Brit Corrado holds a yoga pose during class at Kula Yoga Center on Dec. 24 in Lakewood. (Anya Semenoff, YourHub)
Interview with LeeAnn Seiderman, owner
How did you get involved in this business?
I worked in Manhattan for 15 years in men's retail, and when I moved out to the suburbs to raise a family, I needed to find a new job that kept me close to home. I had to find something with flexible hours and decided to turn to my second passion - yoga. I taught only privately for four years, and when I moved to Denver in 2010 (not knowing anyone) I went to work at a local studio. With my background in retail management, I found myself constantly trying to generate new business, encourage and support the teachers I worked with, build and develop my relationships with my students while constantly trying to come up with fresh new classes and workshops that other studios in the area didn't offer. After two-plus years at the same studio, I decided it was time to put my money where my mouth was and open my own studio.
Kula Yoga Center owner LeeAnn Seiderman, second from right, helps a student move into a pose. (Anya Semenoff, YourHub)
What distinguishes you from other businesses in your category?
"Kula" in Sanskrit (the language of yoga) means community. Our tagline is "Building a community through collaboration." Our intention is to do just that, to build a community of like-minded yogis. We believe that in order to do that, we have to build relationships outside of the actual class. Although we respect and appreciate the student who comes in, takes a class and has to hurry back to work or home to make dinner, we encourage people to to come in early (before class), have a cup of tea and chat with either a teacher or other students who have arrived early. Our teachers are always available (before or after a class) to sit and talk. There is usually a crock pot full of hot oatmeal (with all the fixin's) every morning, Monday through Friday. Our kitchen is entirely vegan and everything is free. We have more than 40 classes a week on our schedule and we have classes from beginners to advanced, with a focus on vinyasa (flow). We offer a one-hour kids class (7-9 years old) Tuesday and Thursday at 4:30 p.m. with a class in the secnd studio at the same time for moms and dads. This is also a wonderful time for teachers in the area to come practice. We have classes for baby boomers Monday and Friday mornings and a pure stretch class Monday through Thursday evening. While most studios offer a limited weekend schedule, we have four classes every Saturday and five classes on Sundays. We also offer a free community class every Saturday at noon that has an average of 24 people and we've only been open for three weeks. We offer a 15 percent discount (on all class packages) to schoolteachers, military and seniors (65-plus). Our teachers range in age from mid-20s to mid-60s. We believe that yoga should be available to everybody and we encourage and support students who have a strong practice, to those who have never tried it, to come see what we're all about.
What do you like best about your line of work?
There are so many things I love about my "job." I adore the people I am so blessed to work with every day. They are the most amazing human beings who bring a sense of dedication, loyalty and honor to the space we call home. I love meeting new people and watching them become involved in yoga. I have seen students get so excited as their practice expands as they get stronger and more flexible, as they learn that yoga is not just about the physical practice, but how that all transfers off your mat and into your life. I truly enjoy watching a community come together and build from scratch, but one of the things I really love about my job is that I get to wear my pajamas to work.
What is your business' biggest challenge?
We have been open for less than a month, so right now my biggest challenge is getting the word out that Sixth and Garrison is not that far away. People hear the address and think Lakewood is on the other side of the state. Our studio is located in the Meadowlark Shopping Center (right off the frontage road) and has tons of free parking.
Something people might be surprised to learn about you or your business:
We are a "green" studio: paper-free, wood-free and chemical-free. Our studio floors and doors are bamboo. We have no fliers around the space. All receipts are e-mailed. No business cards (although we do have paper schedules upon request) and everything is cleaned with a tea tree oil all-natural cleanser. Most of our furniture is either reused or built from scrap from a junkyard wait till you see our front desk. We believe that taking care of our planet is important and we do our best to encourage everyone who comes in to do the same.
Business: Kula Yoga Center
Address: 9112 W. Sixth Ave., Lakewood
Hours: 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Friday, 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday
Founded: 2013
Contact: 720-335-6262; kulayogacenter.org and .net
Employees: 17
To suggest a business for us to profile, e-mail sshultz@denverpost.com[1] .
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