Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Penpa Dolma, Co-Founder of Innovative Yogis, located in Arvada, CO, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Innovative Yogis, we provide individuals as well as groups with wellness instructions to remember their true nature and access their unique offerings and gifts in this time of collective upheaval. We understand that the solutions for an equitable and loving world will not come from a top-down process. We need those individuals who care beyond selfish agendas to be active and unleash their dreams and potential. We use the tools of yoga, meditation, somatic work, soul work, trauma, and de-colonial healing to dismantle the prisonous walls around our hearts, release stored trauma in the body, and get clarity in our minds.
Tell us about yourself
I was born in Tibet, grew up as a refugee in India, and moved to the USA in my mid-twenties. As Tibetan refugees, we have always depended on the truthful and good people of the developed and powerful nations to light our torch of truth and stand up against the authoritarian rule of China.
After immigrating to the USA, I witnessed the powerlessness with which the majority of citizens lived here, the epidemic of mental health and addictions, and the relentless assault of capitalism on people's imagination, hearts, and health on a daily basis. I felt the grief of every marginalized community in the world who depend on citizens of the developed world to be in solidarity with them in their fights against injustices.
I really took to heart what Audre Lorde wrote, " For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. They may allow us to temporarily beat him at his own game, but they will never enable us to bring about genuine change." So, of course, I'd like to share the liberatory tools of eastern philosophy and wisdom traditions that we have used for millennia to uproot ignorance, which is the root cause of oppression and duality.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
That we do our business on a gift economy model, and we have been doing it since 2014, and we are still here transforming lives.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Consistent marketing has been the least comfortable aspect of being a business owner for me. In today's time, when the reach is global, marketing is a really important skill I am learning to cultivate.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Don't overthink the obstacles you will face. If you overthink, you will likely discourage yourself from even starting it.
- There are so many free resources on how to start and grow your business. Study and take small and big actions towards your business. Ask for help when you need it.
- If you want a lasting business, make sure that your business is something that vitalizes you and doesn't deplete.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
My last thought is a request to all business owners to consider the realities of the time we are living in. A business model that is rooted in the exploitation of earth's resources and the oppression of marginalized populations is an outdated model. Our businesses have the responsibility not only to ourselves but also to the whole!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://innovativeyogis.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/innovativeyogis/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogaofinconvenienttruths/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/InnovativeYogis
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/penpadolma/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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