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

Jennifer, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Can you tell us the backstory behind how you came up with the idea?

Well, the story of how we started La Vie Yoga Destination Retreats is actually pretty interesting. Several years back, I wrote an article about a unique experience I had staying in a hogan within the Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park in an area where even most native tribal members are not allowed to wander. It was the Navajo New Year and I had been invited by my dear friend Verna to spend a few days in her hogan that was passed down from her grandmother to her mother to her. A chance to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life, immerse myself in her culture and learn her customs herding sheep and watching wild horses dance in the distance against a backdrop of fiery red sandstone buttes and blue skies.

A French woman in Colorado read my article and reached out to me on social media fascinated by the story. We became fast friends. I remember reading excerpts from her memoir on her website and telling her how much I enjoyed her story. Little did I know this fateful comment would lead to a booming business. She told me how she had been looking for an editor and asked if I would be interested in trading online Kaiut yoga classes via Zoom in exchange for helping with her book. I instantly agreed but truth be told, I had no intention of taking yoga classes. I figured I’d just do it as a favor.

Fast forward a few years. A trifecta of major life changes occurred all at once – my father’s passing, my granddaughter all grown up, and the breakup of a marriage that never should have happened in the first place.

Maryline and I had stayed in touch over the years although she had given up asking me if I wanted to join class. I was busy working a full-time job in litigation, managing Instagram accounts and still writing for my blog. However, she and I got to talking about life in general and she sprung an incredible idea on me – with my love of travel and her skills as a yoga instructor, why not partner and start a destination yoga retreat company.

At first, I was reluctant. How could I possibly find the time? But she was persistent, so I finally said okay thinking over the next few years, we could come up with a business plan and put a few things in place. Next thing I know, she is posting all over social media, “meet my new business partner” and pushing us in fast forward mode to do something NOW!

So, I thought, what the heck? It wasn’t anything new for me to take a leap of faith, so I jumped in feet first (what else is new) and that’s when La Vie Yoga, LLC was born. There was just one problem…here come the brakes. I had never taken a yoga class in my life. Hmmm.

Well, there was a quick solution to that. I knew what I had to do to make this work. I immediately enrolled in her class explaining how nervous I was to try yoga poses having had not just one, but two neck surgeries. Maryline smiled, reassured me and modified her teaching for my needs. I began taking yoga religiously and you know what? I am a true believer in the healing art of Kaiut. It was the absolute best thing I could have done for my sore body not to mention my mind and spirit.

After that, we quickly registered ourselves as an LLC, created a website and IG account, ordered business cards and materials, and started vetting retreat venues.

Our first retreat was about 6 months later, and a huge success. We rented out space in one of the most beautiful settings we could find in Colorado – True Nature Healing Arts. We accounted for every detail booking private king rooms for guests, making reservations at incredible local restaurants, scouting out each hike and even adding on a hot spring visit at the last minute for guests – no expense spared. We wanted it to be perfect. And it paid off. Every one of our guests told us afterward that they would join us again and that it was one of the most incredible experiences they’d had.

But best of all, I knew instantly during that first retreat that this was my calling. I had never felt stronger that I was finally on the right path. This is what I was meant to be doing with my life.

Jennifer, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I’m a Southern California native freelance writer and travel blogger who recently moved halfway across the country in search of new adventures and experiences as well as Co-Founder of La Vie Yoga, LLC, a destination yoga retreat company. I love getting 0ut in nature, unplugging from the world, and experiencing unique destinations while meeting new people.

One of my deepest passions is telling stories about my experiences both through my photography and words in a way that captivates my audience as if they are right there traveling with me.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

As indicated earlier, I met Maryline, my business partner and Co-Founder of La Vie Yoga, LLC Destination Retreats on Instagram of all places. I wrote a blog article for my travel website that I had promoted on social media and she reached out to me. It is fascinating to me the connections I have made through social media in this day and age. Not only is this how I met Maryline but it is also how I have made numerous connections and life long friendships as well as numerous business contacts.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Maryline and I started our yoga retreat company with very little working capital. So, we basically charged all of our first retreat expenses on credit cards hoping we could pay them off with the registration fees coming in when people signed up. As we got closer to our first retreat, we were a little nervous as we still had spots available and more expenses to pay. Luckily, the retreat completely sold out just weeks before it started!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lavieyoga.org/ and https://jen33travel.com/
• Instagram: @la.vie.yoga and @jen33travel
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jen-curnutt-b0b234216/

Image Credits

Jen Curnutt