I am a mother and a partner, a mixed-race Indigenous woman living in Vernon, BC. I remain deeply committed to advocating for the rights and safety of survivors of abuse, and actively involved in supporting, fundraising for, and bringing awareness to causes connected to sexual and domestic violence, homelessness, and addictions recovery. Before teaching yoga or owning a studio, I worked in the restaurant industry and later in film. Through those careers, I explored creativity, particularly through the art of food and storytelling, while also developing leadership, management, and organizational skills. The combination of lived experience, advocacy, creative exploration, and leadership roles outside of yoga ultimately informed how I show up today, both as a teacher and as a business owner.
These roles allowed me to step into positions of responsibility and taught me how to work with people, manage teams, and navigate demanding environments. Yoga remained a consistent practice throughout these years, supporting my mental health, body awareness, and sense of grounding while I moved through trauma and major life transitions. Yoga helped open the door for me to take myself seriously; emotionally, creatively, and professionally. It encouraged me to reflect on what I truly wanted to do with my life. While the practice was deeply personal at first, it eventually aligned with my growing interest in leadership and community-centered work.
How Yoga Entered My Life
I was first introduced to yoga as a teenager, not long after a stretch of time living on the streets and rebuilding my life as a survivor of domestic violence. After fleeing from Toronto to Vancouver, my dad gently encouraged me to try a class, taking me to my very first one, hoping it might help me reclaim what I had lost. In that first class, I didn’t know what to expect, but by the end something unfamiliar happened—I felt safe, present, and connected to myself in a way I had never known.
That moment became a turning point, and over time yoga became both a personal refuge and the foundation for change in my life. It offered me a way to move through pain, to cultivate self-awareness, and to reconnect with a sense of purpose. It led me to other therapeutic and healing modalities, which contributed to a broader process of my healing and growth.
Building a Values-Led Business
One of the greatest challenges was learning how to build a business rooted in wellness, community, and care while operating in environments that did not always share those values. I was confronted with my own early naivety around how intention, passion, and ethics intersect with business realities. I learned that not everyone operates from the same principles, and that I would often need to assert clarity, take charge, and advocate for the vision I believed in.
There were moments of not being taken seriously, and times when the importance of yoga as a modality was minimized or misunderstood. The challenge became learning how to stay true to my principles while navigating the realities of business and bringing the project to fruition.
From Yoga Teacher to Studio Founder
After years of personal practice, I eventually took my teacher training as something I was doing for myself. That decision unexpectedly became the path I pursued professionally. I became a full-time yoga teacher, left my other careers, and was teaching successfully in Vancouver. During the pandemic, I moved from Vancouver to Vernon to be with my partner. With studios closed and limited opportunities available, I realized I needed to create something of my own.
This led to the founding of Noble Yoga.
Taking the Risk
I financially risked everything I had. I believed in the vision enough to put everything on the line, knowing there was no turning back. Opening the studio was born out of both passion and necessity, and once I committed, I made whatever yeses I received work for me. I sought out funding, asked for support, and refused to take no as a final answer. I understood that once I decided to move forward, I was fully in; in for a penny, in for a pound.
The decision to create opportunity for myself came with real risk, but I trusted that trying was better than not trying at all.
Growing Noble Yoga
Our growth included a two-year build-out, and we have now been open for three and a half years. During that time, I focused on deep community connection, collaborations, and fundraising for causes aligned with our values, including organizations supporting survivors of abuse and addictions recovery. We expanded beyond daily classes to include international retreats in Mexico and Guatemala, with additional retreats planned within the province.
We introduced events, teacher trainings, and workshops in nervous system practices, somatics, and nutrition, positioning the studio as a hub for education, connection, and healing. We utilized social media, Google Analytics, traditional media outlets, Chamber of Commerce events, and ongoing community collaborations. We also partnered with Canadian-owned brands for retail and began developing our own line of athleisure, yoga props, and wellness products.
Growth occurred through thoughtful offerings, community involvement, and word-of-mouth.
Lessons in Business and Leadership
There will be times when you are tired, frustrated, or feel lost in the process; it’s important to remember that these feelings don’t indicate that you are not capable, but rather that they are worthy components of the experience and opportunities for learning. The learning is endless and there’s a never-ending well of information that I’ll always be processing and figuring out.
From a business perspective, especially a small one, understanding it as something living and evolving has been an important learning. It’s taught me how to maintain equanimity through the different seasons of both business and personal growth. Humility will be your ally. Don’t take anything personally and maintain your ability to receive even when it’s disappointing. There is always something to learn or take away from an experience.
