The Yogipreneur » Management

Creating a Business Plan…Part II

yogipreneur — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 11:00:29 +0000

…Creating a Business Plan Continued…

Now that you’ve established the kind of business you will operate, the services you will offer, and the clientele you will serve, let’s dive into bringing this business plan into reality with marketing, operations, management, and financial planning.

You need to [ Login ] to see this part of the post

July Business Bootcamp

Allow The Yogipreneur to guide you through the process of creating a functional, results-oriented business plan. This series of 4 webinars will take you through each section of a business plan with a bonus session on creating systems to allow you to achieve more of your goals with less time and energy!

Two Week Series | Tuesdays & Thursdays 1PM – 4PM | July 14 – 23 2009
Creating a five year strategic action plan for your business.
Read more and Register Online

Creating a Business Plan…Part I

yogipreneur — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:00:54 +0000

As a yoga teacher, you take time to prepare for a class. You set the intention for the class. You look for inspiration from your teachers to impart on your students. A sequence is developed to prepare the body to reach a specific posture. Each class builds on what you taught in the previous class.

So it surprises me that many yogis begin on the journey of a yoga business (teaching or owning a studio) without a goal in mind. They spend more time planning classes than planning for their business.

Without a clearly defined purpose, the business is more likely to be unfocused and lack direction. When opportunities or roadblocks arise, how do you decide what to do or what not to do if you don’t even know where you are going?

A business plan is a tool that can bring clarity to decision making in your business. This is not a static document – a functional business plan is a dynamic plan that is consistently reviewed and updated. It keeps the business on track so that you can achieve the vision for your ideal life.

What is in a business plan?

You need to [ Login ] to see this part of the post

July Business Bootcamp

Two Week Series | Tuesdays & Thursdays 1PM – 4PM | July 14 – 23 2009
Creating a five year strategic action plan for your business.
Read more and Register Online

Smarter Not Harder

yogipreneur — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:13 +0000

I am often asked how I am able to stay so focused and accomplish so much so quickly. Many people think that I must work non-stop – but this is not true. Admittedly, I used to be one of those people who put in a 12 hour day then came home to work on the weekends. Now I have simply learned some ways to work smarter and not harder – freeing up my time and energy to pursue my passions and spend time with my loved ones.

So here are some of my tips and tricks so that you can get off the 12 hour treadmill and start having more control over your time!

You need to [ Login ] to see this part of the post

Karma Yoga

yogipreneur — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 18:26:40 +0000

Asking for help is a challenge that many of us face. Many people think that no-one else can do it as well as they can, so they take on everything. And suddenly you are overwhelmed and burned out.

When it comes to valuing your time, consider all of the tasks that you have taken on to run your business. You not only teach classes, but you answer the phone, check email, send out marketing materials, check people in and probably clean the bathrooms too. Now consider – which of these tasks are the most valuable to my business that I must handle myself and which tasks, while still important, are able to be delegated?

It doesn’t make sense for a teacher who can otherwise earn $50-75 per hour to spend time worried about $10 work. So what to do?

Attract a work-study student! Trust me, there are people in your community who are loving yoga class, but perhaps it really is too expensive for them OR they really want to be a part of the team. This is especially true if you are near a college!

So how do you do this?

1) Create a job description – what does this work-study student need to do? This completely depends on the needs of the studio or teacher (yes a teacher can have a work-study student too!). It could be anything from cleaning used yoga mats and sweeping the floors to checking in students for class to putting up flyers all over town. Also, explain the trade of time for yoga.

2) Create a checklist – Make expectations clear! Give them a daily checklist to follow.

3) Advertise – I use Craigslist.com as well as a blurb in our studio newsletter.

4) RSVP – Have people RSVP to a open group interview. Request that they send a resume and have them tell you why they are interested in yoga. In response, send out the job description and expectations – this will allow them to decide if they will be able to commit to helping.

5) Group Interview – Set up one interview. That’s right – just one. Invite everyone to an open interview. Share a brief practice (so they know what they are getting for the exchange) and then offer some time for Q&A. You will know upon meeting someone if their energy is right for your studio.

Once you have a work study student – let them know how much they are appreciated! Take them out for lunch or give them a gift card after a few months. And start focusing on the tasks that will grow your business!

Choose your words wisely

yogipreneur — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 18:21:15 +0000

When you spend a majority of your time in the yoga world, talking with other yogis, it is easy to forget that most people have no idea what we are talking about!

I was reminded of this on Saturday. My husband, who does not practice yoga, decided to come to the studio and take the class I was teaching. He basically suppressed laughter the entire time and I couldn’t figure it out.

After the class, he told me that I said a few things that he didn’t understand. Things like “opening your heart” or “take the full expression”. Most yogis would know what I meant – but he just thought it sounded funny!

So now as I’m planning out classes for the weeks to come and writing materials for The Yogipreneur, I’m thinking of my words. Clarity is key and you have to speak in a way that your audience understands. As you are thinking of attracting new students, consider your words. It would be awful to lose a student because they don’t understand “plugging into your source”. Keep it clear and simple!