In just six years, the "Yoga With Adriene" YouTube channel has recruited over 4 million subscribers, inspiring people around the globe to strike a yoga pose or two from the comfort of their homes.
This incredible success might not have happened without one pivotal conversation that host Adriene Mishler had years ago.
Growing up, Mishler aspired to have two dream jobs: acting and teaching. Luckily, when "Yoga With Adriene" came along, the opportunity allowed her two passions to intermingle.
But before the channel really took off, Mishler was at a crossroads in her career.
"I was trying to decide whether or not I should move to LA" from Texas, Mishler told CNBC Make It. "This was after I'd been in a big movie with a big, huge American actor."
With a background in professional theater, Mishler has done voice work for video games and has acted in TV shows such as Rooster Teeth's "Day 5" and in movies like "Joe" and "Good Night."
Mishler recalls agonizing about whether to relocate over coffee with a close friend and mentor. "I was like, 'Should I move? Should I stay? What should I do with my life?'"
The now-YouTube star said her friend gave her some of the "best advice" she's ever received.
"She said, 'The best advice I can give you is, obviously, listen to your guts. But for an actor, and I think this goes for all artists: try to find one thing — and that's not to take away from this passion you have of your art — but try to find one voice outside of that, while you're building this.'"
That (advice) stuck with me. That’s when I knew that the yoga wasn’t just going to be a side job.Adriene Mishlerhost of "Yoga With Adriene"
Mishler's friend was saying, "Don't throw your eggs into one basket." While some actors go on to star in several Hollywood blockbusters, many others fail to hit it big and end up having to find other ways to make ends meet. And the same can apply to any profession.
Mishler described this practical advice as "so wise," since it allowed her to consider other parts of her life beyond her budding acting career — including teaching yoga.
"That (advice) stuck with me. And then, that's when I knew that the yoga wasn't just going to be a side job," Mishler said.
Realizing that teaching was more than just "a side job" fueled the growth of "Yoga With Adriene," and Mishler's influence in the space helped expand the brand to include international roadshows, e-commerce, and co-founding "Find What Feels Good," a video subscription service that offers a vast library of yoga lifestyle content.
The advice had such an impact on Mishler that she now passes on these wise words to other people she meets on their own career journeys.
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