Owning and running a business is f*%cking hard. I said it. Small Business Saturday is coming up this weekend, and as a first-year owner of a brick and mortar business, I fully understand the importance of this celebratory day. There are a ton of sleepless nights and even more questions that rarely have a clear-cut answer. I know that it is sponsored by a big corp (American Express), but I think the message is critical in all communities across the nation, even world! Don’t get me wrong, I have always been a proponent of shopping local, but in full transparency, now that I’ve been in the deep trenches of business ownership for the past few months, I GET it.

Over the past few months, I have talked to other local business owners, and we’ve all supported each other on the really rough days that nobody ever sees and that the media never covers in those #dreams and #goals ads. It is tough. But…the dream is what keeps all of us going. I want to share a little with you about my dream for this yoga studio in Jacksonville, for my family, and for myself.

The Studio

I opened Grow Family to give a space to tired, stressed-out families who maybe feel a little guilt and a lot of love. I wanted to share with parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and children what I know to be true. That when you are able to slow down, move, breathe, and rest, our world becomes a little more manageable and we are less likely to burn out. I wanted to share fun and healthy ways to engage with your children after school and after work where laughter was critical. I wanted to create a space that is warm and invites you to make new friends who are going through the same things-too much work, too little time. Parents know it’s necessary to take care of ourselves, but we never commit to it unless we have a gentle nudge-I knew I could provide that. We also know, deep in our hearts, how important spending quality time with our children is, but we so often over-commit ourselves (and our children) to the things that seem like they matter more, like sports that lead to scholarships, etc. I wanted to open a whole new world of possibilities for families who only want the best for their kids. I knew I was in an excellent position, with my background, to communicate just how special our space and our practices are, specifically in how yoga gives real-life skills and in how it makes us smile, laugh, and feel closer (and more patient) to one another. My dream is that people will come to class when they need to reset so they can go back home feeling like themselves again and ready for their kiddos. My dream is for families to come in together smiling from ear to ear. My dream is that when your child starts panicking about tests, they recall what we practice and use it to steady themselves, feeling confident. My dream is that twenty years from now, families sit around the dinner table and remember the memories created here. Maybe they even bring their children!

My Family

Just as much as I want to share this with you, I want to share this with my own kiddos. I want them to remember how hard I worked to help families who are often forgotten, but I also want them to know that they inspire me. Every day. When I look at each of their six faces, I see light, I see their true nature-the inner kid who just wants to live with happiness and wonder. It is so hard leaving for long hours every day. I often bring them to the studio and it has brought me to tears when they’ve made friends with our members and when they take just as much pride by cleaning it up for the next class. I want to leave a legacy for them. As much as I am their mom, I am also a teacher and a helper, and I think it is important they see ALL that they can be and what good they can do in this world. They inspire me, and because they rely on me, it is important that I work hard and do everything I can to build this business up. Plus, it literally feeds them while also feeding my dreams! Days like Small Business Saturday feel validating and let me know that we are seen. It would be so much easier to go and get a “real job”. It would. It is a guaranteed paycheck and I would know exactly what to do and when to do it at most times. But then I couldn’t help people in the way that our community needs. Jacksonville would have one less peaceful and truly open space for families of all shapes, sizes, and configurations to go to learn, to laugh, to be, and to grow and that would be a tragedy. I truly believe that.

I would love to meet you and talk with you, give you a tour of our space, and sit down for tea. Join me this Saturday-no strings attached. Let’s simply be.

With gratitude,

Heather