We’re looking forward to introducing you to Sam Megraw. Check out our conversation below.
Good morning Sam, we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned about your customers?
The most surprising thing I’ve learned about our community at Easy Tiger Yoga is how hard they like to work! They often show up with enthusiasm, whether it’s 6am or after a long day to de-stress at 7pm. In between the quiet moments on their mat, they dive into challenges without hesitation. Their determination and effort has helped us grow as teachers so we can meet them with an arsenal of yoga tools like deep meditation to more advanced postures. It’s proven to be a really fun community to lead because their open mindedness makes each class engaging and fun.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Sam Megraw and Emily Devers are the co-founders and creative heart of Easy Tiger Yoga—a yoga studio rooted in mindful movement, connection, and authenticity. Together, we’ve built a space where yoga is about presence, not performance.
What makes Easy Tiger different? No mirrors. No judgment. Just real humans showing up to move, breathe, and grow together. Whether it’s your first class or your fiftieth, the invitation is the same: come exactly as you are. With 20+ years of combined yoga experience, we lead worldwide retreats, yoga teacher trainings, and still enjoy teaching beginners how to engage with this life changing practice.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Disconnection breaks the bonds—when we stop listening, stop being curious, or assume we already know someone’s story. Judgment, ego, and hurry tend to create distance too—when we’re too busy or too guarded to show up as ourselves.
What restores those bonds is presence. Sharing space. Moving together. Laughing during class or staying a little longer after to ask, “How are you, really?” It doesn’t take big gestures—just a willingness to keep showing up with honesty and care.
At Easy Tiger, we see this happen all the time. The practice brings people back to themselves, and naturally brings them back to each other. It’s connection that heals—and sometimes it starts with something as simple as breath. We get asked often why does yoga work so well and we truly believe this is a big reason! Sure, you can do yoga alone, but the community is much more powerful.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Absolutely. It feels funny to think about now but truly it was starting a business—especially one that’s built around heart and community— it requires more than just passion. It asks for faith in something that doesn’t exist yet.
There were definitely moments, especially in the early days, where we wondered if we were dreaming too big. Budget constraints, construction surprises, and the constant question of *“Will anyone come?” and made it feel risky. It is really risky to put your name on something like a storefront. You’re putting your whole heart into something with no guarantee of return.
But then… they came. The Parkville community showed up. Again and again. And suddenly, it wasn’t just a yoga studio—it was a space people trusted, returned to, and brought their friends to.
So this winter, we built again. We expanded our studio, added a small welcoming lobby, and created the Moon Room—a second studio for quieter practices, private sessions, and deeper connection. What once felt like a leap of faith is now something we’re deeply proud of. And every class reminds us: it was worth it.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Yes. At Easy Tiger, what you see is what you get. That’s actually a pillar of our teacher training—we don’t believe in putting teachers on pedestals or pretending we’ve reached some magical, enlightened state.
Most of us leading classes are regular humans. We’re moms who lose our patience getting shoes on tiny feet, people who sometimes trip over our words in class, or forget what side we’re on mid-sequence. The difference is, we’re usually able to self-regulate before—or at least right after—it happens.
We laugh at ourselves (a lot), we make mistakes, and we teach through them. Sometimes we show up in leggings and no makeup because that’s what the day calls for. Do we post polished photos sometimes? Of course. But the real work happens in bare feet and sweat and genuine connection.
So yes—the version of us in the studio, in class, in community—is the real one. Always.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
That yoga was never meant to be about flexibility. Somewhere along the way, people started thinking they needed to touch their toes to walk into a class—but the truth is, the most powerful thing you can bring to yoga is your presence, not your range of motion.
We see and welcome all kinds of bodies—older bodies, injured bodies, postpartum bodies, tired-from-work bodies. Especially in our Chair Yoga classes, we focus on making the practice truly accessible. Props, modifications, and creative sequencing aren’t a backup plan—they’re the plan. Our teachers are experts at getting this practice to everyone!
The goal isn’t to be bendy. The goal is to connect to your breath, to your body, to the moment. And anyone can do that.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.easytigeryogakc.com/
- Instagram: EasyTigerYogaKC
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100095442888538
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/easy-tiger-yoga-parkville?utm_campaign=www_business_share_popup&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=(direct)
Image Credits
Photography by Lani O’dell of Lani Michelle Photography
