Background
Sweatfluence (formerly Soul Sweat Yoga Studios) founder and owner Courtney DelVecchio started her business nine years ago. Courtney was fresh out of college with limited business experience but knew she wanted to try to open her own yoga studio.
“Owning a business was never in my plans. I literally had just graduated college the same month that I decided to open a business, and I didn’t really know where to start,” shared Courtney. “I was talking about the idea with my hairdresser at the time. She happened to have done her business banking with Chelsea Groton. She told me the team was great, and they would help me get started. And she was right.”
Banking Partnership
Courtney and her father made an appointment to meet with a commercial lender at Chelsea Groton. One of the first questions asked was, “Do you have a business plan?” At the time, she hadn’t developed one yet. The lender responded, “we’re going to need one.” Courtney left that meeting ready to work on her plan. “The lender was really helpful. We went back and forth, and the team reviewed my progress and guided me on what else needed to be included. When all aspects of the plan were in a good place, Chelsea Groton gave me my first Small Business Administration (SBA) loan. I was so excited to open my first studio in 2017.”
The commercial lending team also introduced Courtney to the cash management team to discuss optimal ways to manage the business’ cash flow and efficiently pay bills and collect payments. Courtney opened a business checking account and began to leverage convenient and secure services like online bill pay, mobile check deposit, and online entitlements. “While most payments I accept are now through credit card, I continue to accept checks and use mobile check deposit for things like yoga retreats and special trainings, so they have been great tools to have access to,” explained Courtney.
“And more than just the tools, one of the main reasons I’ve stayed with Chelsea Groton all this time is this: I didn’t know anything about running a business when I started. And I’ve always felt that if I had a question, there was someone from the Bank that would answer it. I’ve never been made to feel out of place, and they’ve always been really hands-on and supportive in guiding me each step of the way. Anytime I call in, it’s a quick, helpful response, and that type of service doesn’t exist everywhere.”
The Future of Sweatfluence
“My business has done incredibly well. Things took off right away. After my first studio opened in 2017, I was able to open another one in 2022, again with a business loan from Chelsea Groton,” shared Courtney. “Currently we have over 40 employees. A lot of things lined up for me, but it was really about figuring out the next step and the next step and the next step. I just kept going, and Chelsea Groton was there ready to support me each time new things came up.”
Most recently, Courtney went back to the Chelsea Groton team to open a new business checking account because she is in the process of franchising.
“The plan is to have my FDD [Franchise Disclosure Document] later this year, and then I’ll be ready to sell,” shared Courtney. “If all goes as planned, we’ll have three more locations in Connecticut within the next year, and then hopefully expand along the East Coast after that. Eventually we want to be in all 50 states, so we’re going to try to go as far as we can with it.”
Chelsea Groton is proud to be a business partner of Sweatfluence Infrared Hot Yoga Studios. Visit Chelsea Groton’s website for more on the Bank’s cash management and commercial lending services.
In 2025 alone…
5000+ students across our growing communities
40+ instructors leading classes with heat and heart
2,500+ yoga classes fueled by community
