With much anticipation for our upcoming goat yoga event, we had the opportunity to speak to Eli Bahar, the founder of YoGoat LA. Even in the midst of being in college, Eli has shown extraordinary dedication and passion in pursuing his own business and developing his entrepreneurial skills. The business-savvy student shared with us a little bit more about his background and gave advice for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Her Campus: Where do you go to college? What is your major? If possible, what career are you interested in pursuing?
Eli Bahar: I attend the University of California in Santa Barbara and am a second year student who is an economics/accounting major. As a first year college student who lived in the dorms, I decided to start an ice cream sandwich delivery service to all residents in the dorms that i lived in. I started a company called Party Ice that delivered delicious ice cream sandwiches with unique toppings every night (Mondays-Fridays from 8PM to 12AM). With that being said, I have always had the entrepreneur in me and hope to one day start a business that involves bringing happiness to all sorts of people. Who knows it could be YoGoat LA?
HC: What inspired you to begin your own Goat Yoga company?
EB: This summer I stumbled upon a viral video on Facebook that showed people doing goat yoga and was blown away. I decided to attend a Goat Yoga class but found myself on a waiting list for over two months. After patiently waiting to experience goat yoga, I decided that I wanted to make it more accessible and give people the opportunity to experience the excitement that I first felt while interacting with the goats. My original idea was to hold one event at UCSB. I started advertising for the event and was swamped with emails, calls, and texts from family, friends, and colleagues expressing their interest at my event. It was then when I decided to start my own traveling Goat Yoga business.
HC: How were you able to bring your idea to life as an actual business? Where do you find your goats?
EB: As a typical college student who spends an ample amount of time online, I decided to do some research on becoming a goat owner. I spent weeks researching different breeds, understanding the training involved, and locating goats that were friendly and loving. I came upon Henry and Enzo at a farm in Los Angeles and fell in right away. I decided to bring them home after the first day I met them and began training them directly after. I spent the majority of my winter break on a ranch in my hometown (Agoura Hills), training my goats and caring for them daily.
HC: How did you come up with the name of your company, YoGoat LA?
EB: As I sat at dinner with my family one evening, I told them about my new business plan. After a few weird looks and many questions we began to brainstorm names and figured YoGoat encompasses both Yoga and Goats! We later threw in LA for aesthetic and because it made sense being from Los Angeles.
HC: What makes Goat Yoga appealing to college students specifically? And what do you seek to accomplish through your business?
EB: Goat Yoga is especially appealing to college students because college students tend to be under a lot of stress for the majority of the year. Goat Yoga allows college students to release their stress and partake in an experience that differs greatly from any other. Goat Yoga is known to release endorphins in the brain that promote happiness, laughter, and excitement! I also believe that people are very unfamiliar with goats and don’t realize how amazing (and loving) goats really are. Goat Yoga allows people to appreciate the animal more and learn about an animal that they may have never thought about before.
HC: Do you have a favorite memory from any of the events you’ve hosted?
EB: My favorite memory was when our yoga instructor (Mika Aloni) was showing participants what to expect with the goats and Henry decided to poop on her while standing on her back. It was very unexpected and got the entire class laughing just before starting our yoga class.
HC: Any advice for students that are hoping to start their own business during college?
EB: My advice for college students who are hoping to start their own business is to just do it. Don’t overthink it and be positive about your new venture. Take it to your advantage that you’re young and have the ability to start a business and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Take my story and use it as motivation to take that first step in achieving your goals. Whether it be buying a livestock animal or making and selling an ice cream sandwich–take that first step and do something big.
Thank you for speaking with us Eli! We can’t wait to meet the goats and are looking forward to the amazing things that you and your company will accomplish in the future ~
For more information about Eli and his Goat Yoga company, check out his Website and Instagram!
Join us and see the cutest goats ever on Thursday, March 1st from 11:30 am-1:00 pm @ Wilson Plaza. For more information, visit our Facebook.