We had the good fortune of connecting with Alex Guidi Zupancic and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Alex, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
There are definitely a few things that led me to start my own business. First, being that my dad was an entrepreneur, and my mom still currently owns and operates their business. Growing up, I know that they worked their absolute butts off, but owning the business gave them the flexibility to be there for me and my sister. They never missed a single school function or sports game because they were able to adjust their work schedule accordingly. It was so important having them around for everything, definitely made a big impact on my life. While I don’t have kids, and am not sure if the future holds kids for me and my husband, I want to be available to be there for my family and friends. I want to be able to set my own hours and schedule so that I’m not forced to miss the important things. Sometimes that means working 12 straight hours one day just so I can work 6 the next, but it works and I like it. Secondly, I wanted to combine work and play. Sharing fitness and sharing creative movement brings me so much joy. Connecting with people and seeing them transform both mentally and physically is so fulfilling. We spend so much of our life at work or working for other people, that it can be difficult to maintain a hobby/activity in our personal life. To make sure that never happened to me, I turned my hobby into a career.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Yoga Muttz started with me teaching for free in a public park in 2018 and has grown to a full-blown operation. We are opening our first (hopefully of many) location in July. Our journey from the park to studio owners has taken many turns throughout the years, and definitely has not been easy. One of the hardest part has been gaining confidence and my voice. As a yoga teacher, it takes a lot to get up in front of a group of people and lead them through a well-sequenced class – while giving correct cues, ensuring students are practicing safely, and sounding like I know what I am doing. It takes practice and it takes a while to find your voice and identity as a teacher. In Nashville especially, there are a TON of yoga teachers. How do I make myself memorable? How do I get people to seek out my classes, not just attend out of pure convenience? In the last year, I have finally found my voice and style identity. I’m the teacher that always includes weird transitions, I’m the teacher that gets people off their mat and out of their heads, I’m the teacher that’s going to get loud and push you 1-2 breaths past where you thought you could go. Once I found my strength and confidence, it made it a lot easier to take the next step in opening my own space. One of the things I am most excited about is our offerings. The location will include a 1,000sqft hot yoga studio and a 600sqft small group strength training gym. Our members will gain access to two styles of fitness studios all under one roof. Allowing people to try multiple styles of movement as well as incorporating a variety of exercises into their routine to help overall wellness. What I want the world to know about Yoga Muttz is that we aim to be more than a yoga studio and fitness gym. We want to be a space that allows any and everyone to move without fear of judgment, without pressure to make themselves smaller, and with an entire community of people to cheer them on along the way. Not only that but clearly dogs are near and dear to our hearts. We have 5 dogs, all different breeds, ages, sizes, and they all love unconditionally. We aim to be more like our dogs. To love like our dogs, and build a pack full of like-minded people. The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
As cheesy as it sounds, I would like to dedicate this to my husband John. He bought me my first yoga teacher training when I had myself convinced I wasn’t good enough to teach and I shouldn’t spend the money on it. He encouraged me to start Yoga Muttz, LLC when I knew nothing about starting or running a business. His enthusiasm and confidence in me has led me to push boundaries, try new things, and be okay with putting myself out there. There have been countless times that I have come to John and said, “sooooo I have this idea.” Without fail, every time he says something along the lines of, “Why not! Let’s do it!” Not all of our wild ideas work, but we keep trying them anyaway. Without a doubt, Yoga Muttz and Yoga Muttz Movement Lounge would not be a thing with out him.

Website: www.yogamuttz.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogamuttzmovementlounge/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogamuttzmovementlounge

Other: We have a branded app people can use to attend virtual classes. Apple: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/yoga-muttz-movement-lounge/id1552752289 Google Play; https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.fitnessmobileapps.yogamuttzmovementlounge

Image Credits
Allison Hammond Josie Lalama

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