STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Port Richmond resident Caileen Gonzalez, 28, by no means thought she’d have the bandwidth to launch two completely unrelated companies in lower than a 12 months.

However she did.

Since she was a child, Gonzalez wished to be her personal boss. After incomes levels in schooling and math from St. Joseph’s Faculty, Brooklyn, she rapidly discovered working in a faculty wasn’t the profession path she wished to pursue. After the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic heightened the necessity for private tutoring, Gonzalez launched Tiny To Tall Tutoring & Check Prep LLC in September 2020, which gives tutoring for all age teams, from age 3 to school college students.

“I spent my early 20s exploring other ways to make use of my math diploma whereas concurrently turning into extra conscious of my psychological well being and prioritizing self care. That is once I started yoga. It had such an unbelievable affect on my thoughts, physique and soul, and over time I turned extra passionate in regards to the apply and its energy,” admitted Gonzalez, who can also be a licensed yoga trainer.

After opening her tutoring enterprise, Gonzalez discovered first hand what it takes to start out a enterprise from scratch. And a month shy of the one 12 months anniversary of the launch of Tiny To Tall Tutoring & Check Prep, Gonzalez mentioned she “discovered to only go for my desires.” So on Aug. 22, 2021 Prana & Peace Journey LLC was born and she or he deliberate her first retreat within the house of her ancestors.

“I went to Puerto Rico to plan our first retreat,” mentioned Gonzalez. “It was essential for me to do the primary retreat there as a result of it’s the place my ancestors are from, and holds a particular place in my coronary heart. Additionally, due to the great thing about the land, tradition and folks is simple, I felt it was the right place for individuals to get again to themselves after such making an attempt instances.”

TRAVEL RETREATS

Gonzalez mentioned she has deliberate quite a lot of journeys from eight days in Puerto Rico to a weekend in Pennsylvania.

“I’ll proceed to create each fast getaways and prolonged stays, in addition to visits to totally different states and international locations. I additionally take pleasure in diversifying the itinerary based mostly on the theme of the journey. Due to this fact, some retreats are extra adventurous whereas others are extra enjoyable,” she mentioned.

The retreats embrace highly effective yoga practices lead by Gonzalez and different skilled academics.

“We additionally present lodging and meals. Relying on the itinerary, transportation and excursions are additionally included. And, on high of every thing, we offer a chance to attach with different unbelievable beings,” she mentioned.

Prana & Peace Journey was additionally a means for Gonzalez to create “protected areas” for individuals of all races and for these within the LGBTQ+ group.

“I hope this enterprise continues to develop. I simply wish to create an increasing number of protected areas for everyone — particularly for individuals who in any other case don’t have it,” mentioned Gonzalez, who identifies as a member of the LGBTQ+ group. “I need it to be a protected house. …And the truth is touring around the globe is usually harmful and scary. I’ve skilled that. So for individuals of all races, and all walks of life, I need everybody to have entry to therapeutic in a means they really feel protected.”

DREAMING BIG

Touring and seeing the world empowered Gonzalez to “dream huge.” And he or she obtained a lot of her inspiration from the Staten Island Yoga Group, notably at Be Yoga & Dance in Rosebank, the place Gonzalez teaches yoga.

“Yoga and touring empowered me to dream huge and let go of expectations that had been positioned on me. They [the Staten Island yoga community] are actually what made me understand that I may create a lifetime of my very own, that I may very well be an entrepreneur, and have a satisfying life the place my happiness was high precedence.” mentioned Gonzalez.

PRANA & PEACE TRAVEL AT A GLANCE

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New Companies in Focus is a weekly column that relates the tales of recent Staten Island companies homeowners.

In case you have a brand new enterprise on Staten Island, e-mail porpora@siadvance.com.

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