Yoga That Can Help Change Lives

Beth Shaw is a modern day yoga luminary devoted to bringing wellness to the masses. She’s the President and founder of YogaFit, Inc. the largest Yoga School in the world and is recognized as one of the leading experts in the fields of “mind body fitness.” Shaw is the entrepreneurial innovator behind many fitness trends including YogaFit Sweat, YogaLean and popular YogaButt.

Shaw has been published in numerous fitness, business and consumer publications including Time, LA Times, USA Today, Entrepreneur, SELF, FIT and Yoga Journal. She’s also the author of several books on Yoga, health & conscious business and speaks frequently at Universities and corporations on green initiatives, health consciousness and the business of spirituality.

The Conscious Connection team caught up with Beth between yoga classes to pick her brain on how she got started in the yoga movement and how you can get involved too.

Conscious Connection: When were you first inspired to begin practicing yoga?

Beth Shaw: I was first inspired to begin practicing yoga in 1989, and in yoga found a cure for several stresses and aliments she was suffering from at the time.

Conscious Connection: How has yoga helped you achieve your ultimate potential?

Beth Shaw: Yoga has helped me reach my ultimate potential spiritually, emotionally, and mentally. As a New Yorker with a Type A personality, Yoga created a gateway to spirituality which has had a lasting effect.

Conscious Connection: When / how did you come up with the idea for YogaFit?

Beth Shaw: I first came up with the idea for YogaFit while on a bike ride in 1994, it’s all history from there.

Conscious Connection: What’s the mission of your organization and how does it tie into your personal mission?

Beth Shaw: The mission of YogaFit, and my personal mission is to create more wellness in the world, to bring yoga to the masses and to extend YogaFit’s practice of doing good business.

Conscious Connection: What was the biggest challenge you had to overcome when first starting out?

Beth Shaw: The biggest challenge I faced when I started YogaFit, is the same challenge I face today: the day-to-day challenges and hurdles associated with running a business, especially a successful international business.

Conscious Connection: Tell us more about your philosophy of “business without a greater point than profit is pointless.”

Beth Shaw: My business philosophy is based in the belief that all companies have the power and obligation to give back. Be that in community service, charity, or some other form of philanthropy, I believe that companies have the money and control to empower the world by giving their time, money, or service.

Conscious Connection: Any final advice for our readers looking to make a difference with their lives?

Beth Shaw: I advise those who are looking to make a difference expand their Karmic practice. You can do the following:

• Using Karma will help bring your community together, and bond them, associating your business with positivity.
• Karma is shared! When you do good for others, they are far more likely to do good for you, and support your business.
• Karma travels fast! News of your goodwill and unselfish business practices will spread, growing your database of customers.
• A happy customer is a loyal customer. Anyone you deal with professionally that leaves a conversation, or an email message with a smile, will remember their positive experience and how they felt dealing with your company, which is a great reason for them to return.
• What goes around comes around. As well all know, even if someone didn’t see what you just did-karma saw it. Businesses who conduct themselves unselfishly behind closed doors have nothing to hide or cover up. Create a business plan that allows for your practices to be transparent and obviously based in goodwill.