Shawnell Tillery is a certified yoga/meditation instructor, certified life coach and founder of Afrochick Yoga a mobile yoga and wellness service in Western New York. She is a recent graduate of University at Buffalo receiving a BA in Psychology. Her mission is to bring mental, emotional and physical wellness to the world one community at a time.
Tell us about Afrochick Yoga. What do you do in your current role and how did you get started?
Afrochick Yoga is a minority and woman-owned mobile yoga and wellness service specializing in providing custom sessions, workshops, programs and other wellness initiatives to individuals, groups, businesses, schools and other organizations. I am not only the owner, but lead instructor, life coach and wellness strategist. My role includes yoga instruction, and mindset coaching as well as designing and implementing programming, curriculums, and wellness workshops for the business. I started Afrochick Yoga 2018 after being diagnosed with anxiety and depression some years prior. Through my own personal practice of yoga and meditation I was able to rediscover my identity, all while finding a true sense of well-being. And it is my desire to share that same gift of wellness with others.
What was your educational background and how did it influence your career path?
I am a recent graduate of University at Buffalo receiving a BA in Psychology as well as a certification in Creative Writing. I also have a degree in Business from Bryant in Stratton. Even though I had already established my wellness business before obtaining my most recent degree in psychology, I’ve always had a fascination with understanding the mechanisms of the mind. I also have a desire to help people. Which are the main driving forces behind Afrochick. I want to make wellness a whole body experience where we deal in healing the whole person, mentally, physically and emotionally, not just the parts. Because of my education I’ve received and self-study I’ve been able to achieve that.
Looking back, what, if anything, do you wish you would have known when you were just starting out?
Looking back I wish I would have taken time to understand what resources were available to me. I literally started the business with a yoga mat and a dream. I didn’t know all that was out there for me, it wasn’t until later on in my business that I started to look into and take advantage of those resources.
What are the biggest challenges that you typically face in your career?
In the wellness industry everything seems to be about the latest trends. So with that you can deal with people who aren’t fully committed to the practice or those who only care for as long as the wellness trend is hot. So learning how to create space and prepare for those occasions can be difficult.
What advice do you have for anyone that would want to pursue a career starting their own business, wellness/yoga instruction?
The advice that I will give to anybody starting a business, regardless of the industry, is to remember your business is your baby. You have to nurture it in order for it to grow. You have to feed it, give it love and attention and more importantly be patient with it. Let it blossom naturally. And if you do all these things your business has no other choice but to succeed.
Do you have any general wellness tips for students?
As far as general wellness tips
– Learn how to regulate yourself. An unregulated nervous system equals a chaotic mind.
– Create a daily wellness practice. This can include movement of some sort, mental relaxation like meditation or quietly sitting with yourself, journaling and grounding practices. By creating this routine you are priming your mind and your body for positivity. It also helps decrease mental stress, anxiety and reduce tension.
– Give yourself permission to rest. We tend to put a lot of pressure on ourselves and circumstances in life do nothing but add to that pressure. If you are constantly on high alert, your body and mind will begin to run on fumes and eventually you’ll burn out. Rest resets and restores you, giving you the clarity that you need to conquer your day.
– Learn your breath. Your breath is your prana, your life force. It not only brings life, but it prompts activation and deactivation of your nervous system. Short , intense breaths kick on the parasympathetic, fight or flight system while deeper breaths signal the body to rest and digest.
If a UB student wanted to talk with you, what is the best way to reach you?
Those who are interested in reaching out and learning more about Afrochick Yoga can visit our website at www.afrochickyoga.com. We can also be reached via email at afrochickyoga@gmail.com. You can also follow us on Instagram and TikTok at Afrochick Yoga.
Find more alumni to learn about their career path and get advice on Connect-a-Bull, UB’s alumni-student networking platform.
