Some studio stories begin with a vision. Others begin with a practice. For Steph Lund, co-owner of MÖV Hot Yoga, it began with a list.
In 2010, Steph was looking for work that offered both purpose and balance. A conversation with her husband led to a simple exercise: write down five things she couldn't live without and consider whether any could become a career. One of the items on that list was her Manduka PRO Mat.
What followed was an unexpected turn. A cold email to Manduka led Steph to become the brand's first official Midwest sales representative. In that role, she connected with yoga studios throughout the region and helped outfit Moksha Yoga Minneapolis, which later became Modo Yoga Minneapolis, entirely with Manduka equipment.
More than a decade later, Steph returned as an owner. Together with co-owner Latricia Askew, she relaunched the studio as MÖV Hot Yoga in 2024. Walking through the doors, she found many of the same Manduka mats and props she had originally sold to the studio in 2011 still being used every day.
Today, MÖV Hot Yoga is known for its welcoming community, diverse class offerings, and commitment to making every student feel seen. Below, Steph shares the story behind the studio and how she eventually became its co-owner.
Your path to MÖV Hot Yoga is uniquely connected to both Manduka and the studio itself. How did that journey unfold?
My path to owning a yoga studio started with a list. In 2010, all of my kids were finally in school and I was ready to go back to work, but I wanted balance and a job that meant something.
My husband gave me the best advice: write down five things you can't live without and see if any of them have earning potential. My Manduka Black Mat PRO was on that list. I had only been practicing yoga for about four years at that point, but quickly realized that both the practice of yoga and my PRO mat were going to be with me for a VERY long time.
I cold emailed Manduka to ask if there was anything I could do for them from Minnesota. A few conversations later, I became their Midwest sales rep (and first official sales rep). It was one of the best jobs I've ever had. I was paid to explore yoga studios all over the metro area, work with amazing people, and I still was able to be home with my kids.
That job introduced me to Moksha Yoga Minneapolis (later Modo Yoga). In 2011, when the studio was being built, the owner reached out to Manduka because she wanted to outfit the space entirely in Manduka: mats, towels, blocks, straps, retail, EVERYTHING. Manduka connected her to me. It was my biggest sale ever, and more importantly, it introduced me to the space/practice. It quickly became my home studio.
I only worked for Manduka for about 2.5 years. Life got busy (a new job, three kids), and my yoga practice slipped away around 2018. But I never stopped thinking about that studio.
And in 2023, it found its way back to me.
I was at a pickleball court telling a friend I was thinking about going back to Modo. A stranger overheard me and mentioned that the studio was going through some major changes. With my kids almost fully launched, I felt like my path was once again being revealed.
One thing led to another: I reconnected with the owner, met Latricia Askew (my amazing co-owner and friend), and together we became the owners of the studio I had loved for so many years. We relaunched it as MÖV Hot Yoga, with our official grand opening in September 2024.
And the most amazing part? Walking in as an owner and finding all the Manduka gear I had originally sold to Moksha still in use and still in basically perfect condition. It was one of the most meaningful full-circle moments of my life.
How would you describe the energy of MÖV? What do you want people to feel when they enter?
Warm, in every sense of the word.
The rooms are heated, but what people really feel is the community. We want every person who walks through our door, whether it's their first class or their 500th, to feel welcomed, seen, and like they belong.
The most fulfilling feedback as a business owner is to read reviews that reflect the EXACT environment and experience you work so hard to create.
What is MÖV’s mission?
Practicing at MÖV isn't just about getting a workout. It's about nourishing your mind, your body, and your sense of belonging.
Our mission is to make our community feel like they are truly seen and cared for.
People come back to themselves, and to each other, again and again at MÖV. They are greeted by name, and they know that they matter (because they do!). It's beautiful.
Our operational style is based on the themes in the book Unreasonable Hospitality. Leadership is completely aligned on that approach and style of operation.
How has MÖV evolved since it first opened? Have there been any key moments that shaped its growth?
This studio has deep roots: it opened as Moksha Yoga Minneapolis, grew into one of the largest Modo Yoga studios in the country, and in 2024 became MÖV.
Since then we've expanded our offerings to include sculpt, mat Pilates, and candlelight classes alongside our hot practice. We've grown to 40+ classes each week, launched our first yoga teacher training, sold out two retreats, and have a beautiful marketplace/café where we encourage people to connect.
One of the most special moments in this entire crazy journey I've had was this summer's Manduka photo shoot. We invited our 500 Club (students who have practiced with us 500+ times) and several of our teachers to be the faces of this feature.
Seeing that commitment and joy in one room was a reminder of what this place is really built on: people who keep showing up.
What do you want students to take away from their experience at MÖV?
That they're stronger than they think, and that they're part of something bigger.
We want students to leave a little lighter than they came in, and to know that there's a whole community that's glad they showed up.
What is MÖV’s teaching philosophy, and how does it shape your class offerings and community events?
We meet our students where they are.
Whether you want a hot, sweaty flow, a calm candlelight class, or an upbeat barre session, there's a place for you here. That's why we offer heated and non-heated classes, with and without music, at a range of lengths and intensities.
Our teachers bring their own voices. When teachers audition at MÖV, Latricia asks them what makes them come alive and what makes their heart sing.
Our teachers share the same commitment: make every student feel welcome, safe, and challenged in the right way.
That same spirit shapes our community events: we want the studio to be a gathering place, not just a class schedule.
What are your hopes and aspirations for the future of MÖV?
To keep growing a community that feels like home for many more years.
We're excited to keep developing new teachers through our teacher training, deepen our community partnerships, and continue creating spaces, on the mat and in our café, where people can connect in ways that help them lean into their truest selves and highest purposes.
What advice would you give to someone just starting out with opening their own studio?
Community is everything, and it's built one person at a time.
Invest in the people (your students, your teachers, your front desk team). Make the phone call when it could easily be an email. Check in with your staff/community regularly as an owner. Make your own practice a priority. It MATTERS.
And invest in quality from day one. The mats I sold to this studio in 2011 are still in use today. Buy things that last, build relationships that last, and the rest follows.
What's coming up at MÖV that you're most excited about?
We are BEYOND thrilled to be taking our first international yoga retreat in January 2027 to beautiful Costa Rica!
The retreat sold out in less than one month and, just like everything else we do, we are going to make it a special one. We are really excited to lean into the word transformation this next year.
Is there anything else you'd like to share with the community?
Just a huge thank you.
To Manduka: thank you for taking a chance and replying to a cold email, for making gear that has literally sustained both me and this studio for more than a decade, and for writing such a meaningful chapter in my life (with more to come!).
Photos for this feature were taken by the amazing Rachel Smak. Check her out. She's got an amazing story: @RachelSmak
A huge thank you to our Marketing and Brand Coordinator, Eva Mensing (this was SOOOOO fun), and lastly, I just want to shout out a huge thank you to our MÖV community: you are the heart of this place.
MÖV’s Practice Playlist
A collection of songs inspired by the energy, movement, and community of MÖV Hot Yoga.
Connect with MÖV Hot Yoga
Website: www.movhotyoga.com
Instagram: @movhotyoga
Location: 3252 W. Lake St, Suite B. Minneapolis, MN 55416
Partner With Manduka
Manduka has supported teachers, studios, and wellness spaces since 1997. Whether you're a yoga teacher, studio, gym, fitness center, or hotel wellness lead, there's a partnership program designed for you. Learn more about working with Manduka.
