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

James, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. It’s always helpful to hear about times when someone’s had to take a risk – how did they think through the decision, why did they take the risk, and what ended up happening. We’d love to hear about a risk you’ve taken.

I had been working as a waiter and barista, finishing my undergraduate B.A. degree in History at the University of Utah when a Summer yoga teacher training popped up at the local yoga studio I attended.  I went into debt to finance the yoga teacher training, not knowing exactly how it was going to go or if there would even be work on the other side of it.  A month after completing the training, a teaching vacancy opened up at my studio and I was offered two classes a week at $45 per class.  I was definitely over waiting tables at that point and once I accepted the teacher position, I quit my serving job – even though it was my main source of income!  I am still not exactly sure how that gamble worked out in the short term, because it took a while to grow my yoga teacher career, but in the long term I am so glad that I took the risk of investing in the yoga training and then freeing up my time by leaving my serving position.

James, 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?

I’m really happy with the artist life I’ve been able to piece together through performing/recording music with my band “The Hardy Brothers” and as a solo act, teaching weekly studio yoga classes, running Glow Yoga events in downtown Salt Lake City and organizing/running international yoga retreats to fabulous destinations like Costa Rica, Orcas Island, Colombia and Mexico through my yoga brand “One Love Yoga”.

I have also worked in the mental health care world for over twelve years at a residential treatment center serving emotionally and cognitively challenged adolescent boys teaching yoga, music and running a school of rock type music program with my brother Skip Hardy.

My career is a beautiful patchwork of gigs that all revolve around my passions for music and yoga. I love the way I have been able to nurture my entrepreneurial spirit and keep growing and evolving the way I do business and at the exact same time expressing and exploring my artist creations.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

99% of the work that I get is as an independent contractor. I have given people a fee and received the reaction “whoa! I wish I made that much money per hour.” I then have to explain to them that the fee is not only inclusive of the time I will be performing or teaching, but also includes the time it takes to be my own accountant, social media manager, web designer, booking manager, videographer, hone my craft and then all the costs associated with running my own business.

Is there mission driving your creative journey?

Music and yoga have both brought such happiness and healing to my own life and the lives of my family members and friends. First and foremost the mission is to share these two passions with everyone that I can, helping folks to navigate the twists and turns of this wild, beautiful journey of life. Then there is the mission of artistic creation in of itself. I have always had the drive to write, to sing, to play, to record and get out the ideas that spring up within my consciousness and being. Paired with that is the goal of “selling” my creative work and not only being able to pay my bills, put food on the table and support my family, but to continue to inspire my personal creativity, grow my dreams and build a retirement for me and my wife. To sum it all up: my mission is to support and be supported through my passions. Much love!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thehardybrothersmusic.com/ oneloveyogapride.com
• Instagram: @thehardybrothers @oneloveyogapride
• Youtube: @thehardybrothers @jameshardysoneloveyoga

Image Credits
Jess Leonard Natalie Cass Talyn Sherer