From the Ground Up Yoga

Welcome to From The Ground Up Yoga!\*\*

This past week marked a dream come true—the official opening of From The Ground Up Yoga! It has been an incredible journey to bring this studio to life, and now, standing in this light-filled space surrounded by a growing yoga community, I am overwhelmed with gratitude.

### A Heartfelt Thank You

No dream is realized alone, and there are so many people to thank who helped make this studio a reality:

**Jim and Tom Covino** – Our talented builders, whose craftsmanship and attention to detail made this space truly special.

**Ryan Spahr of Cyclopian\_Design** – His incredible design work seamlessly brought From The Ground Up Yoga and Haystack Catering into harmony, creating a place of beauty and intention.

**Jon Amaral** – Our endlessly patient and supportive web designer, who has worked tirelessly to bring our vision to life online.

**Our Amazing Team of Yoga Instructors** – I am honored to share this space with an incredible group of certified instructors who bring their unique strengths and wisdom to our community:

- **Lisa May (@lisamayfitness)** – Our resident veteran yoga and fitness business guru, whose depth of experience is an inspiration to us all.
- **Kristin Powers** – The queen of competent positivity, bringing uplifting energy and unwavering support to every class.
- **Emma Weatherhogg** – At 30, our youngest instructor, who embodies the fresh, dynamic spirit of our evolving yoga family.

**To Elpi** – Who came up with this concept and actually believed I could pull it off.

**To my three kids** – For their "way to go mom!" support.

**To Jack** – Who took on the challenge of laying the floor—piece by piece, board by board—turning a blank slate into the solid foundation we now stand on.

**To Olivia** – For an amazing photo shoot and the hand-dyed natural textiles you’ll see on pillows and curtains.

**To Ashley** – For holding my hand and pouring me some expertly picked fine wine.

**To my parents** – My very first teachers. To Mom, who is watching and guiding from the other side—I love you so.

**To my yoga teachers, Jo Kirsch and Bob Speck of The Heart of The Village Yoga studio in Manchester, VT** – You two changed my life forever, and I still hear your voices guiding me through my teaching and in my heart every day.

**Lastly, and I’m saving the best for last: To Mark. To Hono.**

No, it’s not a typo. Hono is our nickname for each other, short for honey. The building is named Hono House. From The Ground Up is because it's the first business that we've built together, literally from the ground up. We've owned a restaurant together for 26 years, which we sold a year and a half ago, a spice company, and now, Haystack Catering, located in the same building. From The Ground Up is all mine this time, but I couldn't have done it without my life partner of 32 years. From hanging hooks to making dinner, to watching me sweat, cry, and grow, he's been there every step of the way, and I love you so much.

This has been an incredible journey of stretching myself, building new skill sets, and facing a lot of doubt and fear. I cannot wait to share it with you!

With love and gratitude,

Margaret