In Your Element Wellness

What In Your Element Wellness does

In Your Element Wellness is a privately-held, family-owned nature-based wellness company founded in 2019 and based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The company delivers guided wellness experiences rooted in Shinrin-yoku (forest bathing), foraging and wild-tending education, mushroom identification, and yoga, operating on a regional basis across West Michigan. Its core products include monthly community classes (Foraging & Wild Tending, Mushroom Identification, and Forest Bathing) priced at $15–$22 per class with multi-class pack options, private classes and events ($75–$320 depending on duration and modality), the FORAGE-AT-HOME property-consultation service ($225–$265), and workplace wellness programs delivered to corporate clients.

The service is differentiated by the founders' credential stack: Katie Venechuk is one of Michigan's first ANFT-certified forest therapy guides, a Michigan Master Naturalist, RYT-500 yoga teacher, and MSU-trained former environmental engineer; Luke Venechuk is a MDARD-certified wild mushroom expert. Underlying methodology is a codified guided forest therapy sequence built on sensory invitations and the proprietary "Wild Tending" ethical-foraging philosophy. There is no proprietary technology product; operations run on third-party tools including ClassFit (booking), Aidaform (inquiry forms), and Waiverelectronic (waivers).

The business is bootstrapped, with no external funding, no institutional investors, and a 7-person team. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via website booking for community classes and email-based inquiry for private and corporate work. Class locations are hosted at partner venues including Cascade Peace Park (primary site), Blandford Nature Center, Pierce Cedar Creek Institute, and City of Grand Rapids Parks & Recreation facilities, with named customers including Grand Valley State University and Integrative Wellness Grand Rapids for one-off private engagements.

Name

In Your Element Wellness

Legal name

In Your Element Wellness

Website

https://iyewellness.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

In Your Element Wellness is a privately-held West Michigan company offering nature-based wellness services, including guided forest bathing, foraging education, mushroom identification, and yoga classes, serving individual wellness seekers, private groups, and corporate clients since 2019.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nature-based wellness services

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Wellness Retreats & Immersions (Multi-day, Digital Detox, Mind-Body Programs) (THAJAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor, Adventure & Recreational Wellness Education (Hiking, Breathwork in Nature) (EDAAAHAO), Private Wellness & Retreat Experiences (Personalized Spa, Yoga, Healing) (THAJALAI), Detox, Nutrition & Weight Management (Juice Cleanses, Nutrition Retreats, Weight-loss Programs) (THAJAHAJ)

Keywords

• Forest bathing therapy
• Wild food foraging
• Nature wellness programs
• Guided forest therapy
• Corporate wellness workshops

Headquarters

HQ city

Grand Rapids

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Others

Revenue model

1. Community Classes: Monthly community classes including foraging & wild tending, mushroom identification (seasonal), and seasonal forest bathing. Sold as single classes or class packs (5-pack, 10-pack).
2. Private Classes & Events: Private foraging classes, yoga & forest bathing classes, and forest bathing experiences for groups up to 25 people. Priced per hour/length of experience.
3. FORAGE-AT-HOME Packages: Private property foraging services including property walk, wild food identification, personalized report, and lifetime email support. Formerly known as Rent-a-Forager.
4. Workplace Wellness Programs: Corporate wellness presentations and guided nature immersion experiences for employee wellness programs.
5. Gift Certificates: Digital gift cards for classes, class packages, and private experiences available for purchase on website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

In Your Element Wellness delivers guided nature-based wellness experiences in West Michigan, including community forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku) sessions, monthly foraging and wild tending classes, seasonal mushroom identification workshops, private group events, one-on-one yoga, and corporate workplace wellness programming. It also provides FORAGE-AT-HOME property consultations (formerly Rent-a-Forager) with personalized wild food reports and lifetime email support.

