1. egeria
   Member

   but, I need to ask this. What are the basics of earning money in yoga teaching? How do you start from scratch? I'm not talking about opening a studio. I mean a student who has just finished a teacher training--how does one start to make money?
   
   I'm in a 250-hour Level 1 (Hatha and Ashtanga) teacher training right now, have taken 10-hours of prenatal training and am going to be done by the end of April.
   
   I have no idea where to start. I taught some friends at my place for free to practice teaching, which was great...But how do you really get into the money-making aspect of it?
   
   Is it realistic to expect to make a full-time income from yoga right after you graduate?
   
   Or do you just teach part time until you have clientele? How long does it take to get established?
   
   Help please! Detailed long responses welcome.
   
   Namaste

   Posted 7 years ago #

2. Jeanné
   User

   Hi there!
   
   I don't know how helpful this reply will be, but I thought I would share my personal experience. I was certified this past July and have not been working full time at teaching yoga. I do, however, believe it is possible to earn a very good living teaching, but I feel you must build your clientele. I have a class on Tuesday evenings that I teach in my home and I recently acquired a class on Wednesday night at a pediatric office. This was the class I had been taking for almost a year and when my teacher could not continue teaching it, I was asked to take over. I had substituted for him on many ocassions as well. The best advice I can give is to put yourself out there. My teacher prefers private clients and has an abundance of them where he makes $75 to $100 per hour. The class I teach is $10 a head and I have 6 students right now. You may want to ask around and put flyers up - elementary schools are a great place as many teachers like to take class after they have finished their day. Word of mouth from your friends is a great way to go. Perhaps they have some friends and you could form a class that way. Maybe the class could meet twice a week instead of just once.
   
   Anyway - just a few ideas. I know Paul has a lot of super ideas for marketing on his website as well. Perhaps you may want to e-mail him directly and get his thoughts.
   
   Best of luck to you!
   
   Namaste,
   
   Jeann

   Posted 7 years ago #

3. Anonymous
   Unregistered

   Egeria,
   
   Sounds like you are eager to get going.
   
   I think, like any business venture. it depends how much capital you can invest beforehand. Or how willing you are to take out a loan.
   
   If money is an issue, you may want to start small.
   
   Rent a space once a week, and attract enough clients to make it profitable. Then go from there...
   
   The quickest way I know to build a business is by direct-response advertising. Yoga studios are numerous. You need to show your prospects that you offer something maningful and different.
   
   A large advertorial is an effective way to generate instant business. Instead of paying for those little space ads in your local holistic magazines each issue, buy a full page ad (or atleast a half page).
   
   Have a copywriter write an ADvertorial (it looks like editorial but is geared towards getting people to call or log onto you site).
   
   Advertorials get read 500% more than your typical image advertising (name and logo).
   
   Present the readers with motivating reasons why they should come to you.
   
   Remember, talk about them. Their needs, concerns and desires. Not how great you are.
   
   Make it about them.
   
   A well written advertorial can get the phone ringing and people visiting your site.
   
   It may cost you $500-$1000 to print. But, unlike "branding ads" these get 1) read 2) people calling.
   
   Hope that helps,

   Posted 7 years ago #

4. Paul
   Key Master

   Hi Egeria,
   
   Depending upon your financial resources, your Yoga marketing strategy will differ.
   
   If money is tight, you may want to work at a facility as an independent contractor to start with. This could be a flat rate or by a percentage. Usually, the split is 60% to the Yoga teacher and 40% to the facility.
   
   It is best to put together a list of prospective employers and contact them by mail. You could use letters or post cards. Just be descriptive about your services.
   
   There are no limits for Yoga teacher job opportunities between corporate, hospitals, seniors, health clubs, Yoga studios, dance schools and more.
   
   We have business and marketing materials in most of our Yoga courses.
   
   Namaste,
   
   Paul

   Posted 7 years ago #

5. Mark Franklin
   Member

   You're not sounding silly at all!
   
   My partner Liz has a successful practice and ds not have a studio of her own. While it means she has to lug around all the props she needs from location to location, we don't have to worry about that overhead.
   
