We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Sommer Sobin a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Sommer, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Over the course of your career, have you seen or experienced your field completely flip-flop or change course on something?
The pandemic had all industries zig-zaggin and U-turning, and this certainly hit yoga studios across the world. As 25+ year yoga studio owners (my husband and I co-founded our studio) who focus on high level training programs, community building, weekly classes, and travel with international programs/retreats, our small business had to quickly shift as soon as the pandemic hit. Our offerings have always been about the in-person, face to face, human connection experience. Like so many yoga studios all over the world, we knew we had to shift online quickly and we didn’t want the ‘Zoom’ experience. Luckily, we had been working to build an online presence before the shutdown and had spent that time researching platforms that could support the space we wanted to create.
The tricky part of bringing that vision to life was that as small business owners, and a family with young children, it was challenging to find the bandwidth and time to manifest the project. Once the world shut down we took the first 2 weeks of quarantine to hunker down and create our online studio. Somehow we pulled it off while homeschooling two children and hardly sleeping. We dedicated ourselves to learning about the best audio/video/lighting that we could find to offer the best virtual experience possible. Since those early days our studio has continued to evolve as we’ve grown and learned more about editing, mixing audio, and all sorts of other technical things. The unexpected push that came through such a dark and scary time has been a gift in our lives and has opened up a whole new realm for us not only as business owners, but it has also allowed us to serve in a global capacity during these very stressful and tender times. We get notes from people on a daily basis letting us know how our online studio and community support them in everyday life. We’ve met new friends online and have connected with people all over the world sharing this practice together. Our platform offers paid content as well as some donation based content so we never turn anyone away from access to the practice. I’m so grateful to have a model that works not only to support our livelihood, but is also in alignment with our values and our deep wish to serve others.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?
I got into yoga unexpectedly in the late 90s after working in the entertainment industry. Landing on the mat wasn’t easy at first and yet I appreciated the blend of philosophy that was anchored in the Iyengar studio I found my way into, as well as the alignment cues given in the postures that kept me feeling safe enough to not give up on stretching my very stiff body. Ultimately I started feeling better physically, mentally, and emotionally. I came to the yoga practice feeling burnt out and in need of connecting to something I didn’t have words for at the time and I was instantly hooked. It felt like drinking from a fire hydrant!
I went to the studio as many days a week as I could and I bought B.K.S. Iyengar’s classic book on asana, ‘Light on Yoga’. I did all the practices he listed in his book for hours each day. I began to feel energized again, started to feel healthy in body and mind, and more at ease with myself and the flow of life. I read yoga texts and the classic book, Autobiography of a Yogi, and I got interested in finding other teachers who could share more with me. I had no idea that was the beginning of what my life would soon become centered around. I eventually found teachers who had the breadth of knowledge I was seeking: biomechanically aligned asana, meditation, breath work, myth, mudra, philosophy and more. I am so grateful to have studied with some of the most highly trained leaders in the world who were part of setting the stage for the expansion and acceptance of yoga in the west as we see it today. At the time of my initial foray into yoga it was still not well accepted or understood in mainstream culture. Even some years later when I began teaching in various places on the east coast it was like pushing upstream to get people interested and open to these practices. Now yoga is everywhere and I find I’ve freed up so much energy not having to tell people what it is or what the potential benefits are.
My teaching developed from years of training/apprenticing with my teachers while traveling the country and learning how to adjust and support thousands of students. I went on to serve on committees that supported a global teacher training network, certifying teachers from all over the world. My husband, Paul (who is also my business partner), and I have taught classes, trainings, and extended studies programs for more than two decades, and our students are all ages and from all walks of life. It’s rare these days to be in a community space with multi generations, mixed socioeconomic backgrounds, different faith backgrounds, diverse race backgrounds, students, professionals of all kinds, medical doctors, scientists, artists, parents, and so on. These people are my greatest teachers and diversity is not only welcome, it is celebrated! As teachers and fellow humans, we always strive to know someone’s name, ask about their life and what they are living through. It’s important to us to make the time to build human relationships because in life that truly is one of the most valuable things and deep listening is a real healing force. We also strive to hold a balance between a truly playful attitude on the mat and to point to the depth of the practice. Lightness balanced with dedicated passion is our motto.
Our online Membership Library has something for everyone and blends in universal yoga philosophy, alignment, and lighthearted play. The site offers an easy way to practice from home and feel safe with alignment, sequencing, as well as progressive instruction to help one grow. There are over 800 classes to pick from with a search function that allows ease in finding a class by time, focus, or level, or one can follow the suggested class of the day and get moving right away. We’re proud to offer instruction that supports students from beginners on up so that they can feel confident getting on the mat at home.
Every year on January 1st we launch a powerful on demand 30-Day Yoga Challenge for free. This program has created a ripple effect with yogis tuning in from all corners of the planet. There’s a beginner’s track and a mixed levels track so people can enter from the place best suited for them and toggle as they wish between the two. It means so much to us to be able to reach a big audience with no financial limitations. I think this is what I’m currently most proud of because we create all new content with each 30-Day Challenge (we film 60 new classes just for this program) and we pour our hearts into creating an incredible program that we believe in and have had such a positive response to!
Putting training and knowledge aside, what else do you think really matters in terms of succeeding in your field?
Passion for what you’re doing and your ‘why’ for sharing this passion with the world feels like the essential driving force behind any small business. Over the years things will contract and expand and there will be unexpected highs and lows, but if you are connected to the passionate ‘why’ of what you’re doing it can carry you through the rough patches. Also, I’ve learned to never rely on just one offering/product/person to carry the whole business. Keep growing in many ways and don’t be afraid for some things to land flat. And don’t be surprised when something blossoms out of nowhere.
I’d also add that it’s a lot more enjoyable to not see others as competition. We see other studio owners and teachers as an asset in many ways. There’s something for everyone and one source is never going to fit everyone’s needs. I’d rather be authentically me and have a niche vibe than to try to be a ‘McDonalds’ or franchise type vibe. I’m ok with the fact that my offerings aren’t for everyone, and I’m also grateful there are others to point them to.
Finally, I think it’s helpful to define what success is to you and for your business. Bigger isn’t always better. I’m seeking the ever shifting balance of meaningful work time which is both hidden desk work, filming, and in-person teaching with time to replenish myself, pursue other hobbies, and of course time to be there for my kid’s soccer game, or to hold them through deep emotional stages. I gauge my success on my personal life needs first and then set clear times for my work hours. When work is on I am all in, and when I’m home with my kids, it’s all them. I’ve created a schedule built around these priorities and hold to it no matter what.
Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?
Our reputation has been built through word of mouth, and our dedication to cultivating relationships and community. Most of our clientele comes to us by referral, including the new students who have joined us online. This net extends globally and reminds us how small the human network on this planet is. The people who are already with you, who know you and trust you, and come to you for your leadership and services, are your best advertising force. I always stay true to what matters most to me, and I create and teach from a place of curiosity. I allow the vulnerability of who I am to shine through my offerings and I’m always a student first. And I’m committed to seeing the best in everyone that walks through the door (including the virtual door). I think that ‘being seen’ is felt by students and deeply appreciated in a world that’s longing for true connection more than ever.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.thousandpetalsyoga.com
- Instagram: @thousandpetalsyoga
- Facebook: Thousand Petals Yoga
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC7JEYQOSnfCNpCXAT2fuIFw/videos
Image Credits
Alex Boerner and Matthew Chenet