Category: Podcast

One of my favorite things about being able to talk with entrepreneurs and experts on this show is hearing their “start stories…”

The stories that detail the initial spark and turn of events that have led these folks on to a new path and journey that has brought them to where they are today.

I can’t say I have a favorite “start story” because I think they’re all beautiful in their own unique way, even the stories that start with tragedy instead of triumph, or slumps instead of sales.

However, I can say that I think all the best start stories and the ones that “end” in the most fabulous successes are the ones that begin organically.

Such is the case with my guests on today’s episode, Jodh Dyson and Savitree Doppelt, the Co-Founders of Urban Yoga Chicago who have followed an organic growth pattern that has taken on a movement of its own.

In fact, their movement was so organic, and their “smart small” attitude so mighty, that Urban Yoga Chicago and their community didn’t even have it’s own brick-and-mortar studio until a couple of years in.

Of course, like any story worth telling, they’ve encountered bumps and roadblocks along the way. But with tenacity and my program, The Client Cure, Jodh and Savitree have made it possible to continue cultivating a thriving community of students and teachers hosted in a beautiful space that fits their unique tastes and offerings all while growing into a profitable powerhouse.

If you’re someone who likes to flip the norm on it’s head, think outside of the box, and approach navigating the road to your definition of success a little different than most, I think you’ll find Jodh and Savitree kindred spirits and love hearing their story.

Things you’ll learn in this episode:

• How Jodh and Savitree met and built Urban Yoga Chicago from the ground up

• Why they introduced kundalini yoga to the public and the strategies they used in starting their teacher training without having a brick and mortar

• What challenges and “crash and learn” lessons they went through that ultimately made them feel like they had to start over

• Why they believe there are no rules when building your business and that culture and community start from the top down

• How the Intentional Intake process and other strategies learned in The Client Cure changed the profitable success of Urban Yoga Chicago

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With Grit & Gratitude,

Lisé

We’re over the hump of the studio growth stages, out of the quicksand, and on to the stage that for me, is the stage I always look back on most fondly when reflecting on my path of building up my various studios to multiple 7-figures.

After what can sometimes be a long slog through the Build Stage, this third part, The Grow Stage, just feels so sweet…

Like you’re finally in your groove, and you’ve hit your stride. New clients are consistently coming in, and you’re regularly paying yourself. (Hallelujah!)

Now before we dig into this stage, first I want you to go back and listen to the episode on Part 1 and Part 2 of The Four Stages Every Studio Must Pass Through, if you haven’t already.

These are all foundational layers that build upon one another, so if you jump head first into Part 3 after only listening to Part 2… you still need that first layer.

Trust me, business is baby steps, and these stages will all add up in due time.

Speaking of baby steps, that is also the best way to approach Part 3, The Grow Stage.

Because as sweet as this stage may be, it also comes with its own challenges, most notably being the belief that “my clients don’t want anyone but me.”

The Grow Stage is all about leveraging your offers, leveraging not just your time, but the time of your team members, and how you’re going to build beyond yourself.

Since this stage naturally involves less of you in the day-to-day operations and more in the role of CEO, it’s natural to feel that nagging pull and voice in your head that wants to keep you “safe” in that space of being in the minutia of your studio operations.

However, after listening to this episode, we’re going to quiet that voice and get you steamrolling ahead with your systems so you can move on to that final stage of studio growth.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How to navigate understanding and stepping into your evolving role as the CEO of your studio
• What areas of your studio your focus will shift to as you continue to leverage your team members’ time
• Critical evaluation points for finding the best fit team members who will help lead alongside you as you continue to grow your business
• Tactical steps you can take to prepare both you and the business for your biggest managerial hires yet
• How to ensure your clients are happy and well-taken care of throughout the various shifts you’ll make in the Grow Stage

With Grit & Gratitude,

Lisé

 

At some point along our childhood journey, most of us heard the story of the tortoise and the hare with the big moral being “slow and steady wins the race.”

