Between the Mat & the Hustle

By Silvia Gervais for Yoga Medicine®.

What I’m Learning as a 20-Something Yoga Studio Owner Just Trying to Balance It All

Well, I did a thing.

Two months ago, I opened a yoga studio; a dream I’ve carried with me since I first started teaching in my early twenties.

I’ve lived the hustle of being a new yoga teacher. Offering free and subsidized classes to friends and family. Teaching over 15 group classes a week at community gyms and franchise studios across the city for modest (who am I kidding–not so great) pay. Progressively building a name for myself with private clients in wellness clinics and boutique spaces. Continually taking more continuing education trainings to deepen my craft. Running around the city to meet people where they were. I knew what it meant to work hard in this industry.

And through all of it, the dream stayed alive: to one day open my own space. A place where I could welcome my clients instead of chasing across town. A space aligned with my values, which have always been heart-centered and education based. A studio that could support not just my growth, but that of other yoga teachers too.

What finally pushed me to just do the thing was grief. My mom—my biggest supporter, the one who always nudged me to open my own studio—passed away suddenly at the end of 2023. That grief of losing her triggered a sort of growing pain that also inspired me to “just do it” since life is short and I should continue to live fearlessly and bravely (parts of me my mother said she always admired). I felt out of balance more than ever. It made everything feel more urgent and more real; that “life-is-short” clarity. The kind that makes you do the big, scary thing. That made me realize; I had the experience, the insight, the gut feeling. I always had an entrepreneurial spirit, which probably helped me with the hustle so far. So why not now? Life is too short to wait for the “perfect time” that might never come. If something’s sitting on your heart, you go for it. You move. You trust yourself. That’s what my mother always believed I would do–so I did.

In mid 2024, with all the experience, intuition, and industry insight I had accumulated, I grinded down to what I needed to do. In my late 20s, living and breathing yoga, and ready to grow beyond teacher trainings and multiple studio classes. I thought having my own studio would give me more creative freedom and balance, and maybe (just maybe) be easier than everything I was doing already.

Spoiler alert–it’s not easier. But, it is real. And, I’m learning as I go.

So… You Wanna Open a Yoga Studio?

So came the business plan. Where the hustle got louder. I thought I knew what I needed to know about the “business of yoga”. I’d been in the industry long enough—teaching full-time, running privates, building a community. I knew how to work in yoga.

But actually owning a studio? Yeah… that humbled me real quick.

The finances? Intimidating. The market research? Endless. The legal stuff? Overwhelming. The city-specific logistics, zoning, operations, permits? I was Googling things I didn’t even know existed. I thought I was finding the ticket to creating more balance in my life, and this felt everything but that. I kept thinking “What did I get myself into?!”

But, I held onto the dream. I kept telling myself “Don’t quit—lock in”. Tapas. You want this. You’re doing this.

And while all of that was unfolding, I was still out here teaching full-time, running around the city, trying to grieve my mom, trying to have a social life, trying to not burn out completely. Still going on dates, doing my girly self-care, hitting the farmers market with my friends, dancing, crying, laughing, learning. Still showing up as a yoga student (shout out to YM, 500hr fam), still squeezing in even five minutes of breath on my mat when that’s all I had in me.

There was so much work to get done now, however. I couldn’t stop panicking and crying and being hard on myself, holding so much doubt. The kind that creeps in at 11PM when the to-do list feels monumental and your bank account is judging you. The ruminations were loud and intrusive:

• “What if this was a mistake?”
• “Maybe they were right. Maybe you actually can’t make a living doing this.”
• “Maybe I should’ve just married millionaire and called it a day.”

Should I just hand over my keys to the commercial landlord and call it quits?

Somewhere underneath all the spiraling was that tapas— this hunger—that reminded me this matters. To me. To my future. To better enrich my community. To bring yoga to a world out of balance into something more balanced.

This isn’t just a business. This is legacy work.

So, that’s when I changed my “Can I do this?”. I felt inspired by these challenges now. I kept thinking “How bad do I want it?” and “How loud am I willing to let the hustle get?”. Turns out… pretty loud.

The biggest challenge hasn’t been playing dress-up wearing all the hats—though trust, I’m wearing all of them; studio owner, manager, HR, maintenance, receptionist, content creator, social media marketer, accountant (oh, and yoga teacher). The real challenge? Time management. Balance. The one thing I was paradoxically chasing for from the get-go.

It’s true when people say “No one loves your business more than you.” And wow, I’m feeling that. Whatever time I thought something would take? Double it. Then add a few bonus hours for chaos and spice.

