Mastering The Business Of Yoga

This week on the podcast I am joined by Hope Zvara. Hope is a yoga teacher, a motivational speaker, a best selling author, a yoga studio owner, the CEO of Mother Trucker Yoga, and so much more. On this episode of the podcast, Hope and I talk about how yoga pulled her out of a dark place personally, how she started teaching yoga, and what inspired her to open a yoga studio. We also dive into knowing your value as a yoga teacher, and why the money side of yoga is important. Of course, Hope and I dive into the business lessons she's learned through owning a yoga studio, as well as how she's been able to take her yoga business online and tips for people who want to do the same.  This episode was super fun to record and is jam-packed with valuable information!  Enjoy! You know the saying, “People won’t remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you made them feel?” That’s true, both in our personal lives AND in our business lives. MINDBODY is a company that knows every customer interaction is a chance for y

This week on the podcast I am joined once again by Sytera Field. When Sytera joined me on the podcast back in 2016, she was only teaching private yoga. In 2018, she opened her studio, SyteraYoga, and hasn't looked by since then. On this episode, we talk about what has shifted for Sytera's business over the last 1.5 years, what she has learned as a yoga studio owner and more. We also talk about her latest endeavor, which is developing the Nadi Ball and the Nadi & Nice method of body rolling. After many years of teaching yoga with massage balls, Sytera decided to develop her own, and she also shares the long and challenging process of developing your own product, including the business lessons she's learned along the way. Enjoy! You know the saying, “People won’t remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you made them feel?” That’s true, both in our personal lives AND in our business lives. MINDBODY is a company that knows every customer interaction is a chance for your business to shine and for you

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Uma Girish. Uma guides spiritually-minded women who are grieving from loss and helps them cope and hold space for grief. The work she does includes the death of a loved one, the end of a relationship, illnesses, empty nest, the loss of a dream, and more.  On this episode, Uma and I talk about the importance of giving yourself space when you are grieving a loss, and how to give yourself that space when you teach yoga or own your own business. As a contractor or self-employed individual, it is so hard to take time off, but when we are grieving, we need to give ourselves time and space to heal.  Uma also shares tips for how we can hold space for students that might be grieving and more.  Enjoy! You know the saying, “People won’t remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you made them feel?” That’s true, both in our personal lives AND in our business lives. MINDBODY is a company that knows every customer interaction is a chance for your business to shine and for yo

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Kendrick Shope! Kendrick is the CEO & creator of the Authentic Selling® process, sales expert, speaker, media personality, & momma to a beautiful little girl. On this episode of the podcast, Kendrick and I dive into why sales doesn't have to be icky, and how we can start selling ourselves and our services more authentically. Kendrick shares her authentic sales process, how we can make it about the customer and not ourselves, why knowing how to sell is important as an entrepreneur, and more. Enjoy! You know the saying, “People won’t remember what you said, but they’ll remember how you made them feel?” That’s true, both in our personal lives AND in our business lives. MINDBODY is a company that knows every customer interaction is a chance for your business to shine and for you to help your customers thrive. With that simple truth in mind, MINDBODY has spent nearly twenty years sweating the details of what it looks like to design and run an extraordinary fitness o

This week on the podcast I am joined by Meghan Vornholt! Meghan is a yoga teacher based out of my hometown of Cochrane, AB. On this special bonus episode of the podcast, Meghan and I do an on-air consultation and catch up call after many months of finishing working together 1-on-1. Meghan shares what she's been up to in her business, the growth she's experienced, her major business challenges and how she's been working through them, how to get over feelings of not feeling worthy in your business, and more.  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce to be partnered with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage your customers, the passes they purchase, and the classes they attend. It's the simplest, most flexible tool you'll find, and you get exactly what you need without the headache. They offer three plans so you don't have to pay for features you don't use, and on top of that, they have top-notch customer service -- go ahead & give their free trial a try to see for yourself

Swami Brahmananda Saraswati is a yoga teacher from India who is now based in Maryland. Swami grew up in the Himalayas and has been surrounded by yoga his whole life. He has been teaching since he was 10 years old! He moved to the United States to study and offer yoga, and he is currently finishing up his business degree (one of many degrees he's received). On this episode, Swami talks about how yoga is different in the west vs in India, the value of being a life long learner, and why it's important to recognize the importance of an energetic and monetary exchange in our businesses. Swami offers a 200-hour online yoga teacher training, and he shares the value of being able to teach and learn online, and why this is a great way to make yoga accessible. Finally, he shares what he has learned through his business and lifetime of teaching yoga, and his top tips for yoga teachers. Enjoy! I am very excited to announce to be partnered with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage

