Meet the Co-Owners of Warrior&Co. A Yoga Studio!

I remember the first time I walked into WARRIOR&CO. A Yoga Studio. It was light, bright, clean & beautiful. WARRIOR&CO., based in Woodland Hills, opened their doors last summer at just the right time for me. I was going through a job transition & needed to seek some clarity & relaxation. All of the yoga classes that I’ve taken at WARRIOR&CO. have been great! I loved the motivational touch points that the yoga instructors bring to the class.

The last time I was at WARRIOR&CO., I ran into one of the co-owners. I’ve always wanted to interview both owners for my blog. I finally got the chance & I’m so pleased to bring you their story.

Please meet the latest Real Moms of the SFV – Bonnie Abramson Sobel & Karen Sobel!

How/why did you begin your business?
Bonnie & Karen: It all began on the campus of UCSB back in 1996 when Karen and Bonnie fell in love with brothers, who both ended up married, making them sister-in-laws for life. In college, both were exercise enthusiasts who regularly met each other at the UCSB Rec Center to get their workout in and talk about life. You could always find them strolling on the beach with Bonnie’s dog Tobi and making plans for their future. Both being San Fernando Valley natives after Santa Barbara, they all ended up back in the Valley living just miles apart.

Bonnie has continuously challenged her body with many different types of workouts. She felt that yoga made her a calmer mom and all around more focused individual. While on a family vacation, Bonnie felt strongly about what benefits yoga brought to her life and wanted to share the experience with Karen. Karen also fell in love with the practice especially the mindfulness and breath aspects. When returning home from the vacation they saw a vision to build their own studio. Because they have first-hand experienced the transformational aspects of yoga in their lives, they felt the need to introduce their children and parents to the benefits of yoga. This has greatly impacted them and they were excited to introduce their vision to the community.

In August 2017, after many months of planning and building, WARRIOR&CO. A Yoga Studio was born. WARRIOR&CO, located in Woodland Hills, is a two-studio space, offering a unique environment and the first of its kind; one hot studio and one non-heated. With a variety of yoga and fitness classes including Kids Yoga, Teen Yoga, and Seniors Yoga there is a perfect class for everyone. Karen and Bonnie’s goal was to create a studio where everyone feels part of a community.

As working mothers, what is one tip or piece of advice that you would give to other female entrepreneurs?
Bonnie & Karen: Creating balance as an entrepreneur and mother is key. It is important to not be so hard on yourself, there is no such such thing as perfection. We have to allow ourselves forgiveness if something falls through the cracks. Managing a family and a business is a lot of work, both rewarding and amazing. And sometimes it gets overwhelming but staying positive and focused helps maintain a balance to accomplish both. It does take a village to be successful as an entrepreneur and mom and it is ok to allow yourself to lean on the village.

What do you like best about having a business in the San Fernando Valley?
Bonnie & Karen: We love being in the San Fernando Valley. Bonnie & Karen were both born and raised in the area and love seeing child hood friends, acquaintances from the local grocery stores, and community members walk into the studio. We love being part of the Woodland Hills chamber of commerce where other local businesses support each other. Since both our families are still local in the San Fernando Valley, we love seeing our parents and their friends coming to yoga and receiving the benefits of the practice. Both Bonnie and Karen live close to the studio which makes it easy for the multiple trips back and forth throughout the day to WARRIOR&CO.

If there was one thing you wish you knew before you began your business, what would that be?
Bonnie & Karen: If we knew one thing before we opened WARRIOR&CO. it would be to remember to be PATIENT. Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes time, patience, and hardwork to create a successful and growing business. It also takes patience from our families and friends who understand our dedication and time in creating a yoga community. We have been very fortunate that our first year of business has been such a success and we are thankful for our amazing instructors who teach incredible classes and who have helped build our yoga community.

Here are some special events at WARRIOR&CO. taking place this month:

• 9/6: Mira’s Mindful Meditation Class at 8:15pm
• 9/7: Lorna Jane Trunk Show from 8am-1pm
• 9/10-9/13: Athleta will be dropping off a special surprise during one of the noon classes. Which 12 noon class will get the surprise?
• 9/27: Glow Flow & Paint Night with Tara at 7pm ($10)
• 9/23: Special Flow Class at 9:30am with Alexa at Athleta Woodland Hills in The Village
• 9/25: Junior Warrior Class at 4:15pm (Ages 5-8 years old)

For more information on WARRIOR&CO. A Yoga Studio, visit their website here. Also don’t forget to check out the studio’s Facebook page so that you can get the latest updates!

Disclosure: No monetary compensation was received for this post. The image shown in this post is used with permission. As always, my opinions are 100% my own.