Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with the folks at True Naked Yoga, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
In our opinion, we're the world's most beautifully filmed library of instructional Naked Yoga videos! Our online streaming platform offers a variety of Naked Yoga, Meditation, Pilates, and HIIT classes to our subscribers of all skill levels. Our customers are yogis from 82 countries around the globe who enjoy doing naked yoga from the privacy of their own homes and who enjoy all the amazing benefits the practice provides.
Tell us about yourself
Our Co-founders, Tom Severini and Gabriel Bienczycki, are longtime friends and work colleagues who met through their careers in film and video production, as well as a mutual connection to the East Coast contemporary dance world. Gabe started out as a dancer and moved into photography and film from there, and Tom's wife was a ballerina, so the two have a shared passion for visual storytelling and movement.
As yoga practitioners themselves, and since yoga and dance share many of the same dynamic physical qualities, they had the idea to use their knowledge of both filmmaking and yoga to create True Naked Yoga. The company's mission is to provide greater access worldwide to the amazing benefits of Naked Yoga while also working to normalize and desexualize the very natural and human state of nudity. By doing so, they hope to spread greater body positivity and self-love around the world.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Since launching its subscription service during the lockdown of 2020, True Naked Yoga has doubled its membership base each year and has added lots of new and exciting categories, such as Meditation, Yogalates, Yoga Sculpt, HIIT, Ashtanga, and so much more. And while they launched their business with the female side of their business, they have also recently introduced male teachers. True Naked Yoga is constantly receiving excellent customer feedback, and their memberships continue to grow. They are excited to continue offering more inclusive programs such as Chair Yoga, which was added to the site after requests from elderly and disabled members.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Marketing nude content is extremely difficult as it's banned from most traditional channels. Their social media platforms have been removed more than once, even though their images were censored and in no way graphic or sexual. Unfortunately, there isn't much room for nonsexual nudity on the internet, but they have still managed to grow rapidly through word of mouth, Twitter, and generous promotion from their teachers, many of whom have large followings online.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
All the inspirational quotes about not giving up after failure are true! Tom and Gabriel have had several previous business ventures, but they didn't let those failures stop them from trying again.
- Remember that failure is not the end.
- Learn from your mistakes.
- And if you can, find an excellent business partner who will support you through the ups and downs.
Through everything, Gabe and Tom's friendship has helped them to be excellent business partners and has absolutely contributed to the success of the company.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
We offer 50% off your first month and tons of free resources. Check out our blog for tons of great information on Naked Yoga, and we'd love to hear your thoughts!
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.truenakedyoga.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/true.naked.yoga/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/True_Naked_Yoga
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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