We are rounding out the month of love, connections, partnership, and community with an interview with Thunderbird Ambassadors Mark Herron and Erinn Lewis. Almost one year ago, the couple took a leap of faith by taking their relationship to the next level and starting a business together. In one year, Sukha Yoga has cultivated a beautiful community in their cozy studio in Austin, Texas. We got the chance to ask this inspiring couple a few questions that gave us further insight on the dynamic of a work/love relationship.
TB: How do you separate work and family life?
M&E: You don’t really : ) You can try to compartmentalize and really it doesn’t work. We choose to bring together work and family life as what we do at the studio is intimately intertwined into the fabric of who we are. We don’t really look at it as work either…it’s what we love to do.
TB: What has being business partners taught you about being life partners, and vice versa?
M&E: You learn when to lean in and when to pause and give some space to each other. Most importantly we need time away from it all to reconnect and touch base on a personal level without the distractions of work/kids/etc. We’ve also learned how important it is to check our egos and ask ourselves, “Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy?” It’s also vital to give eachother the space to shine bright on passion projects, whether it’s the Men’s Yoga Series or a specialized meditation training we both want the other to thrive individually as well as together.
TB: What is the most difficult part about running a business together?
M&E: It’s a new business so creating time to “check out” is challenging. Sukha is like having a new born and self care time can get neglected.
TB: Best part?
M&E: We get to create and manifest our lives in all aspects as business partners and life partners. We’ve witnessed it morph and know that it will continue to evolve as we grow with our kids, each other and the studio. Building a community of like-minded, wholehearted and spirited people is the greatest gift. We get to live and spread truth, love, and relationship building all through the lens of yoga,meditation,and real conversations. It’s like each day we’ve been given an opportunity to live our yoga practice though our words, intentions and actions. We are both committed to excellence and nurturing the vision of Sukha and every day we a grateful and humbled by the warmth and connection to each and everyone who has walked through the door.
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TB: What is your favorite quality about your partner that strengthens your business?
M: She’s is whole heartedly devoted and born to teach and share all facets of life through yoga. She is unashamed to share all parts of her self - although painful it may be at times, she shares it all. Erinn is undeniably one of the most gifted and special yoga teachers on this planet. Her dedicated following is not there to stand in awe of her ego, rather all of the students come to bathe in Erinn’s humanity and their own. Her classes are like a religious revival and ass kicking wrapped inside a glitter bomb. She is ALWAYS true AND when she’s not, she’ll be the first to call herself out. That’s living in truth.
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E: He is dedicated to creating a safe space for people to come and heal, to feel, and to share. His eye for detail, his unparalleled design skills, and his willingness to put in the work daily to create a space for students and teachers to walk into that feels like home. Some nights that looks like sweeping and mopping the floors at midnight after a long day and other times it looks like hanging out post practice in the lounge with a group of students talking about life and connecting beyond the yoga poses.
Visit Sukha Yoga Studio in Austin to see the magic in action, or follow @sukhayogaaustin on Instagram!