Product overview

In Your Element Wellness offers a portfolio of nature-based wellness services centered around forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku), foraging education, and wellness programming in West Michigan. The core offerings include guided forest therapy experiences led by ANFT-certified guides, monthly foraging and mushroom identification classes taught by certified experts, and private/customized experiences for individuals, families, and corporate groups. The company operates on a class-pack model with single classes ($18-$22), 5-class packs ($85), and 10-class packs ($150), plus specialty services including FORAGE-AT-HOME property consultations and workplace wellness programs. The service portfolio is unified around nature connection and natural stress relief, with individual products differentiated by activity type (forest bathing vs. foraging vs. yoga) and delivery format (community classes vs. private events).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Forest Bathing / Guided Forest Therapy A guided wellness experience involving slow, mindful time in nature using the five senses, also known as Shinrin-yoku. Includes guided invitations, breathwork, nature meditation, and tea ceremonies, led by ANFT-certified guides. Offered to individual consumers and corporate groups in West Michigan.
• Foraging & Wild Tending Classes Monthly educational classes teaching identification, harvesting, and preparation of wild edible plants and mushrooms, with instruction on ethical foraging practices and the Wild Tending philosophy. 1.5-hour classes hosted year-round at Cascade Peace Park.
• Mushroom Identification Classes Monthly classes led by MDARD-certified wild mushroom expert covering identification of edible, poisonous, medicinal, and other mushroom types. 1.25-hour classes hosted May through October at various Grand Rapids locations.
• Private Classes & Events Customized private experiences for families, friend groups, homeschool communities, and organizations, including private foraging classes ($150-$175 for 1-1.5 hrs, up to 15 people with $8/person surcharge), private yoga and forest bathing combined classes ($75-$260), private forest bathing experiences ($175-$320 for 1.25-3 hrs, up to 15 people), and private 1-on-1 yoga classes ($65-$75).
• Workplace Wellness Programs Corporate wellness programs featuring guided nature immersion, conference presentations, and educational sessions on the science of nature's effects on stress hormones, immune system, and cognitive function. Designed for HR, people operations, and employee wellness buyers.
• FORAGE-AT-HOME Packages Private property foraging services for homeowners within 30 miles of Ada, Michigan, including an in-person walk with a professional foraging instructor, wild food flags to mark plants and mushrooms, a personalized Wild Food Report, and lifetime email support. Travel beyond the 30-mile radius is $1.30 per mile.
• Combo Workshops and Special Events Special events combining wellness modalities with nature experiences, including yoga classes (taught by an RYT-200 instructor with 8+ years of practice), cacao ceremonies, henna art, journaling workshops, and art experiences delivered in collaboration with professional artists and expressive arts therapists.
• Gift Certificates Digital gift cards available for single classes ($18-$22), 5-class packages ($85), 10-class packages ($150), FORAGE-AT-HOME experiences ($225-$265), and private class gift certificates. Delivered via email within 48 hours of purchase.

Quantifiable outcome

• Forest bathing significantly reduces cortisol levels (stress hormone)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Blandford Nature CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner location for hosting forest bathing experiences and nature-based wellness programs in Grand Rapids, MI. Community partnership for nature events.
• Gathered BotanicalsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for wellness events and community gatherings. Joint programming for nature-based experiences.
• City of Grand Rapids Parks & RecreationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for community wellness programming. Partnership for events at city parks and recreation facilities.
• Pierce Cedar Creek InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner location for nature-based classes and educational programs in the greater West Michigan area.
• Yogi Union StudiominorGTM or Marketing PartnerCommunity wellness partner for joint events including yoga and nature experiences. Community gathering events.
• Cascade Peace ParkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary regular class location for foraging and wild tending classes. Located at 8900 Grand River Dr SE, Ada, MI 49301.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Forager: App and community for identifying and sharing wild edible plants, mushrooms, and foraging spots. Forager is the closest digital analog to IYE's mushroom identification and plant walk offerings, with the key difference that Forager is app-driven and IYE delivers the experience in person.
• Airbnb Experiences: Online marketplace for bookable, host-led private and small-group experiences. IYE's private foraging, forest bathing, and yoga classes ($150-$320) are functionally a local, in-person version of an Airbnb Experience with the same host-led, per-booking monetization.
• ClassPass: Wellness class-pack and credit subscription platform. IYE's 5-pack/10-pack community class model is a localized analog of ClassPass's bundled class access, both relying on prepaid credit packs that drive recurring-like revenue and habit formation.

Broad incumbents

• REI Co-op: Large outdoor recreation retailer and co-op that has expanded into outdoor classes, events, and stewardship programming. REI is a broad incumbent in nature-based experiences and education, but its programming is a fraction of a much larger retail business rather than IYE's specialized wellness niche.
• YMCA: Community-based membership organization delivering group fitness, wellness, and outdoor programming. YMCA competes for the same wellness-seeker and family segments as IYE's community classes and corporate wellness, but as a broad, multi-facility incumbent rather than a nature-immersion specialist.

Others

• Mindbody: Booking and business management software for wellness studios, spas, and fitness classes. Mindbody is a technology enabler rather than a competitor — comparable to IYE's use of ClassFit for class registration, and relevant for understanding the broader wellness-booking ecosystem.

Regional players

• Blandford Nature Center: Grand Rapids-area nature center and IYE core venue partner. Blandford offers its own nature education, hikes, and family programming that overlap with IYE's audience but at a lower, family-program level rather than adult wellness immersion.
• Pierce Cedar Creek Institute: West Michigan environmental education and nature preserve, listed as a partner of IYE. It offers its own naturalists-led programs and trails that intersect IYE's foraging and forest bathing audience but functions as a venue/educator rather than a wellness operator.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/iyewellness
• Instagraminstagram.com/iyewellness
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/in-your-element-wellness

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about In Your Element Wellness