TO say 2016-17 was a milestone time in Kaye Waterhouse’s life would be an understatement.
The 32-year-old mother of one opened hip hop yoga studio Vital Beat Yoga in Midland, married fellow yoga teacher Jimmy Jenkins in a ceremony at their Mundaring home and became the 2017 food and wellness ambassador for Midland Gate Shopping Centre.
She was travelling around Australia with her family on a late honeymoon when she found out she was a finalist in the 2017 AusMumpreneur Awards for Business Excellence.
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READ NOW“I still don’t know who nominated me; I was on Fitzroy Island off the coast of Cairns when I found out,” Waterhouse said.
“I had to hotspot with my mobile to check work emails and there was a notice from AusMumpreneur.
“It’s so incredible to think I’d only been in business 12 months when nominated. When you’re self-employed, much of what you do is keeping your head down and working your butt off and not getting caught up in what other businesses are doing or how successful they are.
“Being a finalist is like finally lifting my head and looking around to realise what I’ve created has strength and calibre.”
Waterhouse has put her travel plans on hiatus and will head to Sydney at the end of August to face the judging panel and attend a gala dinner where the winners will be announced.
All this is a result of Waterhouse’s GP suggesting in 2009 she try yoga before going on medication when she went to him suffering anxiety and depression.
She went on to do her teacher training in late 2015 and opened boutique studio Vital Beat Yoga on June 3, 2016.
“Initially it was to fill a yoga void because I had been driving two-hour round trips to attend yoga that I resonated with and this was so difficult with a new baby,” she said.
“Midland had no dedicated yoga studio so I commenced my training with the intention of creating the space that I dreamed of always having for myself. It was a natural progression for me to merge my two loves: hip-hop and yoga.
“At Vital Beat we’re all about the music of course, but we’re also about joy and community. Standing in the studio reception before or after class is a sight to see; the electric buzz of laughter and chatter and energy is second to none.
“Being able to take three months off from a new business is testament to the strength of the community we’ve created, the trust I have in my teaching team and the friendships and loyalty we’ve fostered within the studio.
“The trip has been an incredible chance to recharge and being offline for up to a week at a time has been great for my sanity and creative juices. I have so many plans for Vital Beat when I return.”
Waterhouse will be back on board at Vital Beat Yoga in September and will open another studio in the northern suburbs early 2018.
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