Woman Wednesday: Claire Spears

Today’s #WomanWednesday is the owner of Press - a hot yoga and coffee shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma - Claire. Since I’m all for shop local and supporting women owned businesses, Claire is a great addition to our growing list of amazing women!

“Why am I strong? Great question, loaded question. I could talk about my strong, but incredibly sensitive mom, my genius caring dad. I could talk about taking challenges at every turn, moving straight from Rome to New York without knowing a person or having a place to stay. I could talk about falling in love with Brady and leaving each other and the country only three months later and making it work. I could talk about going back to school without any real reason. I could talk about us choosing Tulsa, Oklahoma when New York and Iceland were calling with other, flashier opportunities. But I'll talk about the business that Brady and I just started, because its where and how I feel strongest right now.

There has been nothing more scary and more empowering than committing to pursuing this dream. Brady and I opened Press Cafe x Yoga, a hot yoga studio and cafe in Tulsa last month. We are a community hub centered on connection, health, and vitality. We chose to do this here because we believe that young people can, and should invest in leading the culture of their communities. We wanted to put our lives where our heads and our hearts were. And it has been unbelievably rewarding.

The days are packed with new people and the evergreen practice of yoga that I fell in love with and want to share with others. I feel more spent and poured out than I ever have been in my life. But I feel the strongest. And I want other people who think 'I'll do it in 5 years' to know that they are strong enough right now. Start the business, move apartments, try a new class, ask for a raise, put yourself out there. Why not?"