You’ve fallen in love. Downward Dog, Shavasana, Crow Pose, and every inversion you have tried have changed your life. They’ve even begin to change the lives of everyone around you. How couldn’t they? This ancient practice is meant to transform our bodies and our minds. And in the midst of this transformation of your mind and body, you see the transformation possibilities in your career…could you spend your life changing the world around you for the better?
The answer is undoubtedly, yes, so long as you step into this change with a clear plan of success in mind. The passion you feel now is about ready to become a business, which means that you will suddenly have profits, employees, schedules and, most importantly, clients, first and foremost on your mind.
The greatest studios I’ve walked into understand how to balance this passion and their business, so everything can blossom. They’ve built their business on seven pillars of success and so can you.
The Seven Pillars of a Successful Yoga Studio are:
- Soulful Sales: Throw away everything you’ve ever thought about old school sales. In 2015, our sales process looks a lot less Used Car and a lot more Education. You see in a small business, you’re going to where many hats, the most important of which will be to produce revenue. We do that by selling, but my version of sales is focused on connecting my client with a service that meets their deepest needs and desires. It starts with learning what my client really wants, where they’ve been and using my education to shape their path forward. My ability to teach each client that walks through my door how they can get the results they want is sales…soulful sales that change lives and bodies for the better.
- Programming for the People: You got into this to change lives. The key to changing lives is building programs that change the lives of your Core Clients. Who are your Core Clients? Well the answer is different for every business, but Core Clients are the primary people our business serves. If your yoga studio focuses on weight loss, your Core Client will be trying to lose weight; if it’s baby yoga, your Core Client is a new parent. Once you know your Core Client, your programming will flow, because it will be created for them, with their desires and results in mind. Now, there’s always tweaks to be had, but that’s the fun of running your own studio!
- Heart Centered Operations: Every business can ultimately be judged based on the systems it follows or ignores. In the United States, 80% of small businesses will close in the first year. Why is that number so high? Most of these businesses failed to recognize that the mastery of systems from sales, to programming, to employee training matters. These can all be done with a heart centered approach…what truly matters is that they are there!
- Marketing Mastery: {Truth} Constructing a clear marketing plan matters to your business. Brand marketing has to speak to your Core Client, to their innermost desires in a voice they will recognize. And, that’s just the first step. With a clear brand, you can tackle your best marketing resources, be they virtual or traditional, with abloom. And, don’t forget. When creating your marketing plan, your greatest marketing resource is within your four walls. Nothing is more powerful than the voice of a client who has seen results and power of your practice.
- Facilities that Inspire: It generally goes without saying that an amazing yoga studio has an environment of peace, positive energy, and joy. So as you’re dreaming of your studio, ask yourself, what features do I want to have to make my clients feel amazing? This is where great facilities start. I love doing a walk through of “sister brands” that have the same vibe I treasure. What do they look like? What is the feel they have? What colors do they use? It all starts with a wide open imagination, so dream big baby!
- Finances First: As soon as you open a business for profit, your finances begin to truly matter. Do you have the resources to open this studio? By resources, I mean money that you can live on while the studio isn’t profitable in early months. What is your budget for the business opening? Is it realistic? Now is a time to introduce yourself to other small businesses in your area and find out average lease rates, electrical bills and country or parish taxes. Speak to yoga studios around the country on their start up costs so that you have a firm grasp on where you need to be to make this a success.
- Back Office Administration: I have a back office administration team that rivals the best. My accountants, bookkeeper, metrics guru and housekeepers keep me in a great place to run my business successfully. Why are these jobs so important? These time consuming jobs are crucial to your business, but they don’t produce any revenue and take you away from your clients, your purpose and your team. They are the first things I delegate in my client’s businesses and in my own. Taking these off your plate can put you back to work at changing your community one life at a time.
I can’t wait to see what you do to turn your passion into reality! Email us at hello@lisekuecker.com and share your story, connect with us on Instagram and Facebook and sign up for the Kismet Club where we share our biggest and best ideas!
