Yvonne Glassman of Eagle on Life, Lessons & Legacy

Yvonne Glassman shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Yvonne, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
I wake up around 5AM and start my day slowly with coffee in bed next to my husband. It’s our quiet time together. Typically we do a 20 min meditation and then check in before we start our day. After that, I check in on emails and any urgent business needs, then get moving with a shower and set the tone for the rest of the day. Those first 90 minutes are my favorite time of day. It’s quiet and it gives me a chance to get grounded before I shift into the rest of my day.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Yvonne Glassman, an entrepreneur, yoga teacher, wife, mom, and someone who’s spent the last decade building businesses that are rooted in connection, creativity, and a whole lot of grit.

Yoga Off Broadway started as a tiny studio in Eagle, Colorado in 2008. Since then it has grown into a space that holds so much more than movement. It’s where people come to reconnect with themselves and their community. In addition to YOB I also own Stay@OM Yoga on Demand. I created this online yoga community in response to the pandemic and still have many subscribers who practice with me online.

In October, my husband and I purchased AFW Flooring in Steamboat Springs and we are currently expanding that business to include Glassman Surfaces. Glassman Surfaces is an extension of our AFW brand offering luxury flooring options to clients looking for unique, high-end flooring options for their home.

What makes my work unique is the blend. I’m helping people build spaces they love, and lives they feel good in. I have the great privilege to work with incredible teams and incredible customers.

Thanks for sharing that. Would love to go back in time and hear about how your past might have impacted who you are today. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a chatty and intuitive girl who felt everything deeply, loved animals, and playing outside. I was constantly creating art, music, and neighborhood plays. I loved to go to the beach with my family and to design and create things with my friends.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. More than once.

During the Pandemic I was staring down a wall of financial stress, wondering how I was going to make payroll, keep the lights on, and still show up for my family. We were down to less than 1/4 of our revenue, I had been given no forgiveness on rent and bills, and we were in a mandated studio closure. I was teaching classes over Zoom and every day more people were canceling their memberships. I sincerely thought I was going to lose everything.

But something in me (maybe stubbornness) thought that I spent decades teaching people how to persevere when times got tough and I had the skill set to get through this.

So I didn’t give up. I adjusted. I asked for help. Many of my teachers offered to teach their classes for free until we were able to do in person classes again. I started Stay@OM on Demand to supplement our studio revenue. I found outdoor venues to teach my classes, and I taught retreats in states with fewer restrictions. I let go of perfection and started rebuilding.

That time in my life taught me that I can do anything I set my mind to as long as I keep moving forward and don’t give up.

Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What truths are so foundational in your life that you rarely articulate them?
That I can lose everything and still be okay.
That the most important work I’ll ever do is inside my own mind.
That freedom matters more to me than working for someone else..
And that the life I’m building will never look like anyone else’s.
The Relationship I have with my husband and my kids matters before everything else.
My health is my greatest asset.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people remember that I truly cared. That I showed up to help my community live better, healthier, more connected lives. Through the yoga studio, I created space for healing and growth. Through our flooring and design work, I’ve helped people create homes and businesses they love coming back to. And I hope people say that I was generous with my time, my energy, and my heart, and that I was the kind of person who showed up when someone needed support.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.yogaoffbroadway.com Www.glassmansurfaces.com
• Instagram: yogaoffbroadway, stayatomyoga, glassmansurfaces