We recently connected with Susan Hu and have shared our conversation below.

Susan, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How’s you first get into your field – what was your first job in this field?

I went into my first yoga teacher training wanting to deepen my personal practice, without any intention to become a yoga teacher. At the time, I worked as a full time marketing manager in the tech startup space in NYC. But little did I know how much yoga would have literally changed my life. Shortly after my graduation, I was invited to teach at the studios where I finished my training at. I started with the community classes and taught as a sub teacher, and very soon had my own regular classes on the schedule. I was also invited to mentor the next yoga teacher training and joined the team to manage the yoga studio on a part-time base. I balanced out teaching yoga and working in tech for another few years, even got promoted at the new tech firm to be a Marketing Director. Meanwhile, I continued to teach yoga and assisted 20-30+ yoga teacher trainings, until in 2021, I was asked to launch my own teacher training. I transitioned into working part-time as a marketer and eventually renounced that part of my profession completely and become a full time yoga teacher. I am so grateful how life plays out and I get to live what I love and share it every single day these days!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

MY name is Susan an I am an  E-RYT® 500, YACEP®, and founder of Bhakti Center Yoga, an RYS® 500 based in NYC. Born and raised in Shanghai, I have been always been searching for the deeper meaning and purpose of life beyond the body and the mind. Having danced ballet from the age of four, modeled since age 12, I’ve always loved to express myself through the movement of the physical body. At age 20, I won the title of Miss Shanghai and worked in the public spotlight for two years. With two master’s degrees in Media and Journalism and over a decade of professional experience as a director of marketing and communications in NYC, I listened to her inner calling to share the teaching of yoga and devotes my life a yoga and meditation teacher. I believe when you take the time to care for yourself with genuine self-love and live an aligned life, you have the power to heal yourself and the world around you.

I am inspired to serve, to tell stories and to make the teaching of self-care and sustainable living available to everyone. I created #everyonesyoga as a platform to share yoga with anyone, regardless of age, shape, gender, nationality, social status, or any other label that society puts on us.

I have collaborated with organizations including Animal Connection, Earth Matter NY, Community Yoga (Shanghai), In Defense of Animals, Compassion Arts, Project by Project, among others to make the teaching of yoga accessible. I have a led yoga and meditation class at 22nd Solstice in Times Square, demoed yoga at the United Nations and hosted the UN 6th International Day of Yoga Celebration. I have led and assisted over 30 yoga and meditation teacher trainings. I have also been initiated into the Brahma Madhava Gaudiya Sampradaya as a disciple of HH Radhanath Swami with my initiated name as Brinda Kumari Devi Dasi.

With over 2,000 training hours, my teaching style is very nourishing, grounding and uplifting with a focus on breathing and the relationship with Self. I offer different styles of yoga classes, workshops, and trainings both one on one and in group settings. My style includes Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, Yoga Nidra, Prana Nidra, Pranayama, Prana Vidya Healing, Chakra Meditation and other yoga and meditation techniques. I also leads local and international retreats and offers Ayurveda self-care treatment and consultation. These days, you can find me serving and teaching as a senior lead teacher and Yoga Board member at the Bhakti Center. I also teach weekly classes at Alo Yoga, Sui Yoga, and etc.

You can learn more about me and my offerings at everyonesyoga.net or on IG @susanhu33.

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

In 2019, I was navigating a full-time marketing manager job, a part-time yoga studio manager role and teaching multiple classes every week. I was laid off three months after joining this company as a marketing manager, which at the time I thought was the dream job – free snacks, wellness in the office, good benefits and a six figure salary. My ego was definitely hurt, thinking I wasn’t good enough, why was this happening to me. But now looking back, I realized that was the perfect redirection of my career. Soon after leaving that job, I found the freedom to expand my offering as a yoga teacher and really focus on building my own brand. I later returned to work part-time as a Marketing Director while staying with my path. But it was really from that experience of losing what I thought was all I wanted, I freed myself to break out of the idea I could only live if I was working full-time for someone else and getting a nice paycheck. I found so much joy in doing what I do everyday since. And I’m grateful for that redirection.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

There are so many incredible yoga and meditation teachers in the world. I’m so fortunate to have found my own voice and place to offer wellness through this teaching that changed my life so much. I think my 20 years of education, previous experience as a public figure and marketing skills definitely helped me to see myself and position myself in a market that’s quite competitive. But more so, my training of yoga, devotion in the practice and my well-rounded offering makes me unique in a fast-paced world. I’m so grateful for my teachers for the wisdom they have passed on to me, so I get to share yoga and meditation in a holistic, authentic way. And I’m grateful for all the students I’ve crossed paths with for their inspiration!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.everyonesyoga.net/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/susanhu33/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susanshanshanhu/

Image Credits

Image 1,2,8 by Luc Jean-Baptiste @ljbnyc1
Image 3,4,5,6,7 by Tommy @newyorkloveny