Tell Us Your Story. What motivated you to start your business? Why are you passionate about what you do?

I believe our purpose on this planet is to help others, so I've always wanted to work in a helping role, however in my youth I went through the motions of trying to do what I thought I was "supposed to". I failed to complete my psychology degree & took a job as a bank teller. I didn't like sales but my strong work ethic & grit moved me to management. With a job title that others assured me was desirable, I was internally miserable, secretly suffering from mental health and addictions. I didn't want to live but was too afraid to die. So at the age of 27 I asked for help and was blessed to get sober. That was the first step in my wellness journey. I loved how central the idea of helping others was to my sobriety. With a new outlook upon life, I left the bank to pursue my initial desire to help others. I knew it was my life's purpose, but not what the logistics would be. To say I lived minimally for several years would be an understatement, but I continued to choose faith over fear and persistence over resignation. Each time I felt discouraged, I told myself "if in a few years, this is still unsustainable, I can go back to the bank." The idea of this motivated me to keep working towards my goals. I volunteered for multiple non-profits & landed work in social services. I was also working hard on my personal growth & health which led me to try yoga. I wasn't good at it, but it was good to me. It granted me a host of immediate and long term benefits: physically, mentally & spiritually. So I left my job to volunteer & live at a non-profit Karma Yoga centre. This (and many of my previous choices) did not make sense to my loved ones, but despite well-intentioned words of discouragement, I wasn't ready to give up on myself. And that's when it happened.The year of service led me to teacher training. On day one I knew I had finally found my pathway to helping others and having lived the life-changing benefits first hand, my passion to share them fueled me. The past 12 years teaching yoga have been wonderful, however the growing misnomer & marketing of yoga as for young, skinny, healthy, folk in tight clothing isn't right. Those are all welcome, but absolutely Unnecessary. This motivated me to create a space that focuses on Accessibility & Inclusivity & to reframe the narrative so people know yoga is for Everybody. With this intention I am privileged to teach others how to practice from a place of self-love instead of inadequacy.

Describe and demonstrate, including metrics, your community support. How do you support and uplift your community, and how do they show that support in return? Minimum 25 words, maximum 2500 characters.

We support and uplift our community by creating accessibility in all that we do and cheering them on along the way. With an attitude of inclusion members continually share how our space is their go-to for stress relief & self-care. Accessibility includes but is not limited to anything physical (injury, illness, special needs), using non discriminatory language, offering options that empower members to choose what meets their needs. We remove financial barriers subsidizing memberships & have provided upwards of $4400 in free memberships in our first year. Each of our fundraisers have sold out as our community rallies to help one another. We host at least one free/by donation event monthly. We support local nonprofits and small businesses. Some of these include: New West Farmers market, NW Family Place, Purpose Society, Royal City Musical Theatre, Downtown NW, Douglas College, Kinder books, Columbia Integrated Health, Jolene’s Natural Soap, Alpine Glow Films, Foundations Naturopathic and Great Wall Tea. The nonprofits sponsor yoga events free of charge for the community. We donate memberships, door prizes, silent auction items & support educational programs. Our community supports us through extensive referrals, allowing us to put our money back into the community instead of online marketing. Word of mouth and local print materials are our top producers of growth. We receive gifts & make our purchases from local vendors sharing their products with our members. I reduce rental rates for local artists in need like our classical Indian dancer Palak Dhiman so she has somewhere to hone her skills. Our community support has been huge from the get-go. In our first month we exceeded our sales projections by 100%. We have 52 glowing reviews on Google. All of which are 5 stars and whose words confirm that our mission is being carried out. In year one we’ve been Voted A-list's Favourite Yoga studio & were a top 3 finalist for the chamber of commerce’s Platinum awards as New West's Best New Business. We recently switched CRM so I don’t have access to our client retention metrics, however I know that at least 50% of our members have been with us since we opened and also that anyone who purchases a membership or class pass at full price always re-purchases. Our client loyalty is extremely high with the small exception of members who won't pay full price anywhere, hopping from place to place to purchase one time intro deals and groupons.

Why do you deserve to win the Business Impact award?

