For a Kokomo native, her journey that intertwines personal passion, holistic well-being and an entrepreneurial spirit is just unfolding.
In a world where the pursuit of mindfulness and balance is becoming increasingly vital, Alisha Boone is the force behind one of downtown Kokomo’s newest businesses, Fierce Yoga. With a dream nurtured by years of practice and a deep appreciation for the transformative power of yoga, Boone is now sharing her passion with the community. 
“I was born and raised in Kokomo, having the utmost privilege of my upbringing being on our family farm,” says Boone, owner and instructor. “I learned from an early age my work ethic and the true definition of entrepreneurship. I come from a long line of business owners in our family, all of which have taught me very valuable lessons.”
Boone jokes with herself that she has a very diverse resume, with many experiences in several different areas of work. Boone has collected several certificates over the past 20 years, while pursuing different areas of education.
“All of these eventually led me straight to my true calling – teaching hot yoga and sharing the best version of myself with the community,” she says.
Boone originally fell in love with hot yoga in 2017 and was very disciplined in her practice, driving to Carmel four to five times a week to take classes. There, she was surrounded by what many consider true yogis. They, like Boone, were choosing daily to seek out a new and better way of doing life.
“When your world collides with those types of humans, you become passionate, authentic, love deeply, and it sets your soul on fire,” Boone says. “That was my driving force to bring that light to our community.”
Boone adds that eliminating her drive to Carmel was, of course, a contributing factor of opening her own studio on West Superior Street, just across from Foster Park in downtown Kokomo.
Right now all classes are heated and centered around a dynamic vinyasa flow. While detoxing, strengthening and stretching, classes follow the ancient roots of mindfulness, connection to breath work, and movement, all of which allow for transformation to take place.
“I have a set schedule that is working for all different lifestyles right now, which I plan to continue,” Boone says. “These include morning classes, evening classes, a noon class on Wednesday, and every other Saturday at 10 a.m. My hope is to eventually have the honor to welcome other teachers in the community to offer other styles of yoga, heated and non-heated. I just started offering private lessons by appointment for those that may not feel comfortable quite yet in a group setting, to give them that small bit of guidance to feel confident in their bodies.”
Boone also had the honor of collaborating with Yoke Social Table on Friday, November 10 for Yoke and Yoga Night.
“Our goal is to bring the community together for something different on the weekends,” she says. “Our hope is to allow like-minded individuals to gather in a safe, sacred place, while providing a yoga class followed by good, healthy comfort food.”
Boone reflects on what led her to her own studio, noting her excitement for all that is to come.
“After becoming certified, I was privately teaching to a small group of close people, watching it transform their lives,” Boone says. “I knew in my heart at some point I needed to take that passion out to the public.”
Boone’s vision and dream quickly catapulted and manifested itself in two short months once she began putting ideas into action. She took things one day at a time to stay focused and grounded, and allowed everything to fall into place as needed.
“I had to continuously let go of a lot of unnecessary things that were simply out of my control,” she says. “I don’t want to downplay the challenges or the risks or fears that come with opening a small business, but I do believe when you’re truly passionate about wanting to live out a dream, the universe provides exactly what you need. Life is a challenge all in itself. Sometimes just shifting out our perspective to see things differently is the only next step we need.”
Boone says her biggest supporter and go-to throughout the process of opening Fierce Yoga has been her sister, Rachel Fernung. While living out her own dream as a doctor of veterinary medicine, Fernung has successfully owned and operated a small business for 20 years.
“Her mentorship, unconditional love, and her belief in me to spread my wings and fly has given me the permission to see my future through her eyes,” Boone says.
Boone says her greatest accomplishment in this lifetime is raising her daughters.
“Both those sweet souls truly inspire me daily,” she says. “They make me want to be the best version of myself. They have taught me to love fiercely, forgive easily, and that life is exactly what you make of it.”
Kokomo will always be home for Boone. Her dad owned the Village Florist, her mom owned the Respite as a massage therapist, and her uncle owned Den-Rays Garden Center. Her sister owns Tri-County Veterinary Clinic and her brother owns local rental properties.
“Last but not least, my late grandmother, Madella Fernung, taught me truly what it meant to be involved in the community and she held that to close to her heart,” Boone says. “She was one of the founders of Goodwill, the Women’s Department Club, the Hospital Cheer guild and the president of the homemakers club. With that type of background and role models surrounding me, proud is the only word I can say. I am not sure I have the words to properly articulate what it means to me to open a business, other than pure joy.”
There’s a big difference in happiness and joy, Boone says. Happiness, while a positive, is momentary. Joy, on the other hand, is felt deeply in the inner self and lasts for a longer period of time.
“As long as this studio is giving to the community what it is giving to me, I will forever have joy in my heart as a business owner,” she says.
Boone wants to make sure the community knows where the studio name originated from.
“How Fierce Yoga founded its name is very dear to my heart,” she says. “I believe that my own rise and fall from the darkness that I endured allowed me the strength to get to this point. There is that one person that will always show up after the rise, and that is yourself. Believing in her strength, she has learned she is bold, powerful. Her words carry weight. She is a force to be reckoned with. She is not proud but carries herself well. She walks with her head held high because she doesn’t believe in others saving her. She is strong enough to save herself. She is beautiful and she is fierce.”
Fierce Yoga Studio is located at 400 West Superior Street in Kokomo. You can reach the studio at 765-513-1975, or at fierce-yoga.com, where you can also find the class schedule and pricing.
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