An Interview with Lauren Reek

This is a special day because the first interview is going live in my new blog series called Growing Together – a series of interviews with health and life coaches, yoga studio owners, Ayurvedic teachers, reiki healers... and every wellness entrepreneur in between. In these interviews, we will talk about how these inspiring biz owners started their business, grew their audience, got their first clients, approach marketing, find work and life balance, to name a few.

I will be interviewing both past clients of mine and other wellness entrepreneurs who are standing out in the industry. My goal with this new blog series is to empower you to take that first step in launching your business, or to move forward to that next growth step you have been scared to take. As a small business owner myself, I see how powerful it is to learn from one another, see what worked and what didn't, and support each other in the process.

I also hope that these interviews show you that we all start at the beginning, that success doesn't come overnight, and if they can do it, so can you!

Today's interview is with the lovey Lauren Reek. We worked together in 2020 to develop her brand identity and launch her website: Lauren R. Yoga. From the beginning, I was so inspired by Lauren's passion for what she does and her commitment to helping her community. She merges the world of yoga and holistic health coaching beautifully and is always present on social media with behind-the-scenes of how she walks her talk, and how you can too. She went from working in the legal field (and being miserable), to now working full-time in her business Lauren R. Yoga! You will find her interview very inspiring!

Let's dive in and Grow Together!!

BIA: Lauren, can you start by introducing yourself? Who you are, what is your business all about, and how long you have been in business:

LAUREN: Hi! I’m Lauren of Lauren R. Yoga. I am a private yoga teacher and holistic health coach. My approach has an emphasis on bringing the principles of yoga to all areas of life. I work with clients to create a metaphorical toolbox of techniques to cope and thrive through the ups and downs of life. My mission is to be a supportive guide and resource for individuals who are busy, stressed out, and are ready to make a change. I aim to make wellness of body mind and soul, personal development, and feeling good accessible, informative, and fun. I officially started in 2014 but had no idea what I was doing or even that I was running a business and was more of an independent contractor.

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BIA: I would love to hear about how your entrepreneurial journey started. How did you know you wanted to do this?

Did you have a full-time job while starting your business? Is this a full-time thing for you or do you work under other businesses as well?

LAUREN: I just graduated college and was working a full-time job in the legal field and I was absolutely miserable. My mental and physical health were the worst they had ever been, and I knew I had to make a change. I went back to an old part-time job that I enjoyed while I began building my business and made the leap once I was making the same amount that I was at the previous job. I have been full-time since 2015.

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BIA: Ah, that is so inspiring! I am sure many reading this will relate to working at a job they don't like and will be inspired by how you took charge of your career path and now you are running your own business full-time.

Let's talk about who is your ideal client/your niche? How did you figure out who they are? Has your ideal client/niche changed since you started your business?

LAUREN: My ideal client is someone who has the desire to be more, to improve themselves, and be the best version they can be for themselves and those they care for. They give a lot of energy to others in their life, whether as parents, caregivers, or as part of their job, and in our sessions they have time and space to be heard, supported, and safe without judgment. They know a lot of the changes they want to make and have tried on their own but their motivation fizzles out. They need accountability and tried and true science-backed techniques to stay committed. Clients I work with also have a history of mental health struggles, addictive behavior, and traumatic experiences. They are lacking self-confidence and boundaries, a lot are people pleasers, and procrastinating perfectionists. We work through this together so they can see how amazing they really are, learn techniques to regulate their nervous systems, release old stories that no longer serve them and replace them with new sustainable habits, and small steps that add up to success. I figured this out because it’s where I was when I first began this journey myself, and my story and experience have resonated with this group.

My ideal client has changed because I used to be willing to work with anyone to get experience in the beginning. I also took a lot of time to reflect on my own story, and journaled and took notes on the clients I enjoyed working with most and who gave great testimonials showing the impact of our work together.

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BIA: How did you get clients in the beginning? And now?

LAUREN: Working at gyms and yoga studios, word of mouth, and social media. Now referrals and social media.

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BIA: How about marketing... Do you have a super-organized marketing strategy or do you go with the flow? Can you share with us what that looks like?

What do you do from a marketing standpoint to make sure you are getting your business and services in front of your ideal clients?

LAUREN: I wish, and I am working on that haha. Thankfully I have a great retention rate and a lot of referrals to keep me busy at this time but I know it’s important to stay connected. I do this through free resources like recorded guided meditations, short yoga sequences, workbooks, and journaling exercises. I use Instagram stories to document myself practicing the techniques I use in coaching, the process of working with current clients, and behind the scenes of my life and business. I stay connected with my followers there answering questions and directing them to free and paid resources I have created. I try to send out an email once a month, and have an extended nurture sequence for when people sign up for my email list which connects them with a lot of my free resources too. Lots of conversation, connection, and following up.

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BIA: Where/who did you go to for help/knowledge when starting and growing your business? Courses, books, mentors?

