Today we’d like to introduce you to Katie Helow.
Hi Katie, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
After ten years working as a massage therapist, I decided to enroll in a yoga teacher training program. A longtime but inconsistent student of yoga, my goal was to level up my yoga practice while gaining a new skill that I could incorporate into my massage career. My experience during the training was so impactful, however, that I found myself wanting to shift gears into sharing yoga full-time.
As a resident of Murray Hill, I knew that there was not a yoga studio in our neighborhood and that our community could benefit from one. After spotting a small available commercial space on Edgewood Avenue, the vision for Casita Yoga Studio immediately began to bloom. It was my first venture into a brick-and-mortar business and the process was not without roadblocks.
Competing prospective tenants and concerns over building codes and zoning threatened to stop my project in its tracks. But here we are, having just celebrated our three-year anniversary as a business last month!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As a sole proprietor, I wear many hats. The main challenge of this business is simply staying organized and keeping up with everything required from the back end of the operation. That’s not where my expertise lies. For me, teaching and working with people comes very naturally, as does creating a safe and welcoming space for people to gather.
Even promoting the studio through social media has been a fun and creative outlet for me made easier by the fact that I believe so strongly in what we have to offer our community.
We’ve been impressed with Casita Yoga Studio, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Casita is a cozy yoga and wellness studio serving our community from the heart of Murray Hill. Since we opened in 2018, our goal has been to embody the heart of yoga by providing people from all walks of life a safe and nurturing foundation for self-discovery, healing, and transformation. We incorporate both traditional and modern wisdom into our teaching in an effort to help each student develop a mind/body practice that will sustain them for years to come.
Our environment is never competitive or rooted in perfectionism. We believe your yoga practice is meant to meet you exactly where you are. The name Casita was chosen because we aim to make this space feel like your home away from home – a place where you feel at ease being authentically yourself, and where you are able to experience a true sense of community and belonging.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I just feel so grateful to be here and to have this business with which I completely align. I spent many years imagining what it would be like to finally find myself in such a position, and I am proud of myself for stepping out of my comfort zone to make it happen.
Pricing:
- Single Class – $18
- New Student Special – $40
- 5 Classes – $60
- 10 Classes – $110
- Yoga Membership – $79/month
Contact Info:
- Email: info@casitayogastudio.com
- Website: casitayogastudio.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/casitayoga
- Facebook: facebook.com/casitayoga
Image Credits
Sindy Gonzalez
Brenda Star Walker
December 2, 2021 at 11:05 pm
I was Katie’s first teacher when she was a teenager. Now she’s a mini-me and I couldn’t be more proud of her..
FYI, for 28 years I’ve been offering a free class in Memorial Park, first Sundays monthly at 11am. I call it Practice World Peace.
Bring a blanket to stretch
out on and maybe another to cover up with, a friend or two or ten and a grin.
Practice suitable for all bodies, well behaved dogs on leashes welcome.