066: Online Scheduling Tool for Yoga Teachers
with Jane Crites
When Shannon began The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast she had a vision to create a safe and supportive community for yoga teachers along with great content shared on a weekly basis. Shannon didn’t have immediate plans to find a sponsor but knew that the podcast’s sponsor would have to offer services that she herself used and about which she could speak passionately. Shannon also felt strongly that she wanted the service to be relevant to yoga teachers. Schedulicity, an online booking application and scheduling tool that Shannon has used since 2011, checked all the boxes.
Through a consultation call with her business coach Natalie Eckdahl of BizChix, she was encouraged to create a plan to monetize The Connected Yoga Teacher podcast. Shannon realized that she needed to focus on marketing and sponsorship as those elements would make the longevity of the podcast possible.
Today’s guest is Schedulicity’s Jane Crites, VP of Product. Jane began working for the company in 2007. Shannon and Jane talk about Jane’s love of yoga, upcoming enhancements to their services, the power of scheduling and more.
Jane does the work that lights her up in a position that allows her to problem-solve with customers. Jane has been instrumental in putting energy towards marketing to yoga teachers and studios as well as focusing on how Schedulicity’s services can benefit yoga entrepreneurs.
Jane lives in Bozeman, Montana (also Schedulicity’s headquarters), and describes the winter landscape as a frozen tundra but she wouldn’t have it any other way. She has a variety of interests including yoga (sometimes hot yoga in the winter ☀), software development languages, has a whole foods plant-based culinary/nutrition certification and is excited to design and create a permaculture food forest in her front yard.
2:20 How Schedulicity became The Connected Yoga Teacher’s sponsor
5:00 Shannon’s journey to monetizing the podcast
7:15 About Jane Crites from Schedulicity
9:50 The origin of Schedulicity
10:10 Jane’s experience working with Schedulicity
12:25 How Schedulicity is able to offer services for free
15:00 Is Jane finding an increase of yoga teacher and studio users?
16:05 How Schedulicity can serve new yoga teachers
17:55 Upcoming plans for Schedulicity enhancements like “Fill My Class” and community-based cross-promotional opportunities
21:25 How Jane and the Schedulicity team implement customer suggestions- including Shannon’s :)
24:40 Creating your client database to help with marketing your classes
25:20 Jane’s yoga journey and interest in yoga teacher training
28:40 Other Schedulicity RockStars’ passion for yoga
29:55 Jane’s advice for those thinking of trying Schedulicity
32:15 Shannon’s key takeaways about the power of scheduling your one-on-ones and more
35:55 Exciting MamaNurture Teacher Training news!
Links
Jane’s email: jane@schedulicity.com
The Connected Teacher Facebook Group
Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube
Book a Consultation Call with Shannon
Relevant Podcast Episodes:
020: Six Online Tools for Your Yoga Business with Shannon Crow
054: Launching a Podcast and Facebook Group with Shannon Crow
BizChix Podcast: 235: How I Monetize My Podcast and Platform
BizChix Podcast: 306: 7 Ways to Monetize a Podcast
Live Podcast Interview Video with Jane Crites & Shannon
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
065: Create Your Ideal Schedule with Shannon Crow
Shannon was inspired to create an episode to answer a question she is frequently asked: How does she do it all?
Shannon is the first to say she has a packed schedule and that fitting everything in can certainly be a challenge. Over the years, working as an entrepreneur, Shannon has learned many tips and tricks and they’re always evolving to help her create and implement her ideal schedule.
There are many questions asked, tools you can use, and further reading and resources that are mentioned in today’s episode, but, don’t feel you have to take everything on. As Shannon says, pick just one thing to start; maybe something that would make the biggest impact or would be the easiest to incorporate into your life and work on that. Integrate that one thing and if you have that down you can return to this episode for another tool or resource.
In our busy world scheduling to use your time in an optimal way is quite a challenge. Remember not to be too hard on yourself- no one has this down to a science but a few tweaks in your planning might make a world of difference. We’d love to hear if you’ve tried any of these techniques or if have any of your own suggestions. What do you find works for you?
6:05 When are you working and when do you have time off? What do you want to do with your time off? What fills you up that is not work-related?
7:55 Look at that daily work schedule- when are you working, when are your breaks and when are you ending your day? Think about your ideal work week, month, and year. Where you are now vs. where are we headed.
10:10 Appointments with yourself are necessary to fuel you. When you’re scheduling time off do you stick to it? Distractions from family, other work, etc interfering? Move your appointment with yourself somewhere else on the calendar.
12:15 The best time of day for you to teach? Do you feel like you have to work when it is convenient for the studio or students? You might be surprised by the turn out when you choose your best time.
14:45 What is your ideal yoga class? 1:1 or group classes? How many classes per week? What would this look like if money wasn’t a factor?
