We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jana Rife. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jana below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Jana with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
I would say I get my work ethic from my late grandmother. We spent a lot of time together and I lived with her as a teen. We enjoyed having long conversations at the kitchen table. A lot of those conversations were about her working on the farm as a child and her work ethic at the company she retired from. She said she never called in sick and alway did the work that had to be done. Even when she was in her 70s she was doing the neighbor’s yard work. I think she just loved to work and found a lot of pride in all that she did. I enjoy my work too and I am proud of it all.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I’m the owner of Hanalei Bath and Hanalei SUP Yoga. I’ve been crafting aromatherapy, bath and body products since the 90s. You can find Hanalei Bath on Etsy, in the Cotton Mill Exchange in Canton and also in additional retail locations. You can find Hanalei SUP Yoga on the North Georgia lakes in the spring and summer months. We offer a variety of stand up paddle board classes for the first timer and the experienced. For those new to paddle boarding they should start with our Intro to SUP class. If they want to try yoga on a paddle board, we offer that too. SUP is great exercise and for those that want a great workout, we offer PaddleFit. My husband and I are the instructors. We are both certified with the World Paddle Association. I have additional certifications in yoga (ERYT 500), SUP Yoga and PaddleFit. Because I’m a class II Instructor with the World Paddle Association, I can certify others. I host a World Paddle Association Instructor training and a SUP Yoga teacher training every spring. When I’m not teaching classes I’m hosting retreats in some amazing locations. The retreats are such a highlight for all of us. I continue to seek out unique experiences for my clients. We offer a variety of trips and activities. Our retreat goers have enjoyed snorkeling with manatee in the Florida springs, paddling 12 miles down the Colorado River, paddling and hiking through Antelope Canyon and listening to Howler monkeys while soaking in a hot spring in Costa Rica. There is really a trip for everyone. Some are SUP excursions while others are more focused on yoga or hiking. We have trips appropriate for new paddlers and those with a lot of experience. Our next rip is in South Lake Tahoe. We plan to experience all that Tahoe has to offer. Paddling, hiking and even taking the gondola up to heavenly mountain for a little snow tubing in July. Looking ahead to fall, we have some incredible trips planned. In September I’m host one of my personal favorites. We hike the Narrows at Zion and then paddle down the Colorado River around Horseshoe Bend. The next week I Co-lead a retreat in Sedona that will have yoga, hiking and lots of self care. In January we head back to the Springs in Florida. This time we plan to explore Weeki Wachee and Crystal River. You can find out more about each trip on my website at Hanaleisupyoga.com.
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?
Well as an entrepreneur having drive and flexibility has been impactful. I am always working on my business and have to be self motivated. The drive keeps me going and keeps me focused on continued growth. Flexibility is also needed. Over the past 9 seasons I’ve seen a lot change in the SUP business. I have to remain flexible and pivot as needed to continue to grow. In my classes I alway tell my clients to go with the flow. We are not in control and we have to remain flexible and just go with all that is always changing.
For areas of knowledge, all of my training has been most valuable. I couldn’t do what I do without it. I am an E-RYT 500 Yoga Instructor. That means I have over 500 training hours in yoga and over 2000 teaching hours. I have a lot of training on the water too. The water certifications have taught me a lot about keeping groups safe on the water in all types of situations. All of my training has given me the knowledge and confidence to lead group classes safely on the water.
What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?
Over the past year my biggest area of improvement and growth has been with my trainings and retreats. I’ve co-led two retreats in Costa Rica. There is always a bit of fear and could be challenges when hosting a retreat out of country. Thankfully the Costa Rica retreats were perfect. Last fall I spent three weeks hosting three retreats in Arizona and Utah. I was excited to spend that time in the desert but was concerned about being away from my other business and away from home for that long. Again, everything went perfectly and I plan to do something similar this fall. I enjoy planning and with every trip my planning, experience and delivery continues to get better and better. I also have a new website that shares more about my retreats and trainings. The website improvements, reviews, and photos really help paint a picture of how special all of the trips have been.
Contact Info:
- Website: Hanaleisupyoga.com
- Instagram: janahanalei
- Facebook: facebook.com/Hanaleisupyoga
- Other: hanaleibath.com IG Hanalei_bath
Image Credits
David Vaughn