This week on the podcast I am joined by Megan Mulrine from Yoga Trotter. Megan is a yoga teacher, a yoga teacher trainer, and a digital nomad. Megan joined me from Bali, Indonesia to talk about the Hindu Gods, Goddesses and Deities that are important to the history of yoga and yoga asana.  On this episode, we talk about the importance of learning about the Gods, Godesses and Deities that are a part of yoga history and philosophy, and how we can integrate them into our practice and classes without it coming across as religious practice or cultural appropriation. We also talk about Megan's business, including her 50-hour YTT that she runs on the Gods of Yoga, what digital nomad life is like, how to make our offerings more financially sustainable without making them free, and more.  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce to be partnered with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage your customers, the passes they purchase, and the classes they attend. It's the simplest, most fl

This week on the podcast I am joined by Kristine Weber from Subtle Yoga. Kristine has been teaching yoga for 25 years, training yoga teachers since 2009, and has begun training health professionals on the importance of a yoga practice for healing.  When Kristine started teaching yoga, she immediately feel in love with the slower, more subtle aspects of the practice. Over the years, she has brought the more subtle, slower aspects of yoga into her teaching.  On this episode, Kristine and I talk about the importance of the subtle practice, why we need to learn more about the nervous system and how yoga impacts that, the importance of slowing down, and all of the business lessons that Kristine has learned throughout her career!  Enjoy!  I am very excited to announce to be partnered with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage your customers, the passes they purchase, and the classes they attend. It's the simplest, most flexible tool you'll find, and you get exactly what you n

This week on the podcast, I am joined by Selina Rose. Selina is a Registered Holistic Nutritionist, yoga teacher and author. Selina came to yoga while recovering from an eating disorder, and there was something that made her want to keep coming back. Selina’s work focuses on helping people deal with stress so they can be present, focused and productive in their personal and professional lives, and on this episode, we talk about how to manage stress through natural and holistic means, including holistic nutrition, yoga and breathwork. We talk about how how to manage our stress as yoga teachers, as well as how to help our students with managing their stress.  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage your customers, the passes they purchase, and the classes they attend. It's the simplest, most flexible tool you'll find, and you get exactly what you need without the headache. They offer three plans so you don't

This week on the podcast I am joined by Jordan Ashley who is a certifie yoga instructor and the founder of Souljourn Yoga, a non-profit that runs international retreats in developing countries with partner organizations that help support women's education. On this episode, Jordan and I talk about her passion for social activism and how she's been able to combine her love of yoga and travel with her passion for women's education. We talk about the business side of creating a charity / non-profit, as well as the impact of teaching the basics of yoga in underprivileged communities. Jordan shares about the teacher training initiative she has just started, her goals for Souljourn, and much more!  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage your customers, the passes they purchase, and the classes they attend. It's the simplest, most flexible tool you'll find, and you get exactly what you need without the headache. T

This week on the podcast I am joined by Shannon Roche. Shannon is the new CEO of Yoga Alliance and she joins the show to talk about how Yoga Alliance is working to improve standards with the goal of providing more value to yoga teachers and yoga students. Since Yoga Alliance released the news about their new standards for teacher trainings there has been some confusion and a lot of questions in the community, so I wanted to take this opportunity to ask your questions, as well as mine. Shannon and I talk about the changes coming down the pipe for Yoga Alliance, what we can expect from Yoga Alliance, what Yoga Alliance does for yoga teachers, how we can help uphold the standards in the yoga community, and more.  Enjoy! ------------ I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Punchpass! Punchpass is a booking software that lets you effortlessly manage your customers, the passes they purchase, and the classes they attend. It's the simplest, most flexible tool you'll find, and you get exactly wha

This week on the podcast I am joined by Stacy Dockins. Stacy is a yoga teacher, studio owner, retreat leader, and the author of Embodied Posture.  Stacy has always been fascinated by the science behind musculoskeletal functionality and physical and mental wellness. She has dedicated over 25 years of her life to studying the human body and teaching yoga and now leads wellness retreats in Texas, Thailand, Bali, and Costa Rica, with her husband, Dave. Stacy recently developed her first book, Embodied Posture, which empowers readers to align yoga postures to best suit one’s uniqueness. This innovative approach shows teachers and students how to critically approach postural alignment, lending practical information that can be applied immediately to the mat. In addition to co-owning Yoga Project studios with her husband, Stacy also continues to educate others in mindfulness-based meditation, breath work, and self-inquiry through courses taught on edx.org. On this episode of the podcast, Stacy shares how she has de

This week on the podcast I am very excited to be joined by Veronica Thai from the Curious Monki podcast. Veronica is not only a fellow podcast host, but also a fellow yoga teacher and Albertan! Veronica and I met a few years ago and have had the pleasure of spending time together in person, as well as doing some Desire Map coaching together.   One of the things that inspires me the most about Veronica and her business is that she does everything from a feeling perspective, rather than a thinking perspective. On this episode, we talk about her journey as a yoga teacher, starting a podcast, overcoming imposter syndrome, and how she came to run a heart centered business. Of course, she also shares business lessons that she learned along the way!  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buying cheap jewe

