Meet Andrea Marcum | Yoga Teacher, Author, Retreat leader

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

Hi Andrea, what do you attribute your success to?
Persistence and consistency may not sound like sizzling success hacks, but I believe they are the backbone for the body of any brand. I began teaching yoga before it was popular the way it is now. When I told people what I did for a living they thought I was joking. “No, I mean what is your job.” would be the sort of response I’d get.

For me, building a brand has meant delivering consistent content over a long period of time and in a variety of formats. I’ve had my own brick and mortar studio in LA, lead retreats all over the word, had a book published, written articles for major publications, presented at festivals, prepared athletes for their seasons and actors for Academy Awards season, created material for Medicare… and most recently I’ve built my own online platform.

In yoga philosophy there is something called abhyasa and vairagya- consistent, uninterrupted practice over a long period of time (abhyasa) without expectation of a particular outcome (vairagya). I’m grateful for every single opportunity I’ve had, and I never take anything for granted. Success is sometimes monetary, but there is a currency that runs deeper. If I create something that helps even one just person in some small way, it gives me purpose. That’s the ultimate success to me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Before I started teaching yoga I was a songwriter. At Joni Mitchell’s 50th birthday party I had a moment with her when she told me “it all comes from the same place- do all of it.” She meant creativity is fluid, not limited and be open to broadening your palate. I’ve had to learn to do many things to stay afloat, each one of them enriching me as a person and a teacher. I think it is essential to stay curious and keep learning. When you come from your gut and are genuinely interested work is away of life not a chore.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
It’s all about nature for me. Walking in the woods, on the beach, with my dog Tippi. Simple things are where its at for me these days.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I lost my mother last year. She always encouraged me to color outside the lines and do things my own way. (In fact there was a parent-teacher conference in my youth about my not doing the coloring assignment and opting to do my own drawings in the margins- she told the teacher she preferred my creativity). She didn’t believe in vacations, but wanted my brothers and me to see the world, plucking us out of school and taking us on an impromptu semester at sea to France when I was 15. That gave me my travel bug and leading retreats is like an ongoing homage to her. She had a bookstore and was an avid reader- getting Close to Om (my book) published by St Martin’s Press is something I also dedicate to her. From the Midwest, she emphasized hard, humble work and I am grateful for that ethic as it has shaped who I am and what I do. I miss her profoundly.

Website: https://www.andreamarcum.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andreamarcum/

Other: Retreats https://www.andreamarcum.com/retreats Blog https://www.andreamarcum.com/blog