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

Hi Victoria, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
When I began contemplating starting my own business, I was driven by a deep-seated passion for holistic well-being and a desire to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. Having experienced the transformative power of holistic practices firsthand, I felt compelled to share these benefits with a wider audience. Additionally, as a Colombian immigrant fueled by the American dream, I have always been motivated to create opportunities for myself and others, and starting my own business seemed like a natural extension of this ambition.

I recognized a gap in the market for accessible, culturally inclusive holistic well-being services, and this realization inspired me to take the leap into entrepreneurship. I wanted to create a space where individuals from diverse backgrounds could access the tools and resources they need to cultivate physical, emotional, and spiritual balance. My vision was to build a business that not only offered services and products but also fostered a sense of community and empowerment.

Moreover, the journey of starting my own business allowed me to align my personal values with my professional pursuits, enabling me to cultivate a sense of purpose and fulfillment in my work. I was driven by the belief that by creating a platform for holistic well-being, I could contribute to a better world by helping individuals lead healthier, more harmonious lives.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
Being an entrepreneur has certainly not been easy. There are many times when I thought to myself, it would just be easier to throw in the towel and go back to working my corporate 9 to 5 job. The reason I was always able to overcome the thoughts, and these feelings that came from my thoughts was by continuing to look at my students and their progress and their expansion as extensions of the work that I was doing.

I want the world to know that transformation is possible, no matter how old you are or how embedded in your current patterns you might be. When there is a will to change, a desire to grow that seed has no choice but to sprout and grow. Chakra Flow University offers programs and containers that provide the fertile soil to foster this growth and expansion.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Take a sunrise hike to Crowders mountain. Work up an appetite and get a smoothie and bite to eat at Green Brothers juicery.

Head to Okra to take “Primal” with my favorite teacher Tai Wren. It’s a mix of kung fu, q-gong, tai chi and yoga!

Take a walk around Plaza Midwood and grab a golden milk at Undercurrent Coffee Shop. Enjoy people watching and check out the vintage stores as we sip on our delicious concoctions.

Pick up my kiddos from school and head to freedom park to take in some sun, walk around the lake and admire the beauty of Charlotte. Maybe kick around a soccer ball for a few.

Get some groceries at Trader Joe’s and head back to my lovely home just north of Camp Northend and make some dinner together. Maybe a Colombia style chicken soup with lots of cilantro and hang in my backyard as we admire the sunset and drink a glass of red wine.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Huge shout out to:

My Guru, Dr. Vasant Lad, his teachings, generosity and wisdom inspire me every day of my life.

My Yoga Teacher, Dana Trixie Flynn, the owner and creator of Laughing Lotus Yoga Center in NYC. Her love, passion and fun spirit run through my veins in every class I get to teach.

My partner and greatest friend, Brian Strahine. He is the embodiment of divine masculine energy.

Website: https://www.chakraflowuniversity.com/

Instagram: Victoria.Yogini

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/Victoria-Martinez

Facebook: Victoria E Martinez

Image Credits
Zack McAdams McAdams photography for Facebook. McAdamsPhotographync for Instagram.

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutSouthCarolina is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.