Just in case you didn’t hear the story growing up, (spoiler alert) the tortoise wins the race because he kept a steady and sustainable pace allowing him to continually move forward instead of stumble or get off track, wasting time and resources.

While I wouldn’t call my guest on today’s podcast a tortoise by any stretch of the imagination, (because she’s got stamina and a schedule that doesn’t stop), she has definitely embraced the idea of slow and steady growth…

And let me tell you, it is paying off big time.

I first met Freda through my program The Client Cure, and she was in a little bit of a different position than many of the other students I see come through the program.

She’s had marked growth, from starting her Pilates business in her home only being able to see two clients at a time to moving into a larger studio where she has brought on team members and many more clients.

So, why did she need The Client Cure?

Because Freda wasn’t just focused on her studio…

Technically, her studio was her “side hustle” to her full-time job in the federal government working at the Federal Patent and Trademarks Office.

These days, she’s just a hop, skip, and a jump away from her retirement and now has her passion-filled studio, Esenyl’s Pilates, to not only be the primary object of her professional focus but be a comfortable nest egg to provide her the freedom we all dream about when we think of retirement.

If you’ve grappled with feeling like you’re not growing at the pace you “think” you should, or you’re wondering how you can grow your studio while maintaining a full-time job, Freda’s story isn’t just inspiration, but also makes for a strong blueprint for how to find balance between your profession, passion, and purpose.

In this episode you’ll learn:

• How Freda stays focused and manages to balance both a full-time job and a full-time studio with simple daily practices and systems

• The role Freda’s mindset has played over the years as she has followed a slow and steady growth plan for her studio

• Why having a purpose rooted in other people will be the driving force on your path forward

• The struggles Freda faced when she needed to increase her prices and how she was able to overcome it victoriously

• How Freda primarily advertises her studio and what she has found works best for her and her ideal clients

With Grit & Gratitude,

Lisé

Welcome to Part Two of our 4-week series, “The Four Stages of Studio Growth.”

Last week I talked about the first phase of business ownership, “The Wonder Phase,” where you’re dreaming and scheming, and all is fantastic.

You’ve got your sights set on the entrepreneurial dream and life of freedom and you. are. determined!

If you didn’t get a chance to catch that episode, click here to head over and give it a listen because all these stages build upon and flow together.

So, now on to Part Two, which is where we’re moving from dream state to reality in what I call “The Build Stage…”

And this stage, I hate to say, can feel a lot like quicksand.

It pulls you in fast, can drain your energy, and bog you down, keeping you stuck…

But not if you know the proper steps for clawing your way up and out, and let’s face it, we want to get out of this stage and on to the Freedom stage, right?

I know I did!

With the five steps that I outline in this episode, you’ll be able to move through this stage relatively quickly (compared to the many business owners who can get stuck in this stage for years) that way you’re efficiently moving onward toward that lifestyle of freedom you’re craving.

These steps will help you effectively make your way over the biggest obstacles you have the potential to face in business simply because you’ll have built a clear trajectory for moving forward.

Alright, let’s get building!

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why it’s critical to be able to note the difference between “urgent” and “important” when managing your tasks in the Build Stage.

• How to categorize your tasks using the four-quadrant urgent/important matrix and identify areas that can be delegated.

• The percentage of services and products in your business that should provide recurring revenue and how a recurring revenue model has the potential to grow your business exponentially.

• Sales benchmarks you need to know to when evaluating the sales effectiveness of your services and products.

• Why content is king and how to produce a content marketing plan with the topics and frequency that your audience wants to engage with.

References and Recommendations:

Your Profitable Studio Growth Book

Episode #148: Meet Annie Trotta, Owner of Surya Yoga, and Hear How She Took Her Studio From Crickets to Doubled Revenue With a Go-To Marketing Plan

Revenue Remedy

The 100K Email Template

With Grit & Gratitude,

Lisé