Community Highlights: Meet Erin McDougal of Zen Out Yoga

Today we’d like to introduce you to Erin McDougal.

Hi Erin, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started practicing yoga in 2003 in San Diego, and my favorite thing to do was to hike up a mountain and practice yoga at the top! Over the years, practicing outside (on a mountain, by a river, at the ocean, etc.) continued to be one of my favorite things to do.

Fast forward to 2019, I moved out to Colorado with the intent to make hiking and yoga a thing! I took my teacher training in 2020 and started my business right away. Thanks to the pandemic, my first year was a lot of hiking and research, finding locations (and then finding out they weren’t available), and finding other locations. It wasn’t a booming business yet, but the research part also didn’t suck!

By the time 2021 rolled around I knew everything there was to know about getting permits for running a business in the great outdoors and I had secured permits for the spring season at some killer locations. (Yes, you need a permit if you’re running a business on land that is not yours). In the Spring of 2021, my business took off! I think people were looking for new ways to get outdoors and some were still leery of practicing indoors, so I was the perfect solution.

Today, I’m hosting 3 or 4 yoga hikes per month that are open to the public, and I’m also booking private events for birthday/bachelorette parties. I also host special events for meetings/conventions/weddings/etc. For these, I bring up to 100 yoga mats to an event space and set up a group class. I love this because it allows me to introduce new people to this life-changing practice. I strongly believe that the more people who practice yoga, the better the world will be!

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Mostly the permitting challenge. I would go out and find these lovely locations with the perfect spot for yoga, and then find out that I couldn’t get a permit for it.

It’s sad when that happens but it’s also for good reason. The hiking trails around Colorado have become so overpopulated that it’s taking a toll on the natural resources.

As you know, we’re big fans of Zen Out Yoga. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Zen Out Yoga specializes in Yoga Hikes and Special Event classes. We offer hikes to the public on a schedule and offer private hikes for groups. We also offer special event yoga in which we deliver and set up yoga mats at an event space, then teach a curated class for the group.

Our amazing instructors can teach a wide variety of yoga styles and we cater to all levels of experience. We love to plan events of all kinds and enjoy the creative process behind creating one-of-a-kind events. We are the only local company with these kinds of offerings, and I pride myself on our professionalism and hospitality.

Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I am on a self-empowerment and spiritual journey and have been reading books by Jen Sincero, Gabby Bernstein, Deepak Chopra, Dr. Nicole LePera, Jay Shetty, and so many others.

Feel free to connect if you’re heading in the same direction and want some recommendations!

Pricing:

• Yoga Hikes are $50 and can be purchased in a pack for better deals.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.zenoutyogaco.com
• Instagram: @zen_out_yoga_colorado

Image Credits
Green Lion Images