This week on the podcast I am joined by Jeremy Pollack. Jeremy is a psychologist/anthropologist and a leading expert in conflict resolution. His passion and mission are to help individuals and groups navigate both intrapersonal and interpersonal conflicts, and on this episode we tackle conflict resolution for yoga teachers.    We dive into how to have tough conversations as a leader / business owner, as well as how to navigate challenges with coworkers, work on communication, and tips for dealing with challenging situations on a day-to-day basis.  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buying cheap jewelry that doesn't last, and that's why I am so happy that I discovered Ana Luisa! They make pieces for everyday wear and beautiful pieces for all your events. The best part is that they are offeri

Maryam Sharifzadeh is a yoga teacher and the founder of Office Yoga. Maryam came to yoga from a fitness background, and after years of teaching both yoga and fitness, she switched to teaching only yoga. After landing a number of corporate clients and loving teaching in the corporate / office setting, she created Office Yoga! Eight years later, Office Yoga has grown a substantially, offering branded classes nationwide and training teachers to offer great yoga classes in the corporate and office setting. On this episode, Maryam shares her journey becoming a yoga teacher and a business owner, tips and best practices for getting started in a corporate and office environment, and some of the biggest business lessons she's learned throughout her career. Enjoy!   I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buyi

This week on the podcast I am joined by Caryn Gillen. Caryn is a leadership coach who works with entrepreneurs and executives, and on this episode we dive into how we can become better leaders and business owners by making powerful mindset shifts.  Caryn talks about why it's important to make positive mindset shifts both in your personal and professional life, how to start shifting your mindset, and tips for changing your business for the better (think more clients, more financial abundance!) by creating positive mindset shifts. If you've been in a rut with how you feel about your business lately, this is the perfect episode for you!  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buying cheap jewelry that doesn't last, and that's why I am so happy that I discovered Ana Luisa! They make pieces for ev

This week on the podcast I am joined by Jacqueline Fisch, otherwise known as Jacq. Jacq is an intuitive writer, strategist and writing coach. She joined me on the podcast this week to talk about creating great sales copy for your website and your offerings. One of the things I hear the most often is that sales feels icky, and Jacq is here to talk about why sales doesn't need to be icky and how to create sales copy that feels authentic and genuine to your business. We talk about strategies for writing copy, how to set up a great sales page, how to reach your target audience, why great sales copy is so important, and much more! Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buying cheap jewelry that doesn't last, and that's why I am so happy that I discovered Ana Luisa! They make pieces for everyday wear

This week on the podcast I am re-joined on the podcast by Kelly Smith from Yoga for You Online! Kelly joined me on the podcast back in January 2018 where we talked about creating a yoga experience and leading guided meditations! This time she is back to talk about how she has shifted her business over the last 2 years to a more location independent business, and tips for other yoga teachers who are interested in taking their businesses online. We also talk a lot about finding your authentic voice as a teacher, getting over imposter syndrome, finding your own way to guide your students into poses, business lessons Kelly has learned in her business, and much more! Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buying cheap jewelry that doesn't last, and that's why I am so happy that I discovered Ana Luisa

This week on the podcast I am joined by Ron Medlin from Rebel of Growth marketing. You may recognize Ron's name because he's been sponsoring the podcast for a number of months! After months of working together, we hopped on call to talk more about marketing for yoga teachers, and how yoga studios can start bringing in more clients AND retaining them. On this episode, Ron talks about what yoga studios can do to improve their marketing, how yoga studios can get more clients in the door and keep them there, marketing strategies for yoga studios and yoga teachers, and business lessons he's learned through his career.  Enjoy! I am very excited to announce a brand new partnership with Ana Luisa! Ana Luisa is a quality jewelry brand that uses recycled gold to make their products. As a yoga teacher with a new business, I haven't splurged on myself in years. I always end up buying cheap jewelry that doesn't last, and that's why I am so happy that I discovered Ana Luisa! They make pieces for everyday wear and beautifu

This week on the podcast I am joined by Kaya Mindlin. Kaya has been teaching yoga for 18 years, and on this episode she shares how she created a small, but mighty and successful, yoga business. There is so much pressure these days to build your list, do ads on social media, teach anything and everything that you are given the opportunity to do, serve everyone, give away freebies and hope that some day someone will engage with you. And this has it's place... but it's not a fit for every yoga teacher. In Kaya's business, she dug a well with a small but incredibly committed number of yoga teachers, and she's had a successful private practice of yoga therapy clients and students, yoga teachers who train with her, and a yoga studio in the Bay Area. She was the main breadwinner in her family for a chunk of those years, and on this episode she's sharing how she did and how you can too! Kaya also shares why and how she transferred her business online, what that process has taught her, and some of the biggest busines