Community Highlights: Meet Dana Yarn of Lifemoves Studio

Today we’d like to introduce you to Dana Yarn.

Hi Dana, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Like most entrepreneurs I had a vision- I wanted to create a safe and fun place for people to work out and strive to be their best self. I knew that our community would benefit from a small business, fitness boutique specifically focusing on Pilates, Yoga, barre and strength training modalities of fitness. 12+ years ago when we opened Pilates was not very popular yet in the area, we cornered the market for a short time and that helped us grow a loyal client base of people who fell in love with our workouts. A lot of other fitness studios only offered one type of workout whether it was a barre studio, dance classes, yoga studio or a bootcamp workout, offering no variety of workouts. I knew people would enjoy the idea of our studio being a “one stop shop,” offering a variety of options. My personal philosophy is that we need to focus on all aspects of fitness including strength, flexibility, endurance, and the mind body connection of Yoga and Pilates. I believe in being a hybrid athlete, mixing it all into your fitness program will not only prevent injury it will deliver results and keep you from getting bored or burned out from doing the same type of workout every day. Our clients have the luxury of being able to do a variety of classes including, TRX, strength training, restorative yoga, playful aerial session, Pilates reformer, foam rolling, circuit training, barre, cycling, rowing, and more. In the past 12 years we have expanded into a larger space, offering over 50 classes per week with a team of 12 + instructors, 3 massage therapists, acupuncturist, and a licensed dietitian.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
There have been several challenges along the way including surviving the Covid19 pandemic. Our wonderful community of clients were the ONLY reason I was able to get through the pandemic. Almost 100% of our members moved to virtual options and kept their auto payments active as we navigated the lockdown. We offered online classes and tried to keep our community connected that way. Aside from the pandemic I have gained wisdom over time through real life experiences in regard to negotiating lease renewals, building maintenance issues, property managers and of course managing our team of instructors. These relationships are essential in business but as a new entrepreneur you can get take advantage of if you do not do your research when it comes to the administrative side of the business. I suggest getting a mentor or reaching out to likeminded business owners for ideas and assistance. I truly love waking up and going to the studio to help people reach their health and fitness goals ethically. I have always kept the client relationship as my priority rather than focusing on sales and money. It was not always like this, but I found if I stuck to my vision and operated the business with integrity the financial security would follow.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
We offer a holistic approach to wellness offering Pilates, Yoga, Barre, TRX, aerial, Circuit training, strength training, foam rolling, red cord and more. You can push yourself to your limits and restore/recover your body all at the same place. We also offering nutrition coaching, acupuncture, and massage therapy. We have comprehensively certified instructors, this used to be common practice of Pilates/Yoga studios but as these modalities of fitness are getting more popular quick weekend certifications are “certifying” instructors and they are not as prepared to teach safely and recognize imbalances and improper form like a instructor who spent 600+ hours studying anatomy, performing practical test outs and observation hours of master instructors. Our team takes pride in continuing education, staying up to date on the latest research, we are passionate about becoming masters of our craft. Clients who are consistent and committed will achieve results, they will have a variety of workout offerings, and they will be surrounded by a supportive community.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I see myself continuing on with our current business model and we will be expanding our nutrition coaching offerings as we have become a provider this past year with most insurance companies. You cannot outwork a poor nutrition program. I have found that so many people have an unhealthy relationship with food and that could be standing in the way of their results. Nutrition does not have to be rigid dieting it can be learning how to cook healthier and choosing tasteful options that align with your goals. The health industry makes nutrition seem so complicated, but it really is not. My goal is to bring people back to a healthy relationship with food and their body image.

Pricing:

• 3 intro to Pilates classes for $63
• 3 intro privates for $156
• Unlimited Everything classes $219/month

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.lifemovesstudio.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lifemoves_lady
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lifemovesstudio

Image Credits
Crystal Barbee Photography