Local business owner Theresa Lee of Be The Change Yoga & Wellness has been named as the winner of the 2018 Northam Women in Business bursary to further the progress of her business.
Mrs Lee was awarded the $5,000 grant at the Northam Women in Business monthly meeting on October 17, alongside runner up Louise O’Neill from Groan and Tone.
Mrs Lee said the funds will be put towards finding a permanent home for her business.
”I’ve been running a yoga and wellness business since we moved to Northam a few years ago and my view was to create a centre for the town for me to operate from,” she said.
“I’ve been working out of shared venues since I started and I was offered a venue exclusively at the beginning of the year that will become available in March 2019.
“It’s been a work in progress over the last six months getting planning together, a team built to assist me with it and get all the relevant Shire approvals approved.
“The lease agreement is about to be signed and the centre is due to be opened on March 2.
“It’ll be a purpose built yoga studio within the centre offering classes that aren’t available here yet like classes for soon to be mums, postnatal mums and bubs classes and kids classes.
“I’ll have alternative therapists in some of the rooms operating reiki and kinesiology.”
Mrs Lee said her view of yoga has changed since she started practicing at the age of 19.
“My mum took me to my first yoga class when I was about 19 and I actually hated it but it brought up something in me,” she said.
“That was what I hated and that’s what brought me back to yoga; that thing that brings up not just work on your physical body but every part of you.
“I’ve been doing the energy work for almost 10 years now.
“I came across that by accident and was blown away by it.
“I learnt to do it so that I could help my family, particularly my daughter who at the time was suffering with anxiety and night terrors.
“It was so effective that people who knew me drew me to practice on other people.
“After some years of exploring yoga again as a young adult, particularly when I was pregnant with my daughter I came across a practice in Mosman Park that did pre and postnatal classes and that got me hooked.
“Combining the two services and avenues for well-being is a good package.”
Mrs Lee said being a part of the Northam Women in Business has inspired her to pursue her business endeavours.
“Some big things I’ve learnt is asking for help and receiving the support that is offered by people who have done it before you," she said.
“If there’s a woman looking to go into business in this town come straight to the Chamber of Commerce and join the Northam Women in Business because they were my biggest inspiration.
“I never intended for this to become as big as this is becoming and I never would have had the courage to do it if it hadn’t been for that group of women.”
Bursary runner-up Louise O’Neill from Groan and Tone received a grant of $2,000 which she will use towards a business coach.
Mrs O’Neill said she will use her business coach to push her business to the next level and make sure she is hitting her goals.
“I’m really keen to set up personal training online more for those that might live more rural,” she said.
“I have some clients in Northam, York and Cunderdin but even further out than that.
“For those that have bad time management, have young kids and don’t have to worry to get them ready.
“Where as if they online train with Groan and Tone they’re done within the hour and you don’t even have to go anywhere.”
Mrs O’Neill said the support from the Northam Women in Business has given her confidence.
“Just being part of the NWIB, for me coming from England, it gives you a sense of community,” she said.
“People are happy to promote your business they promote yours.
“Esther Bliss and Jo Hill are always happy to talk thing through.
“They’ve got the time to encourage you and to give you advice if you need it.”
The personal trainer said she is happy to see the grants given to two health and well being businesses.
“ I can only see that as a really positive step for Northam,” Mrs O’Neill said.
“It’s really needed and am so grateful that people seem to recognise that now.”
