Welcome to HALO Talks! In this episode, we sit down with Kat and Brooke Wyman, the co-founders behind SoulFire Collective Yoga, a rapidly growing boutique fitness concept in the D.C. metro area. What began as a smaller, community-driven studio at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, quickly blossomed into a thriving brand with locations in Bethesda and Arlington, thanks to a blend of deep-rooted passion for wellness and sharp operational backgrounds . . . Kat from Lululemon and Brooke from the restaurant industry.
Kat and Brooke talk about their path from various side-hustles (and doing literal bike-loads of laundry in the early days of the business!) to now profitable, vibrant, scalable studios that buck the trends seen in the wider boutique fitness industry. Host Pete Moore digs deeper into how their athlete-first approach to yoga resonates with members seeking both community and resilience, their strategies for location selection and market expansion, and the systems that power their rapid instructor onboarding, which bypasses the traditional models for a more immersive, scalable approach.
Listen for actionable insights on building authentic fitness communities, the importance of operational complementarity, and what venture-minded investors should consider as SoulFire eyes its next phase of growth. If you're interested in where the HALO sector's heading post-pandemic, or if you're looking for inspiration on how to scale with purpose, this is a must-listen.
When it comes to their longevity, Kate states, "I think what's really interesting, and I think what's made Brooke and I unique and what's helped us survive COVID . . . is that we're really good at keeping our ear to the ground and listening for what's needed, but also keeping everything that we shift or change, really on brand and really aligned."
Key themes discussed
- Community-centric wellness spaces and fostering belonging
- Growth from local studio to multi-location brand
- Unique founder backgrounds blending retail, restaurants, athletics
- Non-traditional, scalable approach to yoga business
- Market selection and suburban expansion strategy
- In-house instructor training for quality and scale
- Ideal investors: passionate community members or experienced sector partners
A Few Key Takeaways
1. Build Around Community, Not Just Modality: Creating a community hub was the foundational vision for SoulFire. Rather than chasing a trend, Kat and Brooke built a brand rooted in belonging, connection, and well-being, using yoga as the "container" for this mission 00:46 01:21.
2. Cross-Disciplinary Backgrounds Fuel Strong Operations: The founders' experience, one from Lululemon retail management, the other from the restaurant industry, gave them complementary skill sets in branding, experience design, logistics, and cost control. This blend has been instrumental for profitably scaling their studios 08:44 09:40.
3. Differentiation Through "Human Readiness": Soul Fire's value proposition extends beyond traditional yoga. Their focus on human readiness—equipping members with resilience and life skills—sets them apart. Programs like power yoga, activating breathwork, and mat strength target well-rounded physical and mental readiness, not just fitness 14:04 14:52.
4. Data-Driven Expansion Strategy: Location selection is driven by close analysis of demographic and psychographic factor, not simply "gut feel." Their highest-performing studio, Bethesda, serves as a prototype: targeting affluent suburban markets on the edge of large metros, with residents already engaged in other premium fitness offerings. Expansion is further informed by observing successful peers like [solidcore] 17:25 20:08 21:07.
5. Scalable, In-House Instructor Training: Instead of relying on slow, traditional 200-hour yoga certifications, SoulFire developed an immersive, internally controlled instructor training program. This approach speeds up onboarding while maintaining quality and brand standards, enabling fast and consistent scaling 23:02 24:50 25:20.
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