We recently connected with Dr. Lola Scarborough and have shared our conversation below.
Dr. Lola, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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?
In 2008, I had a dream for my retirement that I was already putting into motion. It was a perfectly “risk-free” plan! I had recently purchased a run-down but solid building that I was going to turn into my retirement dream … a yoga studio and wellness center. I was in no hurry, I thought. I had the land and the building, and another roughly 25 years to work on creating the center of my dreams and had plenty of time to build clientele. I’d continue my career as a project manager for a software company until I was 65, then put it all into motion. As the saying goes, “the best laid plans” … Roughly four months later my corporate high-paying job abruptly ended. Ike came through and the recession followed hard on his heels and the firm I was working for started laying employees off. I was one of them. Being the eternal optimist I always am, no problem I thought. I’d find another job and continue on with my plan. Alas, it wasn’t to be. The Universe had ejected me from the work force and would not allow me to get back in. After a couple of years and hundreds of applications later, I came to know my path was different than the one I hoped to follow. I shifted my mindset and began to do the re-education I felt my new role required. I acquired by 500-Hour Yoga Certification, my life coaching certification, a two-year degree in Ayurveda and numerous other certificates that would help me become my “new” self. The building required a great deal of renovation, which requires both time and money. Over the next 14 years, starting in 2008 and continuing to this day (now 2022) we have done major renovations to our building six times. Each time, it caused an upheaval in the business model we were operating on, and we invariably lost students because of the closures to do the renovations. But we preserved. Through wind, storm, flooding (Harvey), financial downturns and COVID, we’ve kept it going. The sacrifices have been big and the times have often been tough and overwhelming. But we are still here. In 2021, we rebranded from Yoga Lola Studios to The Health Hut to better reflect our offerings and our mission. In January 2022, we added a boutique crystal store, The Crystals and More Metaphysical Store. We’ve kept going, and we’ll keep going. The risks of going into business for yourself, especially if you have very little capital and your business is a novelty business like mine was in 2008, are great. Failure rates are high. Times get tough. But if you can manage to make it through one tough time after another and still keep on keeping on, you build a kind of quiet self-confidence in yourself that might never have happened otherwise. You become more flexible, more creative, and begin to define success in a whole new way. Are the lights still on the building? Success. Did you pay the real estate taxes? Success. It’s amazing how you begin to redefine your essence.
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
I have dedicated my life and talents to helping people alleviate suffering and to become unstuck and forward-moving in every area of their lives. Over the last 22 years, I have co-created with clients of all ages, helping them enrich their lives and reach their goals through exercise, nutrition, and improved life skills. I excel in motivating people of all ages to engage in new behaviors and learning experiences that take them out of their boxes and allow them to really grow. I have been an energy healer/Reiki healer for over 48 years. I have it in my blood. Trained in energy work at the age of 12 by my own grandmother, who was an energy healer herself, I have been helping people and pets cope with life events and illness through energy work most of my life. I have seen with my own eyes what energy healing sessions can do for people and am in awe and amazement at how powerful a tool this is for health, happiness and wellness. I have a long history as a writer, teacher, mentor, and project manager. I have authored books, articles, and videos related to yoga, health, and healing. In addition to being a partner in the Art, Movement, and Life Skills Academy (AMLSA), Lola is the Managing Partner of The Health Hut (formerly known as Yoga Lola Studios), which opened its doors in 2008. Prior to 2008, I worked in the business world for over 30 years as a training program developer, lead trainer, mentor, project manager and teacher. I have been a practicing life and nutritional coach for 15+ years and have been in the physical health field for over 22 years. I am an expert-level 500-Hour certified yoga teacher with well over 20,000 hours of teaching experience. I has spent thousands of hours developing comprehensive training programs for all kinds of programs. I am also a certified tonic herbalist, a degreed Ayurvedic Practitioner, a certified fitness teacher, and a published author. I hold a Ph.D in Comparative Religion.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
This is the story I shared at the beginning of the interview. Going into the yoga and wellness business and being entirely on my own (no paycheck or benefits) after being in the corporate world for well over 25 years (great paycheck, great benefits) was mind-blowing in the effect it had on my life and on my spiritual, emotional and financial journey.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
Again, relating back to the story I shared at the beginning about risk. I have changed my business model three different times over the course of my 14-year history as a small business owner. I have gone through economic downturns, hurricane and flooding events, and most recently through COVID, an event that decimated an innumerable number of small businesses. My resilience has been repeatedly tested, and so far at least, I have been able to rise to the challenge.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thehealthut.com
- Facebook: @thehealthhuttexas