Today we’d like to introduce you to Mary Richardson-Perez.
Hi Mary, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
“Studio Satya began as a small backyard studio behind my house. I had been teaching for many years, at various studios, and wanted a space to offer private sessions and small in-depth workshops. In 2019, two of the main studios I taught at closed and I decided it was time to open up a larger studio in a commercial space. It was one of the most challenging things I have ever done. Once the studio was open, it was an amazing experience. Since most of the teachers had been teaching in Austin for many years, and had a strong student base, it immediately felt like a community and was financially sustainable. Unfortunately, four months later we closed our doors due to Covid-19. I did not have a manager or co-owners at this time, which meant I had to work around the clock to move 40+ classes online, while trying to learn everything I could about livestreaming. Fortunately, students were willing to move to online classes and we were able to make it through the pandemic. I gave up the commercial space 6 months later. My husband had done all of the remodeling and worked tirelessly day and night for weeks. So it was sad to see the space go, but our student base was loyal and we were able to function as an online studio for almost two years. When it felt time to move into a commercial space again, I didn’t want to take on the financial responsibility and workload alone. I asked Hollie and Karlie if they would be interested in forming a partnership. I also thought a partnership would lead to a strong community and a more effective studio since we could utilize our individual strengths collectively.…” – Mary Richardson-Perez
I had been teaching yoga for 13 years, about half that time teaching full time when Mary founded Studio Satya. After some of the studios I had been teaching at closed I was thrilled to start teaching at the “original” Studio Satya. I was also pregnant with my daughter at this time. My plan was to go on maternity leave and start to phase classes back into my schedule as I was ready. My daughter was born at the end of February, 2020 and it felt like the world had been turned upside down. Studio Satya’s online classes were such a gift. I remember taking Steven Ross’ sunrise class after having been awake for hours already and participating in his Sunday Service in my living room with my husband and our then tiny baby. In the coming months I began teaching online with Studio Satya. I was impressed at what a great job Mary had done of pivoting to online classes and the forward thinking perspective of her business model. I was excited to reconnect with the community but I had no real plan, amidst the pandemic, of how I was going to proceed with my full time teaching career. That felt okay with me at the time, I was focused on my daughter and keeping everyone healthy. Mary had worked so hard to keep the studio alive and well. We even began teaching in parks and did an online retreat. In 2021 Mary asked if I was interested in joining Studio Satya in partnership with she and Hollie. It seemed clear to me that this was the right opportunity and I felt like the path ahead of me was suddenly lit. -Karlie
I tend to move slowly, considering all the options for as long as possible before making a choice. I worked at a yoga studio as a graphic designer for a few years before finally taking the plunge into my first 200-hour training in 2009. It was amazing – I was inspired and excited to move into a new phase of life. I started teaching, but found out I was pregnant, and found myself unable to practice in the way I should as a teacher. So I paused. In 2013 I had the opportunity to teach again, and found out I was pregnant with my second son, so I again paused. In 2016, I took a Children’s Yoga training, and that has been my path and passion since. I started teaching Crawlers & Toddlers, and loved working with both littles and parents, as well as a Kids Yoga class. The studio where we were all teaching closed, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do. I taught at a family-focused studio, then got a call from Mary a few weeks before she opened her first location of Studio Satya. We had only briefly met previously, and our conversation was short (“Do you want to teach a kids class at my new studio?” “Sure!” “Great! I’ll send you an email!”). That was 2019, and of course we all know what happened in 2020. Transitioning to teaching kids online was something I never could have imagined doing, but was a great learning opportunity for me. Once we felt more comfortable meeting outside or in well-ventillated areas, it was such an adventure teaching in such a wide array of locations: baseball fields, sidewalks, dojos. In 2021, Mary called again to say it was time to open a brick and mortar, but that she didn’t want to do it alone, and extended the offer to become her partner along with Karlie. I’m grateful I said yes, as this has grown and stretched me in ways I didn’t expect. – Hollie
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
“There were many challenges in the first few years. When I opened the first studio I thought I was going to have to file for bankruptcy and call it quits. This was mostly due to my ignorance and maybe a bit of bad luck. I ended up signing a lease on a commercial space that had not done the proper permitting for over 20 years. As I tried to obtain my certificate of occupancy, I was told by the City of Austin that I needed to complete $70,000 of electrical updates to meet current codes. I had secured a small business loan, but after remodeling the space, I was going to have $10,000 as my total budget to get me through the first few months. When I discussed the City of Austin’s code requirements with my landlord she asked me why I went through permitting, even though obtaining a certificate of occupancy was required in the standard lease agreement she used. She threatened to sue me for $150,000 if I broke the lease and vacated the space. I spent weeks calling electricians for alternative solutions and waiting in the City of Austin permitting department with my two boys, who were 2 and 4 years old at the time, while talking to my husband about the worst case scenario. Eventually I was able to find a solution and we opened our doors within a month.
