When Iris D'Innocenti went searching for a new form of exercise, she ended up finding a new career.

D'Innocenti is the owner of For Your Inner Peace Yoga at 2042 E. Copper Ave. in Fresno.

She opened the yoga studio in November after falling in love with the practice 21/2 years ago.

"I had never even done yoga before, but I had to switch from running after I tore my ACL," she said. "And once I got involved, I found my calling."

Creating her own studio allowed D'Innocenti to share yoga with others while also giving her a more flexible schedule to help take care of her family. She worked as an executive secretary for 15 years before opening the studio.

D'Innocenti has three full-time certified yoga instructors that offer a range of yoga classes for beginners to advanced students.

"We have yoga classes that go from slow flow to hot vinyasa flow," she said. "There is something for everyone."

The studio is open seven days a week and a complete list of classes and pricing can be found on its website: fyiyoga.net.

Although opening a new business has its challenges, D'Innocenti has no regrets.

"I had a woman come in and cry in my arms, thanking me for opening the studio," she said. "When that happened, I know I made the right choice."

Free Bird gets new roost

Free Bird Company, the seller of all things tie dye and Rastafarian, has moved closer to the heart of the Tower District.

The store, which opened at 506 E. Olive Ave. in 2009, has moved to 838 E. Olive Ave., taking over the space once occupied by the Valley Book Center used-book store.

Owners Doug and Linda Whisenant said they have always wanted to be closer to the action in the Tower District.

The new location is more than twice the size of the old one, Doug Whisenant said. The extra space will allow them to carry more men's clothing and start selling high-end vintage clothing from the 1940s to the 1980s.

Not just dessert

The owner of Butterkups cupcake bakery in Hanford is taking her entrepreneurial spirit into new territory: a restaurant.

Samantha Stephens plans to open a family-style dining restaurant in late January or early February in Hanford. She is partnering with Nancy Bush, who has restaurant management experience.

The restaurant, at the corner of Irwin and Ivy streets, doesn't have a name yet.

Stephens plans to hold a contest to determine the name, with the winner getting a month's worth of meals at the restaurant.

Necessity is driving Stephens to open the restaurant.

She and her husband, Bill, moved to Hanford after they couldn't find jobs in Santa Cruz. They opened the bakery last year because they were still unemployed and their 110-year-old Victorian home was in foreclosure.

The bakery sustains itself, but doesn't pay their house bills, she said.

The house is again in foreclosure and Stephens hopes to earn enough at the restaurant to save it.

To raise money to get the restaurant going, she plans to sell 4-inch cupcakes with large cookies for $10 at Butterkups.

"I have so much faith," Stephens said. "Something is going to come our way."