Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elyssa Swann. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Elyssa, thanks for joining us today. Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?
Sure, being a business owner has it’s ups and downs, and I think about having a regular job frequently. Especially on the hard or off days. I’m not even sure I know what a ‘regular’ job would even look like for me. I imagine sitting behind a desk, clocking in at 9 and out at 5, having a boss and a certain numbers of days I can take off. When I think about it like that, I know in my heart that that is not the life for me. I know that all the uncertainty and frustrations that come with being your own boss, it’s all worth it. It’s all worth knowing that I’m creating something from my heart, and in the case of my business Wolf & Lion, that I’m helping others with their own growth and well-being.
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.
My name is Elyssa Swann, founder of Wolf & Lion here in San Diego. I’ve been part of the wellness industry since 2002 when I started as a personal trainer. I did that for many years, eventually obtaining my yoga certification in 2014. My goal with Wolf & Lion is to empower individuals to embrace their authenticity, provide diverse wellness resources, and foster a vibrant and inclusive community. I basically just want to bring rad people together to do rad things. Wolf & Lion currently offers pop-up yoga and wellness experiences around San Diego, with the goal to open a studio space in 2024.
I’m most proud of the community we have built, and in awe how each and every person supports us. I make it a point to connect with each person. I think it’s really important for people to know who they are supporting. I want them to feel like they are part of something and that they feel seen and safe to be themselves.
Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?
I didn’t start with Wolf & Lion as my first business. Before W&L I had a business partner and we ran a rooftop yoga studio. That’s when I learned I loved providing a space for others to come together. I fell in love with the community, and I fell in love with running a business. Due to unforeseen circumstances we had to shut down, my business partner wanted out, but I wanted to keep it going. In the end I was left with nothing except an email list. When I learned that I wasn’t going to be able to keep the original business, I immediately started Wolf & Lion to salvage the community I had worked so hard to build. After it was all said and done, I realized that there was not one moment where I doubted if starting all over again was what I wanted do. My heart knew what I wanted and that is what lead me to start W&L. I am definitely dealing with some setbacks, and some major life lessons learned from the previous partnership, but I wouldn’t change any of it. Wolf & Lion is what I know I am meant to do, that’s all I need to keep going.
Have you ever had to pivot?
The above story is one of those times I had to make a major pivot. Losing everything I loved about my business, to building something brand new. I think with all businesses, you are always pivoting. Staying up to date with trends, social media, marketing plus top that with having a family and personal life, I’m constantly pivoting but I believe that makes me stronger. Becoming too attached to something happening one way is a direct path to suffering. Just like in yoga, we learn to breathe and lean into the discomfort, we shift, we pivot, we flow, transitioning into something beautiful.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.wolfandlionsd.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wolfandlionsd/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wolfandlionsd