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

Alright, Marla thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s been the most meaningful project you’ve worked on?

In October 2022, I spent a month in Lisbon. At that time, I already had a bit of a following on Instagram, and I ended up meeting with five different people that had messaged me. Even though they were “strangers,” talking to each of them was effortless. Connecting with people that way was the most inspiring experience. Some were fellow yoga teachers or practitioners. Some were people with whom I just shared a similar outlook on life. We were all walking our own paths, but there was an overlap that you almost didn’t need words for.

When I came home from that trip I resolved to do the thing already—I would make a living out of this. I would create a life where practicing and teaching yoga and traveling and connecting with people like I just had flowed seamlessly.

The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is the creation of Sādhaka Studio—my online yoga studio. A place that would ignite more of this connection. I started completely from scratch: the name, the branding, deciding on the kinds of classes I’d offer and filming and editing them… And don’t even get me starting on figuring out how to market myself.

I didn’t know anyone personally who was doing something like this. I didn’t know where to begin, but what I did know was that this was the medium through which I was going to share my passion—share myself and my path—and find and inspire others who were walking it, too.

None of it has been seamless, but it’s all been coming together. You have to be delusional. I searched aimlessly for a long time for the box that was my “perfect fit.” Somewhere along the way I realized I had to create my own universe as I went.

Marla, 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 am an ashtanga and vinyasa yoga teacher. I’m also a content creator (@marlasyoga on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube).

I never really set out to be any of these roles. Sometimes it still sounds funny to hear me say them out loud. I was a lawyer. I was going to climb the ladder. But the more I practiced yoga, the more I felt a certain pull. The more I shared my experience on social media, the stronger that pull became.

One of my law professors told me once that the thing he admired about me most was that when I did something, I was all in. He was right. Once I decided to set aside the self doubt and stop ignoring that little voice inside my head, turning back was no longer an option.

You can find me teaching and trying my best to instill this same feeling in you on Sādhaka Studio.

Sādhaka means seeker. Aspirant. One who does the practice. It’s about approaching something with an open mind, a curiosity, and a degree of effort while also letting things be what they are.

Our community is for the seekers—for the ones who are searching; the ones who are hungry, who have something gnawing inside, even if they can’t quite place what it is.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

There is so much more to say–but to keep it simple: Be consistent. Just press post. You’re going to refine everything as you go. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. Find a place to film with good lighting. Play around with different editing styles. Utilize resources. Be authentically yourself. Everyday, learn and repeat.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There’s a Kafka quote that sums it up better than I can: “I am constantly trying to communicate something incommunicable, to explain something inexplicable, to tell about something I only feel in my bones and which can only be experienced in those bones.”

That’s what being a creative has done for me. It’s as if I don’t have a choice. Either I drive myself mad keeping it all in, or I try to get it out. And if I’m lucky, connect with and inspire a few others along the way.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.sadhaka.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/marlasyoga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marla.tortorice/
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/@marlasyoga
• Other: TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@marlasyoga