"LaunchNET is a great space for KSU students to start their businesses! There is no idea too unique as they will help you find your audience and establish your niche to prepare you for the entrepreneurial culture that awaits post-grad." - Macara Hitchcock
Can you tell us about your business, how you got started, and the mission behind it?
Aila Aura Fitness and Wellness is a transformative hybrid fitness community that combines the practice of yoga with the unique thrill of aerial yoga/hammock to provide students with a holistic journey toward physical, mental, and emotional well-being. I officially started my business with the purchase of my LLC in 2023 but I have been teaching aerial yoga/fitness since 2021!
Aila Aura is a community built on the philosophy that "movement is medicine." I believe in the power of integrating physical and mental health, as the duo has been fundamental in helping me with my own mental health struggles when dealing with Anxiety and PTSD. To help others like me who struggle with the effects of stress, Aila Aura aims to offer life coaching services alongside fitness classes because true wellness extends beyond the physical – it's a harmonious dance between mind, body, and spirit.
How has your experience been with LaunchNET?
I have had such a positive experience working with LaunchNET! I started working with them 2 years ago with the completion of their Black Women Bosses program, lead by Tabitha Messmore and Alicia Robinson. Not long after, I was also a participant and winner for their 2022 Marty Erbaugh i3 Lab cohort! LaunchNET has been truly the backbone of support for me being able to pursue my fitness education. Through their programs and micro-grants, I have been able to receive my Aerial Yoga Hammock certification, X-Pert Pole Fitness certification, and my 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training at One Love Yoga.
You recently participated in the MORTAR program at Bounce Innovation Hub, can you tell us about that?
MORTAR is a 16-week cohort program that aims to create diverse communities by enabling historically marginalized entrepreneurs to access the resources needed to start & run successful businesses. I chose to pursue it because there aren't many entrepreneurial programs that appeal to people of color and I was excited to begin networking in my hometown of Akron, OH! The benefit was being able to receive mentorship from people who understood the additional hurdles of being African American and running a business. They not only offer one-on-one mentorship but you also receive access to Bounce Innovation Hub during the program duration to have an intentional space to work on your business. Being able to work with other entrepreneurs outside of the KSU culture helped me realize my purpose of increasing inclusivity among black and brown communities by offering them an alternative form of fitness and re-branding what self-care and prioritizing mental health look like.
You also just won the Life's a Pitch competition at Bounce — congratulations! — what do you plan to do with this win?
With this win, I am looking forward to completing my life coaching certification and strengthening my online community with the release of fitness challenges, at-home workouts, meditations, and more! I am still teaching in-person workshops at One Love and will start corporate and community yoga classes this summer!
What are your goals and next steps for the business?
The overall goal of my business is to create a community where people of all backgrounds can find healing through movement! It is a dream of mine to be able to travel and host healing workshops and retreats that will increase accessibility to a different type of aerial fitness. The next step alongside strengthening my online community following is to build my in-person community through low-cost yoga classes, aerial hammock workshops, and life coaching sessions to help bring awareness and increase accessibility to try this style of fitness.
How can people connect with you and support Aila Aura Fitness and Wellness?
You can follow the business on Instagram @ailaaurafitness to join my fitness challenges or my personal Instagram @macaradanielle to stay updated on future aerial workshop offerings!