YogaDenton

Owner Pat Colonna

“Bend Me, Shape Me, Anyway You Want Me   . . . “

“But always remember to relax and breathe,” says youthful, energetic, 65-year-old yoga instructor and business owner, Pat Colonna.   Visualizing a yoga studio right before the height of yoga popularity, Colonna made a phenomenal impact when she opened the doors to YogaDenton in January of 2000.   The following year Oprah and Time Magazine began touting the healthful benefits of yoga, and Colonna was enjoying the financial benefits of that national publicity.

Colonna originally taught herself yoga from a PBS television program called, “Lilia’s Yoga & You” back in the 1960s.   After years of practice and other class participation, she was asked to teach continuing education classes at UNT and YogaDenton became her brainchild.   However, Colonna’s friends state that she planned and talked about this business for over 10 years before she finally unrolled the mats to the public

She says luck has played a significant role in her business – being at the right time at the right place and knowing the right people to ask for assistance, including the counselors at the North Central Texas College Small Business Development Center and SCORE.   Her philosophy and advice to other small business owners is to always seek professional advice, whether from an attorney, an accountant, or any one of the professional government programs available in every community.   Other connections have also helped her.   A professional design firm in Dallas created her logo at no cost to Colonna, which has been published on t-shirts and made into jewelry.

But luck wasn’t always totally in YogaDenton’s favor.    In January of 2002, the after-effects of September 11 finally reached the tiny business and classes dwindled to a fraction of their normal size.   Colonna says times were terribly lean and there were real concerns about continuing, but she cut back some of her own expenses and stayed the course.   Today she again enjoys a healthy number of students and a business that becomes healthier every year.   Since she’s turned 65, her personal financial demands have lessened, making her business and work even more enjoyable than ever before.

In addition to her palpable energy, one of her strengths of character is her appreciation and commitment to give back to the community.   Colonna volunteers for “Our Daily Bread,” a community food program, ushers for the Denton Community Theater, and is a member of the Main Street Association in Denton .   She claims “the nicest people in our community come to YogaDenton.   I have no bounced checks, no problem with payments, and several of the students have become personal friends.”

Colonna discovered the assistance provided by the Small Business Development Centers while attending a training course for opening and operating a yoga studio.   She says, “I am grateful to the college and the chamber for making this service available in the Denton area, and for the education, experience, and enthusiasm of the counselor.   The counselor explained everything in simple terms and was honest with feedback.”

Colonna claims yoga is the ideal exercise for people, particularly as they age.   “The baby-boomers are coming and I’m ready for them!” she comments.   If years of practicing yoga results in the grace and youthfulness that is epitomized by Pat Colonna, she can bend me, shape me, any way she wants!!

http://www.yogadenton.com/pages/1/index.htm