Power Move Yoga: Loulou Gaget Talks Being a Virtual Yoga Coach & Working with Kids

Guest Profile

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  @loulougaget

Guest Intro

Loulou, you’re a busy entrepreneur who got interested in yoga for personal health reasons and ran with it, founding a very successful online studio during the pandemic, and more recently integrating with schools to create a true yoga curriculum for schools and organizations, including New York City’s only accredited therapeutic school.

You also founded your company with a desire to redirect a portion of your profits to causes you support.

On top of all of that, you’re diving even deeper into holistic wellness by working on your nutrition teaching certifications. 

The MevoLife community is lucky to have you among the coaches on the platform.

You can see what Coach Loulou offers on her profile.

Now let’s get to the good stuff:

Q: You worked predominantly in the marketing side of technology in your early career and then went all-in on Yoga and wellness more broadly. Tell us about that transformation…What was the inspiration? How did it play out?

A: The transformation that took place was an internal one, that led to lots of external changes. I knew that my purpose was bigger, so I quit my job to pursue studying yoga and took a part-time gig as a babysitter for a wonderful family. 

I began picking up yoga classes as well as shifts supporting the studio. Once I was certified in yoga, I continued to babysit in the afternoons after work at a nearby yoga studio all morning. Some days I worked from 6am to 9pm. But I was feeling more fulfilled than I had ever felt. 

I started to realize that if I applied some of what I knew about yoga, mindfulness, and meditation to my time with the kids, I could really help them. I picked up some kids’ yoga classes at a local gym and was teaching 4 and 5 year olds weekly in addition to my other two roles, when the pandemic hit the United States and everything shut down. 

Q: You went super-entrepreneurial during early-Covid and pulled together a remarkable business and team using technology. What was that like? What were some of the challenges you overcame?

With yoga studios, schools, and all public spaces closed, I had my catalyst for branching out on my own and starting my business. 

I was on the management team at a brick-and-mortar yoga studio, and had grown my community of yogis quite a bit. When I decided to create a yoga collective and offer virtual classes, it was a no-brainer to bring on the yoga instructors I knew to join my team and teach for the online platform that I had built. 

When I started to share what I was doing on social media, I had instructors and yogis alike contacting me daily to learn more about how they could get involved and looking for more classes. We built our community to over 300 members, and a team of 20. 

I also launched a program for new yoga teachers that weren’t able to log hours at physical studios, and began accepting small groups of trainees to help them gain virtual “hands-on” experience teaching classes for the Power Move community. 

We donated thousands of dollars to meaningful causes, and attracted the attention of major brands like Free People and Snow Monkey, who offered us partnerships. 

It was challenging to manage the fast growth, and I had started the company together with a friend. When she decided that it was time for her to refocus and go back to her full-time role at a tech company, it was a big challenge to adjust to managing the business alone. So when studios and schools began to open up again, I knew I had to continue to bring mindful movement to people, but like many small businesses, I also knew that I’d have to be adaptive if we were going to stay afloat. 

When I was approached by a school to provide yoga, I knew that I had my answer. As the world began to shift to a “post-pandemic” mindset, I continued offering teachings to private clients as well as schools and organizations.

Q: You asked if MevoLife has a particular preference for types of teaching, within Yoga, for example. You have worked with a broad swathe of practitioners of different methods…what did you learn from that? What did clients who chose to take a variety of classes learn?

I’ve worked with many different types of yoga and fitness leaders, and each has their own preference and specialty. My goal is always to empower instructors and clients alike to pursue what they feel passionate and excited about, as that typically yields the best results on both ends. 

Clients who choose to take a variety of classes will learn what feels best for the body, mind, and spirit. Taking a class that’s new or foreign is always an amazing way to learn more about yourself, and I encourage trying that at least once a week! 

There’s scientific proof that doing something a little different can actually enhance your brain health. Whether that means trying a new studio, new mode of movement, or different instructor, the experience of trying something new puts your brain and body in a unique position to gain perspective and grow. 

Q: Now that the pandemic lockdown has opened up, what has changed for Power Move Yoga? In what ways do you teach yoga?

