Kylie Sutton probably never envisioned herself owning two yoga studios.
The life-long athlete, who now owns Moksha Yoga Kelowna and Modo Yoga Seattle, was playing varsity volleyball at Vancouver Island University in 2008. Her chiropractor was adjusting her everyday and suggested she try yoga.
That’s when she first visited Moksha Yoga in Naniamo.
"Something just clicked for me and I knew there was going to be a path of endless possibilities,” she said.
She took her yoga teacher training that year and continued developing her own practise.
Although unexpected, this route tied into her schooling, having majored in kinesiology in university, and Sutton said she always knew that she wanted to work with people.
She played a year of pro volleyball in Belgium and realized she wanted to be in Kelowna.
"I had played volleyball there at UBC for a season and I really loved the lifestyle of practising there and just really loved Kelowna,” she said.
She partnered with her parents and opened Moksha Yoga Kelowna on January 14, 2011 when she was just 25.
Sutton comes from what she calls a long line of entrepreneurs. Her dad is an artist and created a company to sell his paintings and his parents actually opened the first A&W in B.C.
She paired this inherited intuition with her own passion, drive and a true desire to create her own opportunities.
"I knew that I wouldn't be able to work for anyone because I wanted to be able to control my journey so it was really just a matter of time,” Sutton said.
Moksha Yoga didn’t take long to become its very own community. Sutton said it’s their inclusivity. Their classes are modified using blocks and straps so that everybody can take part in their own way. Their students include people from age 16 to 80.
Two years after opening Moksha in Kelowna, Sutton and her husband Brandon visited Seattle and fell in love with it.
Just two weeks after they moved there they found out they'd be having a baby. Their daughter Malaya is now two years old.
Moksha’s manager Jane in Kelowna runs the studio along with Kylie's mom.
Brandon quit his power alignment job and went to yoga teacher training as well.
On May 1st, 2014 they opened up Modo Yoga Seattle. With over 300 yoga studios in Seattle, it wasn’t as easy of a start. They even were deported for 47 days.
While back in Kelowna, they did some restructuring and got their visas sorted out.
Nearly two years later, Sutton said both studios are doing really well and they have over 35 teachers between the two studios.
“The element that I know is so special to both studios is that we genuinely care about the people,” she said. “Our vision for both studios is to create a sacred place where everybody can belong. So it doesn't matter what background you are, what race, what nationality, what religion, what gender, everybody is welcome in the spaces.
“That's something you can just feel when you walk in the doors.”
The first year that Moksha opened, they won bronze for yoga studio of the year through Best of Kelowna. Every year since, then they've won gold.
"That's obviously a reflection of the love and passion the community has for us. We are a community of so many incredible yoga studios that I'm not by any means attached to getting that award... but I'm always humbled and honoured."
Sutton also won the Young Entrepreneur Award from the Kelowna Chamber of Commerce in 2013.
Now 31, Sutton said she comes to Kelowna to visit about five or six times a year.
“Kelowna definitely has my heart,” she said, explaining their hopes to have a second home in the city and go between here and Seattle full time.
One of the things she said she loves about Kelowna is the entrepreneurial spirit that makes it so unique.
"There is more than enough for all the dreams to come to fruition so don't let anybody tell you that you can't or you shouldn't,” she said.
When it comes to advice for other hopeful entrepreneurs, Sutton quoted Pattabhi Jois : “You can't expect to get the pay if you're not willing to do the work.”
"Being an entrepreneur is such a rewarding job,” she said. “There is so much depth and possibility but those moments of success, achievement and bliss are only truly felt in their potential because of those dark times, because of those challenges.
"You just have to have unwavering faith in your dream and your vision. If you're willing to work hard at it, you will absolutely be successful.”
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