Roman Szpond, Owner and Director of Gratitude Hot Yoga Centers

Roman Szpond, is an E-RYT500 yoga teacher, businessman, innovator, founder of Personal Power Yoga Yoga Student And Teacher Training Programs, and for the past two decades, has owned and operated prominent yoga studios and trained hundreds of students eager to tap into the power of yoga to help transform their lives.

Roman's personal development as a teacher and leader in the industry began over 20 years ago.  Roman's first visit to India touched him so deeply, that upon his return to the U.S. he immediately began his research and studies.  Roman immersed himself with senior Iyengar and Anusara teachers as well as mentors like Francois Raoult, Baron Baptiste, and Rod Stryker.  Like his teachers before him, Roman began to develop a system that was inclusive and extracted all of the best qualities from the different systems he studied. 

In 2002, Roman opened Inner Strength Studios.  He intended to bring together, train, and work with some of the best yoga teachers in the Boston area to offer real, powerful yoga and help transform lives. 

Built on the success of his first studio location,  he opened two more Inner Strength locations. 

In May 2018, Inner Strength Studios was acquired by YogaWorks. 
After battling cancer in early 2018 and surmounting it, Roman had a calling to relocate to Raleigh NC with his family and begin sharing his love for yoga again.  Having a renewed sense of purpose and direction, Roman purchased Gratitude Hot Yoga in Raleigh N.C. in December 2018 and Element Hot Yoga in August 2020 and has since rebranded it as Gratitude Hot Yoga Center's 2nd location. 

Roman and his partners opened Gratitude's 1's franchise in Falmouth, Massachusetts in July of 2022. And has since opened Gratitude Hot Yoga Sudbury in September of 2024. 

If you are inspired to share the gift of yoga and are interested in franchise opportunities with Gratitude, email us here.