Original text

My successes.

“We successfully launched our first studio in November 2013 and opened our second location in October 2015,” Kalgaonkar says. 

How SCORE helped.

First, SCORE mentor helped Kalgaonkar review her business plan — and challenged her with concerns and potential barriers.

Kalgaonkar attended a business plan workshop and connected with mentor Bob Peck, a former banker. She knew she would need capital to open her studio, so Peck offered financial advice before she applied for any loans. Mentor Alice Dial assisted Kalgaonkar from a marketing perspective. 

How Did Your Business Get Started?

Hye Jin Kalgaonkar had traveled and taught in yoga studios around the world. But she longed for a way to share the benefits of hot yoga with beginners. Seeing opportunity in her home of Indianapolis, she opened The Hot Room, “Indy’s Original Hot Yoga and Pilates Studio.”

But being a great yoga teacher isn’t the same as being a yoga studio manager. Kalgaonkar turned to SCORE for help putting together a great team to handle rapid growth. After all, Kalgaonkar needed time to work on her business, instead of in her business handling day-to-day operations.