By Leza Lowitz, Sun and Moon Yoga I never thought I’d open my own yoga studio, let alone do so in a foreign country. Years ago, while I was meditating at a yoga retreat in Haiku, Hawaii, a voice had said, "You must move to Japan and open a yoga studio in Tokyo." Was it my inner voice? The voice of island’s Goddess Pele? It didn’t matter. I didn’t listen. I had no intention of returning to Tokyo, where I’d lived once before. I loved California; there was no going back. Until the day my … [Read more...]
The Nuances of Teaching Yoga For Free, For Charity and For Profit
By Brook McCarthy, Hustle & Heart Brook is launching the next round of her popular Hustle & Heart 9 Week On-Line Course on September 28. Sign up by September 20 to receive the early bird price.* There’s a time for working for free, a place for charitable yoga teaching and a role for working for profit. As a yoga teacher, knowing the difference between these will help you avoid heartache and thrive as a professional, while helping to lift the entire yoga sector. Whether you’re a … [Read more...]
Is Yoga Really as Dangerous as Downhill Skiing? High ACC Levies Hit NZ Yoga Teachers
By Laura Brookes If ACC’s got it right, all New Zealand yoga teachers should be on immediate hazard alert. They currently face the same risk of injury in their workplace as downhill ski instructors. Yoga instructors are charged $1.37 for every $100 earned in ACC levies, a higher rate than prostitutes ($0.40), firefighters ($0.92) and professional netball players ($1.31). ACC groups yoga instruction into the classification unit for Sports and physical recreation instruction, meaning they … [Read more...]
Diversity: The Untapped Goldmine to A Successful Yoga Biz
By guest author Keeley Mitchell, Zi Living Honing in on diversity can increase the cash flow into your yoga biz! Happy October everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful summer. As the lazy summer days fade away, it is time to refocus and get back on track on with our businesses. As you refocus on your yoga business, I want you to think about your target audience. What does this audience look like? When you market your business do you have the Western ideal yogi in mind? You know, the … [Read more...]
Could Silence be the New Thing in Yoga Classes? ASCAP goes after Yoga Studios for Music Licensing Fees
By guest author Keeley Mitchell, Zi Living Yoga classes may be conducted in silence if ASCAP, BMI, and SESCAP keep going after yoga studios for music licensing fees. You may have noticed that The Business Side of the Mat took a hiatus when the New Year rang in. However, The Business Side of the Mat is back with even more juicier legal and business advice for yogis. During my hiatus, a growing issue in the business world of yoga took center stage in the United States. My phone started to … [Read more...]
6 Ways to Maintain Work-Life Balance as a Busy Yoga Teacher
by guest author Cailen Ascher As busy yoga teachers, we wear many hats: instructor, marketer, parent, entrepreneur, personal assistant, manager, friend, spouse, confidante, errand gofer and more! With the fast-paced nature of our daily schedules, it can seem that it’s nearly impossible to maintain any sense of balance in our lives. And even though we yogis are better equipped than many to handle the multitude of challenges and stressors that get heaped on our plates, sometimes the … [Read more...]
Want To Pack Your Yoga Classes? Get In A Relationship
By guest author Keeley Mitchell, Zi Living On October 14, 2013, my aunt passed away. Out of the four sisters my mom had, I was closest to my Aunt Betty. She was also my beloved godmother who doted upon me as well as my children. When the holidays hit, her presence was truly missed and caused me to retreat into solitude. One of the things I reflected heavily on was the outpouring of love and support I received from so many people. In particular, there was one group of people that … [Read more...]
Five Steps to Celebrate 2013 and Create Success for 2014, using Yoga, of course!
By guest author Keeley Mitchell, Zi Living For better or for worse, the holiday season is here. The verdict is still out for me on whether it is for better or for worse. Like most, when the holiday season comes, I often start to feel stressed and overwhelmed. It is like I am on the verge of an anxiety attack at any minute because I am trying to do everything and still create the perfect holiday experience for my family. This year I tried to cancel Christmas with the proclamation that … [Read more...]
Have You Stated Your Intentions? The Importance of Writing a Yoga Business Plan
By Keeley Mitchell, Zi Living Recently I had the pleasure of having someone inquire about my services and in our discourse she asked two questions. 1. How much experience should she have before opening her yoga studio? 2. How much money does it cost to open a yoga studio? While I could not give her a definitive answer to her questions, I felt our discussion was still a positive one. You see, I gave my inquirer kudos for doing her research well in advance so she could plan … [Read more...]
I do: What it Really Means to Commit to Your Yoga Business
By guest author Keeley Mitchell, Zi Living Welcome back for another discussion from The Business Side of the Mat. In this article I wanted to delve a little deeper into the idea of committing to your business. When I speak of commitment, I am not referring to your commitment to your clients and students. I know that you are committed where that is concerned. I am referring to your commitment to running your business and growing it. It's about truly making the commitment that you will treat … [Read more...]