Today we’d like to introduce you to Elina Todorov.
Hi Elina, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Tech and yoga have been encoded into my DNA with my father being an engineer and my mom a yoga instructor. My childhood days took place in California where I developed a passion for math and science which eventually led me to double major in Engineering at UC Berkeley.
My college days were not like most, often pulling all-nighters in the library. After a rigorous chapter at Berkeley, I started my career in tech where I was given the opportunity to travel all around the world and help solve complex problems. My current stint is in the cybersecurity space where I help lead our finance team.
My yoga journey started after college when traveling to Bali for a yoga retreat. I practiced sporadically over the years, but it wasn’t until I moved across the country to Miami in 2021 and discovered Skanda Yoga in Brickell that I started practicing more consistently.
Spending long hours at my computer, the initial effects of my consistent yoga practice were immediate — less pain, reduced stress, improved posture, and better sleep to name a few. As I dove deeper into the practice, my life completely transformed as I began to feel the harmonic resonance of yoga — the synergistic connection of the mind, body and soul.
Yoga provides countless benefits both physically and spiritually. What most people don’t realize it that all skills mastered on the mat translate off the mat. Yoga has taught me to be present, to listen to my body, to move with the flow of my breath, and to follow my intuition.
All of these skills have helped me to become a better leader in my corporate life and I hope to inspire others to follow this path.
Fast forward to today, I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training certification at Skanda Yoga in March, 2025 and I’m passionate about helping others develop the mind, body, soul connection while elevating to their highest potential.
The best experiences in life are felt by the heart. Join my classes for an uplifting symphony of harmonizing movement. Synthesized in the words of B.K.S. Iyengar, “Yoga is like music: the rhythm of the body, the melody of the mind, and the harmony of the soul create the symphony of life.”
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My path was not always smooth. My parents are Bulgarian and if you know anything about Bulgarian parents is that they have extremely high standards. They pushed me to excel in school very early on while also taking part in swim, track, piano, French, ballet, jazz, tap, baton, and gymnastics lessons. Any activity — you name it, I’ve probably done it at some point.
After I landed at Berkeley, I went from being at the top of my class to somewhere in the middle of the bell curve. The Engineering program was tough. Being a straight-A student in high school, I got my first C in one of my upper division classes and second guessed if engineering was right for me. Come to find out, the majority of the class got a C. Most people party in college, but my experience was very different. I spent most weekend nights buried under my giant Engineering textbooks in the library.
After graduating, I dove into the corporate world and started spending long days/nights at my desk. Being in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, you have to be agile, and adapt at the speed of light to keep up with the current pace of innovation. The start-up world isn’t for everyone. Burnout is real. I’ve experienced it first hand.
The best advice I can give to balance out the intensity of this type of lifestyle is to incorporate mindful movement into your daily routine and embody the key concepts of yoga — being present, following your intuition, feeling the connection to everyone, ultimately enjoying the journey of becoming the best version of yourself. We are only here for a short while — why not make it magical as we elevate to our higher selfs.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a ballerina turned math tutor turned engineer turned finance tech leader turned yoga instructor. That’s quite the mouthful, but I’m just getting started.
Currently working on my passion project surrounding all things yoga, health and wellness. Started my social media presence last year and I’ll be focusing on developing my personal brand — Elevate with Elina. I hope to inspire others to join the flow and elevate to their highest potential.
Lots of exciting things to come down the road. Stay tuned!
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck has played a significant part in my journey as I’m extremely grateful to have amazing parents who helped shape me into the person I am today. Starting from an early age, they constantly pushed me beyond my self imposed limitations. This also happens to be a key teaching of yoga.
We are often fearful of the unknown. Perhaps there is a yoga pose that you haven’t done before and afraid to try given failure is a possibility. These types of limiting thoughts are an illusion and will only hold you back. With enough dedication and practice, I’ve experienced a complete transformation in my yoga practice and am extremely passionate about helping my students achieve the same. What once seemed like mission impossible becomes table stakes over time with the right mindset.
This translates to our lives off our mats as we often have negative belief structures within our subconscious minds that cause us to be stuck in a rut. When we expand our minds and shift our perspectives, we are able to tap into our limitless potential. Once this occurs, we elevate and our opportunities are endless.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.elevatewithelina.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elevatewithelina
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elina-todorov
- Other: https://www.skandayoga.com/team-members/elina
