Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki And Megan Bannister.
Hi Vicki and Megan, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Vicki – in 2000 I found myself overwhelmed with daily life and struggling with anxiety. I saw an ad in the local paper for a free yoga class and found myself on my mat for the first time and I never looked back. Yoga provided a space for me to let go of the busyness of life and tend to myself physically, mentally and spiritually. In 2009, I became a certified yoga instructor and together with my dear friend Alecia Flynn we co-founded and opened Rolling Brook Yoga in 2010. Seven years later we both found our lives moving in a different direction which led us to sell the business to one of our instructors Lynne Olsen. To say I have come full circle would be an understatement, because in 2024 my daughter Megan and I became business partners and the current owners of Rolling Brook Yoga! I have always strongly believed that everyone can benefit from yoga and am passionate about sharing the yoga with the community and beyond. I not only hold my 200 our Hatha Yoga Teaching certification I also hold certifications to provide yoga to underserved populations, those incarcerated as well as those struggling with addiction.
Megan – I was first introduced to yoga at a young age by her mother. Growing up, my yoga practice served as a compliment to my active lifestyle and busy academic load. After years of practicing alongside her, I began cultivating my own yoga and meditation practice in college. Yoga served as my outlet and place of solitude from anxiety and depression. In 2022, I completed a 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at the Yoga Center of Columbia and my Yoga for Recovery (Y12SR) certification, and then in 2024, a 300-hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training with Jason Crandell. I can say with my whole heart, that yoga has saved my life. Yoga unpacks us cell by cell, exposing our truest self. The practice of yoga is near and dear to my heart and I share that belief with my students in every class. In 2024, I completed my Level One Sound Healing Training and offer Sound Baths at our studio.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I believe every small business owner would agree that there are struggles. Opening a business built around something you are passionate about doesn’t come with any guarantees. Selling the business in 2017 was very bittersweet but I knew to be able to have medical and other benefits this was a decision that I had to make. I was fortunate to continue to teach yoga and serve the community. Fast forward to 2023 when Lynne Olsen was considering selling neither Megan nor I were in a position to take on the responsibility of owning the business by ourselves. After many conversations, a few sleepless nights and the support of our families we made the decision to partner together to keep the studio open for the community.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Rolling Brook Yoga Studio?
Rolling Brook Yoga is a community based yoga studio offering a wide range of yoga classes. Which includes classes for beginners to intermediate and advanced practitioners, gentle yoga, vinyasa flow, and heated yoga. Many of our teachers hold additional certifications and trainings to offer restorative yoga, yoga for Osteoporosis, Myofascial Release and Yin Yoga, Breathwork, TaiChi and Qigong, Yoga with Weights, and Yoga Nidra. Our studio offers classes Monday thru Sunday starting from 6 a.m. to 8:45 p.m. for all abilities and levels. Our teaching team boasts over 15 certified teachers. Our teachers are carefully vetted to make sure you get the most experienced, knowledgeable, and compassionate teachers in the area.
We frequently offer workshops which often feature sound baths, yoga for mental health support, healthy aging, trauma-informed, and stress release. We are thrilled to start offering yoga retreats for the community to provide students time in nature to reflect, bond with like-minded individuals, and cultivate a deeper sense of community and self-growth.
The studio is bathed in natural light and you are greeted with welcoming energy. We are blessed to have beautiful artwork from two local artists in our lobby and yoga studio – Christina de Guzman and Maria Goebel. Like Catonsville, our studio has a ‘small-town’ vibe. Students often remark that RBY becomes a second home or a place of reprieve for them. We are proud to be an all-inclusive and safe space for folks to escape from the hustle and bustle of daily life. What may not be known from the outside, is that the studio provides great joy for us as yoga teachers to hold space for others.
We offer pricing packages to suit everyone’s needs – single drop-in passes, 5,10,20 class passes, as well as an unlimited monthly membership. For new students, we offer a discounted 5 class pass for students to try a variety of classes and teachers. All of our class passes and membership allow students to take any class and any teacher with no limitations. We sell Rolling Brook Yoga branded merchandise to include sweatshirts, t-shirts and tank tops which can be purchased in studio.
How do you think about luck?
I can reflect back and think of all the times I have said ‘how lucky I am’. But, when i think of the contributing factors that has led us to this place in our lives and business, is it the role of partnership and belief. Together, we have created what Rolling Brook Yoga looks like today through our shared passion for the practice of yoga and the belief that yoga brings harmony to us all. Our partnership is unique, as a mother and daughter, we are not only business partners, but best friends and cohorts! We continue to practice yoga together on and off the mat on a regular/daily basis. We manifest ideas and share in the trials and tribulations of being a small, women-owned business.
Pricing:
- New Student Membership $75
- Single Drop In Pass $20
- 5 class pass $85
- 10 class pass $160
- 20 class pass $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rollingbrookyoga.com
- Instagram: rolling_brook_yoga
- Facebook: Rolling Brook Yoga
