E-Paper
Ekam Yoga Founder Shares Plan to Launch 500+ Wellness Centers by 2030
The initiative integrates sustainable products and a supportive franchise model, catering to a growing demand for holistic wellness solutions.
What started as a personal quest for health has evolved into a growing wellness movement. Ekam Yoga, founded by former risk analyst Avi Singhvi, is expanding its footprint with a goal of launching over 500 wellness centres by 2030. In a recent interview on "The Success Playbook Podcast by Expertrons and Shine," Singhvi shared his journey from the world of high finance to the business of inner peace, and how Ekam aims to strengthen the wellness space in India.
"I used to love my job, frankly speaking," Singhvi shared, reflecting on his 16-hour workdays at a top securities firm. "But...I started to get a little bit tensed with my health." This personal struggle led him to his father's stress management sessions, where he had an "aha moment" and realized the need for accessible, holistic wellness solutions.
During the COVID-19 lockdown, Ekam Yoga began offering free online sessions and quickly attracted 10,000 users daily. "We realized, okay, there's a big gap in the market right now if we are having this many users just signing up," Singhvi said. “We launched our website overnight and we started with this.”
Today, Ekam Yoga is more than just a yoga studio; it's a broader wellness ecosystem. "People in today's world, they just don't want one product. If they're buying something, they want an entire ecosystem with it," Singhvi explained. To meet this demand, Ekam has expanded into sustainable "Yogleisure" apparel, activewear, and a line of 29 upcoming Ayurvedic products, including gummies and dissolvable tablets, designed to make traditional wellness relevant to a younger demographic.
This multi-pronged approach is also the cornerstone of their partner programme. Recognising the challenges faced by traditional yoga studios, Ekam Yoga offers a franchise model that provides comprehensive support, from location scouting and lease negotiation to marketing and R&D. "We'll be helping them to get complete revenue within the starting four months," Singhvi stated, with the goal of making each business self-sustainable and achieving break-even within 1 to 1.5 years.
A key development is their tech-driven, hybrid teaching model. Franchise owners don't need to be certified yoga trainers themselves. Live, interactive classes are broadcast from a central studio with master trainers, while local trainers provide in-person adjustments and support. This ensures quality and consistency, while also helping franchise owners retain their clients.
"The owner of the store should have a security that their client is not going anywhere," Singhvi emphasised. "Once the client has stepped into their store, the client is theirs completely."
Jatin Solanki, host of The Success Playbook podcast (Serial Entrepreneur, IITB Alum), appreciated the model, saying, "You've created a very beautiful ecosystem. And you're not just selling classes, you're actually offering a complete lifestyle."
With a vision to make holistic wellness accessible across India, from major metros to smaller towns, Ekam Yoga is not just building a business—it is encouraging a wider adoption of wellness practices. As Singhvi puts it, “I can make money and I can sleep well at night as well. Understanding this fact that I'm giving back to society.”
Note to the Reader: This article is part of Hindustan Times' promotional consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. Hindustan Times assumes no editorial responsibility for the content.
