Meet Jessica Benhaim | Owner, Lumos Yoga & Barre

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jessica Benhaim and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jessica, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
After leaving a corporate job in NYC and moving to Philadelphia, I wanted to take my career in a different direction. I knew the only way I could give myself the work/life balance and flexibility that I was looking for was to start my own business. There’s always a risk when starting your own business that it won’t work out, but you have to try and give it your all.

One of the things I enjoyed about my time in NYC and Washington DC before that was the boutique fitness studios that I worked out at – there was a sense of community, the trainers and desk people knew my name, and I looked forward to that part of my day. Fairmount (the neighborhood where I moved to in Philly and where my studios are located) had a couple yoga studios, and a gym with machines, but nothing offered the variety that I was looking for. I decided to open up a studio that would offer a variety of modalities and was very intentional in the design of the space and how it would operate – drawing on things that I liked at other studios (such as friendly welcoming staff) and eliminating things I didn’t like at other studios (such as overhead lights)

I work hard and wear many hats, but I have full ownership and control over my schedule and day-to-day. It can be difficult to balance all of the roles (leader and decision maker, administrative work, scheduling, tech support, HR, and janitor), and my personal life, but it is incredibly rewarding and worthwhile.”

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The most obvious thing that sets me and my business apart from others is that I don’t teach. Most studio owners have fitness certifications, worked their way up through gyms and studios, before eventually opening their own studio. I don’t have that background, and while I’ve gone through two Barre Trainings, I’ve never pursued certifications in the other modalities we offer, or had any desire to teach classes. I enjoy the business operations side of things – I like planning and organizing, and am always thinking about what the next 6-12 months look like for growing the business. There have been challenges with not being an instructor or having a background in teaching some of the modalities, but I lean on my team and the people that I’ve hired who are instructors, or have a background/experience with an area of the business I’m not as focused on, for their support and input.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We have a dog, so a lot of the activities we do involve him. There are some great parks in Philadelphia and the surrounding areas, like the Wissahickon, Rolling Hill in Gladwyne, Timber Creek (in NJ) that I’d want to show them. We’d go out to eat at our favorite Philly restaurants (we love Italian) – Osteria and A Mano in Fairmount, and Prunella and Pizzeria Salvy in Center City for Pizza. I can’t forget about ice cream – our favorite in the city is Milk Jawn, and we’d also have to make a trip out to Mt. Airy for Zsa’s ice cream sandwiches. There’s a weekly farmer’s market in Fairmount that we’d pick up fresh food from for cooking – my husband and I cook most nights of the week so I’d want to just enjoy some time at home, cooking for everyone. I’d definitely schedule a spa day at Victoria Roggio Beauty for facials and massages. Philly has some unique shops and makers, but I haven’t really taken the time to go to other neighborhoods and explore them, so I’d actually take this opportunity to do so.

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?
My team deserve not just a little credit and recognition, but a LOT of credit and recognition. One of the things I’ve always championed is that running a business is a team effort. It’s not just about one person. The team I have now is amazing and our success is really due to them. The instructors who teach are incredibly passionate about the classes they lead and about bringing people in this community together. The desk staff and studio manager make the studio function well so that everyone who comes in for class has a positive experience. My accountant keeps our finances in order, which ensures the business can grow. My sister helps with our PR, and my general manager Alyssa handles marketing, social media, and newsletters, which keeps our community engaged. It’s important to recognize the people on a team, and make sure they know they are appreciated and valued.

Website: www.lumosyogaandbarre.com

Instagram: lumosyogaandbarre

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lumosyogaandbarre

Image Credits
Gabriela Barrantes Photography