We recently connected with Vernatha Montoute and have shared our conversation below.

Vernatha, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Are you happier as a business owner? Do you sometimes think about what it would be like to just have a regular job?

I am absolutely happier as a business owner because I am doing something that I love and I’m completely passionate about. I truly love helping people change their lives for the better. I’ve had regular jobs that have left me feeling completely unsatisfied and unfulfilled. And yes, I’ve had moments when I questioned if I did the right thing by opening my wellness studio. I’ve been in business for about 5 years but this is my first actual location. I wasn’t quite prepared for all that came with running a business so it became a challenge when I realized that I needed more resources if I am to have a successful business.

The money wasn’t flowing as I expected due to lack of clientele, and when it did, it was just enough to pay my rent and bills. I found myself back on Indeed looking for another form of income to help me keep my space afloat because I was scared I would lose everything I’d worked so hard for. Turns out there was nothing on Indeed that made me want to go back to a 9-5. I’m honestly still working towards truly seeing the fruits of my labor, as hard as I do work. But I’ve come to conclusion that the ebbs and flows of the business is part of what makes the journey so special.

So though there are many hard days and the thought has crossed my mind to go back to a 9-5, I won’t because I know I won’t be as satisfied doing my own thing.

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

My name is Vernatha Montoute and I am the owner and operator of Peace of Royalty Yoga & Wellness Studio. Being from the island of St. Lucia, I was fortunate enough to experience what some may call “natural/holistic living”. My father made it his duty to go to the market weekly to ensure my brothers and I ate fruits and vegetables daily so from a young age I recognized the importance of taking care of one’s self. As I got older I eventually became vegan and found myself curious about other healthy practices and this was when I discovered yoga. I was fresh out of the Army and was determined to find another means of staying healthy and maintaining my weight. I didn’t know then just how amazing this practice was.

After practicing for a number of years in my personal life, my supervisor at my then job as a Case Manager, tasked me with facilitating wellness groups to our clients. These were people suffering from homelessness, severe mental illness, as well as substance abuse issues. I was happy to be able to teach them some more positive approaches of how to better manage their stress and form healthier habits for their lives. It wasn’t until my clients who had suffered for years with PTSD approached me to say that she had a good night’s rest after not being able to do so for years, thanks to my guided meditation class. I knew then that more persons needed this healing and began my journey to become certified.

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

To be honest I feel like my resiliency is being tested right now. Only 1 month into the new year and I’ve already hired and had to let go of 2 yoga instructors. One of which simply wasn’t in alignment of our mission and the other being a young student who could not yet balance work and school. I’m currently feeling like I need to take a step back from hiring anyone else at this time but truthfully I can’t teach my classes everyday. It’s simply too much on my body at times.

In addition to that I am currently having a hard time with my neighbors who are consistently complaining about the noise level in my space. I am very mindful of playing music with the space and often times I do in an effort to drown out their noises. I rarely complain to them about it however as soon as I have an event, they are always quick to let me know that I am causing a disturbance.

The interesting thing is the music is not loud at all but due to the poor insulation of the building itself, everything is amplified to the point where I can hear my neighbor hop and skip in her condo upstairs. That becomes a nuisance when I am trying to teach a restorative yoga class but still I learned to work with it. However, my neighbors won’t allow me the same patience as I work with the landlord to install better sound-proofing.

Nonetheless, despite all the challenges I’m being faced with this last few weeks I am staying encouraged as I know the work I am doing is important and needed.

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

Bing myself and being honest in my work has been the best strategy for growing my clientele. People feel my passion for what I do and they experience the peace of mind they’re looking for after service from my business. That in itself speaks for itself when a person loves what you do and how you make them feel. I also love giving my clients incentives. Members of my website earn points that reward the discounts not only on services, but on my products as well. People love to save money, and I’m people so I get it. Therefore I always try to make sure I am offering something nice to my clients to make sure they know their business is appreciated.

Furthermore, networking is another vital piece in getting yourself and your business out there. Many people may not know this but I am in fact a very shy person however, I’ve had to step out of my comfort zone so that people know and understand who I am and what I do. Attending networking and vending events allow me to connect face to face with people and share my passions with them. I believe when people feel your energy it helps them feel more comfortable in trusting your gifts, knowledge and skills therefore making them more likely to support your business, especially when it’s one that can help them along their own journeys.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.peaceofroyalty.com
• Instagram: @peaceofroaylty
• Facebook: @peaceofroyalty
• Linkedin: Vernatha Montoute

Image Credits
Belcher Digital