Today we’d like to introduce you to Amanda Quintanilla.
Amanda, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I have always loved movement arts and different forms of acrobatics and yoga. I was a gymnast for many years growing up. After an injury in high school I turned to yoga as a way to rehabilitate my body after many years of abuse. I found in yoga the same love of body movement, but in a more mindful and gentle way. After a few years of practice, I set out on a path to teacher training simply to further my own practice and to find an outlet for stress from a military lifestyle. With my husband in the Marine Corps and an infant at home I was trying to find my way back to myself. After training I unexpectedly felt called to teach. Within my first year of teaching I happened upon paddleboard yoga while living in San Diego. With a love of water, it seemed like a natural fit. As with all things I do in life I jumped in head first and applied for teacher training. My first time on a board was that training. The second I stood up on the water my life changed and I knew I had found my calling. From there, the Marine Corps took us to Fort Worth, Texas. After arriving in the metroplex, I had a challenge finding a paddle board company that resonated with me. This led me to start my own. As a mom of now 2 girls, I was determined to help other moms and spouses empower themselves and their practice by heading out on the water. From the beginning, our goal has always been to provide a fun and safe atmosphere for our students to grow their practice. This helped us to naturally evolve our brand to also include traditional studio classes, paddle board yoga classes, and AcroYoga classes on land and on water.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It has not been a smooth road. As with any new business there are struggles along the way and our company is no different. Our biggest hurdle has been enticing students to the water. Since paddle board yoga is a relatively new style especially here in Texas we’ve found students were more apprehensive to try it. Our first two seasons we struggled with massive flooding and lakes being shut down because we are at the mercy of the elements. This is also one of the beautiful things about the practice. We are able to connect deeper with the natural elements.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Just Be Well Yoga – what should we know?
As an adventure yoga brand, we are bringing yoga to land, water, and air. We started as a paddle board yoga company 2 years ago and have since expanded to offer traditional studio yoga, paddle board yoga, and most recently AcroYoga. We specialize in finding adventure within the yoga world. Taking yoga off the mat and into nature as well as connecting with our fellow yogis through Acro.
We also specialize in certifying new paddleboard yoga teachers and teaching them how to safely bring yoga from land to water. As a company, we are most proud of our ability to bring people together, empower them to find their inner child, and ensure a safe learning environment along the way. By making sure that safety is ALWAYS our first consideration we only offer classes from teachers who all have specialized training in our various styles.
Most importantly, what sets us apart in our diversity and adventurous roots. We approach yoga from different angles to get students outside their comfort zone in the most accessible ways.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There are far too many people who have helped us along the way to list them all. Our team is first and foremost. We would not be where we are today without our amazing teachers. Each of our teachers has been with us from the beginning. Our teachers come from diverse backgrounds and each offers a different experience on and off the water. Bobbi Schenck who also teaches at Indigo Yoga in Fort Worth offers a strong Baptiste inspired class. Mindy Cramer Bulger has taught in various Fort Worth locations comes from a strong Vinyasa background and offers a challenging and fun filled class. Dan Hall and Emily King who teach at Tree Yoga offer alignment based classes that work towards an empowering well sequenced class. Tory Christopherson Sommerfeldt our Dallas Yoga Director offers alignment based hatha yoga classes for various levels of practice. Our biggest supporters have been our students who have come from all over the metroplex to practice with us and encourage us along the way.
Pricing:
- Single Paddle Yoga classes $35
- Single ACROVINYASA classes $17
Contact Info:
- Address: 4001 Marina Dr, Fort Worth, TX 76135
- Website: www.justbewellyoga.com
- Phone: (847) 494-1130
- Email: info@justbewellyoga.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/justbewellyogatx
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/justbewellyoga
- Twitter: www.twitter.com/justbewellyoga
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