.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.hotboxyoga.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hotbox_yoga/