Level Yoga Studio - Part 2: Teaching, Practicing & Leading (Behind the Scenes)

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Ever wondered what it takes to run a successful yoga studio? Amanda from Level Yoga Studio pulls back the curtain on her entrepreneurial journey, revealing the surprising balance of teaching, practicing, and business management that fills her days.

Despite founding and running two successful yoga locations, Amanda remains committed to teaching four classes weekly while maintaining her own practice. "When I'm teaching, I don't look at that as my yoga practice," she explains, highlighting the mindful separation between guiding others and nurturing her personal connection with yoga. This dedication to both sides of her yoga journey provides a fascinating glimpse into authentic leadership in the wellness space.

Amanda's path hasn't been without challenges. From overcoming her discomfort with being on camera (despite her broadcasting background) to the weekly stress of managing schedules across multiple locations, she candidly shares the realities behind the serene studio environment.

Perhaps most encouraging is hearing how Amanda conquers impostor syndrome through years of entrepreneurship: "Every little hurdle shows me that I can do it." Her journey from uncertainty to confident studio ownership offers inspiration for anyone questioning their own capabilities in business or life.

Ready to discover more about the varying styles of yoga offered at Level Yoga - from beginner-friendly Vinyasa to Hot Power classes? Follow their Instagram @LevelYoga to see Amanda's journey continue to unfold and perhaps find motivation for your own practice.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
All right, Welcome back to episode number two with
Amanda from the Level YogaStudio.
We're going to get into theday-to-day what the day-to-day
looks like for you, Amanda.
So what does it look likerunning a yoga studio or studios
?

Speaker 2 (00:13):
Well, I still teach yoga.
So, even though I am thefounder of the studio, I do
still currently teach.
I teach about four classes aweek and practice as well.
It's super important to, as ayoga teacher, to make sure you
maintain your yoga practices.
And then, if I'm not at thestudio, I'm usually home working

(00:34):
, creating yoga retreats orcreating reels for Instagram.

Speaker 3 (00:40):
So I've always wondered that about yoga
instructors.
I didn't realize that you wouldalso like maintain a practice
the way you said.
But is that because you're notbreathing properly when you're
teaching?
Is that the reason why you?

Speaker 2 (00:52):
maintain I don't look at when I'm teaching.
I don't look at that as my yogapractice.
I'm there, so I'm thereteaching for my students.
I'm not usually demoing on mymat.
I'm usually walking aroundkeeping an eye on everybody,
making sure everyone is safe intheir bodies, and so teaching is
not something that I look at aslike my practice.

(01:16):
But as a yoga teacher, I dofeel like it's super important
to keep up with your practice,and I know what it's done for me
in my life, so it's somethingthat I'll probably never walk
away from.
So I do make sure that I get toa class practicing with my
teachers at the studio too,which I love them all.

Speaker 1 (01:36):
So you mentioned something, too, about a retreat.
Can you tell us a little bitabout that?

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Yes, so we?
This is our third retreat atIndigo Nature Center in North
Carolina.
Supposed to be our fourth one,but last year, because of
Hurricane Helene, it gotcanceled, unfortunately.
So we are going again this year.
It is such a beautiful spot.
I feel so fortunate that Ifound it and we go for basically

(02:02):
like three days.
We are in the woods, in themountains, and we have wonderful
vegetarian food that isprepared for us.
This year we are going on awaterfall hike and it's just a
time to get away from yourday-to-day and just be together
in an intimate setting andbasically just retreating.

(02:24):
It's very grounding, a nice wayto just kind of take some time
for yourself.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
That's the best thing about living by the beach,
because in a lot of places inFlorida you can't really walk in
the grass.
I mean you can, but then you'regoing to get stung or bitten
Like fire ants find me no matterwhere I'm at.
So, like when we first moved toLake Wales, I kept going out in
the grass and getting stung andI was like I need to be in the
grass, what am I going to do?
So we just moved over here andnow we just walk through the

(02:50):
sand.
Yeah, it's a lot safer.

Speaker 1 (02:52):
So you also said that you mentioned that some of your
day to day is making reels.
I think you mentionedbeforehand, before we recorded,
you had like background inbroadcasting too, so stepping
into running a business, did youever see yourself actually
having to make videos like thatall the time?

Speaker 2 (03:09):
No, I, you know, I, when I was in college and at
Flagler college I was abroadcasting student and I never
liked being in front of thecamera.
I always liked doing theediting, the more creative side
of things.
So when I left college Ithought maybe I'll go on and do
this, and then I ended upfalling in love with my husband
and we got married and thingschanged.

(03:31):
So, it is kind of cool that I amdoing this now with Instagram.
For a while I had somebodydoing her Instagram and then she
moved away, so I just kind oftook it back over and, um, it's
fun, it's time consuming, butit's fun, so okay.

Speaker 1 (03:46):
So now, how did you record yourself getting out of
the box?