We offer on-demand video classes online, in-person sessions, bespoke programming for organizations, curricula for schools, and training for staff. 

Since 2020, I’ve worked with a multitude of clients, organizations, and schools to help them achieve their goals. We’ve incorporated a hybrid model that didn’t exist before- where people can take class with me virtually AND in-person, in real time. 

We’ve gotten to new heights and expanded our reach. I’ve personally had the joy of teaching many group and one-on-one in-person sessions, and have been able to watch as my clients grow and reach their goals. 

Q: Your undergrad degree and marketing career had a heavy emphasis on video production. You’ve used those skills as a fitness entrepreneur. Tell us about that…How do you integrate video recordings into your business? How does that benefit clients?

Having video production experience has guided my every move. It benefits clients because I’m able to produce content for them at a high quality, effective level.

 I’m able to give them the gift of being with me when they’re not with me, and that can become a lifeline when it comes to accountability and consistency. In the business, video is super important. 

I’m in the process of refining our online offerings and upgrading some of our video assets to offer programs for people looking to work on specific goals. Learn more at www.powermovestudio.com, or follow us on IG @powermoveyoga

Q: You provide both group video coaching and individual sessions online. Tell us about those. What are the pros and cons of both approaches?

Individualized practice helps ensure that your form, mindset, and practice get honed to the highest level. Each time we work together I take notes and give homework to ensure you continue to grow at the rate you’re looking to grow. 

With a one-on-one session, you get to build your confidence and work on your practice with guidance and support designed for you and only you.

Group sessions are great because you get to drop in, enjoy the session, and go on your way. Maybe you meet someone new in a group session! 

They’re both great options. I encourage you to mix it up throughout the week to get the best of both worlds!

Q: True mastery of something is attained when you’re able to teach it. What types of clients work for you? What do they accomplish when they work with you over a period of time?

My clients that see the most success are those that commit to their practice, keep their goals in mind, and stay with it until a habit forms. I usually recommend clients sign up for 8 weeks to start so that they know exactly when and where they’ll be exercising, and what to expect as they make their way toward their goals. 

My clients can see an increase in inner calm and stress relief, increased self confidence, increased flexibility and strength, and more. I tailor the practice and program to what they’re looking to achieve. 

Just like my individual or group clients, organizations and schools receive custom strategic plans that are designed just for them and their needs.

Q: What type of commitment is required from a student to make progress?

A daily commitment to show up for yourself is required. Whether you’re taking classes daily, a few times a week, or weekly, you need to get into the mindset of taking what you learn on the mat into your daily life. 

Applying breath and movement techniques into your lifestyle, even for just a few minutes, can make a huge change in your mindset and in your body. I create plans and homework for my clients to help them stay consistent and track their progress.

Q: Prior to connecting about MevoLife, you had vetted a number of software solutions for pieces of your business. What was that process like? It sounds like you made it work but had some frustrations. What were your findings back in 2020?

The process of vetting a fitness software solution is simply to use it as much as possible. I like to demo a program before committing to anything, and if I can get a free trial that’s even better. 

The hardest thing a business can go through is switching platforms, because there can often be information loss there. So picking the right platform is critical. 

In 2020, my business used Mindbody Online, then we switched to TalentHack. When TalentHack sunsetted, we switched to Momence. It’s always a matter of communicating the changes effectively to your client base to ensure they migrate over seamlessly.

Q: We’re now lucky to count you as a coach in the MevoLife community. What got you excited about using MevoLife to run your yoga business?

MevoLife excites me because it’s a new platform! There’s so much potential when bringing new clients into this space, and I love seeing startups succeed. 

Having a chance to get into an organization like this one early is super cool because the input you share actually gets implemented, and you can see the impact you’re making. 

Q: For all the other fitness entrepreneurs out there, any advice you want to share that we haven’t already covered?

I’d just say focus on your own personal practice and confidence before anything else, because if you’re not walking the walk, you can’t talk the talk. 

It’s hard to coach others when you’re not feeling like the best version of yourself is being put forth. When I look in the mirror and in my journals and see that I’m doing my best to keep innovating and improving myself, it makes a huge difference in how I show up for my clients.