Introducing Stacy Nightwine!
March is Women’s History Month! At Boreal Bliss, we have a long-standing tradition of featuring women who inspire us in Minnesota every March. Without further ado…
She’s been retreating with us since the very beginning folks. You know her. You love her. It’s the one and only….. Stacy Nightwine!
She started with us as a yoga and essential oils enthusiast. She taught a succulent + essential oil planter pot workshop at our very first retreat. She has a very warm and welcoming presence. We clicked instantly!
Stacy found that she loved attending yoga retreats. There was something more to this yoga thing, and she wanted to fully jump in with both feet. We also all got along swimmingly and became dear friends, cheering one another along.
We love Stacy. Since 2017, she’s earned her 200-hour yoga teacher certificate (twice), started teaching in both her community and at retreats, bought a custom mobile sauna, started a mobile sauna rental business (Silver Creek Sauna Co.), and trailers that beauty everywhere (see a video of her in action here). All while working full-time at a credit union in Two Harbors (and getting promoted - GEEZ STACE!)
She has always had crazy solid work ethic, in literally anything and everything she does, and it shows.
Stacy Nightwine is inspiring to us, and we’d love to share more about her with you!
Stacy, can you tell us a little bit about yourself, your training, and how you got started with your respective businesses?
I was born and raised in Two Harbors MN. I live on a 20 acre property with my husband and partner Phil. We have a senior dog named Charlie and two kitties Bizzie and Shimmy. After High school I dabbled in a couple different careers in-home healthcare, Third party administrator for 401k plans, and then I found my Financial Service Rep Job at the North Shore Federal Credit Union. I found out quickly I loved the 9-5 and the flexibility to do other things after work and weekends.
I also started my first extra business selling essential oils. I quickly found out I was not into running a multi level marketing business but loved the oils and products. I love using oils topically and that's where it all started for me. I got asked to come to a retreat to do a make and take workshop that slowly evolved to me having a roller bar at every retreat and diffuser.
I was lying in savasana once at one of these retreats and had a moment of like wow there is way more to yoga then postures. I signed up for my first 200 hour ytt training shortly after. I then started teaching right away, created my Lake Effect Yoga business in Two Harbors, and slowly started teaching at retreats.
At a retreat we decided to rent a mobile sauna. I then had a lightbulb moment: “wow…maybe I could do this!?”
We live in a high-demand tourist location. I felt I could potentially make something work with a sauna small-business along the North Shore. I talked to my husband Phil and before you knew it we had our little Silver Creek Sauna Co. mobile sauna business. We have done a few Boreal Bliss Yoga Retreats now and also rent around the North Shore area.
You can say I have a natural ability to try everything. I sometimes stick with things or sometimes I just say well I can mark that off the list. I love learning, growing and trying new things.
What aspect of your business(es) are you most proud of?
I am proud of backing up a trailer and hooking and unhooking the trailer. I am proud of being able to use an ax to make kindling to start fires. I am so proud of the commitments I have had with all of these business ventures. I am proud of being able to pivot and when I had some trials I didn't give up. I am also really happy to provide self care to people in so many ways physically mentally , emotionally, and financially. I remember being a kid and always wanting to be the one that changed someone's life, or helping someone get through something, or mentoring someone.
Can you tell us about some obstacles you've had to overcome?
Well there definitely have been obstacles. A few are social media and technical things I have found are not my strong suit, so I learned not to give myself such a hard time about that, or try and be perfect. The imposter syndrome is a real thing! How do I have any business teaching people to do yoga or haul a trailer!?
Luckily I have a great husband and friends that squash those thoughts quickly. I think learning the sauna has been an obstacle in ways of making sure we have dry wood, so we don't smoke people out. Not freaking people out about loading the wood in the wood stove. Double booking people see technical things above… lol. I constantly am learning and growing and try not to dwell on mistakes and just do better the next time.
In all the many things you do, what aspect of the work are you most passionate about?
Oh gosh I don't think I could really say one is more important than the other, but it has to be yoga. Yoga is so much more than poses. Because of yoga I have grown and learned so much since my training. I am growing into the person I want to be. With all the tools and guidance yoga has to offer I feel calmer, smarter, confident. Just better and better.
Can you share one brief funny story of something going wrong while teaching, retreating, or providing a sauna experience for a group?
Oh gosh let me think…. I have three! (and honestly a lot more lol…)
1.) There was one time I was hauling the first time to Hackensack for a retreat and I had a guy tailing me and then he passed me. I didn’t think anything of it but there is a gas station I always stop in, in Floodwood and he must have seen me pull in and turned around I saw him get out of his truck and start walking towards me. I was like… “what.. you are you following me?” (lol) He said, “no but I wanted to ask you questions about the sauna!” He told me how he builds saunas similarly in Grand Rapids. We bonded. I love little things like this.
2.) My first time leading a retreat in the Boundary Waters, we lasted less than 24 hours and had to evacuate because of the forest fires. I chose to stay back to help the facility out with prepping for such fires. Then the wind switched (thank goodness!), and we didn’t have to evacuate. I was able to get to know the staff a little better and have dinner with them, which was nice. Maybe this isn’t so funny, but me and Nora had so much fun!
3.) Another time Amanda and I were caravan-ing to Hackensack and we got stuck in traffic for road construction. She calls me to tell me, “oh man this is taking forever…”, and then she says, “ah Stacy, my gas gauge is on E.” So, we turn around to go back to Floodwood and she completely runs out of gas. I then have to go get a can and gas for her and then we are back on the road. She is leading us now, we get stuck in a 30-minute stop, AGAIN. We get moving and we drive… right by our turn! (LOL) It all worked out in the end. There was a gas station nearby and we were able to fill her up, eat lunch, and get to our lovely retreat.
You have been instrumental in helping women gain confidence and courage in yoga and outdoor adventures. Can you tell us more about what that means to you?
Gosh what a compliment. I feel like the people all around me have been an instrument for me in building confidence in yoga and outdoor adventures. It means the world to me. This is why I do this. I want people and women to feel they can do anything really. There are modifications and technologies now that help us accomplish so many things. I will never forget my first yoga retreat and how it made me feel so in my body and world. I will forever be grateful for yoga coming into my life.
