Today we’re thrilled to feature Richelle Yau on The Mag. Richelle is the amazing founder of Happy Dance Vintage where she mixes her passion for dance and her love for vintage ware, a special education teacher, soon-to-be movement therapist and mom to one. We first discovered Richelle and her happy dance reels on Instagram and we’ve been huge fans ever since. Read about Richelle and how she started Happy Dance Vintage, her best tips for parentpreneurs, her favorite family-friendly LA activities, and much more!

We're so happy to talk with you! Can you start by telling us a little about yourself and Happy Dance Vintage?

My name is Richelle. I’m a joyful human who cares passionately and deeply- for my family, for loved ones, for those around me. I like to keep busy and make plans, but I hold those plans loosely. I work really hard with an awareness of the need to be flexible… because, well, life. I’m a lot of fun. A lot of my ideas emerge out of my joyful spirit. As soon as an idea gets me feeling all kinds of jittery and nervous, I know it’s an idea worth pursuing. Cue in Happy Dance Vintage.

Happy Dance Vintage came to me in July 2019. I was on an airplane flight to the Philippines, my motherland. The idea of literally dancing in vintage clothes I love hit me like a ton of bricks while snacking on airplane pretzels and cranapple juice. Like… me actually dancing in a bunch of clothing I love to an ongoing playlist of music I love? It just made sense. It felt genius. I hadn’t seen it done before, and it felt so incredibly ME. That’s the best part. My personality and who I am shines through every part of the small business. I leaned over to my husband, shared my idea, and the rest is history.

How many kids do you have? What ages?

I have one daughter! She’s my little pie. She is 1 year and 1 month! I love her so much.

You are a business owner, special education teacher, and soon-to-be movement therapist on top of being a new mom. It's easy for people to see only the happy pictures and think it's been an easy journey to get there but I can imagine it was full of hustle and determination. How do you manage having three different areas of focus on top of being a mom? Do you have any time management/business apps/mom hacks that help you manage?

It's definitely not as glamorous as it looks on social media, and that’s always how it is. I do work extremely hard. When I started Happy Dance Vintage, I was grinding so hard in every part of my professional and personal life, I started to neglect quality, one-on-one time with my husband. I was working every morning, every nap time, every night. It was a red flag. We had to sit down and process everything. Talk it out like the team that we are. What I am trying to say is: We need to stop glorifying people for being able to do so many things at once. Chances are, something isn’t getting as much attention. Whether it’s your work, quality time with the family, school, chores, exercise. It became more evident to me that I really needed to figure out what’s most important, map out my priorities, plan accordingly, and pursue faithfully.

With that said, family comes first. My family’s needs come before my professional life. I start there. I’m very privileged to plan around my family because not everyone has the opportunity, so I acknowledge that. I am a small business owner, a special education teacher, and I am in school to become a movement therapist. Naptime is work time. While I don’t work every night, I still work for a couple of hours most nights. When it comes to teaching, I set specific chunks of hours that I consider non-negotiables. I have to be with my students during those set times. The real work for my business happens when my little one is either napping or sleeping. That’s just the way it has to be in this season of life, and I’m okay with that. Due to COVID, my husband has also been working from home, so he helps me a ton. It’s awesome. We make a great team.

In terms of time management and organization, I have ongoing post-it notes on my computer. A different post-it note for every different part of my life-- personal, business, teaching, school. I update those every single morning. Also, I have a calendar that I am continually updating on my phone. I make sure to set an actual time and date for tasks because I know they won’t happen if I don’t (thanks husband). Basically, ongoing to-do lists and my calendar is how I stay organized. Oh, and ask for help. That’s really important.

You're known for your amazing happy dances on Instagram. Have you always been a happy dancer? Or was the happy dance born at the same time as your business?

I would say the happy was born when I was literally born, and the dancer was born in my late teen years. With that said, I have been a happy dancer many years before the business became a thought.

What attracts you to vintage clothing and have you always loved vintage?

Vintage is the coolest. It’s literally one-of-a-kind, and most vintage has been made way better compared to clothing made today. The quality is incredible, and there is nothing like vintage textiles. Nothing! Can you tell I just love vintage?

I started wearing vintage tees when I was a little girl because of my older sisters. As a kid, whenever one of my older sisters started approaching me while we were shopping, I used to quickly put clothes back on the rack that I had picked out because I just wanted them to think I was cool. Haha! I was so silly. While they influenced my love for thrifting, my love for vintage started in middle school. It thrived tenfold in high school. On my first day of high school, I rocked a vintage tank tucked into a vintage high-waist patchwork skirt. I still remember it clearly.

What are some of your favorite small businesses? We'd love to help spread the word and support other small companies during this challenging time.

One of my favorite small businesses would be Amazebowls. They’re literally the best acai bowl in Los Angeles. The perfect break and pick-me-up for my local mamas. I would shout out my oldest sister of WOVENFOLK for more beautiful vintage. My next older sister of REINNA SHERIE for photography and video. My sister-in-law of MUMS OF THE VALLEY for handmade earrings.

What are your favorite family-friendly activities in Los Angeles?

I have so many! Take your time and explore the beautiful trails throughout Griffith Park. Try all of the ice cream spots throughout the city. Take an early morning walk around the Rose Bowl in Pasadena. Eat a classic Los Angeles dirty dog in DTLA, bacon-wrapped and everything. Head to the SGV (San Gabriel Valley) to eat some of the best Asian cuisine in the United States of America. I feel very strongly about this one.

Anything else you’d like to add?

Thank you so much for allowing me to share myself in this space! I love what MiLOWE stands for, and I am so excited to watch it grow! For anyone reading this, continue to be the badass that you are. Be gentle with yourself. Allow room for tons of grace.

And finally, where can we find you?

o Website: www.happydancevintage.com

o Instagram/social: IG @happydancevintage