Paradigm Shifters is a series of interviews with a select group of women and men from eclectic walks of life. It will highlight unspoken, real life insights on how they have been able to turn weakness into strength. A naked soul point of view of how their breakdowns were really a preparation for breakthroughs. They are your quintessential Paradigm Shifters; internal shifts converted into genuine change.
Everything I have ever done has been focused on this underlying theme of shifting the paradigm because, "what we think determines what we feel and what we feel determines what we do." Hence why Empowered by You takes lingerie, which has traditionally been seen merely as a tool of seduction and redirected that energy as a tool of empowerment.
I hope from these stories you will look at your own situations, struggles and accomplishments through a different lens. At the very least you will be more equipped with real life tools to change your own paradigm. At the end of the day we are our own Alchemist turning the silver we were born with into the gold we are destined to become.
Phil Swain -- CEO of YogaWorks
Tell me a little about yourself and what led you to YogaWorks.
I began working in the fitness industry 40 years ago in Detroit, which has given me a unique, firsthand perspective on the industry's evolution. When I moved to LA I helped open Sports Connection, a gym that to my knowledge was the first co-ed gym in LA. Boy how things have changed...
When we launched Sports Club LA and Reebok Sports Club in NYC, Yoga was just becoming popular -- my wife began practicing regularly and, soon thereafter, so did I. We were hooked and I decided to hire our instructor to upgrade the Sports Club's yoga programs. In 2005, YogaWorks recruited me. I had gotten into Taoism and jumped at the opportunity to help enrich modern people's lives through this ancient practice. I wanted to provide as many people as possible with a path to a healthier lifestyle, both emotionally and physically, through yoga. I still do.
There are so many different types of yoga. What would you say sets YogaWorks apart from other competitors?
Heritage and authenticity sets us apart -- and we pioneered the membership model in the yoga space.
Heritage: In 1987, when the demand for well-trained yoga teachers began to grow in the U.S., Maty Ezraty with the help and inspiration of senior teachers Chuck Miller and Lisa Walford, created the highly renowned YogaWorks Teacher Training Program. Based on direct teachings from Indian yoga masters, this program has formed and guided over 10,000 teachers, including leading teachers across the world such as Seane Corn, Shiva Rea, Annie Carpenter, Natasha Rizopolus, Vinnie Marino, Kathryn Budig and more.
Authenticity: As a studio, YogaWorks doesn't embrace one yoga style, rather we encourage teachers to bring authenticity and personality to their teachings and, as a result, YogaWorks studios are eclectic and vibrant. YogaWorks offers different styles to embrace all types of people and their needs.
Membership Model: As we set out to make yoga more accessible to more people, we also wanted to change the business paradigm of how a yoga studio financially works. We were the first studio in the United States to begin using a 100% membership model. The membership model allows students to take as much yoga as they wanted to. This model continues to work for us today.
Tell me about how your partnership with Urban Zen came about and what your vision is for the future of the partnership.
I originally had a different vision. I knew the CEO, who had worked with Rodney Yee's DVD line, and kept calling her. I wanted to host in-studio workshops and teach Yoga for Insomnia. I hoped his DVD would be a part of this.
However, Lynn, the CEO, called me back and asked me to think bigger. She suggested I go meet with Donna Karen. When we met, Donna shared her vision and I was sold. We've been alongside them ever since. It's a partnership I'm very proud of. I see Urban Zen guiding YogaWorks to additional extensions of yoga therapy and beyond.
Has there been a moment, or several moments, in your life where just by seeing something from a different angle your life has been impacted?
Yes. The shift came when I began my career at YogaWorks. I've always considered myself a spiritual person but at Sports Club I was still wearing Armani suits. Something felt off.
The YogaWorks' culture allowed me to shift mentalities and to be true to who I am at the core -- while also running a successful business. Now, every day, I do 20 minutes of Transcendental Meditation (TM) and I feel centered. I sometimes wonder where or who I'd be if I'd started practicing TM and yoga in my 30's. But that's neither here nor there. I'm 58 now and feel much happier then I ever did then. I'm able to do and sell what I love. I'm able to help change people's lives for the better. That's an amazing feeling.
I believe that the greatest thing in the world right now is mindfulness. If people can put their ego in check and start thinking a little more about other people and not themselves, there CAN be a shift. I'm passionate about this because I'm living the shift.
What do you want your legacy to be?
I don't wake up in the morning and think "what is my legacy going to be?" It's not that I'm afraid to think about the end, but it makes me think about ego a little too much. I'm not driven by leaving a legacy; I'm not driven by ego.
However, I do know my "purpose." It's to give back and to be more mindful and open to others. Now that my kids are grown I am better able to focus on giving to others -- spiritually, financially, with a genuine smile and "hello..." However, I'm not looking for people to remember me for this, I want to do it because it's the right thing to do for ME.
One of my mantras every morning is "I want to help people if I can, and if I can't help them I don't want to hurt them." As simple as it sounds, it's something to live by.
Interviewing Phil you immediately know he is a visionary. He not only sees possibility where it doesn't exist yet, but he is genuinely passionate about the impact his work has on others. His words resonate so much more with you because he is the kind of guy that you would want to share a beer with but at the same time entrust what he has to say about yoga. It is that realness that gives you the assurance that YogaWorks is just the real deal.