We are a small business making a huge impact on our community. Driven by our mission to create an inclusive, accessible community, we make traditional wellness practices relatable and fun. We are reframing the narrative presented in the media surrounding yoga, body type and ability, and proving that the only thing you need is a willingness to try. We curate photoshoots of real bodies in everyday clothing practicing all forms of yoga (not just physical movement), to dispel these misconceptions and use them in all our imaging. We remove intimidation factors to build people's confidence, watching those who thought they couldn't or who experienced discrimination in the past, light up with empowerment as they realize and learn the many ways they can. Improving Mind, Body & Spiritual health, Members report physical experiences of pain relief, improved sleep, increased energy, better balance, improved posture, increased strength & flexibility, more ease breathing, and feeling good in their bodies. And it’s all connected! Members consistently share that they always leave in a better mood than when they arrived. They express their decreased stress, worry, brain fog and improved ability to focus. They share how we are an essential part of their mental health support for ADHD, ASD, anxiety, depression, bipolar and undergoing chemotherapy. Each day we hear how grateful they are for their daily hour of peace and presence. For those who want to share spiritual practices without the requirement to label, pledge or identify themselves with a religion, our studio is a safe space for them to connect with self and higher self, whatever that means personally. Embracing spiritual values and ethics members share the amazing impact our meditation and musical meditation practice (Kirtan) brings to their daily lives and how it enhances their other spiritual practices. One Kirtan course graduate touts how it truly changed her life, moving her out of work stress and happily singing her mantras when work is challenging. She recently shared that her coworkers have inadvertently learned to sing along because they find it beautiful. We are people's safe space for self care, and as they take the time to care for themselves, they are better able to move through their daily lives with love & grace. This ripple effect is experienced in their home, work and all aspects of life elevating their mood and attitude to meet whatever challenges arise.

Tell Us About Your Culture. How are you creating a sustainable and healthy workplace where everyone feels welcome? Provide examples of leadership you show in interactions with clients, vendors, contractors, staff and others.

Our culture is one of warmth & acceptance. Accessibility means creating an environment where everyone feels safe & with that comes a deep commitment to meeting people where they are at. Our slogan is: You are Welcome Here and it’s printed across our shirts as a reminder. We have persons with disabilities both as staff and students & we don't make assumptions on how anyone would like to be supported. I demonstrate good leadership by letting my ethics guide all my business decisions. I am conscientious in my efforts and don’t get hung up when things don’t go as expected allowing myself and others grace to learn as we go. We humans aren’t perfect so when staff make mistakes I remind them gently and move on. I forgive quickly, don’t hold grudges & offer solutions if the same errors are repeated. For example several staff have shown up to teach class without their keys to the studio. They know they’ve made an error and I don’t need to add to that stress. So I remind them that these things happen and not to worry about it. Then I apologize to our members and give them two free classes. I don't exacerbate things. I focus on positives and share my gratitude. Providing positive feedback I validate others' efforts. I seek to build others up with encouragement instead of criticism. When I need to coach my team, I start with what I appreciate and what they do well before suggesting one way to improve. We keep a public Gratitude board in studio where everyone adds can contribute. It’s a simple and contagious practice with joyful results. Our practice of karma yoga is spreading with students following out lead and helping their fellows. I support team requests for any time off and give them a platform to explore their talents. Work life balance includes supporting their personal interests and granting them the time to explore them. One teacher recently completed her pilates training and so I’ve given her the opportunity to share that in the studio. Another practices sound healing so I let her use the space to facilitate sound baths. One started a cookie business so I’ve invited her to share our booth at our Friday’s on Front event to promote her new venture. While there are many things we do to support a healthy, welcoming environment, it’s as simple as choice & respect. Our easy-going environment fosters a culture of choice over expectations, embracing yourself as you are.

Why do you think you should win the Premier’s People’s Choice Award?

We should win the People's premier choice award because we are truly, for the people. While most businesses create their target market and appeal to consumer scarcity & urgency to influence purchasing, we don't. We have created a space and community with practices for everyone. No tricks or gimmicks. No empty promises. Simply options to help you feel your best. In a world that constantly pushes for more and tells you that you are not enough, Yoga at the Quay stands out by inviting you to be exactly as you are. We teach you to practice from a place of self-love rather than the need to "fix" yourself. We embrace you where ever you are on your journey. We support you and your choices of how you want to be supported. We encourage you to love yourself and are here in your corner to cheer on along your way.