We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Erika W. a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Erika, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. If you had a defining moment that you feel really changed the trajectory of your career, we’d love to hear the story and details.

UNBRIDLED BRAVERY – When I enrolled in my first 200 Yoga Teacher Training Program, I wasn’t sure what exactly I would do with my certification; if I would ever teach or even if I would develop a brand past being a dedicated student. And that was ok with me. Let’s say I was teaching curious, but not committed. I have a background in the performing arts, so the showmanship & level of preparation it takes lead a class automatically appealed to my musically woven soul. But this journey has led me far beyond playlists & sold out classes. In those 200 hours, I propelled far past any physical & mental boundaries I thought I had. I had this quiet intuition that I could positively influence fellow yogis down a personal path of growth if I had a chance, if I was given a chance, if I made my own chance. Easier said than done & this is the portion of this story where my professional experience at a Fortune 100 Company nudged my destiny.
Much to the credit of owners/community leaders I partnered with as a yoga teacher, I realized that the missing component to truly making a community soar was the following observation- In my opinion, there are 2 types of studio owners. The first are the ones who love yoga & their community, but lack the business acumen to strategize, retain, & grow their books successfully. This business is not for the faint of heart. The second type of owner possesses all the business knowledge through degrees & marketing industry experience but lack the people skills & the heart of a yogi. If you aren’t good at people, you won’t be good at leading in our communities.
I had the privilege of working with both types of business leaders. I learned a lot.
Thank you to those leaders.
I knew I could strike a balance between people & process in the yoga industry. I was ready.

WHERE THE BRAVERY ENTERED – If you have followed me through the years, you know my yoga career has taken me to different studios, in different states, on retreats, to co-facilitating teacher training, teaching at festivals, & bringing sound immersions center stage in NEO. I entered a business scenario that went south, almost immediately, when I realized that my balance of leadership was not enough to influence a partnership. My voice was not heard, I became very ill, & my light dimmed as I kept my head down, & quietly taught. I forgot who I was. As fate would have it, the scenario changed & I left the professional relationship. It was worse than any break-up I had ever experience. My friends rallied next to me; my close family wiped a lot of my tears; my partner was patient as I relived each agonizing e-mail & phone call from lawyers every day. I came to the realization that this business endeavor was never mine. It was never my dream.
I started coming back into my own way after about a year of nomadic yoga offerings between studios & events. It was healing, it was slow…
And then fate gave me another kind nod & I had the opportunity to jump from a very high mountain top & become a studio operations leader again (the term owner never resonated with me…) I quietly, with little to no announcement of this transition, came back to a dream I had.
It’s a different time, it’s a different (and incredible) team, it’s healthy, it’s supportive, & I started to open my heart again.

My defining moment was taking the risk again to pursue a dream that started 12 years ago as new yoga teacher. Don’t think of setbacks as losing sight of your goals, because sometimes you can see more with your eyes closed. Continue to create, strategize, & execute your plans & most importantly, surround yourself with the best people. Peace. Erika

Erika, 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?

Hi! My name is Erika, with a K. Corporate Business: I have worked for a Fortune 100 company for 23 years. Within this time, I have led teams & leaders in different states with varying business focuses, I was instrumental in creating & executing a recruiting structure for new hires, I have been involved in projects with internal global impact, & I have become the leader I am because of my role models….and a hint of gumption.
Education: I have some degrees. I have taken a lot of classes & proudly defended 2 theses. I don’t start my conversations or introductions with my educational background. What I know is not as important as how I treat people & how I use my knowledge to act with integrity. I stand by that.

Yoga Modalities: I have certifications in vinyasa, yin, yoga for golfers, inside flow, yoga for business- just to name a few. I am also a mastery level sound healer & passionate vocalist/musician.
My personal brand is titled: “With Erika” & has been reinvented over time with new opportunities. Operationally under this brand I have led retreats, yoga training, & business branding modules (next one is coming up in July- Business, Branding, & Beyond…) This brand keeps me sharp & innovative outside of studio. It’s my edge & creative outlet.

Why am I different? I don’t want to be your coach. I want to empower you with effective tools to reach your goals & obtain self-sufficiency. Plain as that. #idontwanttobeyourcoach
I effectively meld concepts of wellness & business into digestible & relatable approaches. I believe in making memorable experiences & identifying tenants that set me/my clients apart in a sea of offerings.
I am a business girl. Yes.
But I am also a yoga girl who has created a successful career in brand evolution.
Don’t know where to start? Let’s talk.

Yoga Studio: Lake Yoga has been in business for over five years serving Lake & the surrounding counties of Northeast Ohio. As your practice transforms each time you visit your mat, the business has also transformed both by name & leadership.
But through these changes & let’s not forget a once-a-century pandemic, our most critical focus remains true- Lake Yoga is here to provide you with exceptional yoga.
Our staff is experienced, creative, & most importantly kind.
Our owners are involved, available to the community, & passionate yoga teachers.

We believe in local collaboration.
We believe in giving big of ourselves.
We believe in walking next to good people.

Come visit & see how these actions speak.

Training and knowledge matter of course, but beyond that what do you think matters most in terms of succeeding in your field?

How do you succeed? Self-awareness & collaboration. Self-awareness: Be aware of your strengths & be aware of your weaknesses. If you can’t honestly explain in less than 30 seconds of distinguishes you from your peers, you need to take a step back & assess. self-awareness also requires that you possess a willingness & ability to change.
It’s holding a mirror up to your face, putting on a brightest red lipstick you have ever seen (even though it’s way out of your comfort zone) & walking into a packed room to speak confidently, while completely forgetting about the lipstick. Self-aware that your tenacity will outshine the makeup.

Collaboration: We need people. Be smart, be purposeful, & realize that no man is an island. Working well with others is a hallmark of being a mature leader. Notice the business professionals that don’t or don’t do it successfully.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

Visibility. I ask myself often: am I visible to our staff, students, outside community, family, friends, etc.? Contrary to the word, visibility in this context means displaying presence. Is presence always in person or can it be felt through phone calls, emails, texts, social media outlets?
In order to build your clientele, you must establish a sustainable strategy of presence to be “visible”.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lakeyogaconcord.com/
• Instagram: Lake Yoga
• Facebook: Lake Yoga
• Other: Spotify: Lake Yoga

Image Credits
M Branding (my solo picture) I can send more… platform kept timing out