Failures or setbacks in the process are not the end, just part of the learning journey. It’s a humbling and patient process, one that continually offers new lessons and insights about yourself and those around you. The team you surround yourself with is key. Be clear on your needs and even more clear on how you communicate them but also care deeply about the people who work with and for you.
Show your appreciation, take time to train and empower them, and understand that these relationships often become lifelong and reciprocal. Especially in times that feel uncertain, having people you can trust and lean on is invaluable. A good and solid team is the best investment you’ll ever make. I’ve learned to set deadlines for decisions, try things, and recognize that the dividends are not always financial.
Learning, relationships, understanding what works and what doesn’t, and personal growth are all meaningful outcomes. Humility, patience, and openness to learning have been essential to the continued growth of Noble.
Revenue and Sustainability
Memberships are our primary source of revenue. Events, workshops, trainings, and retreats provide additional support. Retail is steadily growing, with plans to expand further in the coming months.
A Message to Yoga Founders
I opened Noble because I love teaching. That was, and still is, the heart of it all. It’s what I’m most passionate about. But when you open a yoga studio, you quickly realize you’re no longer just a teacher. There are times when you feel far from that part of yourself, when the admin, operations, and business side take over. In those moments, it can feel hard on the spirit; to be adjacent to, but not directly in, the thing you love most.
In such raw honesty, there have been times I’ve asked myself, “Why am I doing this again? How did I get here? I wanted to be teaching, and this isn’t teaching.” But the beauty of those moments, that full-circle realization, is when I pause and remember that we are always, forever, students. Learning how to be a business owner, how to run a studio, how to lead others, all of it has deepened my understanding of what it means to teach. That growth has elevated me not only as a teacher, but as a human being.
And that’s when I realign—when I see how these paths intersect, how my role as a teacher and as an owner are not separate at all, but reflections of the same purpose that started it all. So, my message to other founders is this: allow your vision to evolve. What began as one thing will shift and grow as you do, and that’s not a loss, that’s the work. Owning a business often feels like the road less travelled, and it’s certainly not for the faint of heart.
But if you’ve taken that big leap, trust that you’re probably exactly where you’re meant to be. The ability to create and witness the impact of your work, not just through what you do, but through how you grow along the way is something you’ll never trade for the world.
The Mission Behind Noble Yoga
At Noble Yoga, we are committed to seeing the whole person, not just in statement or slogan, but in actuality. My vision is to offer an integrative care that addresses both physical and mental health, offering accessible care for everyone, regardless of financial or physical barriers.
I aspire for Noble Yoga to become a renowned teaching studio and to pioneer a new standard in the health and wellness industry, ultimately expanding to multiple locations across the country, while keeping our roots grounded in the remarkable community we’ve built here in Vernon. My mission is to create a space where people can gather and find reprieve from the day-to-day and from the world. A space that feels like a strong, accepting, and uplifting.
It’s not about showing up as your best self, but as your truest self and beginning the work of becoming well. We need spaces where we can fall apart, do deep healing work, and put ourselves back together again, creating sustainability around the wellness we find. This work isn’t about perfection, but about showing up honestly and meeting yourself where you are.
In a world that can feel increasingly disconnected, I want Noble Yoga to be a place that reminds people they belong, that they are supported, and that our journeys can be both personal and collective. If the change I make happens one class, one event, or one person at a time, that is enough. The ripple effect of that care and connection extends far beyond what I can see. I trust that it moves outward—contributing, in its quiet way, to making the world a better place to exist.
Business Takeaways
- Lesson 1: Protect the Values Behind Your Vision Dolly learned that passion and positive intentions are not enough when building a business. Founders must communicate clearly, take responsibility, advocate for their vision, and stay grounded in their principles when others do not share the same values.
- Lesson 2: Pair Courageous Risks With Resourcefulness Opening Noble Yoga required Dolly to risk everything financially. She actively sought funding, asked for support, worked with every opportunity she received, and continued moving forward instead of treating rejection as the final answer.
- Lesson 3: Build Growth Through Community Connection Noble Yoga grew through collaborations, fundraising, community involvement, traditional media, social media, Chamber of Commerce events, and word-of-mouth. Its growth came from becoming an active part of the community rather than relying on promotion alone.
- Lesson 4: Invest in People, Not Only Offerings Dolly describes a trusted team as one of the best investments a founder can make. Clear communication, thoughtful training, empowerment, appreciation, and genuine care help create strong professional relationships that can become lifelong and reciprocal.
- Lesson 5: Let the Business Evolve Without Losing Its Purpose Studio ownership sometimes took Dolly away from teaching and into administration, operations, and leadership. She learned that these responsibilities were not separate from her role as a teacher—they deepened her ability to lead, teach, and create meaningful impact.
