Author: Lisé Kuecker

When we asked for requests on who our listeners would like to hear on the podcast, Giselle Mari’s name came up frequently, and the feedback was nearly all the same…

The description of a spunky and spirited woman who intuitively knows how to light your soul on fire through her radiating joy for life and yoga.

I certainly felt it within the first 20 minutes of talking with her… 20 minutes of talking, mind you, that happened before I even clicked the record button.

In addition to being a teacher trainer, retreat leader, and yoga teacher (who you may also be familiar with her through YogaGlo), Giselle is also a wife and mama.

Throughout our conversation, we touched on everything from:

• Family and children, and how introducing children, particularly young athletes, can be paramount to their development and body awareness.

• What it’s like to look out into a sea of students and understand and guide those students according to their learning style.

• How we can teach ourselves to let go and release (whether we’re walking around town or find ourselves on the mat).

We truly run the gamut in this week’s episode, but whether you’re a yoga instructor, have a dedicated practice, or have never ventured into a yoga studio, the truth Giselle speaks and the nurturing words she has for the spirit, soul, and our inner creative muses/critics are things I think every studio owner, scratch that, human, needs to hear.

So, plug in those earbuds and settle in, it’s going to be a soul journey.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How young athletes can benefit from yoga and how their practice can impact their mentality and physicality

• Why using yoga to calm and control the mind helps athletic performance

• What the benefits would be of introducing yoga to younger populations via the entry point of school sports  

• The definition of “intuitive teacher” and how Giselle articulates this concept and passes it along to the instructors she teaches

• Ideas for giving yourself the ability to let go and release

• Why it’s worth asking yourself, “Why am I living so small?”

With grit & gratitude,

Lisé

Welcome to the final piece of the “Pre-Sale Strategies to Open Profitable” series!

If you didn’t catch the first two parts, you can watch Part 1 by clicking here and Part 2 here.

In Part 2, Nikki and Myken discussed generating leads as you ramp up for opening your studio, so to close us out, they’re digging into the really fun part we all look forward to… throwing your doors open with a grand opening party!

After months of legalities, financials, and building your studio (sometimes from the ground up), there’s no doubt you need to celebrate, not just to generate sales, but for you, too.

However, it’s also critical to approach your grand opening party with the same forethought that you gave to the logistics opening your studio in the first place…

Namely, setting goals, determining a budget and plotting out how you’ll make it all come together.

You may not think of a grand opening party as a “red carpet event,” but you should because just like a wedding, you can get carried away quickly.

So, let’s make sure your grand opening fete is fun and fruitful, shall we?

In this episode you’ll learn:

• The benefits  to having your Grand Opening weeks after you open

• How long it will really take to plan the event and set your goals

• How to plan your offer(s) for your Grand Opening – but no rate dropping!

• What to consider when preparing a budget

• How to promote your event with other businesses in your community

• Using giveaways or contests for lead generation and more!

With grit + gratitude,

Lisé

I’ve chatted with other well-known Youtubers in the wellness world before, but when my clients who are Pilates studio owners repeatedly brought up Kathryn Morgan, I was surprised to see Kathryn isn’t involved in Pilates at all.

Rather, she’s a former New York City Ballet dancer who has repaved her career path in the virtual world after a devastating autoimmune disease diagnosis took her from the stage at the age of 21.

Even though she’s not a Pilates instructor, many of my clients who work with young dancers have found Kathryn’s training and tutorials to be their go-to resource for helping their clients receive thorough, knowledgeable and expert advice that ensures their safety in how they’re moving and stretching their bodies.

She shares these trainings and tutorials as well as her expert knowledge on her wildly successful YouTube channel as well as podcasts and columns that also have worldwide audiences.

Oh, and she recently founded her first scholarship foundation, too.

All that to say, she’s become a virtual sensation and has now made the screen her stage by applying the drive, discipline, and tenacity that she developed throughout her ballet career to her new career journey, and there’s quite a bit we can learn from her…

In this episode you’ll discover:

• How Kathryn’s successful online venture initially started as a hobby but turned into a powerful vehicle for relevance and storytelling
• Who to think of when creating content (often it’s someone who is several steps behind you)
• How creating content through Youtube has opened the floodgates for other opportunities
• Developing your voice as an expert based on your experience
• How developing influence online can allow you to create a more significant impact on your mission and vision

With grit & gratitude,

Lisé

We’ve got our goals outlined, budget mapped, and we’ve checked in with our state regarding pre-sale regulations, and now it’s time to do the exciting part… drumming up interest and generating leads!

( If you haven’t done those steps I mentioned above, be sure to go over and listen to Ready. Aim. Empire. Episode #191, which is Part 1 of the “Pre-Sale Strategies to Open Profitable” series, first.)

Now notice I didn’t say “it’s time to sell!”

Nope, we’re not quite there yet. Sure, you’re going to have the opportunity available for someone to buy before your doors officially open for business, and you might make some sales prior to opening, but that’s not the true goal of pre-sales.

The goal is to have a list of leads ready and waiting who know…

• What you offer and where you’ll be located
• When you’re opening
• And what they can expect as one of the first members of your studio

So, now that you know that pre-sales aren’t all about the sales (not yet, anyhow), let’s dive into Part 2 of my team’s power duo, Myken and Nikki’s Pre-Sale Strategies for Opening Profitable {And Enjoying the Process}.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why list-building is a crucial activity
• Where you need to be actively present (both online and off) to begin building relationships with potential members
• How to create a sense of urgency to get people to visit on opening day and join your studio before you officially open
• How you can begin gathering referrals from the get-go (and be sure to give Episode #43 – Referrals Done Right a listen)
• What materials you need to  have for your pre-sale events and to prep for your grand studio opening

With grit + gratitude,

Lisé