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Dear Yogis, Friends, and Family,

Studio ownership has been a wild ride these past 3 years. When I took over Divinitree in 2018, I was a new business owner and honestly had no idea what I was doing. But I had big dreams for the future.

As someone who’s always felt like an outsider, I knew I wanted Divinitree to be more than just a place to do yoga. At most of the yoga studios I had been to in the past, I didn’t feel spiritual enough… athletic enough… trendy enough… I didn’t feel like I was “enough.”

So I wanted to create a space where people could come and explore yoga as they are. Where they can connect with the fullness of themselves - messiness and all - and know that they’re enough no matter where they’re at that day; no matter where they’re at in their lives.

I wanted to create an environment for acceptance and healing, with lighthearted reminders to not take life too seriously. At Divinitree - you can dive deep into serious self-inquiry, while also being immersed by dad jokes, big laughs, and big hugs.

My ultimate goal has and continues to be to help people to experience the liberation of simply being. The freedom of truly living.

I knew from personal experience that the practice of yoga is a powerful way to get there. 

It hasn’t been easy for our small (but mighty!) studio. When I initially took over, there were many teachers who were owed back wages, unpaid bills and debts, and an unsavory reputation within the community. Some people thought I was crazy for taking over a failing business.

But all I saw was opportunity. And I still do.

I settled up on debts and did my best to wipe the slate clean so we could re-build Divinitree as a reliable, transparent, and welcoming space for all. From cleaning toilets to consistent 17-hour work days, to many sleepless nights - I held onto that vision of opportunity and pushed through challenges with the support of the most amazing team by my side. 

At the end of 2019 and the beginning of 2020, the fruits of labor were finally paying off. The studio bloomed and our classes were packed. 

But in March - the stark realities of the pandemic hit. In a single month, we lost nearly half of our members. And like other small businesses, our revenue took a sharp tumble. It was a dark and scary time.

But anyone who knows me personally knows that in the face of adversity - I try to be bold. 

Through all of the uncertain moments in the last 3 years, our studio has continued to grow and adapt in creative ways that have kept us not just afloat but have helped us thrive.

In all honesty though - we’ve been in survival mode this last year and we’re still far from our pre-pandemic revenue. We need your support. 

The departure of Kotuku Cafe from our lobby left us with a gutted lobby, higher rent, and lots of necessary repairs. It simply is not possible for us to reopen the physical studio as it is now. And in the face of this adversity - we’ve discovered new opportunities and are choosing to be bold. 

We’re ready for the next evolution of the studio - a full rebrand and renovation. 

There’s A TON of work to do, but once it’s all complete we’ll be ready to welcome students to our shiny new indoor studio, with a new look, and new name; but with the same heart and soul. 

I invite you to be a part of this exciting process by humbly asking you to contribute to our renovation fund. All proceeds from this campaign will go to paying for labor, materials, repairs, decor, and furnishings for the newly renovated space. 

Here are some specific things that we need:

- Remove leftover cafe infrastructure
- Prep and paint the walls of the lobby, bathrooms, and large studio (patch holes, new baseboards, prime, paint, etc.)
- Replace nearly all lighting fixtures 
- Repair, paint, and seal lobby floor 
- Update sound system for main studio space
- Build new lobby communal seating, front desk, and retail area 
- Replace outdoor and indoor signage
- Purchase new decor and furniture such as wall shelves, decorative pillows, cubbies, art, plants, plants, and plants

At Divinitree (new name to be announced later this summer!), we believe in embracing life in all of its beautiful chaos. Throughout the pandemic, we’ve pivoted time and time again so we could continue to provide yoga classes to our amazing community. Now, we have the opportunity to come back to in-studio classes with a new name, new look, and updated mission statement that feels aligned with the values we’ve been practicing for quite some time.

Everything that our studio has been through over the last 3 years has led up to this moment. 

I’m so stoked for this next evolution of the studio and am SO excited for you to be a part of it! 

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your support. 

Big Hugs, 
Jill

Can’t contribute financially? We appreciate your support regardless! Please consider sharing our campaign with friends and family so we can continue to grow our network and raise the funds we need for our gorgeous new studio!