Meet Kati Thompson | Studio Owner, Yoga Instructor, & Yogic Lifestyle Coach

We had the good fortune of connecting with Kati Thompson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Kati, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Here at Windsor Yoga Family, we strive to offer a space for Wellness from Within, growth and transformation, both in physical health and mindfulness. We welcome yogis of all ages and abilities, shapes and sizes, newbies and advanced practitioners. We offer all styles of yoga and mindfulness classes from Vinyasa, Gentle Yoga, Family Yoga, heated yoga, Yoga Teacher Trainings and Wellness Retreats. Part of our vision is giving back to our local community by offering donation based classes where all donations go towards a local 501(c)(3) each month.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Hello, my name is Kati Ihli Thompson and I am a resident of Windsor, Colorado with my husband Isaac, daughters Annie (8 years old) and Charlotte (4 years old) and two puppies Rocky and Henry.

I grew up in beautiful Bozeman, Montana which will always have a special place in my heart. I moved to Colorado to pursue my education at Colorado State University where I found the love of Hot Yoga! I spent many years at CSU first in Sports Medicine and finally achieving a degree in Business, Accounting all while still practicing yoga….to stay sane! After graduating, I worked a couple years in an accounting firm and another few years in the corporate world. After having my daughter Annie I was searching for a change where I could spend more time with my family and decided to also create my dream job of owning and operating a yoga studio, Windsor Yoga Family. WYF has been operating since 2017 and we are honored to be sharing mindfulness practices with the Windsor and surrounding community!

The nature of small business ownership has many challenges with needing to wear all of the hats for operating a business. However, sustaining a business through the pandemic was undoubtedly the biggest challenge with months of mandatory closures and reduced capacity limits. Through the experience, I found that collaborating with other driven entrepreneurs made a huge difference with making it through. During the pandemic, there was no longer “competition”, we were all just families trying to survive the situation. We recognized that even from the outside someone may seem like a competitor of your product/service but we all offer something very authentic to ourselves. When we shared information and resources, we were able to sustain and often thrive. All businesses gain more than they lose when they collaborate with like-minded and similar businesses. Remain adaptable to the flows of business, keep your values strong, and always lead with the heart.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
When friends come to Colorado, we absolutely love sharing the Town of Windsor with them! It is the most charming little town with so many fun things to do! Of course, I like to start our days with a Windsor Yoga Family Gentle Yoga class that is for all-levels and abilities to show off Downtown Windsor from the second floor yoga studio! Then, maybe breakfast at a local restaurant like Windsor Lake Coffee, shopping at AEI Art Studio & Gifts, a walk around the lake at Boardwalk Park, river floating at Eastman Park, Golf at Pelican Lakes, happy-hour cocktails at Windsor Mill Tavern and finish with dinner at Cacciatore Italian!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Community and Family are everything! It takes a team of people to make entrepreneurial dreams come true! First, my husband Isaac Thompson literally built our first studio space from the ground up while also encouraging my dreams of owning a yoga studio. He is super handy, hard working, and the best cheerleader when things get tough. His support has been the strongest foundation for creating and maintaining the studio! In addition, we have an AMAZING family of instructors who create heart-centered class plans and build lasting connections with our students. Last but not least, the Town of Windsor has a wonderful community of small business partners from the SBDC, Windsor Chamber, and the Downtown Development Authority who are actively providing resources and connections to maintain quality business in our community.

Website: https://windsoryogafamily.com/

Instagram: @windsoryogafamily

Facebook: @windsoryogafamily

Other: 503 1/2 Main Street Windsor, CO 80550 Located Downtown Windsor, Colorado 970-481-7906 WindsorYogaFamily@outlook.com

Image Credits
All photos were taken by myself. Logo creation by Meadow Trail Designs.