Why I Sold My Business Baby
A few months ago, I sold the Harmony Health Yoga studio. Even now, writing those words feels a little surreal.
For nearly eleven years, Harmony Health wasn't just a business. It was a dream, a community, a practice space, a second home, and in many ways another member of my family. I've jokingly referred to Harmony Health as my third child, or business baby, for years. And like any parent, letting go wasn't easy. So why did I do it?
In 2007, I completed my first 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training — a journey that changed everything. Somewhere during that training I had an ‘Ah-Ha’ moment; it became perfectly clear that this was what I was meant to do. I knew I was meant to teach. Not because I wanted a new career. Not because I thought it would be easy. But because something deep inside me recognized this path as my own.
I began teaching shortly after graduating. Most of my early gigs were in gyms around San Diego, and I looked for every opportunity to learn more. Yoga led to wellness, wellness led to fitness, and so on. I earned a degree, certifications, thousands of hours of study, a whole lot of growth, and tons of experience. The more I learned, the more I wanted to share.
My first teaching jobs weren't in yoga studios; they were in gyms. That taught me a lot about how to be a good teacher for all types of people — an invaluable skill I'm so glad I developed early. The students I met didn't necessarily consider themselves yogis. They weren't arriving with matching outfits or years of practice. Many were intimidated. Many felt inflexible. Many believed yoga wasn't for people like them. My mission became to help them discover otherwise.
Those early experiences taught me that yoga belongs to everyone: the moms who came because the Y offered drop-in childcare; the elderly who came for community and to be seen; the weight lifters and athletes humbled by how challenging it could be; the busy people with busy minds who found it hard to be still; and especially the folks who'd lost touch with themselves — their heart and their inner voice. Everyone.
That lesson would eventually become the foundation of Harmony Health; The Misfit Yoga Studio.
By 2015, I knew exactly what kind of studio I wanted to create. A place where everyone felt welcome and welcomed. Where people didn't have to look a certain way, move a certain way, or subscribe to a particular style — and above all felt encouraged to bring their authentic self, their questions, and their hesitations. I affectionately called it the “misfit yoga studio,” and I meant that as the highest compliment.
I wanted people of every age, size, ability, experience level, and background to walk through our doors and know they'd found their place. Over the years, that's exactly what happened. People found healing. Friendships. Confidence. Community. And somewhere along the way, I found exactly what I'd hoped to create.
When I opened the studio, it fit the season of my life. My husband was frequently deployed; my children were becoming more independent. Owning a studio gave me flexibility to do fulfilling work while navigating changing family dynamics. For many years, Harmony Health was exactly where I was meant to be.
One of the greatest lessons yoga has taught me is that everything changes. The practice changes. The seasons change. We change. And as we change, our dreams do too. As I listened carefully to my inner voice, I realized a dream that had been patiently waiting for me all these years was asking for my attention again.
The dream to see the world. To experience different cultures, hear people's stories, share meals with strangers who become friends, and learn from perspectives different from my own. To keep growing through travel, adventure, connection, and exploration.
Selling the studio isn't walking away
Many people have asked whether selling Harmony Health means I'm leaving yoga. Definitely not. Truthfully, it's bringing me closer to why I began teaching in the first place: the connection, the transformation, the humanness of yoga is what I love. The studio was simply one way to deliver that mission. Now I'm creating new ways — through coaching, working with clients in all settings, and sharing retreats.
What's next
In upcoming posts, I'd like to re-introduce myself. I'll be sharing more of the journey:
How I became a yoga teacher, and the lessons I've learned
How Harmony Health came to be so much more than a misfit yoga studio ;)
The path to becoming a business owner and teacher trainer
The way all the tools fit together in a wellness professional's toolbox
How wellness travel became one of my greatest passions
And why our most transformative experiences often happen when we step outside our comfort zones and into the world
In these ten years of studio ownership I learned a lot, I grew, and I helped others do the same. Harmony Health will always hold a special place in my heart. It was a beautiful chapter — but it wasn't the final chapter.
And I can't wait to share what comes next.
