Authentic Yoga Life: A Real Practice for a Real You
Get to know this Main Street Hub customer in Denton, TX!
Our customer Authentic Yoga Life is a bright, welcoming yoga studio located in the heart of Denton, Texas. It’s purpose? “To empower and inspire students to become their authentic selves through power yoga and personal growth programs.” Owned and operated by founder Valerie Warren, the studio has been helping the people of Denton find peace, strength, and personal improvement since 2012.
After spending 26 years as a flight attendant, traveling, and practicing yoga all over the country, Valerie was ready to make a change. She’d seen how intimidating some yoga studios and practices could be for newcomers, and she made it her mission to create a safe place for yogis of all levels to confidently and comfortably better themselves through yoga practice.
We had a chance to talk to Valerie about how Authentic Yoga Life came to Denton, what she’s looking forward to in 2017, and how her partnership with Main Street Hub will help her meet her goals this year:
If you want to see what Main Street Hub can do for your business, sign up for a free social media assessment.
What makes Authentic Yoga Life a good fit for Denton?
“Denton really needed a yoga studio — the community was excited to get have a studio like mine in the area. The town is all about local business, which is really great for my business and for the community. People choose to shop small and promote local business.
“My studio is kind of quirky, I would say. I had the name and the colors picked out before I ever even knew where the studio would be. We decided to paint the walls green and incorporate lots of purple. It’s perfect for the area. In another town, maybe it wouldn’t work — but here, it’s great! It’s kind of weird how it all came together in the perfect spot.”
Who is your typical customer or student?
“The practice that I teach is truly for any and every body. Denton is so unique in that people are really genuine here. So, the people who come to my studio are really working toward an authentic way of life — and that’s exactly why I created my business. I wanted to hold myself and others accountable to being in the process and being present and real.
“The community at the studio is amazing. It’s really nice to hear the people at my studio welcoming each other and showing each other around. Everyone’s really kind and real. No one is left out. They’re the perfect fit.”
What are your biggest goals for 2017?
“My biggest intention for this year is to build my membership. I feel like it’s just a matter of getting the word out more, and making sure that my current students have a great experience and want to make this a daily practice. I want to help people transition from not even knowing why they should practice yoga everyday to really being an active daily member.”
“I’m also really excited to continue my yoga-to-life coaching. That was the passion that I founded my entire studio on — it’s why I decided to do what I do. I investigate how to bring the things that come up on the mat into daily life. I love working with people to help them identify the things that are going on in their world and coach them on how to use their yoga practice to deal with that. That’s definitely what’s on the forefront for me right now.”
What made you decide to partner with Main Street Hub?
“I knew that I needed social media, because that is a whole business in and of itself. I can’t keep up, nor am I interested in having to keep up with that.”
“I did wonder at first, “How is somebody else going to put something out there on behalf of my business if they’re not here and they’re not in my industry?” I have to say, so far so good! The posts that Main Street Hub has created have been well-received, and they’ve gotten a lot of visibility.
“Also, I really connected with Claire [Weber, Account Manager]. I felt like she really got it and connected with my vision. She was tapped into what the yoga community is looking for online and on social media. I felt like that was a really promising relationship, and I feel confident that she will make sure we’re putting things out there that are genuine for our studio.”
How do you want your students to feel when they’re in your studio and when they see your online content?
“Authentic Yoga Life is a welcoming community. It feels relaxed, and there are always people talking to each other. It’s a very friendly place.
Do you feel as though Main Street Hub’s content has stayed true to that brand so far?
“Yes, absolutely. The content has been informative and entertaining. There have been some clever plays on words that the yoga community gets a kick out of. I feel like it’s been exactly the kind of content that would be appealing to my community.
“What I really appreciate about Main Street Hub is that I can always shoot Claire a message with any kind of feedback I might have — and boom, it’s taken care of. Everything has been done in a really timely manner, and that’s something that’s really important to me. If I’m on top of the information I want to get out there, I am confident that it will be done quickly and done well.”
“As a business owner, it can be hard to stay present and clear-minded at times, so having this hassle taken off my hands has been really great.”
Meet some other local heroes! Check out our spotlights on Vinny’s Pizzeria, Big Top Candy Shop, and Rō Fitness.
Join the team that serves as the voice of more local businesses than any other company! Apply here.