LAUREN: Podcasts! I soaked up all the free info I could. Once I had some cash flow in my business I reached out to mentors I had learned about through the podcasts for their courses and coaching programs.

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BIA: I love podcasts too! I have learned many business concepts from listening to them.

What is one thing you love about being an entrepreneur and one thing that you wish you didn’t have to deal with?

LAUREN: I love so many things but I think I love the most that I get to choose who I work with. The thing I wish I didn’t have to deal with hmmm I’m really struggling with this one! Ok, I love how easy technology makes business and connecting but sometimes it can definitely be too much time on devices and I want to disconnect.

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BIA: Ah yes, I think we can all relate to that.

Can you share with us a highlight moment from your entrepreneurial journey that you are super proud of?

LAUREN: I recently declined multiple work offers because I didn’t think it was a great fit for my life at this time and that I wouldn’t be valued. I was unsure if I made the right choice in declining, and then I was offered a really great opportunity and also referred to someone who was an absolute perfect fit that valued my time and efforts and wanted to continue working together in multiple ways. I got paid about 3x what I would have been paid at the other offer, I loved it, and the clients loved it. I made the room for this to come into my life, and having the trust to hold out for these things made it happen! I was so nervous to say no, but this confirmed for me I was heading in the right direction.

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BIA: On Lauren, that is so amazing! I remember doing the same in my business recently and at first, it was scary to decline work offers. But I knew they weren't a good fit and it was the right thing for me to do.

What is something you wish someone told you before you started your business?

LAUREN: You don’t have to do it all yourself. Ask for help, even if it’s to be pointed in the right direction - it will save you so much time and frustration.

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BIA: Yep, I agree! Tell us, what do you see in the future for Lauren R. Yoga?

LAUREN: Big scary goal which I can’t believe I’m saying - write a book! Continue private work with a select few clients, small group coaching, and a nonprofit where I can bring these tools to communities that don't have access.

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BIA: Uhhh exciting!! I can't wait to see that come to life!

For all of the moms out there, what can you share about being a business owner and a young mom of two.

LAUREN: I am not naturally good at time management, organizing, or being motivated but these learned skills keep my business and home running. Investing in having experts do what I struggle with (they do it faster and better!) software for scheduling and reminders, and accounting and invoicing) has saved me so much time and stress. Having good boundaries is also SO important, I have hours that I do not answer before or after. I schedule almost everything in my life or it doesn’t happen - even coffee or a chat with friends, and set reminders for everything.

My kids stress me out at times but they remind me of the person I want to be, how important presence is, and how the time that we do have now is so special. They remind me to take care of myself so I can give from my overflow rather than be drained, and to forgive myself and be gentle with myself, and try again the next day if I mess up. They remind me that there is much more to life than work.

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BIA: Thank you for sharing that with us.

Back in 2020, we worked together to design your brand and website. In what moment of your business growth did you decide to make this investment? How has a custom brand and website helped you grow your business?

LAUREN: I was staying up late at night trying to make changes to my old website and getting so frustrated because it was taking so long, was so confusing, and was not looking how I wanted. This new website has definitely given me confidence in sharing my resources, helped me stand out as a professional, and made it easier for me to maintain consistency of looks and message. It has given a space for those who are interested to learn more about me and get a feel for what it's like working together and made it easy for them to get started.

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BIA: I am so happy you feel that way ;] Do you have any advice for a new wellness entrepreneur who is just starting their business journey?

LAUREN: Take care of yourself and set boundaries. You do not have to work 24/7 but instead, work smarter and more efficiently.

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BIA: Lauren, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to me, share your story and all of these amazing bits of inspiration and knowledge with the readers.

LAUREN: Thank you, Bia for providing such a wonderful high-quality experience through the process of creating my branding and website. You used your coaching skills to inspire me and keep me motivated throughout the process, and also showed me what a high-quality service experience is like. I use techniques that I experienced with you with my coaching clients now in providing a seamless, organized, and exciting experience.

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BIA: Is there anything we can do as a community to support you? Please share all of the places we can follow you and be a part of your journey:

LAUREN: Come follow my journey over on Instagram @LaurenRyoga, my beautiful website www.LaurenRyoga.com where you can get your free habit trackers and planners. I also have some guided meditations over on the Insight Timer app, a free meditation app.

Thank you so much Lauren! You are awesome ;]

And that brings the interview to a close. As you can see, Lauren left her legal job where she was miserable, she started following her passion for yoga and holistic wellness, she now runs her own business full-time, and she is a young mom of two adorable kids. Lauren did it by having a strong Why, by asking for help, playing to her strengths, and always dreaming big! And you can as well!!

I would love to hear your thoughts on the interview and what stood out the most to you. And if you would like to be interviewed for this series or request an interview from someone in the wellness industry that inspires you (I will try my best to get to them), let me know in the comments below or by filling out my contact form.