We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Bettina Ward. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Bettina below.

Bettina, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Risking taking is a huge part of most people’s story but too often society overlooks those risks and only focuses on where you are today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – it could be a big risk or a small one – but walk us through the backstory.

In December of 2018 I decided to go take a yoga class at a studio near my house. I had never been there before and my husband had signed up for a bowling league on Monday nights so I decided I didn’t want to sit around, and off I went. The teacher was great, the class was awesome, and the people in the studio were so kind and welcoming. I immediately bought a package and started going back almost every day. I had been practicing yoga for many years but this was different. It lit something up in side of me.

As I continued to go to this studio, they announced that there was a 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training coming up in March of 2019. I had to do it! I remembered talking with my Mom before she passed away in 2015 about getting my certification and just never followed through. But there was this opportunity right in front of me that I couldn’t pass up. I applied and I was accepted,.

Yoga teacher training is so much more than just learning to teach a yoga class. It changed my life. The personal development in this program was amazing and the teachers were top notch. I was all in. And I hadn’t been all in on something in as long as I could remember.

I finished my YTT in June of 2019 and began immediately teaching at the studio I trained at. It was great. I also started teaching a class at the East Hartford Library for teachers and all other town employees. I was working for the EH board of ed at the time so I went to my head of HR and asked him about teaching yoga and he helped me set it up.

I kept saying yes to teaching yoga whenever I was asked. Teaching makes me feel alive, even now, over 1300 hours of teaching under my belt. I just wanted to be in it all the time.

And then the opportunity to get my 300 Hour Master Teacher certification at the same studio came up. Obviously I jumped on it and I was joined by about 50% or my 200 hour graduating class.

And then Covid came in and shut everything down.

My Teacher Training was moved virtual. My class in EH was shut down. My other classes that I was teaching at various studios went virtual. And while I appreciate the continued connection, it just wasn’t the same. But still I dove in, I took and taught daily classes through ZOOM. And one afternoon, in the height of lockdown, I was chatting with my husband and brother and they both asked me if I ever thought of owning my own studio.

Immediately I said no. I had a safe job with good health insurance, I didn’t want to step on the toes of my mentors and their studio, and I was honestly scared. I battled with a lot of self doubt. I was afraid to fail. There were one million reasons why I could say absolutely not to owning a yoga studio. However, this planted an idea in my head that I couldn’t let go of,

I thought long and hard and may have been slightly manic when I decided to take the risk. My brother was in real estate at the time so I asked him to help me find locations to look at. I started writing down what I would need to do, how it would all work, and ultimately decided to GO FOR IT.

My brother helped me find the most adorable little location, hidden in the back of a building that used to be a floral shop in Tolland. There was even a cute little pond right outside the door. It was meant to be. The next thing I had to do was to compose an email to my mentors, who I was doing my teacher training under at the time. I was so worried that they would be offended or mad …. but I was met with the most amount of Love and Support that I could have ever imagined.

And then the real work began. The renovation of the space included new floors, new paint and some doors separating the studio from the lobby area. I had to start advertising and trying to spread the word with little to no marketing budget, in a town I didn’t live in, or know anyone in, and I also had to tape my floors off in 6 foot squares because, again it was still early on in Covid and things were just allowed to open back up. My capacity went from 18 mats to 6 due to the regulations that were in place. And on January 2nd, 2021 I opened the doors for the first time.

Classes were persistently small for quite a while. There were so many times I wanted to just completely give up and throw in the towel, but I took this risk and now I needed to stick with it. Failing wasn’t an option.

4 years later we’re here at Be Love Yoga, our community has grown exponentially in size, we offer 18 regular classes per week and have a staff of 6.

So while it was the biggest risk I have ever taken, it is certainly the most rewarding. I get to do what I love and help people find the beauty of yoga beyond just a physical practice.

Bettina, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

My name is Bettina Ward and I am the owner of Be Love Yoga LLC, a boutique style yoga & fitness studio located in Tolland, CT.

I started teaching Yoga in 2019 after many years of practice. I am a 500 Hour Master Yoga Teacher and I trained in LivFree Power Yoga. And in 2021 I took a risk and decided to open my own studio.

We started out super small. A few classes per week and they were small in size. But over the last 4 years we have built an amazing community, We have a variety of classes and teachers at Be Love Yoga. Not only do we offer several different styles of yoga but we also have pilates and barre classes, as well as strength training taught by our ‘resident’ personal trainer.

We currently have. staff of 6 wonderful teachers, We see around 100 clients a week and we have built the most amazing community over the last four years.

You will always be treated with a smile at Be Love Yoga. Our teachers aim to make you feel comfortable and at home as soon as you walk through the door. Everyone is welcome. We are a judgement free and safe space. You don’t have to dress a certain way or know how to do crazy poses. It is a come as you are environment, Taking care of YOU is what coming to our space is all about. If you want to get the best work out of your life that is available, If you need support of community and a hug that is available, And if you need to take breaks or modify your practice, we encourage that… because that is what self love is all about. Honoring yourself, your body and your health is the most important part of showing up. And while everyone’s practice is different and very personal. there is something about the energy of coming together that makes the experience a little more magical, than just practicing alone at home.

Your first class at Be Love Yoga is Free. No commitment. Come as you are and take any class on our schedule!

And if you want to know a little funny story about the name… I decided on it while I was peeing in the bathroom. My best friend was sitting outside in my back yard and I told her about my plans. She asked if I had a name. I did not. I got up to go to the bathroom and came running out after, yelling I got the name! I told her and that was it. Be Love Yoga was the official name of my yoga studio!

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Consistency and Authenticity. Those are the two of the most important things you can do as a small business owner, especially in the world of facilitating a safe place for self care. And I didn’t start out with this knowledge. It was something I had to learn, a little bit the hard way, but it really helped me start to build my business when I leaned in.

First, people who are into health and wellness, yoga, self care, fitness etc, they are consistent. They want to know that on Mondays they are going to show up at this time, and take this class, with this teacher. Cancelling classes and subbing classes often can be detrimental or damaging to business. I stress this a lot to my staff as well. Obviously, life happens, weather happens, extenuating circumstances of course happen. However, we try our best to stay as consistent as possible. And the more consistent we have become over the last four years has really helped us thrive.

Additionally, being your true and authentic self is HUGE! Your clients want to know you, feel welcomed by you, and feel connected to you. It’s easy in the fitness realm to think that you need to look, act, eat or behave a certain way, but in all honesty… showing up as your true and authentic self will take you way further, your clients will love you and you will thank yourself when you don’t feel as though you have to put on a facade every day.

How did you build your audience on social media?

In the world of yoga studios your social media marketing can be a huge driver of clients into your business. You want your social media to embody the feeling you would get if you were to come into the studio for a class. You want to showcase community, consistency and authenticity.

As a business owner, the people who are coming into your business, especially the yoga business, want to get to know YOU! They want to learn about the person behind the screen, and how they became the studio or brand that they are now. Sharing my story in small bits and pieces (trust me there’s a fine line on oversharing you don’t want to cross) it has really engaged my audience and driven more people to our social media, our website and eventually our studio.

I did work with a social media coach, and she really helped me learn about algorothm and trends and showing up authentically and letting the audience get to know me. It wasn’t really until about a year ago that I started to talk in my IG stories or in reels.. and once I did, again our following went up significantly, and so did our class numbers.

Consistency and Authenticity. Those are the magic words :)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://beloveyoga.us
• Instagram: @be_love_yogallc
• Facebook: https://facebook.com/BeLoveYogaLLC

Image Credits

Micheal Slusarczyk
Dayna Duffy