The second challenge came four months later when we closed our doors to Covid-19. I decided to move all of our classes online, which was over 40 at that time. I knew absolutely nothing about Zoom, cameras, microphones, etc. Our software did not have the functionality needed to send out Zoom links for classes. Therefore I found myself working around the clock to send out Zoom links manually, and train teachers on Zoom and livestreaming basics. Since we had classes all day long, I spent most of my day monitoring emails to make sure everyone got their links and troubleshooting tech issues with teachers. This was extremely challenging given I was simultaneously in lock-down with my 2 and 4 year old boys, while my husband was working out-of-state. This went on for months, but eventually we had a system that ran smoothly. Students were very grateful for the online classes, not to mention a point of connection in their day when many felt isolated”. – Mary Richardson-Perez
It definitely felt challenging to reopen the brick and mortar in its new(current)location while Covid “protocols” were still in place. At first, we rented space from a dojo. We only had a limited schedule of in person classes in that space. It worked and people came but I missed having a “yoga home”. Then when we found our retail space class sizes were limited and people had to book ahead of time to reserve a spot in order to maintain social distancing. The majority of our students were still online at this time. People were not yet entirely comfortable with being in public spaces. As time went on, and restrictions were loosened and people became more comfortable going out of their homes they still weren’t in the habit of coming into the yoga studio. The pandemic changed everyone’s habits and it took a long time for students to shift back to a mindset of going to a studio and practicing there. It was challenging to have fewer people coming in the door than I would have liked and I didn’t expect it to take so long for people to begin attending in person more regularly and our business to grow. I remember at one point it felt like every single day at least one person would come into the studio and say “This is my first time in a yoga studio since Covid.” Those who were connected to us from studios we used to teach at took a while to find us and reconnect to us and I remember really wanting more people to come through the doors. Nowadays, for the most part, things have flipped in that the majority of students practice in person in our studio. It’s amazing that we’ve been able to maintain our online community. Many of them live out of town. I’m so grateful for them and for everyone who stayed with us along the way. -Karlie
There were certainly hard times, and continue to be on some level, such as technology hiccups, things breaking at the studio, all the little things that ask for attention. All of the small things can add up. However, the community of teachers and students that are gathered here bring balance and create purpose for all the hardships. The genuine caring and authenticity that each member has for themselves and others is inspiring and heart-opening. It doesn’t take all of the obstacles away; instead, it gives energy to tend to the task at hand. New students continue to find their way through our doors, and some old ones who lost touch with us before the pandemic (when a previous studio where many of us taught closed), or during the pandemic (when we had to transition to online classes). Every new obstacle did become an opportunity to try something new. I teach many of the kids and family classes, and have gotten to teach in some unique settings such as fields, at a baseball complex, in a dojo, on the sidewalk. In the moment there was definitely stress, but in looking back I can find humor and joy. The way that yoga brings so many people together is such a beautiful part of the practice, and of the community. As much as I don’t enjoy being on the computer (I started teaching yoga to escape a graphic design job!) and as much as I initially resisted attending classes online, I’m grateful for technology and the point of connection we were able to experience during the pandemic. Even now, we are still able to be with students as they travel, and some even take us along with them when they move. I say it often, but without my practice I’m not sure where I’d be. Though I’m far from perfect, it allows me to be okay with not being okay and helps ride the waves of uncertainty without getting completely overwhelmed. Smooth waters do not produce skilled sailors, and I feel like I’m learning how to be more steady every day. – Hollie
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Studio Satya is an Austin-grown community of highly experienced and knowledgeable teachers who support students of all levels, all ages, and walks of life. What started as a tiny studio in a backyard has grown to become a cornerstone of the neighborhoods of north-central Austin.
Our offerings range from challenging Vinyasa to Slow Flow to Yoga Nidra, as well as classes for every age and phase of life. We hope you’ll allow us to walk with you on your yoga journey.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Growing up, I was a pretty quiet kid. I am an only child, and spent a lot of my time imagining and playing on my own. I was born in Austin, and lived here until I was 8. During that time, I would play with my cousins often, and enjoyed being outside as much as possible. We moved to Houston, The Woodlands specifically, and in the 4th grade started swimming competitively. This took up most of my time and focus. My team was like my family, and I spent mornings and evenings training throughout high school. I felt at home in the water and with my teammates where I was able to be more outgoing, and took pride especially in my role on relays. I competed through high school and 3 years at the University of Texas at Austin as a member of the women’s team. I didn’t find yoga until after I retired, but when I returned to the water did find that a bulk of my childhood had been a moving meditation. – Hollie
My parents divorced when I was 2, and my mom moved us from Kentucky to Nevada. Life was challenging because she was a single mother of two, trying to provide, with limited resources. We ended up moving every year or two, and I unfortunately don’t have many memories of my early childhood. As a teen, I was angry and rebellious. I found yoga at 19, and it changed the trajectory of my life. – Mary
It’s hard for me to remember what I was like when I was very young. I too was an only child and I think that I was high energy and curious. I was also lonely sometimes and had a lot of imaginary friends. My mom was always open to having lots of friends around – neighbors, school friends, cousins. I know I was very talkative and since I was an only child I learned to have conversations with adults easily. I grew up dancing and playing music and generally interested in the arts and I have always loved reading. I stopped playing music, did some theater and musical theater and then dance took up most of my free time by the time I was a teenager. My parents divorced when I was a tween and I had a lot of anger and feelings about this. Dance gave me a way to express and channel my energy. In many ways it kept me out of trouble. I also formed a tight knit group of friends in this community and they were all pretty good kids. We supported each other and sort of kept each other in check. -Karlie
Contact Info:
- Website: https://studiosatya.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studio_satya_austin/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StudioSatyaAustin
