Debra Perlson-Mishalove came to the DMV in the early 2000s, at that time working in sales and marketing, a job she says she enjoyed. But her career trajectory changed after she got involved with yoga and took a yoga teacher training class. Perlson-Mishalove then began holding small yoga sessions in her house.
Within a year of starting her training, Perlson-Mishalove had quit her job, founded Flow Yoga Center and married her husband, Ian, in 2004.
He has since joined the team at Flow Yoga Center as co-owner and director. The couple live in D.C. and have two boys together, Jonah (16) and Leo (13).
Tell me about the start of the yoga studio.
When I arrived [in D.C.], I quickly realized the kind of yoga classes that I loved. Ones that felt vibrant, and welcoming, and community-oriented hadn’t quite made it here yet, and I loved my job, but I started to realize I loved yoga even more. And on a whim, I signed up for a yoga teacher training in D.C. … In the middle of my teacher training, I put up a sign at the Cleveland Park Metro stop that said, “Yoga at Debra’s house,” and invited strangers into my living room at 7 a.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays … I eventually quit my job and opened a yoga studio. So, there were lots of ups and downs to make that happen, but I did it. And then after a few years running the studio, it became clear that I couldn’t do it on my own, so Ian left his job in the nonprofit sector and became my partner running the studio. And then, a few years later, kids came along, and it’s [been] a wild ride since then.
Can you explain your passion for yoga?
Yoga gives me perspective on my life. In raising a family, it’s a tool that I use to be a better person, to move through life with more ease and less stress. And it’s just been this tool that I have been leaning on for 20 years that’s been so helpful.
What was it like as a new parent trying to run the studio?
I remember once hearing Ruth [Bader] Ginsburg say that you can have it all, but not always all at once. And that’s definitely been true for me. I’ve tried to do it all, to be a stay-at-home mom and work full time. In my mind, of course, I was just trying to do it all, but I learned along the way early on that something has to give. And running a small business that’s open seven days a week means that our schedules don’t always look perfectly balanced, but we’ve made it work. We try to figure out and prioritize what matters most in the moment and really build our life around that. And while it’s probably far from picture-perfect, it works.
How has your experience parenting changed as the kids have grown up?
What I didn’t realize before becoming a parent is what a gift it is to see the world through your kid’s eyes. There’s something so special about experiencing these moments with them. I think back [to] when they’re younger, like the first time playing in snow or the excitement of spotting fireflies in the summer, or the first time watching them read a book that they truly love and can’t put down … It just reminds you to slow down and appreciate the magic.
What have you been able to pass down to your kids through your work?
It has to do with the values that I want to pass on to my kids and what we hope to share with them through the thick and the thin. With them watching us work, we’re open seven days a week, so we don’t always get to take those breaks like a more traditional 9-to-5, with weekends free. And my kids see what it’s like to run a small business, for sure, and I think beyond that and within that, I just want my kids to understand that life’s going to be a mix of everything—the fun, the successes, but also the failures, uncertainties. And while they won’t always feel ready for what’s ahead, I just hope I’m able to give them the tools that I’ve learned that really helped me and that I’ve learned through yoga, to find balance.
Family Favorites
TV Show: “The Goldbergs”/ “Young Sheldon”
Meal: Any home-cooked dish
Academic Interest: Music
After-School Activity: Relaxing/playing basketball
Vacation: Visiting the beach
