Today we’d like to introduce you to Kenia Stubblefield.
Hi Kenia, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I am an African American woman, the founder and CEO of Ayre Collective, and a yoga instructor.
When I stepped away from being a flight attendant, I knew I couldn’t return to the careers I’d had before. They never truly fulfilled me. I was challenged to create a list of the things I loved, and my first draft was scattered full of hobbies and activities that brought me joy but not necessarily purpose. The second time, I slowed down. I gave myself the space and grace to be intentional, to dig deep, and to name my true passions.
Three things rose to the top: I love practicing yoga. I love teaching yoga. And I love being with my loved ones. Those moments were when I felt most alive where I flourished, where I was most myself.
So I set out to build a life around them. I auditioned for studios, faced rejections, but kept showing up with persistence and heart. A breakthrough came when I connected with a boutique studio owner I had crossed paths with before she gave me my first class, once a week. From there, I grew. I found my rhythm, deepened my practice, and built relationships that aligned with the life I was envisioning.
In the midst of it all, I founded my yoga mat brand, Ayre Collective—a way to extend the practice beyond the studio, offering tools designed with care and intention. Soon after, another teacher encouraged me to audition for a new space, Obsidian. At the time, the studio was still being built, but his belief in the vision gave me courage to say yes.
Months later, I find myself here: teaching daily, leading with gratitude, and standing in the fullness of a path I once had to write down just to believe it could be mine.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The road hasn’t always been smooth, but it has been necessary. Every obstacle has carried its own lesson each one a reminder that I can do this, even when the challenges feel monumental. There were times when the weight of those challenges felt bigger than life itself, casting shadows that seemed impossible to move through. But when I slow down, return to my breath, and reconnect with meditation, I realize that what once felt like a mountain was really a speed bump nudging me to pause, to pace myself, and to find grace in each step.
Some of the struggles along the way have been practical figuring out which studios aligned with me, learning how to receive feedback and grow from it, and trusting that patience is not just a virtue but a necessary part of this path. Other challenges have been more personal: learning to speak life and love into every project and every day, unlearning the habit of putting myself second, and choosing instead to honor my own worth while still remaining humble and authentic.
Each challenge has been a teacher, and in their lessons, I’ve found strength, clarity, and the courage to keep moving forward.
As you know, we’re big fans of Ayre Collective . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Ayre Collective is more than a business to me—it’s an extension of my practice, my values, and the community I care so deeply about. We create yoga mats that are not only beautiful, but also designed with integrity and intention. Each mat is made from natural rubber and eco-friendly materials, crafted to support both your body and the planet. Our mats are known for their grip, their durability, and their ability to hold space for a consistent practice—whether you are flowing in a studio or moving in your living room.
What sets Ayre Collective apart is the energy and innovation behind it. Every design is rooted in story, color, and feeling. I want people to unroll their mat and feel seen, supported, and inspired. For me, a mat isn’t just a surface to move on—it’s a place of transformation, a reminder that you are enough, exactly as you are.
One of the innovations I’m most excited about is our exploration of thermochromic technology. These mats quite literally breathe with your practice. As your body warms and moves across the mat, it responds—changing color in gentle gradients that mirror your presence. It’s a living reminder to the practitioner: you are here, you are moving, you are leaving your imprint. Each shift in color becomes a meditation on connection—body, breath, and mat speaking to one another in real time.
I am most proud of how the brand weaves together function and meaning. Yes, we specialize in high-quality mats, but what Ayre Collective truly offers is a sense of belonging, a grounding tool that carries you through your practice and your life.
What I want readers to know is that Ayre Collective was born out of love—love for yoga, love for community, and love for the moments of stillness and movement that shape us. Our mats are an invitation: to step onto your practice with intention, to breathe deeply, and to remember that everything you need is already within you.
Ayre means – And You Are Enough
How do you think about luck?
I’m not sure if it’s luck or love but what I know for certain is that I’ve been carried by the tremendous support of my loved ones and the yoga community around me. The encouragement I’ve received, the eagerness from studios to welcome Ayre Collective mats into their spaces, and the way people have believed in me even in the early stages all of that has been a force greater than chance.
Of course, the journey hasn’t been without challenges. Funding has not always come easily, and securing grants has been a road filled with hurdles. Yet, I’ve learned to move with kindness and stride through it, trusting that patience and persistence plant their own seeds.
To me, Ayre Collective is more than just a brand it is a vision that can reshape the yoga community. This work is not just about me. It’s about every studio that unrolls these mats, every practitioner who finds grounding on them, every teacher who shares their practice, and every space that chooses to hold yoga as sacred. If luck has played a role, it’s been in the form of alignment of meeting the right people, in the right places, at the right time. The rest has been faith, love, and showing up with integrity.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: Instagram.com/ayrecollective or instagram.com/delightfullykenia
- Other: https://substack.com/@andyouareenough
Image Credits
Photos taken by Pratik @shotbypratik
