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

Teresa, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

I fell in love with the practice of Yoga as I was approaching my middle age, after the very first class I attended. At that time, I was working as a professional in the highly stressful auto industry and was suffering from a myriad of physical, emotional and mental issues. Slow, mindful Yoga was recommended to me by my physical therapist that was treating my shoulder after a horrendous accident at work that took over six months to rehab. Through that healing process, I became fascinated with the mind-body connection and yoga was that outlet I was seeking. At the same time, I began making my own organic BodyCare products with my sister and my friends. I was diagnosed and recovered from skin cancer in my early 30s, surgery left 18 stitches in my face and forever altered my appearance. In this quest to find a more holistic, mindful way of healing, I also learned very quickly that it was EXPENSIVE! All the products that I was recommended, all of the treatments I was recommended were far out of my budget. It was then that I set out on my mission to create a world of quality Organic BodyCare and Yoga that were affordable and accessible for ALL.

In 2015, I enrolled in the Lexington Healing Arts Yoga Teacher Training program under Amanda McMaine, a true angel who I dedicate my practice and business to every day. Amanda was always impressed with my drive to create this unique culture in the expensive world of Organics and Yoga. She encouraged me to follow my passion and leave my self-doubt behind. Throughout the 200hour Yoga Teacher Training Program, I continued to create my business plan and formulate my BodyCare line. It was a long six months but I was willing to put in my all to make this happen. I eventually left my corporate job, cashed in my saved 401K and SoulRebeLex Wellness was born.

The day after I graduated from LHAA with my 200hour teaching certificate, in 2016, I signed the lease to my first commercial studio. I had two paying yoga students and a few dedicated customers buying my BodyCare line. For the next six years, I have marketed myself endless to every day people. I continued to educate myself through Yoga, obtaining my 300hour teaching certificate in 2018 from the Essence Of Yoga Center, once again under my beloved teacher, Amanda McMaine in her newly opened school in Richmond, KY. Throughout the next several years, I began to work wherever I could. Teaching Yoga for Kentucky State University, Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, The Hope Center, The Kentucky Yoga Festival and PLAYTHINK, as well as my own studio and private classes. I set my BodyCare booth up at countless festivals, conferences and events and educated and sold my BodyCare line to whomever was interested and would listen. I worked and worked and worked on keeping my business afloat and then COVID happened.

I struggled through the multiple shutdowns of COVID yet my students and clients continued to support my mission of AFFORDABLE holistic care for everyday people. I quickly moved my studio online through the Zoom platform and drove around Lexington and the surrounding counties delivering BodyCare products on front porches. I was fortunate to keep my business open with support of my dear clients as well as working a part-time job to make the ends meet. It was an interesting time which provided the space and time to get creative with my business and try new things. I went into overdrive trying to save my business and was able to move out of my existing studio (it was small and in a strip mall) and into a really cool house with room for a massage therapist, gardens to grow my own herbs and host small events such as Goddess Mandalas, Foot Detoxing, Reiki, Sound Healing etc. I am proud to say I was able to keep my prices for my Organic Products and Yoga the same for the past 6 years. This has only been possible with the support I have received from my clients, students and donations to the studio. I am forever grateful to my tribe for the trust they placed in my to keep my mission going, regardless of how hard it has been.

I reenrolled back into school in fall of 2021 for a second lap of the 300hour program (post-COVID), under the encouragement and guide of Amanda once again. Little did I know at that time that Amanda would pass away summer of 2022, a shock to all of us in her yoga community. She was truly a beauty and a light and made Yoga accessible for ALL of us that attended her classes, regardless of age, occupation, body type, injuries, trauma or socioeconomic status. She provided and taught us instructors to hold space for EveryBody in a judgement free zone where we were safe to explore who we truly were. I was fortunate to study under such a wonderful example of a teacher and I know she is proud of me and the business I have built over the last several years. I will continue to teach in her honor until I take my last breath.

I love to teach everyday, regular people such as myself how to take care of themselves from the Spine out and the Skin in. It truly is a holistic approach to healing and being able to fill the “affordable” market, at times however hard. I am willing to put in my all to continue to make this happen. I love what I do everyday and the people I get to spend my time with. This business has truly been a gift to me and my own mental health. It motivates me to practice and live my Yoga everyday, with mindfulness and intent to give something back to the world using my passion and my creativity.

Teresa, 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?

