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

Lizzy , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Let’s talk legacy – what sort of legacy do you hope to build?

When my time here on earth is done, I hope my legacy is one that people remember fondly with a smile on their face. I hope whether someone took one of my classes, did a training with me, worked with me or for me, that they remember how much I enjoyed life and how important it is to live life to the fullest. As I continue to get older, I realize more and more how fragile life is and how vital it is to not sweat the small stuff, to love fully, to be passionate about something, to have fun, work hard at something that does good for others and your family, and to do things and be around people that truly make you happy and bring out the best in you.

I’m so thankful that my work is my passion and that it helps people physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. To see transformation, growth, and healing right before my eyes is more rewarding that I can explain. I hope my work and the positive life changes it brings forth is my legacy, and I hope many more people after me continue to do the same work.

Lizzy , 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 am originally from Miami, born and raised. I grew up dancing ballet and cheerleading. I graduated from Florida State University with a degree in hospitality. After working in the restaurant industry for 2 1/2 years I realized it wasn’t for me and I moved back home to get my MBA. In the midst of getting my MBA, I wanted to get back into ballet as a form of exercise and that’s where I found a studio that introduced me to Pilates. I instantly fell in love and began to work on the certification process for Pilates while teaching ballet to young girls. From there I was thirsty to learn and teach more modalities and got certified in Zumba, Barre, Personal Training, and Yoga. Yoga was a game changer for me. There was something about the physicality coupled with the spirituality behind yoga that really touched me. I started to become a better and different person through yoga and with that, yoga seemed to be where most of my doors of opportunity opened up for me. Fast forward a little and having my MBA finally paid off and I had an opportunity to be an adjunct faculty member for the University of Miami for a Summer A and Summer b, ‘Yoga for athletes’ course. From this experience is where my first passion project was born, MYP Athletes (previously known as Yogalete). I created an active and passive recovery yoga flow to help athletes and teams recover physically on their days off. I am blessed to work with multiple teams at the University of Miami as well as local high school teams. I have also worked with the Miami Dolphins, Florida International University, and numerous professional athletes. I also created a training to train certified yoga instructors on how to work with athletes and their respective sports. In addition to yoga, MYP Athletes also offers pilates and mindfulness work in person and also on our online portal at MYPathletes.com.

After 9 years of working in the industry, it was finally time to open my own place. With MYP Athletes already in full gear, I knew that I wanted a partner in opening a yoga studio. My partner Melissa Echevarria, is a true gem and I can’t imagine being on this journey without her. We are the perfect balance of fire and grace. Casa Vinyasa studio, named by a very good friend of mine, Megan Eastman, was the perfect name for a studio in the culturally diverse city of Miami. In addition, a home was what we wanted to build. A safe space for anyone and everyone. A place that when you entered, you automatically felt a shift in your mood, and when you left, you felt like a better person. We offer all types of yoga classes as well as pilates classes because Pilates will always hold a special place in my heart and also because it compliments yoga so well. Our main class, Power Vinyasa, is with infrared heat which allows you to heat your body from the inside out which is way healthier for you and it aids in the detoxification process, the proper warming up of your muscles, ligaments, and tendons, and also leaves your skin feeling buttery soft. In addition, we offer an in-house 200 hour yoga teacher training program, Home Base, as well as workshops throughout the year. We hope to soon offer retreats and take our casita around the globe.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

My dad has always told me that there is a difference between working IN your business and working ON your business. When I first started, building my reputation, name, and experience were most important. So all I did was teach and teach and teach some more. I taught an insane amount of classes which also meant I was driving all over the city of Miami which was both exhausting and not a great use of my time. After some burnout and realizing that I needed to finally create my niche, I dropped everything, including some clients, that weren’t serving my purpose. I chose to narrow down the modalities I taught and focused solely on Pilates and yoga. I then started to say ‘No’ more to work that I knew would just drain my time and energy and wouldn’t serve my bigger purpose. This is also when I started focusing more on leading teacher trainings, which I realized was something that I was very passionate about. It was a different way of teaching that fed my soul more than anything. I knew how much time I needed to work on social media, emails, goals, content, and refused to take on more than absolutely necessary. Because I love what I do so much, I still have to keep myself in check and I still do sometimes take on more than I can chew, but once I realize it I adjust right away. Lastly, I started to realize that I couldn’t do it all myself and I started to train others so that I could share my clients and lighten my load, as well as take more time off to really LIVE feeling comfortable that my classes and clients were in the right hands.

We’d love to hear about you met your business partner.

Melissa and I met at a previous yoga studio that we had both worked at. Her teacher training, was the very first training I apprenticed. After years of watching my father with various business partners, I knew it was no easy fete to find the right person. I also knew that as new business owners we would both have to be all in, fully available, as well as compatible. In addition, due to major changes in our personal lives, we had the funds needed to invest and make this happen without taking a single loan or borrowing a cent from anyone. Something we are very proud of. There is a 20 year age gap between us which I believe is a major factor as to why our partnership works. The age gap brings both experience in life and a fresh perspective on things. With my MBA and hospitality background as well as experience working for many studio owners throughout my career, coupled with Melissa’s corporate America background and the fact that she specialized in types of yoga that I did not, we had most angles covered. Most importantly, we are equally passionate about what we do and shared the same vision for our yoga home.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.casavinyasamiami.com; www.mypathletes.com; mypathletes.vhx.tv
• Instagram: @lizzycfitness @casavinyasa_miami @mypathletes
• Facebook: Lizzy Chiappy Fitness Instructor; MYP Athletes; Casa Vinyasa Miami
• Linkedin: Lizzett (Lizzy) Chiappy & MYP Athletes
• Twitter: @mypathletes
• Youtube: MYP Athletes
• Yelp: Casa Vinaysa Miami

Image Credits
Frank Gibson @synima