From the Body to the Soul - The Yoga Way ~ Heather

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Heather Morton, owner of The Yoga Way ~ Heather, located in Toronto, ON, Canada.

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

Having owned and operated a brick & mortar Yoga school for over 15 years in downtown Toronto, I made the transition to a virtual school in 2014. Today, The Yoga Way ~ Heather offers traditional Yoga classes to students worldwide. Workshops, classes, and programs are focused on offering a transformational experience in Asana to Pranayama to Mantras and YogaNidra. I specialize in customizing the classes to the individual as I believe the practice must fit the student (not vice versa).

Since 2014, I have hosted an annual Yoga & Meditation retreat in Southern India at Shreyas Retreat (a boutique yoga resort that is a part of the Relais & Chateaux group). As a one-of-a-kind oasis, it was designed to take students into the heart and soul of Yoga. It is one of the few Yoga retreats I offer because of the authentic venue and the team I work with.

My clients/students are seeking to improve both their physical and mental well-being as well as bring spirituality into their lives. Generally, the demographics with respect to age are from 40 to 75 and often a healthy mix of both women and men.

Tell us about yourself

I first got started by default while living and working in South Korea as a teacher. While abroad, I began teaching Yoga almost on a whim, which was long before I embarked on formal Yoga training certifications and a Master of Education that focused on Yoga in education.

Yoga is my vocation in which I have made 22 trips over the last 21 years to India. I continue to study and train under Gurus and Masters and hold many certifications in Hatha-Yoga and including Pranayama.

For me, the practice informs my teachings, and the teaching informs the practice. I am highly motivated by the interaction with others and, moreover, the interpersonal relationships I have built with my students/clients over the years.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest accomplishment has been in establishing long-term relationships with my students. Some of these span over 20 years, and most over 10. It gives me an enormous amount of satisfaction to know I have imparted value into people's lives and, in many cases, been a big part of their overall transformation.

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

The number ONE thing is marketing, marketing, and more marketing.
Not being afraid to put yourself out there, take risks and meet resistance.
Others include:
~ Balancing the personal with the professional.
~ Learning to say 'no' and set priorities as well as boundaries.
~ Doing minor tasks that are time-consuming and not income-producing necessarily.
~ Having the right team or going it alone, which is often the case when you start out.

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

Build a niche. And continue to work on defining and refining it.
Focus on the student/client. It is not about them as it is about their needs and development.
Prepare to let it take over your life by seeing it less as work and more as your dharma.

This has been a wonderful opportunity to share my experience in building my school and my thoughts on being a small business owner. Thank you!

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://theyogaway.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheYogaWayHeather/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heather-morton-van-hettema-44134220/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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