It is not easy to build your own business, but it becomes even harder when you don’t have a plan and a strategic approach. Without a clear roadmap, yoga teachers may find themselves overwhelmed by the multitude of tasks involved in running an online business. A strategic approach not only helps in setting achievable goals but also provides a framework for effectively prioritising tasks and resources. By investing time and effort into crafting a solid plan, yoga teachers can navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship with confidence and resilience.
Today I want to highlight the most common mistakes that yoga teachers make when they start their online business.
Your plan doesn't need to be complex, but it should define your niche, target audience, and how you'll reach them. Without this roadmap, it's easy to lose direction and miss opportunities for growth. Moreover, lacking a clear vision for your business can lead to inconsistency in branding and messaging, which can confuse potential customers.
Remember, a well-defined plan serves as a guiding light, aligning your actions with your long-term objectives and ensuring coherence across all aspects of your business.
The question I have for you is, ‘Do you actually know how much money you want to make on yoga?’ When you really think about it, it's not just a random number; it's a budget that aligns with your lifestyle and career aspirations. This number is a clear goal towards which you are taking or going to take strategic, and calculative actions.
Not to get you stuck on this financial plan, I’ve created an Excel planner and calculator for you; you can download it here.
Basically, it is your yoga business dashboard, a fully automated Excel form.
You just need to put certain numbers there, and it will give you a very clear analysis of where you currently stand financially; there are income and expense trackers and graphs, which again will give you a clear picture of your next actions; and there is a goal-setting button that will enable you to reach your desired monthly income.
With the goal-setting feature, you can establish clear targets for your monthly income, empowering you to track progress and make informed decisions for business growth.
Overlooking the importance of tracking key performance metrics, such as revenue, expenses, student retention rates, and class attendance. Numbers talk, and you need to learn their language. Understanding your business's financial health and performance metrics is essential for making informed decisions and driving growth. By analysing data regularly, you can identify trends, pinpoint areas for improvement, and make strategic adjustments to optimise your online yoga business.
Lacking a deep understanding of how revenue is generated and the associated costs involved in running a yoga business leads to financial instability. Without a clear grasp of revenue streams and cost structures, you may also struggle to set appropriate pricing strategies and allocate resources effectively.
I cannot emphasise this enough! Become friends with your numbers, even if they are small and you are just starting. You need to develop the habit of looking at your analytics weekly and monthly, comparing your month-to-month performance, and identifying trends, patterns, and areas for improvement.
It limits your income potential and leaves you vulnerable and dependable on one service. By offering a variety of services, such as online classes, workshops, merchandise, or membership subscriptions, you can cater to different student preferences and mitigate the risks associated with relying solely on one source of income.
Now, let me remind you of one thing: you don't need a large audience to create multiple income streams. Even if you have 5–10 students, you already have a strong chance to create multiple offers in your business (you can get more ideas in my FREE Guide "25 Ideas on How to Make $10,000 Per Month as a Yoga Teacher"). You just need to know how to play your cards right.
Moreover, embracing multiple streams of revenue fosters stability and flexibility, positioning your online yoga business for long-term success.
Setting prices too low out of fear can undermine the perceived value of their offerings and lead to financial struggles. Don't be afraid to charge what you deserve. Moreover, always consider your cost; it should not lead to less revenue.
Taking on too many classes or private sessions without considering the impact on your business in the long run. I know certain tasks are unpleasant, but if you want to be a business owner, you need to sacrifice some of your classes and create some time in your schedule for business tasks. Yes, as I said, these tasks are not fun, but this is what will grow your business and bring you success.
Assuming that teaching quality alone will attract students without actively marketing and promoting services through various channels, including social media, email marketing, and partnerships.
Effective marketing and promotion are essential for expanding your reach and attracting new students to your online yoga business. Engaging with your audience through compelling content, interactive events, and targeted advertising can help you stand out in a crowded digital landscape. By neglecting these crucial aspects, you may miss out on valuable opportunities to connect with potential students and grow your business organically.
Trust me, it gets easier when you start doing it.
Struggling to balance teaching responsibilities with administrative tasks, marketing efforts, and personal time leads to inefficiency and stress. Here is a tip: create your task list and spread these tasks across your working days.
Schedule 2-4 hours daily for it’s completion and balance well, so that you don’t get overwhelmed and tired. I teach more productivity strategies in my Yogipreneur 101 Program, an 8-week journey with live sessions designed to empower yoga teachers with the knowledge and tools to build and scale a thriving yoga business.
The world is no longer the same, and we have much more than yoga studios. Today we have YouTube channels, online yoga clubs, and online course platforms. We use Chat GPT to brainstorm ideas, Canva for visual creations, and ConvertKit for email collection. And there is more! Ensure to stay with the trend.
Stagnating in professional development and failing to invest in additional training, workshops, or certifications to enhance not only teaching skills but also business skills.
Expecting immediate success with online offerings and becoming discouraged when results take time to materialise, leading to premature abandonment of online ventures.
Don’t get frustrated; remember that if something does not work in your business, it is most likely because of certain strategies and marketing approaches; it does not mean there is something wrong with you as a professional.
Failing to maintain a cohesive brand identity and message across all marketing materials and communications can confuse and alienate potential students.
It might take time to get there, and I don’t want you to be stuck on branding too much, as it will keep changing. Start with what you have, stick with the format for a while, and see if it works for you; if it doesn’t, change it!
Don’t neglect your personal health and well-being in pursuit of building the business because it could lead to burnout. And don’t allow fear of failure to paralyse decision-making and hinder risk-taking. Be brave enough to take steps and learn from your mistakes.
Think of a small baby who is learning how to walk and keeps falling. This baby will never say, ‘Ok, I am giving up; I don’t need to walk!’; he or she will continue falling till the day he or she starts running. And one day you will shine too, trust me!
✅ Join my Yogipreneur 101 Program, an 8-week journey with live sessions designed to empower yoga teachers with the knowledge and tools to build and scale a thriving yoga business.
✅ Download a FREE Guide '25 Ideas for Reaching $10,000 Monthly as a Yoga Teacher' with automated Yoga Business Excel Planner & Calculator.
✅ Sign up for Yoga Teachers Weekly Newsletters to get secret discounts for my upcoming courses; get some inspiration and learn tips and tricks on yoga business and revenue generation.
✅ Join my Online Individual Yoga and Yoga Therapy Live Sessions for a personalized recovery plan and to elevate your practice to the next level.
✅ Practice with me on my YouTube Channel.
✅ Find me on Instagram, I'd love to chat with you!
Stay Blessed! Stay Inspired!
Namaste!
Sviatlana Y.
