As a business owner, wife, and mother, I wear many different hats with many different responsibilities. Every experience in my life has helped me become more effective in each role. One of my favorite quotes is “Work in Silence, Let your success be your noise.” This has become the guiding philosophy behind my mindset each day.
Throughout much of my life, I’ve struggled with stress, body image, self-esteem, eating disorders, and chronic pain. It took time, and trial and error, to finally discover relief and physical balance through yoga.
In spite of my internal turmoil, I’ve always found joy in traveling the world – exploring India, Pakistan, and even following the Silk Road to China. My passion for exploring the world eventually led me to begin Corc Yoga. However, it wasn’t the result of months of market research or focus group studies. It was, like many things in life, a happy intersection of coincidences.
A couple of years ago, my husband, Sol and I, experienced a tremendous family loss. As part of our grieving process, we traveled to Portugal. Visiting Portugal allowed me to find myself among the pain and heartache. This magical location enabled me to feel alive again. It was my renewal.
I fell in love with the culture, charming villages, and most importantly, the kind people who call this place home. While we were there I also discovered Portugal’s treasured resource, cork.
I was amazed at how the cork trees give back to Portugal’s economy and provide a sustainable livelihood for many people across the region. As a lover of nature, there was something about cork trees that resonated within me; I knew I needed to share the beauty of cork with others.
Being a business-woman
With both an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong desire to create something both beneficial and sustainable, I was confident my future would involve cork.
When the time came to return home, I carried this newfound fascination with me, accompanied by wild ideas of how I could share this passion with others.
My fascination for cork combined with my mission to share the benefits of yoga led me to begin Corc Yoga.
What’s been one of the best parts of starting a company?
Starting Corc Yoga has allowed me to connect the dots between battling mental health and giving back to community. In addition to the yoga community that I have grown to love, it has allowed me to give back to the cork farming community of Portugal and those battling mental health issues.
I continuously see the positivity this activity brings to everyone involved, including those struggling with mental health. Now, making Corc Yoga a success is as important as practicing yoga. As the brand has evolved since inception, I am motivated by the opportunity to offer an eco-friendly product to the yoga and wellness community because I know it holds real value and serves as a conduit to deal with the inherent stress of life.
It has given me a sense of purpose knowing that we have not only created a product that supports sustainability but also supporting lives and giving back to something very close to my heart.
It takes a village to run a business and I am so grateful to our community and our Corc Yoga team for their loyalty and commitment. We have grown because of our community. Corc Yoga has allowed me to meet some of the most amazing people and form meaningful friendships.