SoulRebeLex is a different approach to healing, as I lead my business with passion, excitement and creativity that only I can provide. I hire instructors that share the passion of community. Truly, Yoga is about community and the communal wisdom of the practice. I want to get to know my students and I want my students to know me and each other. I have been told multiple times that the space that I have created feels safe to practice in, from the first timer to the experienced. I carry a line of BodyCare products that covers all types of skin issues, however I LOVE to customize products to my clients particular needs. Working one on one with those who are curious and willing to try different creations, I spend some days in my kitchen solving problems on a personalized level. I attend 90% of the Yoga classes being taught in my studio (by other instructors), leading by example as a Yoga Instructor, it is more important to continue to learn about myself as well. For every class I teach, I take. I spend my days flipping back and forth from student to instructor, maintaining a balance in my life that works for me.

Not only to I believe fully in my other Yoga instructors, SoulRebeLex offers other holistic approaches to healing through massage, Reiki, Sound Healing, Photography, etc. The healers that work in my space with me are amazing at what they do and the services they provide. I am not willing to compromise my business by placing it into the hands of a manager, assistant or the like. I attend 100% of my events to make sure that the space for our clients is safe as they participate in healing events.

SoulRebeLex was designed to flip the exclusivity and accessibility of Yoga and Holistic Care on its head, a space where everyBody feels comfortable and there is a friendly face to greet newcomers at that door and is willing to put their minds at ease. It is a lot of work and makes for long days but I will not comprised my business for the sake of ease. Adding in the Virtual Yoga Studio has also been amazing, students from all over the world can Zoom right into our classes and be part of our community, even if they live thousands of miles away. We have continued with the Virtual Studio Post-Covid and will continue to offer that as part of our practice.

We also won the “Best of Lexington, Lexington Herald Leader Yoga/Pilates Studio”, Gold Winner for 2022

Any advice for growing your clientele? What’s been most effective for you?

I have always believed that authenticity is the key to building a clientele. I know I am not for everyone, I have students and clients that are in one time and never come back. I do not question myself and the space I have created. Staying true to myself and living authentically, doesn’t necessarily pay the bills each month. It is a slow, organically built process. I like to meet people face to face, so they can look in my eyes and hear my story from my heart. Building my business from scratch, myself, was a dream I have had since I was young. I use social media as a way to keep those informed in upcoming events but have never used a promotor, a social media team or anything of the sort. All my promotions and posts are straight from my own heart. I am my own marketing machine as I am the one that knows the message I want to convey. I love to meet people out and about and connect, drop my business card and trust if they are meant to be part of my community, they will find their way in, whether it is through Yoga, BodyCare, Massage, Reiki, Sound Healing, Tarot, etc. Holistic healing is not a one size fits all and offering complimentary services (and other amazing healers!) to each other is a well rounded way to increase clientele. We all work together, promoting each others services to our clients based on need. I also love to host events with other amazing small businesses so we may support each other and share clients when/if needed.

Most recently in 2022, we were awarded the Lexington Herald Leader Yoga/Pilates Studio of the Year for Lexington, KY. This is an honor I am very proud to share with my instructors, healers, students, clients, friends and family. For THEIR dedication to SoulRebeLex and to the amazing staff along side me, made it happen.

Can you share a story from your journey that illustrates your resilience?

Starting and continuing a business is hard, if it was easy, everyone would do it. I am constantly looking to educate myself further whether it be with Yoga, Oils, SkinCare, or other healing modalities. I have continued to change my business each year to accommodate the public, especially post-Covid. Resiliency to me is taking a need from a client and trying my best to educate myself and then them on how to best approach the healing process. I do not have a business partner, the decisions of my business rest on my head and shoulders only. Some things work, some things don’t. I am willing to try just about anything (so long as it is safe for the client) and I am willing to recognize when something (or someone) is not working to fit my business model and what I want represented for the SoulRebeLex brand. I do not follow the other studios and what they are offering. I march to the beat of my own drum. If it works for me, I will offer it in my studio to my clients. If it doesn’t work for me, I very rarely offer it. Over seven years, I have had to make decisions for my business that may not be agreeable with others, or may not make profit. SoulRebeLex has always been about People over Profit and someday I believe truly that this will pay off. Living authentically is key to this, knowing who I am and what I want for my business and not compromising simply because it might just make me extra money. It is for sure not easy, but I will not compromise against my own heart.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://soulrebellex.wix.com/bodycare and https://soulrebellex.wix.com/yoga
• Instagram: SoulRebeLex_Tapas
• Facebook: SoulRebeLex Wellness, SoulRebeLex BodyCare and Studio, SoulRebeLex Wellness & Studio, SoulRebeLex Virtual Studio
• Yelp: SoulRebeLex
• Other: MINDBODY is the app we use for Yoga Packages & Class Bookings