Reflecting on my Journey: Celebrating 5 Years in Business

This month I'm celebrating my five year business birthday! My second son was only 2 weeks old when I decided to change careers. I knew I didn't want the travel commitments and stress of the corporate world anymore and with two kids, something had to change. 

I had planned to launch my business in May 2020 in person, but at our last yoga training in March 2020, it became clear I might hit a few obstacles. COVID restrictions completely changed my plans but I decided to take the risk anyway and launch two classes online in May 2020, a pregnancy and a women's class, whilst returning from maternity leave on significantly reduced hours as a project manager. I'd spent 11 years in science and knew that it was coming to the end, but it didn't feel like the right time to take the risk to move to self employed completely, so I decided to do it in tandem (eek).

My first week teaching online was all friends and family (2 in my pregnancy class and 11 in my womens) and I still remember my first "stranger" client the following week (Lynsey A, who still comes to my classes and makes me smile at parkruns ❤️) - I literally jumped for joy when I got the booking! Gradually my classes grew and more new faces appeared. I taught online one night (and all the admin associated with launching/marketing a business), juggled childcare and returned to work after maternity leave. Baby brain to the max. I managed it for 6 weeks and then moved to completely self employed. It was scary but doing it gradually took the pressure off. I got so much out of our pre class chats each week - and there were some tears but lots of laughter.  I am so grateful to everyone that came to my online classes, and some of you still come every week but I get to see you in person now 😊. I continued online long after restrictions lifted because we had such a lovely community, where online just worked so well for family life. In the end I moved to on demand yoga, to help ease the chaos of clearing a room of toys to teach in, but I will remember it fondly.

In August 2020, I taught my first class in a venue to a full class 🥳 with temperature checks and 2 metre mat spacing, but I was so delighted to be there. I think teaching online first made it much less nerve wracking and I quickly got into the swing of things. It took a while to break the imposter syndrome as I walked to the front of class, and it sometimes still gets me, "are these people sure they're in the right place, I think they must be mistaken", but that voice is smaller now and I have genuine friends in my classes that always make me laugh and smile and I remember that we're all human. One of the reasons I started was to create non-intimidating (and beautiful fairy-lit) yoga classes - and if that means I fall over sometimes in tree pose, then so be it.

It's been a week of reflection and time to pause to really appreciate how difficult those first couple of years were, through restrictions, the back and forth, checking the news to see if I'm allowed to teach in person or sing nursery rhymes - and as an eternal optimist, I probably down played it as well.

One of the biggest hurdles was Feb 2021 when YogaBellies franchise ended and I had 2 weeks of stress to find a booking system, make a website and new email amongst a lot of other essential admin! In the Spring, I relaunched YogaBellies Edinburgh as Humming Tree Yoga. It was without doubt the best thing for me and gave me all the freedom I wanted, but it was super stressful at the time. When I did a proper launch of in person classes, what a response. My classes filled and went straight to waiting lists. Reflecting on all of this has allowed me to appreciate where I am now, and it's a lovely place to be. ❤️

I ran my first day yoga retreat at Edinburgh Zoo in 2022 and I've run them two or three times a year ever since then. It is a joy to bring a full day of yoga and relaxation to people as it makes such a difference when you can switch off that bit longer. I'm excited to be launching some day retreats for 2026 at the Carberry Tower soon!

Throughout my training and through the launch and growth of my business, I've had two close new friends by my side. Dani from Yogabellies Worcestershire and Sarah from Moontree Yoga & Wellbeing (Suffolk/Essex). These girls were on the end of a voice note every day, whenever I needed them and when they needed me even although we lived so far away. I never felt alone running a business.  We helped each other rebrand when the Yogabellies franchise ended in 2021, sharing out tasks to work more efficiently and always joked that we wish we lived closer so we could run events together. "What a team we'd be!" we used to joke! In 2023, Dani, Sarah and I ran our first retreat in Oxford as three separate businesses, all coming together to deliver a memorable retreat centered around women and community, a big part of all of our individual businesses. In 2024 we ran our first weekend retreat in the Peak District as our new business, The R&R Club Ltd, and our first date sold out in 12 hours! The R&R Club is something we're very proud of. We aim to provide fun, nurturing, supportive spaces for women, and create unforgettable retreats. I'm so excited for what the years ahead hold for us and all of the places that we hope to visit - 2026 launching soon! ❤ Thank you girls for always being there for me ❤

The R&R Club - Picture by Susan from Bonnie Pictures Photography https://www.bonniepictures.com/

In the last year or so, I have collaborated with a few incredible local businesses (Including Susie from Bonnie Pictures Photography, Sara from Pulse First Aid and Louise Burchell Yoga & Wellbeing). I have really felt part of a community in Corstorphine. It is an absolute pleasure to work with complementary industries and I've been overwhelmed with the generosity and willingness to help and give advice.  These are women supporting women - they are cheerleaders, advice givers and wonderful human beings. It's a real pleasure to know them and call them my friends. I'm excited for what might be next!

I find teaching such a mindful activity, it's a time to switch off devices and focus on what we can feel in our bodies. I really enjoy picking readings and relaxations to read to you each week, apologies for the pre/postnatal tear jerkers😉.

Teaching brings me so much joy -

❤ I love hearing about how the class made you feel and reading your reviews. It reminds me of my purpose and why I started my business. 🧘‍♀

❤ I love a good giggle whilst teaching.

❤ I love when I have ladies move from pregnancy to postnatal and I get to meet the wee babies and seeing mums reunited from a previous class together.

❤ I love hearing about second pregnancies, fertility successes, or mums that have finally managed to escape the house for an evening class just for themselves.

On Saturday, the 24th of May, I'm running a five year business birthday bash, and I would love if you could join me! There will be yoga, raffle prizes, refreshments and cake all included. Sign up via my booking page 😊 I really hope that you can make it!

Thank you so much for coming to my classes, liking or sharing a post, sending a supportive message, leaving a review, or writing a card (I keep them all). It is an absolute pleasure to teach you. I'm so excited for what the future has to hold, and I hope that you will stay tuned to find out.