Annoyed by her lousy yoga class experience, Sarah Larson Levey created Y7 Studio. She’s part of the upward-facing boutique fitness movement.
Sarah Larson Levey is yoga’s newest mogul, and maybe its most unlikely one. “This all came about because I actually hate yoga,” Levey says of her five-year-old company, Y7 Studio, which has eight locations in New York City, two outposts in Los Angeles, and plans to expand to at least two more cities by next year. In its modish studios, young urbanites strike ancient poses by candlelight as hip-hop thumps through speakers and infrared heaters ensure everyone works up a good sweat. Y7 stands at No. 80 on the 2018 Inc. 500.
Levey, 31, swears she had nothing like this in mind when she and her then-fiancé, Mason Levey, started offering pop-up classes in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood in the summer of 2013. She was motivated by the many unsatisfactory yoga classes she’d taken since moving to New York from Michigan. Too often, they featured endless chanting or confusing terminology or bright lighting and mirrors that made her self-conscious about her body. Her irritation level maxed out after one instructor spent 25 of the 60 minutes hawking a retreat she was leading in Bali. “I was like, ‘Are you kidding? I spent money to be here!’ ” Levey recalls.
She was ticked off enough to scour Craigslist for a cheap space where she could hold small classes with instructors willing to lead according to her specifications. She wasn’t looking to make money. She just wanted to find a few like-minded yogis to help defray the cost. Those first classes, held on weekends in a disused recording studio, were so popular that by the fall she was confident enough to sign a month-to-month lease on a tiny studio of her own. At 300 square feet, it was barely big enough to fit eight people.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A Bankable Pet Project - How Moonshots Capital helped eTailPet scale up and attract a buyer in just three years.
Berenice Giannini's startup, eTailPet, wasn't a natural fit for Moonshots Capital. The Austin-based venture firm, launched in 2014 by Kelly Perdew and Craig Cummings, both of whom had previously served in the U.S. Army, frequently backs companies founded by military veterans.
Backers Should Have Your Back - The best capital provider for your business will offer a helping hand, not just deep pockets.
Three years ago, U.S. entrepreneurs were enjoying one of the best funding environments in decades. Venture capital and private equity hit all-time highs as banks loaned at historically low interest rates. All you needed to get a term sheet, it seemed, was a smile and a pitch deck.
Lift Off - Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space?
Would you pay $50,000 to touch the edge of space? Meet the entrepreneurs providing a rarified clientele with a luxurious, once-in-a-lifetime journey.So you want to go to space. To take in the expansive curvature of the Earth glowing miles above the atmosphere, surrounded by pure darkness. To experience the mind-altering overview effect described by astronauts as a transcendent state of awe, staring back at the planet on which you've inhaled your every living breath.
There Will Always be Those Who Doubt You and Your Vision. Here's How to Tune Them Out. - Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy,
Recently, I invited an experienced luxury hotelier to visit the new campus we were building near Santa Fe for Modern Elder Academy, the midlife wisdom school I co-founded in 2018.
A Scientific Discovery that Unlocks Your Body's Healing Power
The founder of Stemregen, a company that creates powerful supplements that stimulate the body's natural repair system, explains how a \"fringe idea\" opened up a new world of stem cell therapy.
Transformative Growth: Agency Masters the Art of Evolution
As a destination marketer, Awestruck has mapped out a journey to success by constantly developing its services and its staff.
For the Love of the Restaurant Experience
The founder and CEO of DJB Hospitality shares his passion for the challenging and uniquely rewarding hospitality industry.
Custom PEO Solutions for Blue-Collar Industries
COMPEO is an HR management solutions provider with a jaw-dropping five-figure growth rate.
Homebuying Was BrokenMeet the Founders Here to Fix It
Cecilian Partners is a fast-growing technology firm providing end-to-end solutions for production homebuilders and land developers.
A Focus on Complete Solutions for Regulatory Environments
The Northcross Group develops sustainable processes for clients with compliance needs.