Today we’d like to introduce you to Tara Winterhalter.
Tara, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I started as a dancer at the age of four. As I excelled in my dance career, yoga became a part of our training. After college, I opened up my first dance studio in 2009. I wanted to offer some classes for the dance moms in the waiting area, so I started my fitness journey with a barre certification. Shortly after, I decided I really enjoyed teaching fitness. I wanted a change of scene, so I moved with my family to Nashville. While I was there I really ignited my yoga practice. It became a new fire for me. I sold my dance studio, Earned my 200hr Yoga certification through Yoga Alliance and made yoga my priority. After a little over a year in Nashville, we moved again to Scottsdale, Arizona for more opportunities in the field. It was in Arizona that I received my ERYT200 and YACEP certification through yoga alliance. I was able to travel the world to Sydney, London, Portugal and more leading and certifying people in yoga. I am lucky to have met some of the most beautiful souls and amazing people in my travels. It was so inspiring to be able to offer this little piece of myself and this yoga magic to the world, but I wanted to bring it back home to my roots. Moving back to MA in 2016, I made it my mission to open a studio in the area. Ritual Sweat Society opened in August of 2017. The response was so overwhelmingly positive we opened our second location in Providence, Rhode Island in June 2018. It has been so rewarding to bring health and wellness back home and I am looking forward to what is to come in the future.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It has not been a smooth road but as with anything, it is more about what you are willing to sacrifice for what you believe in. I think every new business has its hiccups but how you react and push through will ultimately decide the outcome. For example: I put the floors in the studio myself (including tiling) which is why it is not level (haha) but I love it because it was truly built from the ground up. Both locations required a lot of sleepless nights, long days, unseen circumstances and true grit. When your priorities are aligned with your purpose it is easy to stay on track. My advice would be to keep it simple. Focus on the tasks you can tackle today and always stay on track with what aligns with the integrity of your brand. To all the young women on this journey, You got this!
Please tell us about Ritual Sweat Society.
I specialize in yoga and fitness. I am most known for my work with Buti Yoga® and the Buti Yoga Sculpt® DVD. As the brand Ritual Sweat Society, I am most proud of our work giving back to the community. Every summer we teach a free summer series of yoga classes outside. We team up with local businesses and help raise awareness for multiple charities. We have raised over 10k for local charities in the last 3 years, including over 5K this year alone. It is a much bigger purpose. We have the best time and it is all for great causes and charities in the Southcoast area. At Ritual Sweat Society, we want out clients to feel the energy the minute they walk in. Our classes are not your typical yoga classes. We play hip hop music, move our bodies, incorporate cardio segments and scream, cheer and leave it on our mats. We want to provide a release as we work on the benefits of the practice. We were voted 2018 Southcoast Best of the Best in all three categories we were nominated for. This was not only because of us, this is because we have some of the most amazing, supportive clients in the world. We are so grateful for all of the local love and support.
There’s a wealth of academic research that suggests that lack of mentors and networking opportunities for women has materially affected the number of women in leadership roles. Smart organizations and industry leaders are working to change this, but in the meantime, do you have any advice for finding a mentor and building a network?
My advice for networking is to always look to link up with other local businesses and organizations. There is so much to be said for collaboration. I feel like it is something that is not utilized enough. We try to focus our networking through teamwork, charity, and word of mouth. If you have a great product, people will spread the word.
Pricing:
- First Week Free
- $99 UNLIMITED Membership (One Year Contract)
- $89 Student Unlimited Membership (9-month contract)
Contact Info:
- Address: Dartmouth- 634 State Road
Dartmouth, MA 02747; Providence – 286 Thayer St 2nd floor
Providence, Rhode Island 02906 - Website: www.ritualsweatsociety.com
- Phone: 774-206-6198
- Email: connect@ritualsweatsociety.com
- Instagram: @tara_jae_rss_yoga
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RitualSweatSociety
- Other: @Tara_jae_buti_yoga Instagram
Image Credit:
Andrew Kepinski
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