   How much she is charged for the space she teaches in varies with the arrangement. It helps that she is teaching chair yoga almost exclusively, because people like to support her efforts to take yoga to those that can't practice at a typical studio.
   
   At the yoga studio where she is affiliated she has to pay a pretty significant cut to the studio. However, the storefront and advertising they do brings in students she'd never reach.
   
   Her private students naturally don't charge for her to come to their home.
   
   The holistic health care facility she works with charges just about enough to compensate for the electricity she's using because they support her cause and like the exposure. And the church she teaches at dsn't charge anything because it benefits their members.
   
   One thing about operating on your own with a shstring budget, though, is that it ends up being a lot of work, and growing the business is slow. But if you don't want a strong association with any one studio and you don't have much capitol to invest, then it is something to consider.

   Posted 7 years ago #

6. Parell
   Member

   egeria,
   
   Sorry to read this!
   
   Shame on the Ashtanga / Hatha Yoga certification organization!
   
   One Major point: This person is in a 250 hour training and nobody has showed her how to earn a dime. The Facilitator is GREEDY. Talk about setting your graduates up for failure. No this is not silly, but who ever is running that teacher training should be ashamed. Mother birds show more compassion, when they kick the yearlings out of the nest!

   Posted 5 years ago #

7. Gator
   Member

   Hi Parell,
   
   I have been by this thread before, but the obvious escaped me and apparently everone else. Your posts are frank and I admire that. At least, you tell it like it is.
   
   Let's expose the real truth. The facilitator runs a 250 hour Ashtanga and Hatha yoga teacher training course - That's good. You learn to be a good teacher - That's real good. You depend on the studio for a teaching assignment, because nobody teaches you the inside secrets to becoming an independent yoga teacher - That's GREAT FOR THE YOGA STUDIO OWNER!
   
   The real business agenda was getting these people to pay big bucks to get certified to become dependent teachers for that particular yoga center. If graduates know nothing about networking, advertising, marketing, or business, they are up a creek without a paddle. That's great for the teacher trainer, because they still depend on him or her.
   
   From a charitable perspective, these yoga teacher graduates will do much karma yoga for decades before they ever have the courage to ask anyone for tuition. OH NO! Asking for money is wrong - Isn't it?
   
   Let's see: You just spent ten grand to become a certified yoga teacher and you wonder how to make money and you have some kind of guilt baggage about the value of your time. Sorry kid, but you better get in touch with somebody who can coach you. Hint: It will not be the director of yoga teacher training who runs the 250 hour Ashtanga and Hatha yoga teacher training course.
   
   Love and Kisses,
   
   Gator

   Posted 5 years ago #

8. eartheart
   User

   Pranam Parell and Gator,
   
   You two would make a great tag team in a combative sport, but we teach yoga. It is obvious that you have found the logical and underlying reasons for the Ashtanga - Hatha Yoga inststructor certification in question. What else could it be? The facilitator has an established yoga business, but ds not share his or her experience - not even a little bit.
   
   You both could work on your bed side manner. If someone has been taken to the cleaners, the last thing they need is their face rubbed in it. How do you address a student who has made mistakes? When I read your posts I feel like I am reading about a Slam Dunk, IN YOUR FACE, and a High Five to each other!
   
   This may seem a little hostile, but you two could tone it down just a little bit.
   
   Peace,

   Posted 5 years ago #

9. Parell
   Member

   Hi Eartheart,
   
   Please read my post again. Are you feeling o.k.? I only stated the obvious. Problem is you might have underlying agression that you don't know how to deal with. Maybe you shoiuld trash another yoga teacher's display to make you feel better. Then you can have you class recite OM Shanti for an hour to make up for it.
   
   Just be real for once in your life and quit playing the saint. It is obvious you want a conflict. See you on the basketball court.

   Posted 5 years ago #

10. Tomako
    User

    Namaskar Parell and Eartheart,
    
    Okay, we have a little difference of opinion, but we can all get over it. This is no big deal. Both of you agree on the issue of the facilitator holding back a bit.
    
    In your posts, it is apparent that you have different approaches, but it dsn't mean either of you is wrong. There is no reason here to be upset.
    