Speaker 2 (03:49):
My friend Dawn, and she's the assistant studio
director here at the studio.
Um, she was filming and um,there the girls are always
telling me Amanda, you have to,you have to show yourself, you
have to be in front of thecamera.
And I never liked, I don't know.

Speaker 1 (04:03):
I never liked to do it.

Speaker 2 (04:05):
So I said, okay, I'll do that.
And I was like I'll just putthe shirt on and you guys can
just take a picture of me in it.
And then the other, amanda,who's the studio director, she's
like no, get in the box.
And I was like oh, okay, Allright, and I mean we took like
three or four takes.
So I would say my neck did hurta little bit, but I did round.
So there is a posture that kindof reminded me of being in that

(04:28):
box either child's pose orrabbit pose and I could only get
in that box because of my yoga.

Speaker 1 (04:33):
Yeah, you're going to have to check it out.
What's your Instagram?

Speaker 2 (04:36):
Level Yoga.

Speaker 1 (04:37):
Level Yoga.
Yes, yeah, definitely check itout.
It was really cool because itcaught my eye, because you guys
were highlighting merch that youguys were selling, right, so
they were pulling out differentmerches.
Then all of a sudden she poppedout of the box.
I'm like, okay, this isprobably edited, but that's
still Nope, I was in the box.
Don't worry everybody, I'mgoing to move past this, but
it's just mind-blowing.

(04:58):
I can't believe that.
So you do a really good jobwith your Instagram, so thank
you.
Are there any funny orsurprising moments that have
happened?

Speaker 3 (05:09):
in your 10 years of business.
You know, if I had to get in abox, that would be one.
You're about to add a new oneto your memories but what do you
not like?

Speaker 1 (05:13):
run about the business.

Speaker 2 (05:14):
That's an easier question.
I don't know if it's funny, but, um, the schedule stresses me
out the most.
I get that Trying to make surethat there's something for
everybody and then having twospaces to try to manage and
figure out the schedule and thatis probably one of my biggest

(05:36):
stressors is trying to figureout the perfect schedule,
Because there is never going tobe a perfect schedule.
We try not to change it veryoften, but we do a seasonal
schedule and we do a summerschedule.
I think the schedule issomething I think about probably
on a weekly basis.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
That should be your next hire.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
Yeah, and we do the other, amanda.
I call her AP.
She is really good atscheduling, so we work well
together.
But it's, you know it,definitely it's.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
It's a lot of work, trying to make sure that you
know all the teachers are in theright spots and are there
different types of yoga.

Speaker 2 (06:12):
When it comes to yoga , yes, so we are a vinyasa based
studio and so we have vinyasaclasses.
We have different levels.
So we have like a level onewhich is beginner friendly.
We have a level two.
That's a bit more intermediate.
We have different levels.
So we have like a level onewhich is beginner friendly.
We have a level two.
That's a bit more intermediate.
We have hot power.
Hot yoga is a very popularclass as well, and then we have

(06:34):
yin yoga, which is like a deepstretch, so somebody that's
looking just to stretch there'snot really any muscle engagement
whatsoever Interesting.

Speaker 1 (06:42):
Which yoga level gets you to the point where you can
get out of the box?
I'm curious with yoga becauseI've done like workouts and
stuff like that, the gym andstuff to lose weight.

Speaker 2 (06:56):
But can you lose weight doing yoga?
Yes, the yoga practice actuallykind of changed my body.
You know, I think, what happenswhen you start practicing yoga.
You start thinking about yourlifestyle.
You start thinking about thethings you're eating, things
you're putting in your body bydrinking.
You know things like that.
So you mentally start to kindof rethink okay, is this French

(07:19):
fry going to be good for me?
Or you know, so that is a wayto kind of change our bodies.
When um, with yoga.
Then there's other styles ofyoga, like my hot power class
that I teach that you know we'rein a hot room, we're sweating,
you know that can help us loseweight.

Speaker 1 (07:37):
And you've always said, Shauna, it's like what
you're like, the big part iswhat you're eating.
That's going to make thedifference.

Speaker 3 (07:43):
It's all in balance.
I think it's all in balance?

Speaker 2 (07:46):
yes, I do love french fries.

Speaker 3 (07:48):
I do love myself some french fries.
Yeah, Some nice beach walks,that's all you have to do?

Speaker 1 (07:53):
Yes, yes, yes.
As we wrap up this episode,Amanda, what would you say has
been the biggest thing that youlearned about yourself since
starting and launching thebusiness?

Speaker 2 (08:03):
That I am capable to run a business, because it's
definitely something that I, inthe beginning, I wasn't sure I
would know how to do, and everylittle hurdle, every little
thing that I've gone throughwith this just shows me that I
can do it.

Speaker 3 (08:22):
Foster syndrome is a real thing.
And especially with businessowners right.

Speaker 1 (08:26):
All right, well, next episode, we're going to sit
down and we're going to continueour conversation with Amanda
and learn why Vero Beach.
Why Vero Beach?
Well, we knew she grew up here,so I'm sure that's a big part
of it.
She's already here, but we wantto learn more about why Vero
and what does she love about V.