Today we’d like to introduce you to Laila Howard.
Laila, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
Growing up, I was a very shy and timid child. It wasn’t until I was put in ballet that I truly found my voice. From age seven until nearly three years ago, I spoke volumes through movement. As a child, I trained six days a week. I attended college for dance and six years I danced professionally. The movement was my voice and my healing. When I was 15, my dad died suddenly of a massive heart attack taking my entire family by surprise. As any child would, I matured rather quickly and lost myself in an emotionally abusive eight-year relationship. The dance was my healing. My decision to transition from ballet to yoga was simple. I needed to heal. Ballet can be cruel to both the body and the mind. I knew the next step to my healing and growth was to commit to a movement modality that was more compassionate. I left the ballet company and haven’t looked back.
It was in the space of yoga that I was forced to confront the deep-seated wounds from my childhood. By peeling back the layers of hurt and facing them head-on, I found myself. I fell in love with yoga. The movement was accepted in a way that I had never experienced. It was honest and compassionate to my body and my mind. And I’ve made it my mission to share that with others. Fade To yoga is the LLC I started toward the end of 2019 to expand my reach as a yoga teacher. I know first hand how transformative yoga can be. And I want to offer that experience to the world.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was a bit of a struggle. My initial transition in careers was terrifying. And starting fresh in a new field was humbling to say the least. Until COVID-19 forced me to slow down, I was teaching 19+ yoga classes a week. To put that into perspective, that was a 40-hr work week in 100-degree studios. From years of dance, my physical body was fine at the end of the night—it was my mental and emotional bodies that were drained. Until I built up my endurance at the end of each week, I was an emotional wreck. In time, I learned how to conserve my energy and safeguard my emotions.
When you’re truly passionate about something, the so-called “struggles” pale in comparison to your greater purpose or vision. That passion was my fuel to keep working. But to be transparent launching Fade To Yoga wasn’t selfless. I was also seeking compensation that matched the service that I was offering. And teaching solely for a yoga company was barely enough to subside.
Please tell us about the company.
Fade To yoga brings yoga to you. Some so many people need yoga, but due to countless reasons cannot make it into a yoga studio to practice. My company travels to people’s homes, offices, businesses and event centers to bring yoga where it’s needed. We also offer live and pre-recorded classes online, like virtual private and semi-private sessions.
To be transparent, I am the brand. The yoga community knows me as an instructor, and they support and recommend me to others. I’m proud of how adaptable Fade To Yoga has been. The pandemic forced us to take our services online and we’re thriving as a result. Our passion and commitment to quality set us apart from other businesses in my industry. Our mission radiates through each and every one of our classes.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
I would’ve started building my own brand sooner. I don’t at all regret working for a large yoga company, because it taught me invaluable skills of customer service, quality, and business. It also allowed me to grow and hone skills in a supportive feedback-centered environment. But I spent too long growing someone else’s vision, and not enough time honoring mine. I’m also a very new company. I’m still learning and still making mistakes. I’m sure countless lessons lie before me, and I’m here for them!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.fadetoyoga.com
- Phone: 6786123116
- Email: laila@fadetoyoga.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/fade_to_yoga
- Other: Instagram.com/how_laila_does_it
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