    Lastly, if anyone could point me in the direction of the person or yoga school who is trashing my yoga displays, I would appreciate it.

    Posted 5 years ago #

11. Parell
    Member

    Namaskar Tomako,
    
    You are a sweet person. Thank you.
    
    About the yoga displays, what's going on? This happens everywhere. Worst part is this is women teachers and their students doing this to each other.
    
    Some stores will not allow yoga displays now, because of all the infighting.
    
    Om Shanti,
    
    Parell

    Posted 5 years ago #

12. S_Baker
    Member

    Namaskar,
    
    Recently, I spoke with another Yoga teacher who believes in having a "heart centered business." It is draining her pocketbook fast.
    
    Has anyone got any experience with this concept? Once I looked into it, the price tag was too steep and the rules (they call them covenants) were made to keep your money and kick you out, if you don't follow each covenant (I mean rule or step).
    
    Please share your thoughts, as this seems like a profitable, but heartless and self-centered business for the facilitator at the expense of holistic practitioners.
    
    Shanti,
    
    Sarah

    Posted 5 years ago #

13. Parell
    Member

    Hi Sarah,
    
    I went to a weekend intensive about Heart Centered Yoga Business. It should have been called Fantasy Island. The cost spanked me and after a day I knew my money and time were wasted.
    
    Glad we have this silly yoga business thread. I'll be honest, on the surface a "Heart Centered Yoga Business" is a great label. It hooked me good, but it usually means more coaching sessions and huge consulting fees for an abstract theory of how a business should function. Which is supposed to make us all feel better about taking tuition fees (MONEY).
    
    From what you wrote, you, and I, see reality. Business of any kind is either profitable or losing money. If we lose enough money, we end up on the street. Some people spend too much money on consulting, coaching, and experts, who don't even have a yoga studio and never taught a class.
    
    In Paul's courses, you always get "down to earth" business and marketing goodies and some of them are free bonuses. I learned more from his straight talk about making a yoga business plan, where the teaching jobs are, and how to stay profitable, than I did for a whole weekend of listening to a crock about "pie in the sky" business and how to be "yogic" while collecting fees.
    
    If you have disposable income, feel free to waste it on some mad scientist's theory about business and the Law of Gravity. Although there is a connection, profit and loss will keep you rooted in reality. At a time the economy isn't ideal do any of us have the money or time for theory? Absolutely not, you need "real world" business advice from somone who runs a yoga studio.
    
    Tell your friend to cut her losses, before she is in to deep. If she is hypnotized be the abstract theory of business, you can always pray for her, and prepare a guest room for the day when she becomes homeless.
    
    Peace,
    
    Parell

    Posted 5 years ago #

14. Gator
    Member

    Hi Everyone,
    
    About heart centered studios - Really, isn't that what we already do!? You run an ethical ashram. You provide a shelter and classes for your students, you contribute to your community, and most of you teach a few free yoga classes during the week. What else should you give away? How are you going to keep warm this winter? Will you still be in business if you give away the store? If you run any business, you can't take losses forever. Sorry, but yoga teachers need money too. It's simple math, if you pay thousands more to learn about giving everything away, you will be out of business. Funny, the heart centered business coach is not free! These posts do belong on this thread.
    
    Peace,
    
    Gator

    Posted 5 years ago #

15. Paul
    Key Master

    Namaskar Dear Ones,
    
    Most Yoga studios are heart centered businesses. Consider the way you relate to your students. The student / teacher relationship is based upon high standards, mutual trust, safety, and ethics.
    
    However, the lease, utilities, insurance, taxes, and any other operating costs do not pay for themselves. Every Yoga studio must remain profitable to exist. If a studio or ashram has a wealthy benefactor there will never be financial problems.
    
    In western societies, wealthy benefactors who support ashrams by making financial contributions are extremely rare. Every Yoga studio could use a charitable trust to help with operating costs, but let's get a reality check - student tuition fees pay for the bulk of our overhead costs.
    
    Therefore, business ethics are a part of keeping a Yoga studio alive. You can paint the picture with any colors you like, but a business runs on profit, and charities do not run without contributions.
    
    Om Shanti,
    
    Paul

    Posted 4 years ago #

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