Alison Abercrombie Chavira has always been in the people business: earning her degrees in behavioral science, human resource management, and positive organizational psychology, then beginning her career in employee engagement focusing on organizational and leadership development. After attending colleges in Atlanta and Los Angeles, she would go on to Las Vegas where she soon met her husband, Francisco, and started a family.
After the couple moved to Nashville in early 2020, Alison’s corporate career faced a crossroads. Her human resources job was absorbed during an acquisition, and she could either move to the new company or take a leap of faith at her current one. Alison chose to leap, a decision that would lead her to growth opportunities both personally and professionally.
“There was a position called ‘Engineering Talent Manager,’ which was an opportunity for me to be a people leader,” Alison shares. “At the time, I knew very little about technology or software engineering, but I just had to try. Managing people when I don’t know what they do is really hard, but you just have to show up.”
After a year in that position, Alison felt she had the confidence and skill set she needed to open a business rooted in her passions that would also bring a missing piece to Bellevue. Together with her husband, she began researching franchising options. As a dancer growing up, Alison found yoga in adulthood as a way to carry on that passion, and a YogaSix franchise felt like a perfect fit.
“It’s vinyasa yoga; it’s about the flow, connection to your breath, and the movement of your body,” Alison shares. “Because of my background in HR and hiring talent, I felt like that’s the piece I could contribute to the business. That overflows…if you’ve taken care of your employees, they’re going to take care of the community, too.”
YogaSix has become a safe space for the community to spend intentional time in a practice that can be whatever they need in each class. There are six class options ranging from foundational practices to power flows and even express classes capped at 45 minutes.
“It’s important for beginners and experienced yogis to feel welcomed and included at our studio,” Alison shares.
As yoga has grown in popularity over the years, so has its fashion. Just as classes are accessible for all levels, Alison encourages anyone taking their first class to bypass any overwhelming trends and wear whatever makes them feel most comfortable.
The studio offers a retail section to help. Alison particularly likes the brand Spiritual Gangster, which makes comfortable, flowy tops in a breathable material that highlights positive affirmations and inspirational quotes. For leggings and tanks, Tavi activewear is a high-quality option. For more fitted clothing (which is not required), Alison recommends Z Supply or Free People’s athleticwear collection, or Z Supply.
While what you wear won’t affect your practice (comfort is key!), accessories are important. A quality mat will help protect feet, joints, and hands, and Alison recommends Manduka or B Mat. The B Mat is designed for a heated vinyasa style class: it gives the practitioner a solid foundation to advance their practice to the next level. Add-ons like blocks and straps will help support body alignment and make the practice easier or more challenging, depending on needs and preferences each day.
“It’s not just yoga, it’s also this community of people striving to connect to who they are, to their mind, to their body, to their soul.”