Meet Trailblazer Meredith Evangelisti

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meredith Evangelisti.

Meredith first and foremost considers herself to be a yogi.

She is a certified Bikram, Vinyasa, and Yoga Sculpt Instructor who has been teaching since 2008.

She is also a Certified Personal Trainer, Group Fitness, and Spin Instructor as well as a Sports Nutritionist.

Meredith has been referred to as a “Serial Entrepreneur”.

Meredith is the owner and designer of Hotdrop Apparel, a men’s hot yoga clothing company, and the creator of the Shape Up Program, a 12-week diet, and exercise program.

She created the Hot Hatha Sculpt program to teach studios around the world how to fuse together yoga and resistance training to create a more balanced body and mind.

Meredith lives and works in Boston, MA where she trains her private clients and teaches yoga and fitness classes at several gyms and studios.  She also runs several yoga, fitness, and clean eating retreats a year that ranges from sea and sun to mountain views.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
My teaching career has been a relatively smooth road. This is a passion that took me until my 30’s to find. Prior to that, I was always in a corporate setting utilizing my degree in Manufacturing and Management Information Systems. Once I decided to make yoga and fitness, my career there was no turning back and I knew immediately it was the right path for me.

Hotdrop Apparel is another story. The line launched in 2011 as full hot yoga clothing line for both men and women. Hotdrop was in over 700 yoga studios around the world. But with the market being saturated with women’s clothing, which represented about 75% of our line, it was hard to compete. Manufacturing costs were high and we were forced to close our doors in 2015.

Over the two years, it was closed I received hundreds of emails and messages from men around the world looking for Hotdrop shorts. They were the best in the market and couldn’t be reproduced though many had tried. In 2017, I relaunched the line as a solo project with just two pairs of men’s shorts. I am now on my second production and the line is going strong.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Meredith Evangelisti Yoga and Fitness Instructor and her brand Hotdrop Apparel – what should we know?
Currently, I am an Exclusive Elite Performer at Lifetime Fitness in Chestnut Hill.

After Hotdrop closed, I had to somewhat reinvent myself. I am so proud that I was able to do so very quickly. Having been a Bikram Yoga teacher in the city of Boston for almost 10 years now, I have created a strong community. This community ran deep since the Bikram community was also a major part of my market for Hotdrop Apparel. I used those connections to market myself to guest teach around the world, promoting my retreats and my Hot Hatha Sculpt Teacher Training program.

We’re interested to hear your thoughts on female leadership – in particular, what do you feel are the biggest barriers or obstacles?
In my business, I don’t feel there are any barriers for females in leadership.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.meredithevangelisti.com www.hotdropapparel.com
• Email: info@meredithevangelisti.com
• Instagram: meredithevangelisti
• Facebook: Meredith Evangelisti

Image Credit:
Marco Evangelisti

Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.