We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jyll Hubbard-salk a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Jyll, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?
The mission of Urban Asanas is to have a diverse space for people to feel safe, exhale, and just BE. The studio will meet you wherever you are. The studio has everything. I wanted to have a space where there is NO judgement. I needed to have a space where if you look like me, it is all good. Leave your ego at the door.
Jyll, 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?
My name is Jyll. I am the owner of Urban Asanas LLC. The only black owned yoga studio in Crown Heights Brooklyn. I have been in the yoga world for about 30 years. I have been teaching for about 20 years, and I have owned the studio for almost 13years. Even though times have changed, there is not a lot of black representation in the yoga world. I would hear horror stories of folks feeling excluded, and not feeling welcomed. Basically not being seen. I have prided myself on creating a space for EVERYONE. Come one, come all. I have a policy that no one will be turned away at the door because you can not afford the classes. I will meet you where you are….considering we are still feeling the effects of covid, there needs to be a space that you can work out all the things that life is throwing at you. You can cry, yell (hopefully not in the middle of a sequence ) or just lay there and breathe. Yoga is beyond a posture(asana)… it’s a way of life.
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I always felt I can do it all. I do not have a business partner, but an amazing community. I have learned to ask for help. I mean really ask, and receive the help. I am recovering from a hip replacement. I was out for about 2months. I needed help. I learned how to receive it. I promise you the help, assisted in my healing. A little help goes a long way. You have to check your ego at the door.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
I had to pivot my business during covid. The doors were closed!!! How could I make this work? For years my students who wanted access to my classes requested videos. I ran the other direction. I did not feel comfortable teaching on screen. Well covid changed that. I taught through covid, and I am still zooming my classes. It was a win-win. 
Contact Info:
- Website: Urbanasanas.com
- Instagram: Urban Asanas
- Facebook: Urban Asanas
- Linkedin: Urban Asanas
- Twitter: Urban Asanas
Image Credits
Jyll Hubbard…I am the source of the pics, so I have credit.