16:10 Scheduling software- helps you clarify when you can book in classes or one-on-one appointments, your breaks, time between appointments so people can come and go without rushing
**Limited time vs. Lack of time: reframing language around your schedule so you aren’t perceiving that there is never enough time**
20:15 Money Mindset- how much do you need to teach to make ends meet? What is your hourly rate?
21:20 Time Blocking- daily, weekly, and monthly
Shannon’s Week:
MONDAY - Content Creation
TUESDAY - Yoga
WEDNESDAY - Podcast Day
THURSDAY - Consultation Calls
FRIDAY - Catch up day - podcast ready for Monday
26:00 Time blocking helps prevent Decision Fatigue
26:35 Ideally spend 15 minutes a day to wrap-up your day
Review your day - put the to-do items on your calendar that came up during the day
Mind Dump - if there is a tornado of thoughts and to-dos write them all down and see what needs to be added to your calendar
Prioritize and Plan for tomorrow - put the high priority tasks on your calendar for the next day and perhaps going further into your week or month
29:35 List things you are spending your time doing. What are the things you enjoy doing? What are the things you find yourself avoiding? It may reveal if you’re losing time doing activities that aren’t a priority.
30:40 Blocking out time for a specific task such as a workshop- you may need to block out time every day for a week for example, but the idea is that you’re putting some boundaries around the time you spend so it doesn’t get away from you
31:30 Time blocking specific to yoga teachers:
**Don’t forget to include your travel and set up time**
**Small regular drips of information are better than a flood of information, especially if your schedule is already packed **
37:00 Self-study (SVADHYAYA) to determine how you best work- Are you an introvert or extrovert? How do you best start off your work day? How does your energy tend to unfold throughout the day?
39:30 “Eat Your Frog First” and “The One Thing”- What is the one thing that needs to get done? If you’re feeling overwhelmed pick just one thing that you are going to get done today and make the goal achievable, measurable, and specific
43:50 Ask what is the one thing that will help me generate income for my yoga business at the beginning of the day or the end of the day and plan tomorrow. How much time do you need to complete this? If it seems overwhelming create micro goals in 60-90 minute blocks.
45:40 Ask if you can outsource some of your to-do list? Household chores, accounting, website graphics, etc.
47:05 Looking at your yoga business as having seasons- it’s okay to focus on one thing and put other projects on the back burner
48:30 Airport Test (created by Pat Flynn) to help look at the big picture
50:15 Set yourself up for success by cutting off distractions, time block for the distracting times eg. timer for using Facebook, and a few other recommended resources
Links
The Connected Teacher Facebook Group
Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube
Book a Consultation Call with Shannon
Relevant TCYT podcast episodes:
030: Rituals to Start and End Your Day with Puja Madan
032: Set and Achieve Big Goals with Natalie Eckdahl
TCYT Define Your Yoga Niche Course
BizChix Podcast: 288: Time Management for High Performers: How to How to Map Your Ideal Month, Ideal Week, Theme Days and Time Block
BizChix Podcast: 316: How to Summer Proof Your Business
Book: The One Thing by Gary Keller and Jay Papasan
Book: Eat That Frog: 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done by Brian Tracy
Book: Will it Fly? by Pat Flynn (includes the Airport Test)
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
064: Getting Hired by a Yoga Studio with Kristen Sweeney
Have you completed your yoga teacher training and are preparing yourself to look for employment? Shannon and Kristen Sweeney have your back with clear steps to getting hired by a yoga studio that, most importantly, is the right fit for you. It’s the best gift you can give yourself, the studio, and your students.
Kristen Sweeney remembers the first yoga class that lit her up. She was a working as a dancer in Las Vegas, Nevada and tried a Bikram Hot Yoga class. She was “sweaty, drenched, exhausted, hooked, and exhilarated.” Later, as an actor living in New York city, she found yoga to be grounding, gave her a refuge and a sense of safety at a time when her life was hectic, outward facing, and approval seeking.
Kristen reached a point in her life when she wanted to find work that felt rewarding on a daily basis. That led her to teach yoga and share her insights on her blog. Finding a strong connection between herself and yoga teachers through her posts, she wondered if there was something more to explore. Kristen niched down further to create her business Edge of the Mat and is now a business coach for yoga teachers.
On today’s episode, you will be guided through the steps to find the teaching job that is right for you. The steps will take you through a process to determine where you’d like to teach, how to approach the studio, what to expect when you audition and much more. Kristen has also kindly shared the PDF The Yogi’s Guide to Teaching at a New Studio for when you’ve landed the job. You’ve got this and we wish you all the best in finding the work that lights you up!
