Keeping Calm With Ina Visich

Instagram is Tinder for business relationships. Scroll through some photos, feel a mutual connection, start a conversation, and begin chatting. That’s how I came across Ina Visich of Wading River’s Solntse Hot Yoga and SO Matcha Bar. Her images inspire, from her physical form to her down-to-Earth Nicz. After months — it could even be years — of forming a friendship through Instagram likes and comments, we finally met — via Zoom.

I grabbed my workout mat, readied my camera in the backyard, and began a 50-minute no-weight barre session. According to my Fitbit, I had quite the workout. And, though virtual, I could feel the sincerity and passion in her practice. Visich is all for empowering minds as well as bodies.

How are you helping clients reach their health goals?

I believe that being consistent is the key to achieving any kind of goals, not just health goals. I’ve also been adding pop-up guided meditations at night for my customers to tune into with their earphones before bed to help with the worrisome insomnia that I’m sure many are experiencing.

I believe the studio now has a very well-rounded schedule which, if practiced consistently, can have a really positive impact on the physical and emotional health of my customers.

What is the difference you hope to make in people’s lives?

I’m hoping this practice can make the same impact in people’s lives it made in mine. Even though I only started with yoga, I’ve been slowly introducing more strength training into my class schedule, such as low-impact weight-bearing exercises. It’s excellent for people with injuries, autoimmune diseases, etc. Without having a high impact on joints and spine, customers still get toning and cardio.

How has business for you changed since social distancing?

The closure of the physical location seemed like the end of the world for me. I’ve been serving my community nonstop for three-and-a-half years. But it forced me to take a step back and realize that in this digital world I can still continue to serve, make a difference, and make an impact, even if not at the physical location.

About a week before closure, we started live streaming classes and noticed that people that were not members started reaching out with interest in just being online members. So, the online base started growing. The positive response from the community has been overwhelmingly amazing. I’m able to keep connecting with my community, keep them going, keep them positive, and hopefully make a difference. I hardly had made any changes to our usual schedule, minus 5 AM classes.

When do you livestream?

We stream three classes daily. The schedule can be viewed on the website or the scheduling app Wellness Living Achieve. We stream through Zoom and Facebook, the private group Solntse Hot Yoga Online Classes. The Zoom access codes are emailed daily to clients and we communicate several times a day through social media.

Workouts are free for our existing members and their families. For people that aren’t members, we have rolled out a few online only options that can be purchased on the website.

What are you doing that’s new?

Due to the physical closure, I started recording classes and building an online platform. I’ve been working on it for a while, but really had no time to focus due to my getting an MBA at Long Island University Brooklyn. Now that my school is all online and my studio is all in live format, I have the time to focus on rolling out a professional online yoga platform, which I’m planning to take on a national level, if not international.

I have big plans. Once the platform is launched, it will be accessible on www.inaflows.com.

How are you staying afloat right now?

All of the members and non-members have been incredibly supportive of the business, knowing how difficult this time is to sustain employees and try to reopen without major changes once the closure has been lifted by the state authorities. We also have been receiving some donations from members who are determined to help, do everything they can to keep the studio open.

There’s nothing in the world that I appreciate more than pure, heartfelt, selfless service, and that’s exactly what I’m seeing happening in my community. It’s truly inspiring.

What are you doing to stay mentally sound?

Connecting with my customers while live streaming, meditation, connecting with friends, reaching out to those whom I lost touch with due to life being so busy before the quarantine. Having a new business project — building the platform — is taking all of the free time I have from my live streaming and MBA.

I’m an entrepreneur through and through. I always have a new business project in mind, and I’m very happy now that I have the time to develop this one. I think it’s important to have a project that can occupy and develop your
intellect.

What is the first thing you’re excited to do when life goes back to “normal?”

I cannot wait to throw a reopening party for the studio. This one will be the biggest one yet. I’m planning to have a DJ, free classes throughout the day, maybe some dancing, cheese tasting, etc. There’s so much anticipation to reopen the doors. I’ve never been this excited.

Solntse Hot Yoga’s schedule can be viewed at www.solntseyoga.com. Follow Visich on Instagram at @inavisich.