Hidden Gems: Meet Kim Struglinski of Heart of Wisdom Yoga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kim Struglinski.

Hi Kim, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I started teaching group fitness classes in 2017 as an outlet from my job in higher education, and in 2019 I decided to leave my job to transition to teaching full time. I taught for six different studios at locations in Nashville, Brentwood, and Franklin, and I always had this mental checklist of things I wanted to do when I had my own studio. And yes, it was always when not if!

Heart of Wisdom Yoga initially started as a combination of my two loves: horseback riding and yoga. I was a horseback rider growing up and recognized how much yoga would have helped me physically and mentally in competitions, so I set out to bring yoga to equestrians. But every equestrian I met asked the same question: “Where’s your studio?” That led me to search for a physical home for Heart of Wisdom Yoga, and I opened the first HOW Yoga studio in downtown Franklin on January 1, 2020. Opening the studio also served as a pivot to teaching yoga for everybody in an approachable, welcoming environment. As we all know, 2020 was a tumultuous year, and we quickly pivoted to virtual classes during the pandemic, then reopened over the summer for both in-person and virtual classes. Near the end of 2020, I decided not to commit to another year in our Franklin location and took HOW Yoga back to virtual classes. I found our current home in Houston Station in the spring and everything fell into place pretty quickly.

The downtime and slower schedule forced upon me by the pandemic helped me get really clear on what I want HOW Yoga to be and provide. We are a community of teachers and students building physical and mental strength and flexibility through the practice of yoga. HOW Yoga has evolved three times now, and my teaching has evolved in countless ways since I started, and I know we will keep evolving and growing together.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has definitely not been a smooth road but looking back, I still wouldn’t choose another path. I have no business background (I studied Chemistry in college and also have a Master’s in Higher Education and previously worked in Higher Education), so I pretty much figured everything out from scratch. Over the last 18 months, I’ve worn every hat there is to wear as a business owner: social media manager, bookkeeper, video editor, marketing director, chief bathroom cleaner, web content writer, hiring manager, supervisor, schedule creator, and more. Oh and yes, I teach yoga too. Trust me – I do some of these jobs much better than others!

The pandemic was obviously a huge challenge too. I taught my first virtual class within 24 hours of closing the studio for what I thought would be a two to three weeks hiatus and spent many hours strategizing on how to keep the studio open virtually plus studying how to reopen safely when the time allowed. It’s hard enough starting a business from scratch, but the pandemic added in another layer of complexity. The biggest challenge has been balancing what is best for the studio finances with what helps keep our community healthy and our teachers fulfilled. I have come to realize that people are always my priority, and I err on the side of making the decision that is best for our teachers and clients rather than solely thinking about the bottom line. That can make for some tough decisions and long days, but it is important to me to care for those who share their practice with us.

As you know, we’re big fans of Heart of Wisdom Yoga. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Heart of Wisdom Yoga is a yoga studio located in the Wedgewood-Houston neighborhood in Nashville. We offer unheated yoga classes that will help you build physical and mental strength and flexibility. Each of our teachers brings their own style and knowledge to their classes. We offer a variety of classes including Vinyasa Flow, Slow Flow, Connect + Flow, Mindful Flow, Yin, and Restore. We strive to create a welcoming and accessible atmosphere to learn about yoga both on and off the mat. All of our classes offer you the opportunity to turn your attention inward and focus on yourself for an hour out of your day. We believe it is not just about the shapes you can make on your mat, but rather what you learn about yourself in the process. We’re big fans of mindfulness and we also love laughing, eating tacos, and jamming out to a great playlist.

Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Done is better than perfect. I am a recovering perfectionist (also known as an enneagram 1) and I have realized that getting something done and out into the world and iterating as I go is much more impactful than holding all of my ideas inside and waiting for them to be “perfect” before I share them. I’ve been through three pivots with Heart of Wisdom Yoga already, and I know there are sure to be even more pivots in our future. I’ve also learned from experience that what I regret most is what I didn’t do, rather than what I did do.

Pricing:

• First class at Heart of Wisdom Yoga – $10
• Welcome Back Three Pack – $45
• Monthly Unlimited Membership – $100/month (auto-pay)

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: howyoga.co
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/heartofwisdomyoga/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heartofwisdomyoga

Image Credits
Julia Perkins Photography (outdoors) and Veronica Foster (indoors)