Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Mandi Sabourin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Mandi thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

For years I had a dream of being my own boss. Starting a business either on my own or with a partner. I didn’t have a clear vision of what I wanted to do, I just knew that one day I would be an entrepreneur. I started working when I was 15 and was a loyal and reliable employee. Never having gone even a month without a job.

When the inspiration for what I wanted to do with my life hit me I ran with it! I went to a painting class with my son, we had so much fun and that’s where the dream began to form! I was 45 years old and I was ready. I was working full time but had quite a bit of time on my hands to study, plan, dream and begin putting the pieces together.

All my life I had done what was expected of me. Got a good job, then a better one, climbed this ladder then that one. Took the classes, got the proper certifications. I never really felt that I chose my path, more like I just did the next logical thing.

I didn’t consider myself creative, but I had begun to explore my spirituality. I was intrigued and read book after book, found a few incredible mentors and my world began to open up. I started seeing possibilities where I hadn’t seen them before. I started learning about yoga and I started painting at home as much as I could.

When I started painting and connecting with my creative side, I became confident. I was more calm and felt more centered.

I learned about meditation and began practicing daily.

When I connected the changes that were happening within me to these practices, I felt a very strong urge to share what I learned. The idea of creating a business of teaching mindfulness through art – teaching people to paint, was born.

I wasn’t yet a yoga instructor, in fact had done little more than learn about it in books, but I knew that somehow I would find a way to bring yoga and art together.

While still working my full time job I found studio space and signed a one year lease.

I contracted yoga instructors to teach classes at the studio during the hours I was working and some evenings and I began to have painting events and other art classes whenever I could.

The painting events did great! I was doing well, getting my name out and bringing students in. The yoga, however, was not as successful. Any profit from the painting events were going to pay yoga instructors and unfortunately classes were not filling up. It began to be an impossible model to sustain financially.

I decided to get certified to teach yoga myself, but by then my lease was up for renewal. I made the difficult decision to close my studio.

Although it was very risky signing that lease and starting the business all by myself, with virtually no experience – it was nothing compared to the risk I was about to take!

I was not ready to stop teaching painting classes. I was certified to teach children’s yoga and was making progress getting certified to teach adults. I talked to people in my town and found a venue that was willing to host my painting events with no risk and very little overhead! I took my business mobile! Not only that, I decided that if I was really going to make a go of this I was going to need to go all in. I put in my notice at my full-time job! I was a full time entrepreneur in the middle of January, 2020. I didn’t know at the time, but in six weeks I would be completely shut down due to Covid. I am a single mom to a then second grade boy. Having quit my downtown job, I was able to be home for him during the shutdown, so it ended up being a very positive thing for us. I was able to pivot and begin to look at my business in different ways so I could continue to serve my community. I started doing paint parties, yoga classes and guided meditation virtually. I worked hard to stay relevant throughout the shut down. Once things started opening back up I was poised to expand and I have done so slowly and steadily. During the shut down, I remodeled my basement and created a home studio space for both yoga and painting classes. I’ve expanded to include partnerships with local businesses to hold my painting events. I also guide chair yoga classes, have begun working with adults with disabilities teaching chair yoga and painting classes. I do private parties, birthday parties and even corporate events. Things have really begun to take off. My next goal is to begin offering yoga, meditation and painting retreats.

It hasn’t been an easy, predictable or smooth road, but I’m very proud to say that after four years of perseverance and belief in myself, business is great!

Mandi, 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?

The name of my business is Create & Connect Studio. All of my endeavors revolve around mindfulness – connecting with yourself, your creativity and with others. As an artist and teacher of acrylic painting, I host events where I mainly lead step-by-step acrylic canvas painting. These events are held in my home studio and at local businesses such as breweries, coffee shops and other venues. I often include something that’s available for purchase at the venue with the registration as a way to bring guaranteed revenue to the business. I also do private parties such as family get togethers, baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties, corporate team building events and fundraisers and in the summertime offer art camps for children. I love teaching yoga to all ages – from preschoolers to seniors and everyone in between. I visit daycares, hold after school yoga classes through community education and teach at the community center in addition to weekly classes in my home studio. Often traveling to teach chair yoga at senior centers as well as holding virtual chair yoga classes for corporate employees. Twice a week I lead a chair yoga session for adults with disabilities.

I really am proud of the variety of ways I’m able to connect people to their creativity and to help them find space in their day for mindfulness.

Yoga to me is calming, centering and focused on building strength and flexibility, breath work and presence.

I teach painting students to be focused on the process of creating and not just the product. I see myself as a guide to help you connect to your creativity through a process of mindfulness, focus and presence. All while relaxing, laughing and having fun!

What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?

Over the past four years – through the months of shutdown, reopening and shutting down again – I’ve continued to work hard to stay relevant, find new and creative ways to serve others, and even when things seemed bleak, I didn’t give up. I’ve stayed positive and continued to believe in myself, knowing that there is a market for my unique approach. I’ve learned that to build a successful service business people need to be able to trust you. The more they see you out there doing your thing, the more likely they’ll be willing to sign up or reach out to work with you. I pride myself on being kind, accessible, fair, transparent and honest. The fact that people recommend my classes/events to others means the world to me. I’m very grateful for the way my community has embraced and supported me and my vision.

Do you have any stories of times when you almost missed payroll or any other near death experiences for your business?

After opening my studio in September, 2018 and being in business for a year I felt I had built up a lot of momentum. I felt strongly that to be able to continue building on that momentum I needed more time to dedicate to marketing, creating and connecting with my community if I were to have a chance at success. So even though I had just closed my studio, I gave my boss my notice. I stayed on until mid-January, 2020 before I was officially done working my W-2 job. In early March, 2020 everything shit down and I was unable to hold any events in person – painting, yoga or anything else, I really thought I was done for. As the months dragged on I had to consider throwing in the towel. I wasn’t ever really worried that I wouldn’t find a job – I just really wasn’t ready to give up. Fortunately, things began falling into place. Companies hired me to help their employees working from home stay connected through weekly guided meditation, yoga classes and even painting events. I put together kits with all the materials to distribute and we would paint together step-by-step online! I started a YouTube channel for yoga to keep me focused, learning and growing my personal practice, and to reach people at home and help them through the uncertainty that was gripping us all. I was fearful that I might be forced give up my dream, but with faith, flexibility and perseverance – I made it through to thriving.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.createandconnectstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/createandconnectstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/createandconnectstudio
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/channel/UCgTqwzmCpE-XqToBRpbYvtQ

Image Credits
Nicole Spangler Photography