We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Villalba | Business owner & Yoga Instructor Erika Fernandez | Business owner & Yoga Instructor and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Laura Villalba | Business owner & Yoga Instructor, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
After noticing how people were affected by the lack of human connection during the pandemic, our main focus was to re-build the community by providing a safe space for people to gather and create connections through yoga and fitness.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a Hot Yoga and fitness studio located in Cooper City Florida. We have two main yoga styles, Bikram and Vinyasa, we also offer HIIT (high intensity interval training) and Hot Pilates. We also offer non-heated specialized workshops on the weekends, mainly restorative based. We consider ourselves a close intimate community where students develop close relationships with others and we provide one on one access to the teachers. Our classes are not scripted, but personalized, in which the teacher can really express their own style as well as accommodate all levels.
We realized that a lot people have develop allergies or are sensitive to fragrances and chemicals, so we are also a toxic-free studio, which means we use all non-toxic plant based cleaning products. We also support small business in our community and help them share their passion or products to our students.
We were lucky enough to acquire an already stablished business in which we connected with the previous owner and her involvement in the transition made it smoother for both us and the students. We have learned that there is always going to be challenges no matter what, but it is worth it to put the energy and follow your passion.
We want the world to know that our studio is led based on yoga philosophy and principles and we are simply here to offer and hold space for the community.
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.
I would take them to a massage at Fit For Action Chiropractic, then get some cupping and facial at CalmaCare, then break for lunch at Vegan Terra, do some yoga and aromatherapy at Casa D Hot Yoga and a dip in the ocean to cool down.
Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Erika and Laura met during Teacher Training in 2013, led by Joy Michelle and learned the true meaning of yoga. She encouraged us to share our knowledge and passion which eventually gave us the courage to start this journey. We also owe a lot to our teachers, their uniqueness and different styles of teaching are inspiring and is what allows us to continue to grow our community. We are grateful for their support and encouragement.
Website: casadhotyoga.com
Instagram: casadhotyoga
Facebook: facebook.com/casadhotyoga
Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/casa-d-hot-yoga-cooper-city?osq=casa+d+hot+yoga
Other: Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/casa-d-hot-yoga-34013039221