I’m a Finnish wellness entrepreneur in the early stages of building Sayoga.life, focusing on retreats that combine yoga, movement, nature, and community. I discovered the EYE program while researching EU-level opportunities for early-stage entrepreneurs and felt it would offer the support and structure to start developing my ideas in a practical way. I joined the program with Rebeca, my Host Entrepreneur based in the Canary Islands, who runs Aregoma, a local tourism initiative. We connected through social media due to shared interests in tourism and wellness. I hoped to gain hands-on experience with event planning, test retreat concepts, and understand the local market—while contributing my skills to help develop wellness offerings for Aregoma.
During my EYE stay, I organized and guided wellness events including YogaDance at New Year, partner yoga on Valentine’s Day, weekly outdoor yoga and meditation sessions, moon circles, and group hikes in nature. I supported Aregoma’s local event efforts and explored retreat concepts, building a new webpage, creating content for social media, and learning to market on various platforms. I also contributed by making connections with venues and accommodation partners. My collaboration with Rebeca was very natural—we shared values in wellness and nature-based tourism and quickly became close friends, which enriched the experience both professionally and personally.
This exchange gave me valuable insight into event organization in a different cultural and geographical setting. I developed my skills in wellness entrepreneurship, marketing, and retreat planning, while gaining experience in adapting to changing environments and hybrid working models. I also made local contacts for future collaborations in the Canary Islands and deepened my understanding of how to scale my concept internationally. With my host Rebeca, we formed a genuine friendship and continue to support each other personally and professionally.
Our minds synced naturally—working with Rebeca felt effortless and inspiring.