The new studio caters for everyone but finds a surprising audience among men over 50
AN entrepreneur who quit her “mind-numbing” office job aged 50 to pursue her dream of running a yoga studio has transformed a long-derelict building to open her new business.
Stephanie Carnell, founder of the Pentyrch-based Yogi Sanctuary, renovated the old squash court next to Pentyrch Village Hall which had been empty for eight years.
Mrs Carnell started her training online at 50 years old during the lockdown in 2020 and qualified the following year.
But the former sales director said that the career switch wasn’t just a business proposal—it was her dream being realised.
“I pinch myself every day that I get to do what I love in this beautiful space,” she said.
“Getting people to be able to find living so much easier, whether that be physically, like picking things up or putting their clothes on, or when it’s about dealing with stress in their lives – that is what makes it for me.
“I really wish my mum was here, because she would have been so proud – and my dad – to see me making a difference for people.
“Whether it’s for people with cancer or with mobility issues, people that are busy, or those that just want to fly in the hammocks, I wanted to do something that meant something to people, and yoga really did that.”
What makes it for me is seeing people better off in whatever they do because they spend a bit of time on their mat with me”
Stephanie Carnell
Mrs Carnell had worked as a sales director for food companies for 35 years and had hated her day job – so she quit to teach yoga full-time.
“I launched a product in M&S and sold computer data,” she said of her various jobs. “Who knows about it?
“What makes it for me is seeing people better off in whatever they do because they spend a bit of time on their mat with me.”
Mrs Carnell built her own business alongside teaching at yoga studios across Cardiff, holding her own classes in the evenings and on weekends.
“The hours you have to work to try and make the same money you would get in a day job is a lot,” she said.
In October 2023, Mrs Carnell approached Pentyrch Village Hall, which owns the squash court.
“It had been derelict for so long and the ceiling had been coming in and there was just dirt everywhere. But it had got into my head.”
“I got in touch with Business Wales and they put me in contact with Development Bank Wales. It was such a lot of money – I had to borrow £68,000. In the end, the entire project cost me £80,000.”
In October 2024, she secured the lease from Pentyrch Village Hall and Pentyrch Community Council and work began immediately to make sure her studio opened on January 1, 2025.
The Yogi Sanctuary has already seen 500 attendees across 35 classes, workshops and events each week since it opened with clients coming from as far as Bridgend and Newport.
But despite the rapid growth, she ensures every individual feels valued.
“One man booked a 7am class, and he was the only one. He asked if I wanted to cancel, but I said no. Every person matters.”
This vision was supported by the community in surprising and heartwarming ways. One resident knitted 68 hand towels for the studio, others sewed 150 lavender pillow covers, and volunteers gave an hour of their time to paint the interior.
“It’s a real community place,” Stephanie said proudly.
Mrs Carnell noticed more men coming to sessions with their partners and decided to plan a class more suited to them.
“Men are traditionally a lot stiffer than women. Their muscle structure just tightens them up. They are here doing yoga because they want to keep active,” said Mrs Carnell.
The men who usually attend the classes are retired or are in their 60s and 70s.
“One of my clients wanted to be able to bend down and pick up his grandchild – that was the only reason why he started.
“We started with the chair and after 18 months of practising every week – and he was really diligent – he sent me a video where he picked up his grandchild,” said Mrs Carnell.
Yoga For Men on Fridays and Chair Yoga for over 50s on Wednesdays are her busiest classes at the Yogi Sanctuary: “The biggest thing we get asked for by the older population is balance – they want to feel stable on their feet.
“I remember my dad couldn’t lift his arms up and down because he had lost the strength in his muscles. He eventually couldn’t put his glasses on his face.
“That has stuck with me.”
- The Yogi Sanctuary hosts special events, including yoga for Valentine’s Day on February 14 and Mother’s Day on March 30. More information can be found here.
