Meet Laura Sage of Chill Meditation and Massage in River North

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Sage.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Chill was opened in response to the hurry! urgent! now! lifestyle we all lead. There’s so much scientific research to support adopting a consistent meditation practice. Having come from a background in finance and non-profit, I noticed many of my colleagues hesitated to experiment with meditation because they found it unapproachable. It was either too spiritually out of their comfort zone or existing studios had cumbersome schedules and/or were geographically undesirable. In the end, we created the kind of studio that we were looking for but couldn’t find in Chicago.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
One of the biggest obstacles for people when it comes to meditation is that feeling it will be outside their comfort zone. Our curriculum is rooted in science. There are many research studies documenting the benefits of meditation for both physical and mental health. Once you understand what meditation is and is not, and once you experience what it can do for you, it’s easy to take that 30-minute break each today to recharge.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Chill Meditation and Massage – what should we know?
We are pretty sure that Chill is the first dedicated meditation studio of its kind in Chicago. You’ll find similar concepts in NYC and California, but we are the first in Chicago that offers a variety of guided meditations without the accompanying spiritual undertones. We mean it when we say “no incense. no chakras. no dogmas. no gurus.”

We are proud of the engaged and dedicated community we’re building here. Everyone from type-A corporate executives to graphic designers to cross-fit trainers walk through our doors.

As a start-up, we are bootstrapping it at Chill and don’t have much of a PR or marketing budget, but word is spreading. In fact, we were just mentioned in Chicago Magazine’s “Best of Chicago” edition. We had no idea that was coming, and we are so honored!

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
It goes without saying that Chill could not have been created without our entire Chill-team. Clair, Darrell, Nicole, Alma, Jill and Jose (plus many more) have all been working hard since our doors open back in April.

The Chicago’s wellness and corporate communities also deserve a big shout out. Fitness studios and clothing vendors + corporations ranging from advertising agencies to law firms have generously embraced Chill. Not only are our supporters visiting Chill, they are also sharing the Chill experience by purchasing gift cards and hosting corporate events.

Chicago seems ready to embrace meditation as part of a healthy lifestyle, and we’re honored and grateful to help facilitate.

Pricing:

• Membership (unlimited core classes + 10% off extras) = $150 / month
• Single session = $22
• Class packages = 5 for $105, 10 for $200

Contact Info:

• Address: 222 W. Kinzie St., Chicago, IL 60654
• Website: www.chillchicago.com
• Phone: 312-222-1442
• Email: info@chillchicago.com
• Instagram: @chill_out_chi
• Facebook: @ChillChicago
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/chill-chicago

Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.