Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Adrian Cox, Founder of BreathYoga, located in Kobe, Japan.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

My business is 'BreathYoga' an online and in-person school of breathwork and yoga. The method brings an experience of breath and energy freedom. I share practices and knowledge about the body, breathing, and mindset to help you to heal, strengthen and energize, and awaken into your own potential. I work with people from all around the world, and in person, my students are mostly from Japan- they might be people who notice something wrong in their breath or energy levels or health, or they might already be seekers who are exploring healing or self-development

Tell us about yourself

I teach what I practice, which comes from a daily practice of yoga, breath practices, and meditation for the last 25 years. When I got into yoga, I became so fascinated by it that I quit my career in computing and never looked back. I left New York, and after some immersion experiences in meditation and yoga in India, I established a yoga school in Bangkok, Thailand, which was one of the first and most established, well-regarded places in the region to train in yoga for 18 years. I love what I do and particularly find inspiration in the mysterious and transformative power of the breath. I made a one-minute video about who I am which you can see here:

About Adrian Cox - Founder of BreathYoga and Yoga Elements Studio

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

During the 18 years I ran Yoga Elements; I built it to develop an esteemed reputation for quality. It was described as "Easily Bangkok's best studio" by Travel and Leisure (25 Top Yoga Studios Around the World) and as "Bangkok's most inspiring place to study yoga" by Bangkok Post (reader choice awards). We enriched the lives of thousands of people, and I got to teach workshops and training all around the world.

What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?

At least in what I do, to be successful in a small to medium-sized wellness business, you should be congruent with what you are selling while also being strategic and organized. It is not sufficient to be simply passionate or intuitive, and this is often the downfall of many businesses of this type because that person will lack the ability to organize and communicate in a strategic way. Similarly, if one is purely money minded and lacks depth, this will come through and have limited results- unless you can make up for it with a massive budget and hire professionals at every step.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Take some training in communication and training skills- NLP can be great for this if you find a good teacher and a program that has depth. I fall back on my training in this constantly, from the way I plan trainings and write ads or website content. Learning how to communicate simply and powerfully, both in written form and with people, is the secret sauce that can differentiate you from others.
  2. Pay attention to the aesthetics of your business. Either hire it out with a competent designer or learn it yourself, at least to the level which you can guide someone to execute on your behalf. Do not neglect this side, as branding and communication are extremely important and will make the difference in why someone subconsciously picks you over another.
  3. Nowadays, it can seem like every niche is already exploited, particularly if you live in a rich economy. But there is always room for quality. I believe that your own depth in the thing you want to sell and the presence and attention you give to the peripheral details is critical to standing out and succeeding. GOOD LUCK!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.breathyoga.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreathYoga108
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/breathyoga108/

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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