Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Haagenson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
After graduating with my bachelor’s degree & 7 years of yoga practice, I decided to take a yoga teacher training program, and haven’t looked back since. In 2007, I opened a yoga studio with a couple of friends, In 2010, I found aerial yoga and fell in love. In 2014, I opened Aerial Yoga Houston in EADO. The studio grew quickly, after just 6 months needed more space, opened in Summer Street Studios, in the Arts District. In 2016 I moved to New York City, traveled back & forth to Houston for 2 years. Hurricane Harvey devastated the studio, Aerial Yoga Houston had to close 2017-2019, when we re-emergered in the Montrose neighborhood, we’ve won top 10 yoga studio in Houston many years, featured on a wide variety of tv segments, publications. I am most grateful for the students who have taken a chance on aerial yoga, fallen in love, and shared that passion with friends & family. Our teacher training program has certified over 100 instructors around the nation.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No way! Teaching yoga is a labor of love, studio ownership, especially in Houston. Besides pioneering aerial yoga in Houston, I also own a boutique Marketing & PR firm, Sage Public Relations Group, servicing many Houston & NYC hospitality and lifestyle brands. Work/Life balance, managing commercial leases, branding for my own businesses while branding others also has been challenging. It seems harder to market my own brand than others, maybe it’s the root of humility that yoga is grounded in, I am always on the lookout for a good creative eye to help me bring my creative visions to life. COVID brough its own set of challenges, forever switched the way I run Aerial Yoga Houston. We now offer consumer-driven scheduling, so if you have 3 people who want to book at the same time, we will teach anytime or date! Otherwise, I have just one public class a day. This has helped people’s new non-traditional work schedules. I also don’t offer packages anymore so there is no worry about how to fulfill outstanding credits when a pandemic or natural disasters happen. I see struggles as a chance to pivot and find the gold at the end of the rainbow!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Aerial Yoga Houston?
Our beginner classes are all-level yoga class. While prior experience with yoga is helpful, it is not required. In class, you are supported by a nylon fabric called tricot in the shape of a hammock. There are certain health conditions that are a contraindication for a class of this nature. If you are pregnant, congratulations; please join us after you have your baby. Vertigo, Glaucoma, low or high blood pressure, brain injuries, heart conditions, and recent botox injections (past 24 hours) are also conditions that make this class inappropriate for the duration of the condition. However, a restorative aerial yoga session is still an option for many of these conditions; please contact us for further details. You may also consult your physician or trainer additional guidance. 13 years of age is our minimum age to participate in a class.
On-hand adjustments, small class size, individual attention, and a zen-like environment are what sets Aerial Yoga Houston apart from other studios.
How do you define success?
Do what makes you happy! It boils down to aligning your desire to your behavior. My purpose in life is to help others pursue their passion! Whether I am helping someone transmute fear into courage in the aerial yoga hammock or building marketing collaterals for small and medium-sized businesses, I love working with change agents. Life is full of ups & downs, knowing how to stay resilient, focused on maintaining your values, treating yourself compassionately is a lifelong journey. It is the highest compliment when someone tells me they learned more about themselves after a class or PR project with me. I also joke (kinda) that I get paid in breathwork.
Pricing:
- $30 per class
- $500 for day of PR strategizing
Contact Info:
- Website: www.aerialyogahouston.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aerialyogahouston/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aerialyogahouston
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/aerialyogahtx
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClaWT66aB7BqgKHJSHeKUNg
