For Lynn Roberts, the passion she has for yoga was instrumental in her decision to start her business. “I was already in love with yoga and convinced about its health benefits,” says Lynn. “Even when I was training, I knew that if I tried this out, it would be a hit.”

Lynn is the Director of Operations and founder of what has become Innergy Corporate Yoga. What started out in 2004 as a mobile yoga studio has now become a corporate, on-site yoga and pilates class provider, bringing these classes to the workplace.

Flourishing
Although Lynn has no formal business background, Innergy Corporate Yoga is flourishing, and has expanded from an initial staff of three or four people to over 20 on-contract instructors.

A large part of this success could be attributed to Lynn’s business model and how it has opened up yoga to a clientele that perhaps had not been exposed to it before.

“When we get feedback from clients on how yoga has changed them for the better, it’s great,” notes Lynn. “We’re helping to make a difference in people’s lives - a lot of our clients have never tried yoga.”

As much as Innergy Corporate Yoga’s approach has been successful in introducing new clients to the benefits of yoga, obviously not having a permanent yoga studio can create a challenge in terms of finding or keeping space at various workplaces.

Creative and flexible
Like many business owners, using a creative and flexible approach to finding space has been crucial, including using corporate boardrooms.

One of the best parts of being an entrepreneur for Lynn is the creative control to grow her business - Innergy Corporate Yoga expects to begin franchising within the year - and, it gives Lynn the freedom to balance her life.

“Operating this business gives me the freedom to do my work wherever and whenever I want,” says Lynn. “I don’t think I could ever go back to a nine-to-five job.”

For more information, visit www.innergycorporateyoga.com

This small business profile first appeared in Small Business Profile 2011: A profile of small business in British Columbia. Aussi disponible en français.

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