When Steph Wall launched the Kali Collective in Glasgow, she had little more than a dream, some personal savings, and a determination to share her love of yoga. Despite the challenges of introducing an unfamiliar style of yoga to a new community, her passion and adaptability propelled her studio to success, proving that with the right mindset, starting from scratch is just the beginning.

What was your biggest challenge and how did you overcome it?
The hardest part of running the business was definitely at the start. I had one friend in Glasgow after moving from Canada, zero students, and was teaching a style of yoga that wasn’t popular at the time. I was truly starting from scratch. I made friends quickly, but it wasn’t like I built up a following and then opened the studio. I was trying to build the business while simultaneously building a community and introducing vinyasa yoga to Glasgow. That said, I didn’t know any better and thought I was only going to stay for a year anyway, so while it was challenging, I didn’t feel like I had much to lose.

How did you secure your initial funding?
Personal savings. I wouldn’t recommend it, but I was young and naive and saw an opportunity — which, fortunately, turned out to be spot on. The studio has only ever been funded by my personal bank account. No loans, no credit cards, no help from family, no investors. It’s something that has been built from the ground up, and I only grow the business when I have the money to do so.

On hindsight, I don’t think I could do that again. Nine years ago, there weren’t many yoga studios, so there wasn’t a standard I had to compete with. I think people found the humble space endearing because they knew it was coming from a place of passion. I don’t think I could get away with that now, as expectations – and the cost of running a business – have changed significantly.

How do you handle failure or setbacks?
I don’t see anything I do as a failure — just an expensive lesson! I’m adaptable, so I don’t mind changing course or admitting when something isn’t working. I might get frustrated by setbacks, but I deeply trust that they’re showing me a different path, and I’m okay with changing direction when needed.

What advice would you give to someone starting their own business?
If you don’t love what you’re doing with every ounce of your being, don’t do it. When times are tough – when you’re up at night stressed, getting texts on your days off, or facing a huge tax bill – you need to believe in what you’re doing. Otherwise, save yourself the stress and work for someone who’s willing to deal with those challenges. That might sound disheartening, but I mean it. There are significant sacrifices involved in running your own business, and they shouldn’t be taken lightly. Personally, it’s not in my nature to work for someone else — I’d make an awful employee. For me, the sacrifice of not having holiday pay, sick pay, or guaranteed days off is worth it. But I know some people struggle with that. Also, don’t copy what others are doing. It’ll drain your soul. Be brave enough to be creative.

How do you stay motivated during tough times?
My previous answer feeds into this one. I truly love sharing yoga and holding the vision for the studio and all the things that come along with it. Because of that, I don’t really experience “tough times” in the same way. Of course, the biggest stress is the bank account – sometimes it’s full, sometimes it’s not – and I’m definitely more stressed when it’s not. But that’s just part of running a small business. Motivation isn’t something I even think about because my passion for yoga and the studio is constant. When that passion fades, that’s when I’ll throw in the towel. But until then, I’m happy to ride the waves, knowing that hard times or not, my work has meaning.

Share your tips for success…
My greatest tip for success is to figure out what success means to you. If it’s based on external factors like followers, profit margins, or salaries, you’ll always be a hostage to the outside world. I tried that definition of success for a while, but all it did was make me chase something that was never enough. I might not have the things the average person considers “successful”—I can’t tell you our profit margins or our projections for next quarter. But I can say that I’m fulfilled, happy, healthy, and know my work is meaningful.