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

Hi Toni, is there something you can share with us that those outside of the industry might not be aware of?
The behind the scenes work. Sitting at my desk at 4am working on emails, payroll, my business website, social media posts, schedules and everything it takes to operate daily.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
After raising my three children at forty years old I would say “I’m not sure what I want to be, when I grow up”.

In my early 40’s – I began taking pilates classes at a womens gym. The first instructor I took a class with was fun, interesting and great at teaching. I attended every class she taught with excitement. A year in she announced she was pregnant and they needed more pilates instructors. Betty, a lady behind me said “Toni will do it, she’s great at pilates”. I immediately said no. The instructor looked at me and said “yes, Toni you would be great at it”.

I was shy and very introverted. Teaching classes??? NOT I.

My hubby encouraged me to do it. I got trained and out of fear sat on my certificate for months. One day, the gym manager called and said “Toni we need you to teach every other Friday at 8:30”.
That was the beginning of my new found love and passion of teaching. Within a few years, I was teaching at two additional gyms, got trained in barre then created my own barre program Booty Ballet and was teaching 10 to 15 classes a week.

Ten years later the gym closed. I rented a karate center by the hour, taught classes and advertised on social media. Within a month a friend of a friend – broker sent a private message “I have something to show you. I think you would be great at”. A few days later we met. She had a yoga studio for sale. I had never stepped foot in the studio and knew little about it. My hubby and I met her at the studio and loved the space. After a month of craziness we bought it.

The staff stayed on board and we added more then we grew the business from 10 to 15 classes a week to 50 to 60 a week. GoodWolf now offers heated and non-heated yoga, Booty Ballet barre classes, pilates reformer sessions, cardio and more. My staff and I have created a community that is nothing I have ever experienced.

To say I love what I do is an understatement. I LOVE teaching beyond my comprehension.

I now know what I was made to do – as I am growing up.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If a friend visited – she would have to meet my family. My hubby would prepare a great cajun dish – possibly boiled crawfish or gumbo. My two girls, son-in-laws and six grandkids would be included in this dinner. The kids would provide entertainment. We would hang out at GoodWolf to meet staff and clients – and try hot yoga, pilates reformer and as many classes as she could handle.
She would enjoy a visit to our family farm. My brother in law owns and operates a rice and crawfish farm.

Food and restaurants on the list of must do’s would depend on if she wanted cajun items like kingcake, boudin, poboys and gumbo or stick to my favs with great salads. I have many!

Hitting locally owned boutiques and visiting my artist friends would be a must.

Cajun culture and family life is everything to me. She would have a quiet, yet fun trip in my little community and surrounding areas.

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?
A little shoutout to my hubby of 37 years! From day one, he has been my rock. Standing behind to catch me when I fall and on the side guiding me through life. I am who I am and do all I do because of his love and devotion.

Website: www.goodwolfyoga.com

Instagram: @goodwolfpoweryoga

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoodWolfPowerYoga

Image Credits
Taylor Cormier

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