Yoga Grove is a locally run non-profit organization that gives donation-based yoga instruction to locals in the Grove City area. The owner and main instructor, Mrs. Harp, has been teaching for many years and hosts well attended classes every lesson. But other than people knowing about it from word of mouth, it has not been publicized or advertised. There is much potential in this business, and that is where the entrepreneur’s story truly starts, with opportunity.

In 2012, Ellen Glenn was a sophomore at Grove City College studying exercise science. She wanted experience and mentoring to help with her yoga certification, and with a professor’s recommendation, she was introduced to Mrs. Harp, the owner of this local yoga class. As Ellen studied different yoga techniques and styles, she realized that there was a great opportunity to organize, update, and make overall improvements to Yoga Grove.

She started by putting together a casual business plan for Mrs. Harp which was adopted quickly. Some of the main changes dealt with recording donation amounts, locations of classes, obtaining teaching supplies, executing marketing strategies, and setting goals. Just a few specific things she created were a website, Facebook page, on-campus ads, and spreadsheets to track spending and donations. Within a few months after these changes, new locations had to be sought after attendance doubled, and four class times were added to the schedule.

Although it is still a small operation, Yoga Grove is better than it was before. The reasons I find this story inspiring are because of the connections that were made and the opportunities that were seized. Entrepreneurs aren’t always the ones to create a new business or think of a new product; sometimes they are the people who can see improvements and act on them. When I asked Ellen why she did more than just learn yoga, she said it wasn’t because she wanted it on her resume, but because it allowed her to really connect with Mrs. Harp. This is unique to me because what you do should be what you love and what you love should be what you do.

Ellen Glenn is one of the rare entrepreneurs who can make improvements wherever she is placed. Yoga Grove was only the first and most important step in her entrepreneurial endeavors. She is now working on her own business, Traveling Trainer, which provides in-house personal training sessions to a wide range of people.