Audre Lorde, one of the United State’s greatest writers and self-described Black lesbian mother and warrior poet, said, “I have to believe that caring for myself is not self-indulgent. Caring for myself is an act of survival.”
Survival has become increasingly more strenuous in the United States and worldwide for the LGBTQIA+ community. OwlRare, a queer afro-indigenous entrepreneur from San Diego, is no stranger to this reality. In the decade they have practiced yoga — and five years as an instructor — Owl has experienced how difficult it is to find safe spaces for minoritized communities to practice self-care. Adventures with Owl was born “to build a strong global online community that brings together LGBTQIA+, & QTBIPOC for collective healing.”
Owl only spent an impressive nineteen days on his SLAPbuild, which points to the clarity of their vision and the power of alignment. Their clarity also helped them achieve another milestone. In January, Owl felt it was time to open the yoga studio where them and their community could feel they belong. In just thirty days, Owl found a space to hold yoga classes and wellness events, and their community rallied to raise 10,000 dollars to furnish the space and throw a grand-opening celebration.
Actions = Results
Because Owl is such a high performer, let’s explore how they accomplished their results.
The #1 rule of SLAP is Actions = Results. What is the MOST effective Action you have taken that has resulted in more customers and more profitable revenue?
OwlRare: The most effective action I’ve taken this year was using crowdfunding to open Imani Yoga Studio! Claudia Gomez from Tap In with Claudia agreed to partner with me to let us rent her space and start teaching right away! The crowdfunding project showed me the power of community. So many friends and Adventures with Owl clients came together to make Imani Yoga Studio a reality. It was wonderful to celebrate with them at the grand opening!
If, when you first became an entrepreneur, you could have received one piece of advice from an experienced business owner in your industry, what would it be?
OR: Be specific with what your goals are, and try to be specific with how you can get there! Take a moment to pause and see what ideas come to you in the stillness. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and process the doubtful thoughts that may come up! What are your thoughts and beliefs in terms of scarcity? How can you challenge them?
What will life look like when your dreams come true?
SLAPcommunity Call Out
No one succeeds alone, and SLAP™ supplies all of our small business owners with an incredible system of support. Here, OwlRare brags on the folks who helped them become SLAPstars!
OR: My biggest challenges as a Small Business Owner are raising capital, finding investors to pitch to, and creating consistent content. Joining SLAP™ through BAGS offered me accountability partners and an actionable business plan. SLAP™ is a great tool for anyone looking to start a business while feeling supported along the way! Once I joined the SLAP community, I applied for one of the American Small Business Growth Program‘s State of Small Business in America mini-doc commissions and I am so excited that I received $5,000 USD to create a short film telling the story of small business in my community.
Support This Small Business Owner!
OwlRare regularly leads yoga and wellness classes in beautiful outdoor spaces, via livestream on social media, and now in Imani Yoga Studio! Follow their social media pages and website for their latest offerings, as well as findng merch, skincare products, and even free meditation videos. Don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe!
