Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Alaina Rodriguez, Founder of My Happy Yoga Place, located in Charlotte Hall, MD, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
My business is an online health and wellness company that focuses on empowering individuals to transform their lives through the holistic practice of yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. We strive to create a safe and nurturing environment where individuals can heal from trauma, release negative patterns, and shift their thought processes toward growth and positive change. By integrating these ancient techniques with modern understanding and support, we aim to support individuals on their journey toward greater well-being, peace, and purpose.
Tell us about yourself
I’m a certified yoga teacher and a divorced single mom of three. I began my wellness journey about fifteen years ago. I grew up in an unstable household and experienced childhood trauma. Through my teenage years and young adulthood, I struggled in school, had relationships with toxic people, and worked jobs that made me miserable.
During this time, I always felt like I didn’t have control over my life. I felt like I was a good person and didn’t understand why all these bad things were happening to me. I began exploring yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. Through my practices, I began to realize that my insecurities, low self-esteem, and not addressing or working on healing from my childhood trauma were attracting negative experiences in my life. I began to make myself a priority. I no longer would accept people or things in my life that didn’t serve me. I looked closely at my own behaviors and habits and learned how to change the negative ones into positive and productive ones. This caused a positive shift in my life.
By focusing on healing myself and finding inner peace, I was being a better mother, partner, friend, and all-around happier person. I felt a deep calling to help others by sharing my knowledge and experience. I want to help people heal and become happier and healthier. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to share my story and experience with you and to be able to empower you to live your best life and find your true peace and happiness!!!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Creating this wellness company to serve individuals to help them heal from trauma, release negative patterns, and shift their thought processes towards growth and positive change. Since I grew up with family trauma, my biggest accomplishment is to resonate with others by providing them with a platform to help them have a voice to be heard and heal, so they can grow and develop to be empowered, strong, and beautiful.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
This is my first time starting a business, so there are many things that I still need to learn. One of the biggest challenges that I have faced is trying to create a balance between building my business and managing my family and other responsibilities. Since this is all new to me, I have become a student of everything that will help me to become a successful business owner. Some of the challenges that I am trying to manage is to balance the risk versus reward with regard to hiring the proper resources for certain aspects of my business, such as online marketing, brand positioning, operations, and other necessary business functions. But I understand that building my business is the vehicle for me to access my true passion, which is helping my clients thrive to achieve their greatest life and potential.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Be patient! You need to focus and dedicate quality time to your business, and it takes time to build. Intellectually I understand and know this. However, this is an attribute that I’m still working on.
- You’re going to make mistakes. Learn from them! When I first started, I tried building my own website. It took me a very long time to design and write all of the content. I was so proud of my work, and before I clicked the button to go live, I never saved the work that I did the entire time. So I lost all of that time and work that I invested! I had to redo the entire thing. Well, let’s just say that I did a lot of meditation to ground my feelings. 😊.
- Building a business is a lot of work. Hire a business coach or consultant to help you. It’s good to have a resource or someone to talk to that has gone through the process of starting and running a business. It will save you a great deal of frustration and time.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://myhappyyogaplace.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100089123570183
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/my_happy_yoga_place/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/my-happy-yoga-place/
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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