All-Inclusive, Community Mindset

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Lauren Bentley, Owner of Half Moon Yoga, located in Medina, OH, USA.

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

I own Half Moon Yoga in Medina, Ohio. We offer yoga, trauma-informed yoga, Thai massage, reiki, astrology readings, breathwork, mindfulness coaching, and sound healing. Our clients are yoga and mindfulness students.

Tell us about yourself

I started off as a personal trainer, where my goal was to help women feel good in their bodies now, not when they reached their goal. Unfortunately, that doesn’t often fit well in a corporate gym, so I had to reel it all back in. On a path to self-discovery, I stumbled upon reiki, which led me to yoga and meditation. I started obtaining certifications as I have a thirst for knowledge. At this point, I was being woken up in the middle of the night with messages saying I needed to create my own business. I started working from my home, mostly virtual, offering coaching services, as well as teaching and offering reiki at local studios- one of them being Half Moon. In 2020 I was offered to purchase Half Moon, and I jumped right on it. My vision for Half Moon was to deepen the roots of the community. I wanted the students to be friends, and they became so much more; they are like family. HMY has become such a safe space to be fully seen for not only myself but for the students who come in every day, and that’s my motivation to keep showing up every day.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

About 6 months after owning HMY, I received news that the building I was renting was purchased and was to be demolished for the build-out of a hotel. Still recovering and building business since COVID, I didn’t know how we would survive moving to a new location with a new build-out and everything that comes with it. But my community gathered around me and supported me in such deep and loving ways that not only did we move, but we moved to a larger, incredibly beautiful space. What began as fear and grief turned into an amazing blessing.

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

Having boundaries around a healthy work/life balance. I love what I do, and what I do is also my way of life, so being able to step away from my work can be challenging.

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

Hold tight to your vision no matter what. Hold the strong belief in yourself that this is for you- no matter how hard it seems at first. You wouldn’t have this vision if it weren’t possible for you, so keep showing up for what you believe in.
Take risks. With everything going on in the world, it’s all too easy to play it safe and turn down opportunities. A question I ask myself when I get into questioning the what ifs is, “at the end of my life, which decision would I be proud of” and I pick the one I would be. The worst thing that can happen is it doesn’t work out. Something not working out just means that there’s something better for you.
Hire someone to do your books and taxes. Seriously. This can be a very stressful part of the business that takes up a lot of time and energy. Give yourself space to focus on what you love by allowing others to help you.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://hmyoga.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/halfmoonyoga/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thisishalfmoonyoga/

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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