West End Yoga: Studio Owner Puts Community and Service First
Last Updated on 2 August, 2024
Learn all about how Jessica Rodriguez supports her community using WellnessLiving software
WellnessLiving CEO and Co-Founder, Len Fridman, loves traveling the globe and visiting our customers as part of his CEO Tour. It allows him to hear all about their stories and experiences with the software and even try their services.
Throughout the pandemic, Len connected with our customers virtually. On this leg of the tour, he visits West End Yoga in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. We caught up with yoga studio owner and director, Jessica Rodriguez of West End Yoga, to get feedback on how she upgraded her software from an outdated provider and switched to WellnessLiving.
Meet Jessica Rodriguez, owner, director, and instructor at West End Yoga Studio
Mom of two, Jessica Rodriguez—you can call her “Jessie,” not only stands out with her sea-foam lions’ mane of hair but for her endless dedication to giving back to her yoga and local community.
After trying out various studios in Lancaster, Jessica fell in love with the culture at West End Yoga in 2013, took her teacher training, and became an instructor there.
“We don’t have a niche at West End,” says Jessica. “Our niche is that we are WARM and it’s what the community needs. The culture of our studio is that every BODY is welcomed, and no matter what you are looking to gain, whether you’re looking for spiritual, mental or physical guidance, or even if you don’t know what you are seeking—you’re going to get it, at West End Yoga.”
“One thing I hear from clients all the time is ‘I didn’t realize what yoga would do for me mentally.’”
West End Yoga at a Glance
📍CEO Virtual Tour Destination: Lancaster, Pennsylvania
📍Customer Business: West End Yoga
📍Website: www.westendyogastudio.com
📍Special Guest: Owner, Director, Instructor Jessica Rodriguez
📍Number of Locations: 1
📍Specialties: Yoga Therapy, Wall Alignment Yoga
It’s not an exaggeration by any ‘stretch’ to say that there’s something for everyone at West End Yoga in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Their ethos and culture speak to the mantra, “every BODY is welcomed.” Their 15 instructors are warm and welcoming, as the studio offers clients complimentary fresh fruit, hot and cold teas, an in-studio library, and they don’t charge for mat rentals.
West End Yoga’s individual & group classes include:
-
- Yoga Therapy—including postures for strength & flexibility, breathing exercises, meditation, affirmation mantra & mudra, poses for relaxation & release, journaling & self-inquiry, and philosophy & lifestyle modification
- Alignment Based Yoga with “The Great Yoga Wall”
- Vinyasa
- Vinyasa
- Ashtanga
- Hatha
- Yin
- Gentle Yoga
- Feel Good Flow
COVID 2020: From instructor to studio owner
When the pandemic hit and West End Yoga was being forced to shut down, Jessica put her business degree and her leadership prowess to work and bought West End Yoga—taking over full ownership.
“When COVID-19 hit, as an instructor I received an email stating we would be closing because the studio owner could no longer pay to keep it open,” says Jessica. “I just said I’m going to buy the studio, not pay myself, give it all I’ve got, and see what happens.”
Jessica’s immediate focus was to increase the payment for her instructors and keep her clients safe during the pandemic. West End Yoga celebrated their one-year anniversary under her new management, and she couldn’t be more pleased.
“It’s been an incredible journey, it really has!”
Community conscious
As the new owner of West End Yoga, it’s Jessica’s priority to give back to her local community with a variety of initiatives and charitable work. She created Poses with a Purpose, yoga class that she puts on once a month that supports local non-profits.
“We’ve worked with eight non-profits and small businesses in the last year, and we hope to get their awareness out there,” says Jessica.
In addition, she put on a class at a local food bank where she hosted a free yoga class and made a significant donation as well. West End Yoga also sponsors a local hockey team and offers them yoga conditioning once a week. “Everything that we do comes from a place of honoring our community, and that’s what it’s all about.”
Making the switch to WellnessLiving
The first thing was changing the outdated business software the former owner was using, “I couldn’t get the merchant processor or reports I need with our old software. I started shopping and found WellnessLiving after multiple other sales meetings,” says Jessica.
“WellnessLiving has absolutely helped to sustain us virtually. We now have better communication with our students and receive detailed data reports. Everything we get from the software really helps us grow.”
What WellnessLiving services have helped your business?
Since making the switch to WellnessLiving both Jessica and West End Yoga have benefitted from WellnessLiving’s easy-to-use, modern software. From our Data Migration & Customer Support, to setting up Virtual Services, to the detailed metrics from Advanced Reporting, WellnessLiving’s features have helped Jessica and her new business hit the ground running.
Data Migration, Quick Setup & 24/7 Customer Support
Concerned about making a new software switch from your former provider?
Don’t sweat it! We can completely convert all your existing software data and import it into WellnessLiving seamlessly.
“That first interaction with setting up my new software and integrating it into my business was amazing,” says Jessica. “It was so incredible because we had eight years of prior data and 5,000 students to transfer over to the new software, and your integration lead and I spent so much time together that we truly ended up becoming friends!”
Virtual Services
Whether you choose our Zoom integration or our branded FitLIVE and FitVID on Demand library, providing virtual services will give your business the hybrid advantage and your clients will love the convenience of virtual classes.
“I communicated with your team lead for three months and he walked me through everything to set up virtually,” says Jessica. “We’re launching virtual classes again and making it 10 times easier for our students to log on now, with their own [Achieve™ client] app.”
Manage Your Events
WellnessLiving is your all-in-one solution to schedule and manage your virtual or in-person events.
“We always take advantage of the software to manage our events,” says Jessica who puts on a variety of holistic events as well as inviting musicians into the studio to accompany a class.
Advanced Reporting
Gain insight into your business by staying on top of all your facts and figures. We track all your data and present it in an easy-to-read format with Advanced Reporting so you can make informed decisions about marketing, staffing, payroll, inventory, and more!
The Future looks bright with West End Yoga x WellnessLiving
“I love hearing success stories like yours,” says WellnesLiving’s CEO and Co-Founder Len Fridman. “It always puts a smile on my face!”
We look forward to a long and meaningful relationship with Jessica Rodriguez and West End Yoga to help her continue to grow and scale her business with the software tools she needs. Namaste!
Ready to book a free demo to see how easy it is to make the “WellnessLiving switch” for your yoga business?
