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Toyia Mays’ customers feel “like a weight has been lifted off their shoulders,” the co-owner of Crossroads-based The Laya Center said, noting the brand’s physical space and its new Herban product line leave people feeling welcome and at home.
“Most people when they walk in the door, they verbally express it but you can just see it on their faces too,” said Mays, who runs business with her husband, NFL veteran and former Kansas City Chiefs linebacker Joe Mays.
Herban products at The Laya Center; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News
“We’re a multi-hyphenate business now; it’s not just a wellness center,” detailed Toyia Mays, highlighting The Laya Center‘s services along with the Herban products available at The Laya Center and its Herban tea bar, offering “wellness in a cup” through herbal blends.
Mays crafts intentional products through the Herban brand, like the Herban Afrivedic supplemental and skincare lines, using organic superfoods, herbs, fruits, vegetables, sea plants, and root blends, to heal the body “within” and “without.”
Click here to explore The Laya Center’s Herban brand.
“We’ve grown to about 10 SKU’s from about two and a half years ago, to now 500,” she said, noting her primary focuses for 2024 include further growing the product line and venturing into the food sector, with the recent addition of a food truck.
“We’ve been trying to incorporate (a food truck) into our other offerings for wellness,” said Mays. “We do off-site wellness pop-ups for corporate events, doing massages, yoga, and other services.”
“I’m excited to see how the product line grows; I have new packaging on the way,” said Mays.
She also intends to distribute her canned tea drinks wholesale and is eager to expand her teas as well as her products in additional stores.
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Self care is more than a mantra
“Laya” means mental tranquility in Sanskrit, Toyia Mays said, describing the path that led her business to being recognized by Square with a 2023 Square 50 award.
Joe and Toyia Mays, The Laya Center, 2018; photo by Tommy Felts, Startland News
Out of millions worldwide, The Laya Center was among 50 businesses acknowledged for providing an array of products and services (yoga, massages, natural cryptotherapy, facials, etc.) to guide individuals through their wellness journey.
Among the tactics employed by by the Mays: taking care of themselves first, meaning they embrace the grind, but also give themselves time to rejuvenate and reset, Mays said.
“Over the past couple of years I learned to just stop, take a breath and get some rest,” she said. “When you’re a creative person, you’re always thinking of things; your mind is always working. So, I schedule that time for myself.”
“To leave work at the door is also a priority of mine,” Mays continued, emphasizing she works alongside her husband and daughter — requiring balance and integration of her family life into her business through patience and time management.
Partnering with the community
The Laya Center has teamed up with Uzazi Village, an organization that trains doulas to provide support for Black women during pregnancy and postpartum periods, aiming to reduce the Black mortality rate during childbirth.
“They’ve been around for 10 years, delivering babies and making sure these Black mothers are OK and are advocating for themselves in the healthcare system,” said Mays.
“They found that a lot of Black mothers go through mental health issues and high stress during their pregnancy and postpartum,” explained Mays. In light of these findings, she discussed integrating her services with the organization to support women’s well-being during and after pregnancy.
She and Uzazi Village conducted a comparative study with 20 women in postpartum, with an A&B side-by-side approach. “A” clients received only a massage, while “B” clients received various services for pain management or stress relief. The study concluded in October, and she is now awaiting the completion of exit surveys.
Mays also recently met with The Porter House KC to explore their health-centered grant collaboration with UMKC Hospital, she said. The Laya Center is planning to become their wellness partner over the next year.
“We’ve been volunteering at different wellness events that the hospital puts on as well as doing our own events under that partnership,” said Mays.
One of her next events is a collaborative effort with Ruby Jeans, featuring a summit with panels, breakout sessions, yoga, meditations, and more — inspired by the Essence Wellness House. This event is planned for Black History Month.
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