The goal of Hardly Hustle is to provide inspiration, drive and motivation in a 10 minute read or less. What you see is what you get. This is hot off the press without an editing team. Emily Behr is up.
Who are you and what do you do?
I am Emily Behr and I am the CEO/Founder of Growga.
I have 10 years experience in the wellness industry, as a yoga instructor, a studio manager, and in marketing at the largest youth-focused wellness non-profit in the nation.
What did it take / how did you get started?
As an instructor, I saw a lack of instructor support following the training. As a studio manager, I saw barriers created by the four walls of a studio. While working at a large wellness non-profit, I saw a gap in children’s programming that supports the whole child.
I discovered that there was a real need for children’s programming that focused on both the physical and emotional health of a child. So, I created Growga with two goals: To make a quality program accessible and to support the instructors in their journey beyond the training.
So, we at Growga recruit and train teachers, arm them with curriculum and place them into opportunities within their market by partnering with businesses, schools, and organizations who are interested in all-ages Growga programming.
We currently have over 55 partners including o2 Fitness, YMCA of the Triangle, and Lululemon. We operate in the Triangle, Triad, Wilmington, NC and Charleston, SC.
What does the future look like for you and your hustle?
We are expanding our work by partnering with several enterprise clients who have a need for children’s programming. Our vision is for Growga to become synonymous with yoga for children.
What drives / motivates you?
Community. At Growga, I love to lift up our partners by working alongside of them to help elevate their mission and achieve their goals, while making our program more accessible to children and families.
What advice would you give someone interested in doing what you do?
Operate from a place of collaboration instead of competition. By working together, your impact can create a lasting change.
What has been the hardest part of the hustle?
Being a solo entrepreneur means facing the highest highs and the lowest lows, sometimes all within a week’s time. So, learning to approach everything as an opportunity for growth, no matter what, has been a struggle, but a worthwhile one.
Also, knowing when to turn off and be with my family. I am really lucky to have a partner who calls me out and holds me accountable so that I don’t miss out on the important stuff, like doing art or playing outside with my daughters. That’s the stuff that you don’t get back.
What are a few resources that you'd recommend?
Podcasts:
How I Built This with Guy Raz
Lean Startup The Pitch: Gimlet
Live Awake: Sarah Blondin
The One You Feed: Eric Zimmer
Books:
The Lean Startup
Disciplined Entrepreneurship
Traction
The STATS
Side or full-time hustle? Full-time List the founders Emily Behr How many hours a week do you work on this hustle? 40+ # of Employees? 7 Part-Time
72 Independent Contractors (teachers)
When did you start? We pivoted and changed our name to Growga in May of last year How much did it cost to launch? Not disclosed. What were your funding methods and ballpark amount raised? As of today, we have not raised outside funding. Annual Revenue? Not disclosed. Projected Revenue? Not disclosed. Any call to action? We are seeking to expand our network. I’d love to connect with others that have sold to enterprise clients in the health/wellness space. Social: mygrowga.com | Facebook | Instagram