07:30 How Kristen’s yoga journey began
10:55 What led Kristen to write her blog Edge of the Mat and how she expanded it into a business
14:20 Was there a gradual realization or a light bulb moment that led her to clearly define her niche
16:50 Step-by-step process to approach studios
17:10 Step 1: Discern which studios you want to approach
22:35 Step 2: Approach the teacher of the class you’ve been taking and approach them with a 2 to 3 sentence ‘pitch’ or introduction including:
26:05 Step 3: Planning and Preparing for the audition
30:25 What to do if you don’t hear back from the studio
33:50 Tips and tricks for teachers auditioning
38:30 Step 4: Feedback
Step 5: Follow Up
41:05 Step 6: Yes, no or Maybe
What is the next step if you get a “thanks but no thanks”
Possible reasons:
43:30 Coming from a place of personal choice instead of a place of desperation
44:05 How you can work with Kristen
45:20 Shannon’s wrap-up and action steps
Links
Email: kristen@edgeofthemat.com
Kristen’s Website: Edge of the Mat
Edge of the Mat Facebook Group
PDF gift from Kristen: Yogi's Guide to Teaching at a New Studio
The Connected Teacher Facebook Group
Follow The Connected Teacher on Youtube
Book a Consultation Call with Shannon
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
063: Secrets of Successful Full-Time Yoga Teachers with Ashley Zuberi
Ashley Zuberi has been a full-time yoga teacher for three years and acknowledges it has been a struggle. While considering her own challenges, Ashley became curious about the struggles of her fellow teachers. Recognizing there are several variables that affect how successfully one can teach yoga full-time, Ashley created a set of questions that she could pose to other yoga teachers.
Ashley’s questionnaire was aimed at those who worked independently as a yoga teacher and earned 70% or more of their income from teaching yoga. Most of the respondents were female and living in North America though some answers came from China, Australia, and England. She wanted to get a sense from a group of teachers what it looks like to teach yoga full-time. Ashley’s hope was to uncover patterns, tips, and tricks that could be shared across the yoga community on the whole
The answers revealed much that surprised Ashley. For example, she found that 32% of the respondents are able to make a living by teaching alone, which was happily more than she expected. Ashley also discovered that the teachers worked an average 42 hours per week and that regardless of the hours spent working (between 20-80 hours per week,) most respondents felt they worked too much. Other revelations were around income, teacher burnout, mindset, (how you describe your job and market yourself, for example) and yoga community connection (or disconnection).
Ashley began her yoga journey by following a class on DVD and later attended classes at her local gym based on the recommendation of a friend. This enhanced her life in on several levels including physically, socially, and spiritually. The first yoga teacher training she attended was a 200-hour Power Vinyasa training from Jason Bowman and Derise Diatta at CorePower Yoga Boulder in 2011. Since then has expanded her knowledge by taking a variety of trainings. She loves to weave philosophy into her teaching which includes group classes, private yoga sessions, workshops, and yoga teacher trainings. In addition, she provides yoga teacher mentorship.
5:45 How Shannon structures her Consultation Calls
8:50 Ashley’s yoga journey
9:50 Ashley’s yoga teacher project - 53 logistically challenging
11:25 The difference between the yoga industry and other industry in regard to “set paths” and a measure of growth and success
13:20 Interview process and how Ashley chose her interviewees
14:25 Ashley’s key takeaways from the data collected
18:30 What yoga teachers found to be their biggest challenges
20:35 Their experience with yoga teacher burnout and anxiety around “never knowing enough”
22:30 How Ashley compiled her data
23:30 Mindset of yoga teacher influenced their answers- do you consider yourself a yoga teacher or small business owner
24:15 The reality of working for yourself
26:20 Successful yoga teachers and innovative marketing
28:20 What the interviews revealed about the marketing mindset, Ashley’s personal experience with marketing and the importance of building relationships
30:45 What Ashley took from the data and applied to her yoga business- Ashley’s decision to scale back from her online presence
Smart Passive Income vs. Smart Active Income
34:20 Responses to the question “Do you feel supported?”
39:25 How the lack of support felt within the yoga community can be addressed
41:05 The struggle to commit to a personal practice and perhaps re-defining what that means to you
43:20 What Ashley wishes yoga teachers would know after doing these interviews
44:50 Balancing family and a yoga career and how the yoga community can help support this
48:40 How to connect with Ashley
51:30 Average yoga teacher income from respondents and how the mindset for making a living as a yoga teacher is a viable option for full-time work from teaching has evolved over time
55:15 Shannon’s closing thoughts on the issues brought forward by Ashley’s report such as creating a supportive community in your area
Links
To Access the downloadable PDF “The State of Teaching Yoga Full time” click on “Download the Report” button on Ashley’s homepage
Email: ashley@ashleyjosephine.com
Article: Calling All Full Time Teachers by Ashley Zuberi
Article: The Evolution of Yoga Teaching by Ashley Zuberi
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Yoga is a practice that asks us to look at ourselves and our lives so we can choose to live in alignment with our true values. The practice offers freedom, safety, and non-judgment to do this inner work. Embarking on this path is both an individual journey as well as a journey within our community and the world.”
~Ashley Josephine Zuberi