Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and wellness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Ashton August, founder of YouAligned, located in Tucson, AZ, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
YouAligned is a leading yoga and wellness online magazine. I also created YouAligned Classes, which is an online yoga, fitness, and wellness platform where every class our members take helps plant a food-producing tree for farming communities in Sub-Saharan Africa. We serve a global population of yoga students and wellness enthusiasts. We are a female-founded and led organization with writers and teachers from around the world who each share their unique backgrounds and wisdom with our readers and students.
Tell us about yourself
After graduating with my MFA in Creative Nonfiction Writing, I became a certified yoga instructor and wanted to merge my passion for writing with sharing the gift of yoga in a way that served the collective good. Seven years after creating YouAligned, I remain continuously motivated and inspired by the constant outreach from the community of students sharing their practice or reaching out to thank us for the impact we've had on their lives and wellness journey. I can truly say that I wake up each day excited to continue doing the work that I do.
Do you have daily rituals for work / wellness / fitness / mindfulness?
Every day, I begin with my non-negotiable: my morning routine. I hydrate with 20 ounces of chlorophyll + lemon water and then meditate for 5-10 minutes before taking my dogs on a walk. I intentionally do all of this before looking at my phone, checking my email, etc. This sets the tone for my day and helps me step into my workday with the focus and clarity I need for all that I do.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
Building a platform from the ground up with no backing or funding has grown to serve millions of students around the world. I am so proud of this accomplishment!
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
At first, one of the biggest challenges of owning and running a business is feeling like you're on your own island. You won't always receive the support that you would like to, but ultimately this becomes one of your biggest opportunities for growth because this is when you learn self-reliance and remind yourself just how capable you are. Along the way, you simultaneously inspire others to follow their own unique paths and gifts. So one of the hardest aspects of owning a business can become one of the most rewarding.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
As Amelia Earhart said, "The most effective way to do it is to do it." Often times the idea of starting something feels daunting, but the only way to move past that feeling is to just keep going – just do it! Secondly, focus on your WHY - your reason behind doing what you want to do - and allow that to propel you forward. Lastly, try to view challenges, rejections, and bumps in the road as your greatest teachers and not necessarily failures.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
Community is everything to me, and one of the greatest gifts of creating YouAligned and YA Classes is the ability to connect with so many people. If you are reading this and my words resonated with you, I would love to connect with you also! Please check out my website, www.youaligned.com, and yaclasses.com, and you can connect with me personally on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Thank you for reading!
You can connect with Ashton August:
Website: https://youaligned.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/youalignedwellness/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/you.aligned/ / https://www.instagram.com/yaclasses/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Turn your craft into recurring revenue with Subkit. Start your subscription offering in minutes and supercharge it with growth levers. Get early access here.