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Portrait of Anne-Julie Tafuro, featured by Yoga Founders Magazine
#87Latest Story

Yoga Teacher & Retreat Host - Paris, France

How Anne-Julie Tafuro Built a Yoga Business Without Losing Her Voice

Before teaching yoga in Paris, Anne-Julie Tafuro was CEO of a communications agency in Avignon. A first yoga class in a park changed her direction. She went on to create Anne-Julie Yoga during COVID, grow a library of 200+ videos, and train teachers through Chakra Flow®—while learning to protect her values and choose business partners carefully

Business
Anne-Julie Yoga
Category
Yoga Teacher & Retreat Host
Read time
8 min read
AllYoga TeacherStudio OwnerRetreat HostYoga School
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Teacher TrainingYoga TechYoga Business CoachFounderWellness FounderCommunity BuilderAuthor / CreatorRetreat Center
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Portrait of Ashley Ribaudo, Studio Owner behind saintlouisashtangayoga.comStudio Owner
#5120254 min read

How Opening St. Louis’ Only Mysore Program Taught Ashley the Real Work of a Founder

I’ve always been a curious soul, drawn to learning and trying new things while staying grounded in what feels meaningful. Over the years, I’ve worked in the fitness and service industries, as a flight attendant, in physical therapy, and in real estate and development. Each role shaped me into who I am today. Yoga entered my life in 2013 during a time when I was working long hours at a busy orthopedic clinic, competing in triathlons, and generally living out of balance. I was looking for something that could help me turn inward and reconnect with myself. I found that through the Ashtanga Yoga practice, and soon began seeking out every opportunity to learn from teachers both locally and beyond. In 2017, I completed my first teacher training in medically based therapeutic yoga while continuing to deepen my Ashtanga practice through travel, study, and mentorship with certified and authorized teachers. In 2018, I began teaching two Ashtanga classes a week at a local studio in St. Louis while still working in physical therapy...

Portrait of Niki Riga, Studio Owner behind yourlimitlessstudio.comStudio Owner
#4920254 min read

The Studio Vision Niki Had at Five That Grew Into a Profitable, Long‑Running Yoga Business

From the time I was five, I knew I wanted to open a studio. In kindergarten, I told my dance teacher I would one day run my own dance space, and I never let go of that vision. I studied dance and business in undergrad, then earned a Master’s in small business entrepreneurship, all with one goal in mind. Yoga first appeared in my life as a required class in my dance degree, then found its way back to me while finishing my master’s. Early in my practice, I sat in a large chain studio, surrounded by perfectly styled practitioners in matching sets, and felt like I didn’t belong. I wasn’t there for aesthetics. I was just trying to quiet my mind and body through post‑college transitions. That moment of feeling out of place sparked a new idea — a welcoming, space where people could show up exactly as they are...

Portrait of Alecia Iwanchuk, Studio Owner behind intentions-yoga.caStudio Owner
#4320254 min read

Quitting the Corporate Ladder to Help Women Rise: Alecia Iwanchuk’s Yoga Journey

Alecia Iwanchuk is a proud mom to one son and three kitties, and her journey into yoga began as part of a personal healing process. What started as a physical practice quickly unfolded into something much deeper. As yoga began transforming her mind and body, she also reconnected with her soul and uncovered her purpose: to help others awaken their potential. This calling led her to explore energy work and kundalini yoga, eventually anchoring her path as a healer. In 2021, she created a sacred space in her own home, a studio built to help women reconnect with themselves. Through yoga, Alecia guides her clients to use their bodies not just for movement, but as powerful tools for healing and empowerment...

Portrait of Ourania Bouzouki, Teacher Training behind yogaunionbali.comStudio Owner
#3920254 min read

Inside the Mind of a Yoga School Founder Meet Ourania, Founder of Yoga Union Bali

I’ve always believed I’m a dreamer. I don’t dwell on problems—I naturally focus on solutions. That mindset has carried me through life and into yoga. One of the people I’ll forever be grateful to is a dear friend who introduced me to my very first yoga class. That single act changed everything. From the beginning, I felt held by this path. I didn’t experience the kind of dramatic hardships that many others do. Instead, I embraced both the stillness and the excitement that came my way. I allowed the journey to unfold as it needed to—without trying to control or force anything. My yoga path began with a humble studio, then evolved into leading teacher trainings, and later expanded into hosting retreats. Each chapter opened organically, and even now, I stay open to whatever comes next...

Portrait of Mukesh Kothari, Studio Owner behind bindusaryoga.comStudio Owner
#3520254 min read

Mukesh Raised Where Yoga Was Born Now Teaching Worldwide and Leading YTT

My yoga journey began before memory itself, being born in Rishikesh, India, yoga became part of my life from the start. Surrounded by sacred energy, I naturally gravitated toward this path. I’ve been teaching since 2004, and over two decades later, I’m still deeply inspired by the transformation yoga brings. The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali have been central to my evolution—not just as a teacher, but as a human being. Whether I guide students through asana, pranayama, or meditation, these ancient teachings shape everything I offer. Today, I primarily train yoga teachers and support experienced practitioners in refining their skills, especially in yoga philosophy and advanced adjustments. This is more than work to me, it is my life’s path...

Portrait of Vicky Chapman, Studio Owner behind Yogaloftsydney.com & forever-evolving.com.auStudio Owner
#2720254 min read

How Vicky Chapman Built a Safe Haven for Yoga Teachers and Students in Sydney

Before stepping into the world of yoga, Vicky Chapman worked as a corporate travel agent. She met her husband in high school, and they’ve been together for 17 years. At 18, she moved to the UK, where the challenges of a new lifestyle led to significant weight gain. A serendipitous encounter with yoga while traveling in the US completely changed her path—she was instantly hooked. Beginning with Ashtanga, Vicky practiced consistently for two years before returning to Australia. There, she was unexpectedly pulled into a teacher training program and began teaching yoga at a local gym at just 21 years old. Within six months, her classes were full...

Portrait of Agota Musteikyte, Community Builder behind Yoga TeacherStudio Owner
#2020254 min read

Agota Left Nursing to Study Yoga in Australia Now Living Her Purpose as a Full-Time Yogi

I’ve always been into movement—splits, bridges, and headstands came naturally because I was a gymnast by age five. Around thirteen, my spiritual curiosity started to awaken too. My mom was a big influence—she’d take me to breathwork, Reiki, astrologers, and fill our home with spiritual books. I was open to it all, even if I still wanted to fit in like any other teenager. When she became a yoga teacher, I resisted it completely. Instead, I chose nursing, thinking it would let me help people—but I quickly saw how the system only treated symptoms. It didn’t sit right with me. I wanted to support people in a deeper, more holistic way...

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