How do I squeeze in my continuing education hours when I’m already maxed out just trying to finalize next month’s class schedule? Deep cleaning the studio chews time into my date nights (really, it’s not you, it’s me). Cue another night of instant noodles because I’m too tired to cook after a 12-hour day of teaching, class planning, bookkeeping, and trying to figure out the booking software that still low-key confuses me.

Also–how are we going through mat cleaner so fast when it’s the slow season?!

Every day, something frustrates me, disappoints me, or makes me feel dumb, and I hate that feeling. But part of staying balanced, for the sake of my own mental health, is learning to be okay with not being perfect. And for someone like me, with a strong personality and high expectations, that lesson feels monumental and humbling to the ego.

I want this business, but I also want to live my best life at this age and stage in my life.

Now I’m ready to test my (newfound) resilience, my (growing) leadership skills, my (humbling-to-the-soul) humility, and to figure out how to balance it all. Honestly, these challenges have felt more “yoga” than my actual time on the mat. I’ve had to make sacrifices in my lifestyle to build this life and to set the tone for the next stage and make this little-big yoga dream happen.

I know yogis get stereotyped as dreamy, flakey, and woo-woo. But some of us do exist in the sweet spot, where we’re pragmatic and intuitive, where our manifestations turn into solid, material plans that make sense. That have structure. That are real. This realization, that svadhyaya–is what helps me ground and furthermore balance that tapas from growing too hot to handle. Even when this is hard, even when this is frustrating, even when I don’t know everything–it still excites me.

I have to remember: I love the challenge. Whether it’s a funky new inversion, remembering to practice ahimsa in rush hour traffic, or trying to make sense of shoulder anatomy (which still baffles me, let’s be real). Opening a business–let alone a yoga studio—is just another challenge that feeds my love for yoga.

Learning to Dance with the Hustle On & Off the Mat

At the time I’m writing this, I’m only two months into opening the studio. And my goodness—the chaos has been real. But so has the love–it cannot be matched. The love I feel from the community, within myself, and memory of my mom, reminds me, daily, why I’m doing this.

Yes, it’s summer–a notoriously slow season in this industry (also notoriously humbling when you’re staring at a near-empty class after pouring your heart into sequencing class plans). But, I’m learning to navigate that. Fall’s already rolling around the corner, and with that comes a whole new set of challenges. Am I ready? I mean… I have to be. If I didn’t love this, I wouldn’t still be here.

Even in this chaos, there’s value. The students who do show up? They leave glowing. The instructors on my team? I’m starting to love them like family. Local businesses in the neighborhood who want to collaborate and support each other? Starting to make me feel like this studio isn’t just mine, but a sacred living, breathing part of the community.

The work itself? The more I teach in my new space, both group and private, the more grounded, creative, and intentional I feel in what I’m offering. I know I’m still learning, but I also know I’m growing.

Yes, the hustle of business ownership is stretching me. Yes, being a 20-something single woman trying to do all this in a big city is overwhelming. But somehow, that’s also what’s inspiring me to live yoga more fully — off the mat, in real time, through all the imperfections. Maybe that’s the sthira sukham that’s quietly holding me up.

Being a new yoga studio owner drives me crazy sometimes, sure. But at the end of the day? It’s immensely rewarding. I feel proud. I am excited and inspired for the morning. Maybe this is the version of balance I’m learning to be okay with — not some perfect split between work and life, but a rhythm that feels like mine.

And maybe a year from now, when I re-read this article, I’ll have more wisdom on what that balance actually means—a dance that feels more like vinyasa and less like a Warrior III on shaky ground and no sleep.

This Is the Balance I’m Building, Heart, Hustle, & All

As long as I stay true to my heart-centered approach, keep my curiosity alive in this industry, and make space for my own self-care, I can’t be too hard on myself for not being the “perfect,” “smartest,” or “most successful” yoga studio owner right now. The bills are getting paid, my friends still love me, and my mind and body feel healthy enough to keep moving—on and off the mat. Maybe that’s the balance I need to dance with despite the challenges I know are still ahead.

Ultimately, in this moment where my days start full of inspiration, swirl into chaos, test my hunger, humble my ego, and end with gratitude, I can honestly say, I’m happier than ever.

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About the Author

Silvia Gervais is an experienced yoga teacher and the founder of The Jungle Wellness Studio, Edmonton’s first speakeasy-inspired boutique yoga studio. With nearly a decade of teaching under her belt and currently immersed in her 500HR Yoga Medicine® training, she brings intention, curiosity, and just the right amount of magic to everything she offers. Known for her creative, purposeful, and therapeutic sequencing that keeps classes engaging and meaningful, Silvia finds most joy working with entertainers, athletes, and everyday folks alike, taking a grounded, heartfelt approach to the mat. She’s on a mission to continue growing, keep learning, and pursue creative ways to inspire change in her community—one yoga class (and one wild idea) at a time.