Life and Work with Jenny Franco

Thanks for sharing your story with us Jenny. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I am a mom of three daughters (now 7, 10, and 13) and became very engrossed in the stress and anxiety of parenthood and realized that my life, as well as all of the amazing moments with my daughters, were all disappearing into the “to do” lists that were consuming my days. So, I began yoga. I quickly found it to be a huge help to me in my stress management and saw my life beginning to take shape into something that made me smile every day. After a few years of practicing, I decided to get my 200 hr. certification to teach. During this process, I started to see my own children occasionally suffering from stress and anxiety with the ins and outs of childhood and school and realized that much of what I was doing could be tailored for kids. I had already spent about 16+ years working with children in the arts, teaching theatre, movement, and dance, and running my photography business for ten years that specializes in child photography, so it just made sense that that is where I was gravitating towards. My friend, Becky Restum, approached me about the idea of creating a space for kids and families that was centered around meditation and yoga and I knew that was exactly what I wanted to do!

After getting some special training with  Little Flower, in New York City, we created Mud Flower Yoga + Mindfulness. Since then, I have gone back to get my 300 hr. certification and we have had the privilege of teaching thousands of kids in the Houston and surrounding areas. We have begun reaching out to teachers and parents as well because we see the need for everyone to have more mindfulness in their lives. As a parent, I know first hand how important it is to take care of myself so that I can take care of my kids. I know that is the same for other parents and teachers as well! We have all become swept away by the glorification of busy and the constant go-go-go of modern day life and technology, that we have forgotten to stop and enjoy the moments. I also created a monthly yoga pop-up a class called Bad Moms Yoga. It’s all about Mamas connecting through truth, honesty, mindfulness… and a little wine! It’s irreverent, funny, and lighthearted. It’s what I believe all moms need to get back in touch with themselves. For me, it’s not about teaching yoga or poses, but about empowering people: kids, moms, and teachers, to find more joy in their lives and to be the best version of themselves. For me, it is quite literally about changing the world; changing our future; creating a more compassionate, confident, joy-filled planet… one person at a time.

Great, 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, it has not. I unfortunately had to be unhappy and consumed by stress to wake up and realize that something needed to be changed in my life. Then, I realized that I am not alone. It takes courage to stand up and say ” I don’t have it all together” or “I’m stressed” or “I’m scared.” It takes vulnerability to stand up in front of people and teach them about something they may be resistant to or something they may not understand. But there was a little voice inside my head that said: “why not me?” Why can’t I be the one to make a difference? We all have the ability to do that. We just need to be willing to stand up with all of our fears and insecurities and believe in ourselves! We have to remember that being brave isn’t the absence of fear, it’s feeling the fear and doing it anyway. And when we face our fears, we encourage others to do the same. Courage is contagious. All you have to do is be willing to take the first step. It’s just one step. Why not you?

Please tell us about Mud Flower Yoga.
I am most proud of the work I do with kids – especially kids that may be particularly resistant to what we are teaching. I love seeing them change throughout our six-week program. I love it when the kid who has refused to participate, suddenly is asking everyone to quiet down so that he/she can focus on his/her breathing exercise. It’s so rewarding to see these kids coming into themselves with confidence!

I am an enthusiastic and engaging teacher and that is something I am proud of. I think people know me as animated, goofy, and entertaining but still empowering and encouraging to students. What sets me apart is my, energy, my expression, and my truth and honesty in teaching.

Do you think there are structural or other barriers impeding the emergence of more female leaders?
The biggest barrier for me in my industry have not had to do with being a female but rather being in an industry such as yoga and mindfulness that is often misunderstood, especially in the South where it is still a rather new practice. Texas has not been as exposed to the yoga industry as much as California and New York have, and people sometimes have a misconception of yoga as a religious study. In the Bible Belt, this can come as an interference in the growth of a business that promotes yoga and mindfulness. What I want to do is to introduce people of all religions on a practice that they can use WITH their religion, any religion, or without it, to find more peace, calm, and joy in every moment, every memory, and every day. This practice is for everybody and getting that across to someone new to yoga is my wish.