While it’s often seen as the perfect job, running a yoga business has never been easy. Whether it’s a physical studio, online  classes or you’re a solo teacher, all can present their challenges.

Trying to navigate the ever changing landscape of a yoga business means we have to be adaptable and employ many of the teachings we have learnt under classical yoga. We might turn for guidance to Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras to help us find a different way to approach our business and even our own practice. This may mean letting go of Samskaras and finding a new sense of self discipline or tapas in order to make our business work for us. For me, this came about when I let go of my need to stay in bed in the mornings, renewing my early morning self practice (that waned when I had children who woke me early instead)! Practicing at 6am then gave me more space in the day for what is need to run a feminine yoga company plus greater clarity of mind. A simple change but it made a significant shift in my ability to work more effectively.

Keeping up with studio rent payments can add extra stress so you may come to a time when you re-evaluate whether your business in its current state is achieving what you set out to do. While nothing replaces in-person offerings, there are some that have successfully taken their studios solely online, and others who maintain all their classes both online and in-person. Owner of studio Yoga Bellingen Amelia Disspain offers classes simultaneously in person and online and has found the added online options a significant benefit to her studio’s community:

“One of the unexpected and wonderful things that have come from zoom classes has been people’s discovery of the freedom of home practice – a chance to more deeply listen and respond to their body/ minds subtle cues. For me, maintaining communication and connection with the community has been key- chatting before and after zoom classes- keeping up with personal and group email contact – encouraging exploration of other yoga tools such as Ayurveda and yoga philosophy- all help to keep people feeling a part of a support community.”

If you’re a solo yoga teacher, don’t undervalue yourself. Just because you’re a one person show, doesn’t mean your offerings are any less important than the super sized studio down the road. In fact, sometimes it’s easier if you keep things simple by offering your classes in communal spaces such as local halls. Private one-on-one yoga classes are also something that can be great for avoiding rent costs or restrictions by either teaching outside or in your client’s home.

Here’s what I see to be the top 5 tips that might help you whether you are a new teacher or re-assessing your established way of teaching yoga:

1. Offer your yoga classes on many levels
In-person (where possible), live online and pre-recorded. This way you can cover those that want a class in the studio, prefer to practice from home or would love to join your class but the time doesn’t suit! If you are running classes for those with small children, offering online and recorded options can be immensely helpful. Online classes can also help support those with fears around attending in person due to health issues.

2. Create / keep up your contact with other health professionals working in your area
If you’re a Prenatal, Postnatal or Fertility teacher, don’t forget to reach out to all those supporting fertility, pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period. This really can’t be underlined enough. You might have most success with alternative practitioners such as doulas, masseurs, chiropractors/osteopaths and acupuncturists. However, some obstetricians & fertility clinics are also coming around to the benefits of yoga and might be happy to have some of your cards. Unfortunately here in Australia, midwifery and early childhood clinics do not allow any private promotional material unless you are teaching for the hospital/clinic itself, so private practice is your best chance. Look out for gatherings of birth keepers too – there are often doula groups that are open to other alternative health practitioners or local screenings of birth films to get to know “birthy” practitioners. If you’re a more general yoga teacher, other allied health practitioners are similarly invaluable to connect with.

3. E mail and social media marketing
A key way to remind existing and potential students that you’re still here! As we know, physical fliers are becoming less of a way to spread the word (although still helpful in smaller communities especially), so your online presence is key. As Amelia discusses above, this is also important for maintaining your business’s community, especially when offering classes online. Even if your followers are mostly other birth or yoga teachers, social media can also lead to a recommendation or a tag to help get your business out there.

4. Keep up your own practice
This is so important. It doesn’t need to be specific to the type of yoga you teach – just being present on your mat and in your body is what’s most important to keep your teaching fresh. So many newer teachers see their time teaching as time doing their practice – it’s not the same. Make sure you leave time for you and in doing so, your love of yoga fresh. With so many online options available you can attend someone else’s class from anywhere in the world, and that might just support what you are currently teaching. If you’re teaching Fertility, Prenatal or Postnatal yoga but not at that same point in your life, attending an online class whether it’s live or recorded can be a great way to get first hand experience of someone else’s teaching without feeling like an imposter. We have a full library of pre-recorded prenatal and postnatal classes to keep you inspired as part of our Bliss Baby Yoga membership.

5. Upskill
Building on your offerings within your business can also place you in a much stronger position. For example, teaching Prenatal Yoga goes hand in hand with being a Doula or running Conscious Conception/Birth or Parenting Workshops, while training in massage supports just about any style of yoga. Or you could add a new style of yoga to your bow. You might take the opportunity to do some more specific training online that wouldn’t usually be offered near you. Keep an eye out for our new online courses coming all the time – see here for details. Most importantly, stay true to why you first trained as a yoga teacher, the benefits it can bring to your students and to your own life.

Amelia Disspain is the owner of Yoga Bellingen offering online classes via www.yogabellingen.com   She also runs Balanced Yoga live 200 hr Online Teacher Trainings. 

 

Further Reading related to this topic:

• A Feminine Approach to Creating Sustainability Online by Star Depres
• 7 Ways to Increase your Feminine Vitality, Powerful Presence and Influence by Lisa Fitzpatrick
• Restorative Yoga for Busy Women by Star Depres
• Feminine Leadership Summit interview with Ana Davis and Lisa Fitzpatrick
• Three Habits that Define you as a New Feminine Leader by Lisa Fitzpatrick