Meet Janet Kuhn | Yoga studio owner, teacher and forever student

We had the good fortune of connecting with Janet Kuhn and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Janet, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I knew I wanted to have an impact on my community no matter how small and I felt through opening a yoga studio I could do that. Having a place for people to go and settle their minds and move their bodies after a long day or are going through difficult times means a lot. Yoga isn’t just about moving your body, it is more about calming the central nervous system, noticing how distracted we are at any given moment. People don’t just come here for the physical aspect, they come to see their yogi friends, to feel support from the community.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We are a small, local space and these days, that is not an easy task. Most studios have multiple locations, or are run by corporations and try to run on what’s trending. I think what makes us special is we try and stay pretty close to the roots of yoga with of course and westernized modern twist, but we try and not follow every trend that comes along. That also makes it more challenging to stay open, especially in a place like Orange County. It’s not so much about the money, it’s about the people that come here, it’s about connection to all of our clients, it’s about feeling like we are all in this together. I have learned that I need to stick to my beliefs and what’s really important in the end.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I love the local town around here like San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente Laguna and Orange. There’s a lot of character around. I love the beach, so of course the beaches, including Crystal Cove, all the Laguna beaches and San Clemente Beaches. The Laguna Art Museum is one of my favorites and just wandering around town to eat local. We love little local places. I would try and stay at a cottage at Crystal Cove for a night or a weekend, go for drinks at Trevors on the Tracks, take the train down to San Diego, just because it’s a pretty ride. We love grabbing ice cream at Handels and small places we find that pop up. I love hiking of trails around the area, like Ridge Route Trail in San Clemente, Top of the World trails, O’neil Park. There are some great places up in Rancho Santa Margarita, like Hannas, and Carmelitas, The Blind Pig for drinks . Ironwood in MV and Piccolinos. It’s fun to go paddle boarding down at Baby Beach in Dana Point and take a whale watch tour from there. Going out to Catalina is always fun and hiking there!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would have to say to my family and the local community. I would not be where I am if it were not for the support from my 3 kids, Niklas, Ben and Sam. They have always encouraged me to follow my dreams and continue with the studio even when I wasn’t sure I could continue. The community here at our studio is another one. They showed up even during Covid online so that we could keep going, they showed up afterwards to help keep the studio going even when we had to shut down and fine a new space. They are the reason I continue to keep the studio.

Website: https://www.shaanti.yoga

Instagram: shaantiyogastudiooc

Facebook: Shaanti Yoga

Yelp: Shaanti Yoga OC

Image Credits
These are all just pics I took at the studio so no credits are necessary.