Meet Tamara Fayad | Owner & Lead Instructor SFL Yoga & Wellness

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tamara Fayad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tamara, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I first entered the workforce after college, I quickly learned that the typical corporate environment wasn’t the right fit for me. While many people thrive in that setting, I found myself being pulled to a different path—I knew there had to be another way. I wanted to find a way to make a living while also feeling deeply fulfilled and having the time to pursue the life I envisioned for myself. So, I took the leap, quit my job and became a certified yoga instructor. It took years of struggle, working multiple “gigs” and many thoughts of doubt. I kept pushing because I knew deep down inside I could do this, I could make that dream of mine come true. 10 years later, my business is thriving, and I’m so grateful for the resilience that kept me going and the incredible support system that helped me along the way.

What should our readers know about your business?
SFL Yoga & Wellness is a luxury on-site fitness and wellness service company. We offer different types of fitness and wellness services such as yoga, sound, pilates, and HIIT. We offer personal one-on-one classes, private group and bachelorette fitness, as well as corporate workshops and events. We love to customize each of our sessions to fit the needs of our diverse clientele. All of our instructors as well equipped in multiple styles and can create a session that fits perfectly with the individual or group. We have recently expanded outside of South Florida to serve Key West and Savannah, GA under our sister company Flō&Fit.

In 2014 I started out as a certified yoga instructor, teaching in studios and gyms. Since I had a background in digital marketing I knew this would be a key aspect of me going from yoga instructor to business owner. Through the years I gradually grew from teaching public group classes, to teaching one-on-one privates, expanding my knowledge in fitness, to teaching private groups. As my business started to grow and I began having more classes than I could handle on my own, so I started to expand my team. As my team and presence grew, I began to expand outside of South Florida and I’m excited to see where we go from here. With an amazing team on my side there are endless possibilities.

Was it easy? Definitely not. When I first started out, I was happy to make $25-30 per session, I taught upwards of 18 classes a week and drove all around town. Since I decided to take a leap of faith a quit my day job, I also had to find side gigs to help pay the bills. But, I kept persevering because I believed I could figure it out. However, having my background in digital marketing, an amazing support team, and a husband who also had a digital marketing background, did make things easier on me though for sure.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I were to give a week long itinerary to a friend I would start with some of my favorite food spots. For breakfast I love Archibald’s Bakery right on Fort Lauderdale Beach, as well as Rendez-Vous in Oakland park (must try the Eggs Forestier). For lunch I’d recommend Myapapaya for some fresh food or Kelly’s Landing if you’re looking for some New England style seafood. For dinner, if you want to be out on the town check out Planta Queen for delicious vegan fare on Las Olas or Miso in Flagler Village for Japanese tapas. I usually like to keep it casual and will eat at a local food truck or brewery, some great ones are Pizzeria Magaddino inside of Gulfstream Brewery, Side Walk Diner at the Sidewalk Bottleshop, or El Guanaco in Oakland Park for authentic Salvadorian dishes.

Now for drinks, I love a good cocktail and my favorite spots are Twice Removed (which has great food too), or No Man’s Land. Invasive Species is an awesome brewery that now has cocktails which are just as good.

The beach is always an amazing place to hang out, I also love our local events like Indie Craft Bazaar, Flamingo Flee, or the Art Walk.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’d like to dedicate my shoutout to my husband Brandon. He has encouraged and believed in me from the start, especially in those moments of doubt, he saw my vision before I could seeing it clearly. He’s also one of the marketing minds behind my business and site.

Website: https://www.tamarafayad.yoga

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tamarafayad.yoga