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

Jessica , appreciate you joining us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

Our mission is simple, to create a safe and accessible space for folks to start their health and wellness journey. Our yoga studio was created to inspire everyone. All bodies, all abilities, and of course that includes making our studio financially accessible.

Our yoga studio hires top-notch instructors, and with the low cost of membership, we break the socio-economic barriers and get folks on their way to a healthier life. Life is expensive and often times, health and wellness fall to the wayside as the cost of memberships for community-based gyms and studios increase. We want to break that barrier. Currently, we host a variety of styles of yoga classes and wellness seminars for the low cost of $10.00.

For us, the gentle movements of yoga may be the starting point for folks who are aiming to decrease stress, anxiety, depression or obesity, and we aim to ensure that all needs are met in order to start this journey.

Jessica , 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 Jess and I am the owner of Sukha Yoga. I have been a yoga teacher for the past 7 years, and a student of the practice for a very long time. During the pandemic the studio I was teaching at had unfortunately closed its doors but the community we had cultivated there was so special, I had a hard time letting them go. So, I did what any other crazy yogi would do, I converted my basement into a hot yoga studio! We started off small, with a few classes on the schedule, and minimal advertising. But word spread like wild-fire! We were offering some great yoga classes for only $10! Soon we outgrew the space and I was able to open up shop in a small industrial unit in the south end of Whitby.

Even though our location changed, and we’ve increased our schedule, class sizes and teachers, our mission has stayed the same. We aim to keep yoga accessible for everyone! This includes making yoga financially accessible. Our community is tight knit. Once you enter the doors of Sukha, you become part of the family. We know your name; we know the poses you love… and hate (chair pose!) ha-ha. We ensure that you feel safe and comfortable in our space, all bodies and abilities are welcome.

We have only been in business since June 2023, and have had more than 400 yogis try us out. And they always come back for more! We offer a variety of class styles which are suitable for all levels. All of our teachers can guide a person who is trying yoga for the very first time, to the person who has been practicing for years. We aim to create an inclusive space where all bodies feel welcome.

We are a community like no other, and once your give us a try, you’ll be hooked!

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Reputation is key in our business. One bad experience can ruin and deter some folks from ever trying yoga again. I think why we have been so successful in maintaining a solid reputation is AHIMSA. The sanskrit core value meaning “leading with love and kindness”. And that is a great representation of the teachers, members, and yoga we like to practice at Sukha Yoga.

Our reputation stays unmatched because of the connection we have with our community. Because our focus is not on making boat loads of money, or jamming as many bodies into our space as we can, we are able to develop meaningful and true relationships with the folks that attend our classes.

Most of our new members who walk through our doors know of us by word of mouth, which is always such a compliment, and says a lot about our reputation within the Yoga Community.

How did you build your audience on social media?

For many, social media can be daunting. Even though I work in marketing for my 9-5, I still struggle with finding the motivation and inspiration to keep up with social media. One thing I have learned, which has been a huge take away for me, create the content that you enjoy and that feels authentic to your brand. Yes, we have a branded look/feel to our posts, reels, shorts and other platforms, but we try to keep our content fun and true to us. In the end, it’s never about having 100k followers, it’s about the accounts that interact with you, actually have interest in the things you’re promoting, or have invested interest in the people you are showcasing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.vagaro.com/sukhayogastudio
• Instagram: @sukha,yogastudio
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100083039327082