We recently connected with Amy Baack and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Amy, thank you so much for opening up with us about some important, but sometimes personal topics. One that really matters to us is overcoming Imposter Syndrome because we’ve seen how so many people are held back in life because of this and so we’d really appreciate hearing about how you overcame Imposter Syndrome.
I started my yoga career teaching classes at studios all over Los Angeles and San Diego. After doing this for nearly a decade, I knew I had to make a change to ensure I could have a sustainable, long-lasting career. I launched Mind Body Badass in 2021 as a private yoga company, even though I knew nothing about how to create or run a business. I overcame imposter syndrome by taking it one day at a time and committing to figuring things out as I went. Turns out, everything you need to know is Google-able or available for free. I read books like Business For Dummies, listened to business podcasts, and took advantage of AI like ChatGPT to grow the business step by step. Turns out, you don’t have to know everything to be successful, or to make an impact on other people’s lives. You just have to be willing to be a forever student, and share what you learn along the way.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Hi! I’m Amy Baack, the founder of Mind Body Badass, a multi-city wellness company offering private yoga, sound healing, meditation, and group experiences across Southern California and throughout the Southwest United States. I’ve been teaching fitness since 2012 and yoga since 2016. I cut my teeth leading classes full-time in studios in Los Angeles and San Diego. Over time I felt a pull to step outside the traditional studio model and create something more flexible, experiential, and aligned with how people actually want to practice yoga. In 2021, I got asked to lead a Private Bachelorette Yoga class, and I fell in love with the experience. That’s what led me to build a mobile wellness business—bringing yoga and mindfulness directly to people in their homes, on the beach, at events, and during some of the most meaningful moments of their lives.
I grew my business organically—it started out as just me, and in 2023 I turned Mind Body Badass into an LLC and brought on a team of incredible yoga teachers to help me lead private yoga classes throughout California, especially LA, SD, and Palm Springs. I pinch myself constantly that this is what I get to do for a living!
What feels most special about this work is the way it blends celebration and intention. A lot of what we do centers around group experiences—bachelorette parties, birthdays, corporate events—and we get to create a space where people can slow down, connect, and feel good together. It’s not just about the yoga itself, but about how people feel afterward. There’s something really powerful about helping a group shift their energy, even in a short amount of time. It’s an honor to be a part of their SoCal vacations and special events with Private Yoga, Pilates, Meditation, Sound Healing, Reiki, and more.
Right now, I’m focused on continuing to grow Mind Body Badass as a recognizable wellness brand across multiple cities, while expanding our offerings to meet what people are actively looking for—like private Pilates sessions, which have been in high demand lately. I’m also leaning more into content and storytelling, sharing more of my perspective and experience as both a teacher and a business owner. It feels like a natural next chapter—building not just a service-based business, but a brand that people connect with and trust.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Looking back, three qualities have been the most impactful in my journey:
1. Curiosity. I question everything and constantly strive to grow. I don’t assume I know everything—quite the opposite. Being a forever student has allowed me to keep evolving, not just as a yoga teacher, but as a human and a business owner. For anyone early in their journey, stay open. Ask questions. Be willing to learn from people who are further along, and also from your own mistakes.
2. Grit. I’ve put in the reps to build this business slowly and organically. I started out as a struggling studio yoga teacher, and there were many moments where it would have been easier to give up and choose a more “stable” path. But I believed in what I was building and stayed with it through the hard seasons. My advice here is simple: don’t expect it to be easy, and don’t quit just because it gets uncomfortable. That’s usually the moment right before growth.
3. Consistency. Building anything meaningful requires showing up again and again, even when you don’t feel like it. I started a weekly donation-based yoga class at Sunset Cliffs in San Diego in 2021 to build community and grow my presence. I showed up on days when I was sick, when it was raining, and when I was going through heartbreak. Looking back, I truly believe that commitment to showing up is what made those classes successful. For anyone starting out, consistency will take you further than talent or motivation ever will.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
My solution to everything challenging is to lie on the floor to meditate and reconnect back to my body. I keep it simple—I close my eyes and focus on my breath. With every inhale, I try to feel my side ribs expand, and with every exhale I encourage my body to relax. I imagine melting into the ground and letting go of the tension I’m holding in my body. If you make your exhales longer than your inhales, it automatically starts to shift your mental state back into one of calm.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mindbodybadass.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindbodybadass/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mindbodybadass
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/mind-body-badass-san-diego?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Image Credits
Amy Baack
Guillermo Otero
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