I started teaching yoga in 2013. When I look back at some of the cues I used to give when I first started out, I shudder. I don't think that I was a bad teacher six years ago, but I do wish that I knew then what I know now. And I think that any movement educator worth their salt will tell you they feel the same thing. As we learn more, we do better.

Kristy Pisani is one of my favourite movement educators to learn from because she is always evolving in her teaching. She embodies what it truly means to be a yogi and never lets her ego get in the way of doing what is right for both her own body and her students'. 

I'm so excited to feature Kristy on my blog. It seems like everyone in the Durham Region yoga community knows Kristy Pisani: her smile and enthusiasm for movement is contagious. If you haven't had a chance to practice with her either online or in person, I highly recommend that you do. 

What is your small business and why did you start it?

I started this business for a few reasons.  One was to try and prevent others from going through what I went  through for so many years.  The second was to encourage people of all shapes and sizes to choose movements that make them feel good without an emphasis on changing the body, and being sucked into diet cultures focus on weight loss and aesthetics. My third reason was to make a positive impact on the yoga and movement scene by creating more diverse and inclusive classes and environments for ALL bodies. 

What is your favourite thing about what you do and why?

My favourite thing about what I do is empowering people to make informed choices by providing them with information. I consider myself a facilitator of lived experience and knowledge.  When I'm teaching movement, my favourite compliments are the ones where people tell me how strong they feel or how they are in less physical pain. There is nothing more fulfilling than watching someone start to become more confident and comfortable in their skin and come to a place of peace and bodily acceptance.   

You can find Kristy on Instagram and Facebook. 

Would you like to be featured in my Small Business Spotlight? I love entrepreneurs and think we are stronger together. Send me a note at gillian@gillianbuckley.ca. Let's chat!

I moved to Durham Region in 2013, and I feel like Tara Graham has been there documenting most of that time. I met Tara when I was pregnant with William and was looking to have maternity and newborn photos taken. Since then, she's captured Elise's newborn session as well as my husband and my branding and headshot photography. I'm always delighted by the photos that she manages to capture during her sessions: I love working with her.

When I decided to highlight local businesses on my blog I knew I wanted to feature Tara. She is such a supporter of local entrepreneurs and has a savvy business sense that I think we can all aspire to. I love hearing about how other entrepreneurs run their business and Tara did not disappoint!

What is your small business and why did you start it?

I am a newborn, family, and personal branding photographer located in Oshawa, but working with clients in all of Durham Region and throughout the GTA.

I always knew that I wanted to do something creative: art and math were my favourite subjects in school! I actually started out in the wedding industry and photographed weddings for about 14 years, but once my son was born I didn’t want to be away from my family every weekend in the summer. My business had already naturally progressed to include newborn and family photography, so making these areas my main focus was an easy decision.

More recently, I have developed a passion in working with other entrepreneurs to create a collection of images that showcase their brand, personality, and services or products.  

What is your favourite thing about what you do and why?

My favourite thing about my job is knowing that I am creating something that families cherish. Seeing parents’ reactions when they view their images after their session is such a wonderful and fulfilling experience.

On the entrepreneurial side, I love that I can use my skills to help other small businesses grow. There are so many great things about running your own business, but it can be stressful too. The pressure to create beautiful content for social media and websites is a big one, so I love that I can help ease that stress by providing local business owners with a collection of images they can use as they need.

You can find Tara on Instagram and Facebook. 

Would you like to be featured in my Small Business Spotlight? I love entrepreneurs and think we are stronger together. Send me a note at gillian@gillianbuckley.ca. Let's chat!