By Elisa Huot
FORMER EDUCATOR, PARENT, AND PASO ROBLES RESIDENT
The term “mompreneur” emerged in the 1990s, describing female business owners who juggle motherhood and entrepreneurship. The Paso Robles’ Contract Instructor Program with the Recreation Services Department offers a platform for local mompreneurs to share their skills by teaching classes. Instructors design their curriculum, set their fees, and choose class times. The city handles registrations, provides a classroom, and assists with marketing. Instructors receive 70 percent of the registration fee. Heather Stephenson, the city’s recreation coordinator specializing in classes and marketing, guides potential instructors through the process, ensuring their success.
The Contract Instructor Program is a thriving space for moms to share their talents with the community. Vanessa Orr, owner of Yaya Yoga Ca, exemplifies this perfectly. Since 2017, she’s offered various engaging family activities like children’s yoga and dance classes.
“As an instructor, Vanessa beautifully blends her experience as an educator with sharp business acumen and a joyful spark to create magic for the participating families,” Stephenson shared. “She was excited to begin offering classes for the community and was persistent in figuring out what types of classes and price points would resonate with this community.” As an ambassador for the Contract Instructor Program, Vanessa has recruited several talented instructors, including Amanda Streamland and Kristin Scott.
Streamland, a former preschool teacher, began offering classes in 2023. She wanted to continue working with children, creating a welcoming, less structured environment where students could be accompanied by an adult or attend independently. Her exceptional patience and kindness are evident in her classes, which she began teaching while her young son was still an infant. Her craft classes have themes for all seasons, catering to different age groups. This fall, she will offer classes alongside Vanessa’s Mom & Baby Yoga sessions, providing a convenient and fun option for families with young children.
Look out for classes with Vanessa and Amanda this fall! You can register through Activenet on the Paso Robles Recreation Services webpage prcity.com/recreation
Scott, a former voice and piano teacher, turned her musical dedication into a community initiative. Inspired by her young family and seeing a need in the community for recreational opportunities for young children, she launched toddler-focused classes in music, dance, and art. These classes provided a fun and educational outlet for children and parents and fostered long-lasting relationships. As her kids grew, she continued to teach and even incorporated them into her classes. Over the summer, she introduced a Zoo Keeper Training Camp, with sky-high enrollment. Now, with three older children, Kristin is exploring new opportunities. As she moves on from teaching classes with the city, Michelle Leavitt, a fellow mompreneur, will take over as lead of the Centennial Children’s Choir, started by Scott in 2023. Stephenson is currently searching for an instructor to provide children’s dance classes like the ones that Scott previously offered.
“I feel so grateful to have the opportunity to meet and work with so many talented and amazing people in this job! Seeing these instructors create an opportunity for community members to connect and enrich their lives brings me so much joy. It’s wonderful when these exceptional mompreneurs work to support one another.” — Heather Stephenson
Orr, a yoga enthusiast, brought her passion to Paso Robles, challenging the local perception of yoga as solely for adults. She introduced child-friendly yoga classes, emphasizing strength, health, self-love, and self-awareness. Her entrepreneurial spirit led her to expand her offerings, including mommy-and-me classes, all while raising two children.“I loved that my kids got to be a part of what I was doing, developing their own entrepreneurial spirits,” she said.
Stephenson, a key figure in the program, supports instructors in connecting with participants and building successful classes. She emphasizes the importance of community and connection, encouraging moms to explore their entrepreneurial potential. She stresses that a creative skill does not have to come directly from the instructor’sprofessional background, it may be a hobby that has been practiced for years and can be shared to enhance the lives of others.
By providing scholarships and a supportive environment, the program aims to make these classes accessible to all families. The instructors are instrumental in creating this growing community. Heather expresses gratitude for the talented instructors and encourages more moms to join the program. If you want to learn more about the Contract Instructor Program contact Heather Stephenson at hstephenson@prcity.com.
PASO ROBLES PRESS MAGAZINE
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