13 Years of Heat & Heart: How Two Bellingham Businesses Turned Crisis into Community

The following is a sponsored post. Whatcom News was compensated to publish this article.

BELLINGHAM, WA — This month, Elements Hot Yoga celebrates 13 years in Bellingham. For owner Laura Orso, who took the helm just a few years ago, that milestone carries a slightly different weight.

She inherited a beloved studio — and almost immediately faced more disruption than most business owners encounter in a decade. When floodwaters forced Elements to temporarily close for the third time in recent years, Orso found herself asking a familiar question: How do you rebuild, one more time?

She braced for another difficult recovery, still learning the rhythms of ownership while the crises kept coming.

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“I haven’t owned the studio for all 13 years, but I’ve owned it through enough storms to know that survival isn’t about doing it alone,” said Orso. “It’s about who shows up when you’re down. And honestly? Our community has been incredible.”

For Orso, the community also arrived in the form of a phone call.

Todd Sheehan, owner of Bellingham Fitness, reached out with a simple, gracious offer: use our space.

Within days, Bellingham Fitness opened its newly completed facility at no cost to the Elements team, hosting a series of complimentary pop-up classes led by Elements instructors. Yoga teachers and volunteers helped set up the space, and classes were offered free to students, with optional donations directed entirely toward reopening efforts and supporting Elements teachers during the closure.

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Bellingham Fitness New Hot Yoga Studio. Photo Credit: Noosh Black

The collaboration allowed students to keep practicing during a disruptive time — and served as an unofficial, heartfelt opening of Bellingham Fitness’s new space.

“As a newer owner, you wonder if people will rally behind you the way they did for the previous owners,” Orso said. “Todd didn’t have to call. We’re technically competitors. But he did — without hesitation. That’s not a business transaction. That’s Bellingham.”

Rather than operate as competitors, the two businesses chose cooperation — reinforcing that wellness in Bellingham extends beyond individual studio walls.

“There’s a misconception that fitness businesses compete,” said Sheehan, owner of Bellingham Fitness. “In reality, we’re all working toward the same goal — helping people feel stronger, healthier, and more connected. Partnering with Elements during this time felt natural. We had just finished our new space and couldn’t think of a better way to open it than by welcoming their community in.”

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The pop-up series brought together two communities that might not otherwise overlap — gym members observing yoga classes, yoga students exploring a new fitness space, and instructors continuing to teach without interruption.

For Elements Hot Yoga, the partnership ensured continuity and stability during a challenging chapter. For Bellingham Fitness, it reinforced a commitment to community-centered growth.

Now, as Elements Hot Yoga celebrates 13 years — with Laura at the helm for the past several — the studio has reopened and resumed its full schedule. Orso says she’s moving forward with renewed momentum and deep appreciation.

“I didn’t build this studio from the ground up 13 years ago,” she said. “But I’m the one lucky enough to carry it forward. And thanks to this community — including Todd and his team — we’re still here, still heated, and still welcoming everyone.”

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In a city known for its active lifestyle and strong local ties, this collaboration stands as a reminder: resilience isn’t just about rebuilding. It’s about showing up for one another — especially when you’re the new owner of a beloved local gem.

Elements Hot Yoga welcomes new and returning students as it moves into its next decade. Bellingham Fitness continues to offer a full range of strength, conditioning, and wellness programming in its new space complete with studios for pilates, barre, yoga, cycling and more.

For more information:
Elements Hot Yoga – https://www.elementshotyoga.com / | @elements_hot_yoga
Bellingham Fitness – https://www.bellinghamfitness.com / | @bellinghamfitness