The Great Escape: Soul Food for Tumbler Ridge with Gypsy Soul Nature Yoga

In December 2019, the ThriveNorth program successfully completed its five-year mandate. Managed by Futurpreneur Canada, the program helped young entrepreneurs in Northern B.C. launch and grow their businesses by connecting them with resources, financing and mentorship.

Seven years ago Jayme made the leap from Ontario to the picturesque west coast in search of a better life. Soon, the nature-loving mother of two and yoga enthusiast who bore lifelong dreams of living and hiking in the beautiful mountain ranges of British Columbia found herself in small-town Tumbler Ridge, located at the base of the Canadian Rockies in Northern BC.

With the rugged mountainside, waterfalls and lakes at the foot of her door, Tumbler Ridge provided the perfect backdrop for Jayme’s vision of life and passion combined – a space for raising her young children and launching her small business, Gypsy Soul Nature Yoga.

Focused on promoting health and wellness in body and mind through outdoor yoga, Jayme’s Gypsy Soul Nature Yoga was born out of a desire to be her own boss and have something she could proudly call her own while maintaining the work-life balance she needed to raise her family.

“As a single mom in a remote community away from family I think working for myself is a better fit for my family,” says Jayme, whose dive into entrepreneurship reflects the rise of small business ownership across Canada.

Although remote, the Northern BC setting has given Jayme the chance to develop a holistic service experience that is both unique to her brand and business and speaks to her passion and expertise.

“I love the untamed wild of Tumbler Ridge. There are numerous undiscovered areas and the beauty is unreal and never ending,” says Jayme.

“I want to be able to share doing what I love in a place I love with other people. The small town of Tumbler Ridge is a great place to raise a family and is a welcoming community that is a joy to be a part of.”

Like Jayme, more Canadians are turning to entrepreneurship as the new and preferred way of life. Perhaps of even greater value and interest for members of small and remote communities, the pursuit of one’s business dreams is becoming an increasingly viable and effective means for creating local business opportunities and boosting economic growth that offers the self-satiating promise of choice, flexibility and innovation.

Taking advantage of the abundance of natural settings in Tumbler Ridge, Jayme runs yoga classes in local parks, bringing the benefits of health and wellness to both community members and visitors. Her ability to offer such unique yoga experiences was made possible with a grant she received from ThriveNorth, which equipped Jayme with the knowledge and resources to explore and realize the full potential of her business dream in Northern BC.

“ThriveNorth has given me the opportunity to educate myself through Wilderness First Aid to provide for emergency preparedness expanding my program offerings, and has also helped me buy much-needed equipment,” says Jayme.

Jayme’s journey is the magic of taking a leap of faith come to life. You only need to see the photos to see how Jayme stays so inspired. The opportunity to guide a hike and teach yoga beside an alpine lake to the Wild Women backpacking group provided further motivation to expand her business to include yoga retreats.

In partnership with Tumbler Ridge UNESCO Global Geo Park, Jayme is running Yoga Hike Retreats around the Geo Park every Saturday throughout the month of August. For details and to find out more about Gypsy Soul Nature Yoga connect with Jayme on Facebook.