The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 125: How to Get Unstuck with Shira Gura
Description:
Do you encounter a feeling of being stuck, as a business owner, or even in your own personal life? You feel like you can’t move forward, you can’t make a decision, and you may even have students who come to your yoga classes to help them get unstuck. Shira Gura, an expert in helping people get unstuck, has just the tools to help you and your students.
Shira Taylor Gura is the creator of The S.T.U.C.K. Method®, author of Getting unSTUCK: Five Simple Steps to Emotional Well-Being, host of the Getting Unstuck podcast, and creator of Consideration Cards. Shira’s own journey in feeling stuck in different areas of her life helped her discover tools to use to help herself and others.
With her five-step S.T.U.C.K Method, Shira coaches Shannon through some areas in her business that she has been feeling stuck. They discuss what it means to be stuck, why people often fall into the same areas of “stuck-ness” in their lives, and why it’s so important to take time to do this work on yourself.
This is such an informative episode with valuable tips and actions you can take immediately to get unstuck in your business or relationships, and to help others in your life get unstuck with things they’re struggling with. Tune in to the end to find out more about Shira’s special giveaway too!
Key Takeaways:
[5:40] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shira Gura
[7:26] Where did Shira's yoga journey begin?
[9:57] How did Shira get started becoming a STUCK coach and educator?
[15:39] Shira used to blog every week about where she was feeling stuck. She shares one of her more popular stories that really resonated with her audience.
[19:34] How can you figure out if you're stuck?
[20:35] Shira talks through an example of where a yoga teacher might get stuck, and how they can use her method to get un-stuck.
[24:06] Shira coaches Shannon with her stuck-ness around starting her new venture, Pelvic Health Professionals.
[32:45] What are some tools Shira recommends to help you feel your emotions instead of avoiding them?
[34:51] Ask yourself 'what are the beliefs that are creating that emotion?', and how can you flip that belief?
[42:43] The last step in the method is to wrap up with self compassion.
[44:21] Shannon and Shira recap the S.T.U.C.K method.
[51:39] Get in touch with Shira via her website, and do check out her podcast and book too.
[52:10] Shira leaves us with some final thoughts.
[54:09] Shira has a special giveaway!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I was basically trying to use mindfulness to help me get out of the stuck spots, but ... I found mindfulness wasn't enough."
"I recognized that this tool was something for anyone and everyone who felt stuck in their lives and needed a tool to help them out."
"If you're doubtful, if you're not sure if you're stuck or not, you probably are."
"Every emotion that you have, that is being created by a thought. Because thoughts create emotions."
"Those stuck spots, the recurring ones, will stay in your life forever until you learn the lesson you're supposed to learn from it."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 124: Enneagram for Yoga Entrepreneurs with Sarajane Case
Description:
How much does your personality type influence how you share yoga and run your business? What traits or qualities might your students display, depending on their personality type, and how does that influence their experience of yoga? Sarajane Case is an Enneagram expert, and she shares just how you can harness the power of your personality to influence your business and life.
Sarajane Case is the founder of Enneagram & Coffee, where she works with people through online courses, in-person workshops and business masterminds. She uses the Enneagram as a tool for self-exploration, expression & entrepreneurship, and helps people build and nurture their relationships with themselves.
Learning our personality type is a great way to come to a compassionate understanding of who we are. Sarajane explains more about the Enneagram assessment, and the distinguishing characteristics of the different personality types. She also has some tips on how you can harness your personality characteristics in your own yoga business. Sarajane also recounts the experience of having her Instagram account go viral and why she focuses on Instagram as her main platform to reach her audience.
Whether you’ve always been curious about personality types and how they influence your work and business, or if you’ve heard about the Enneagram assessment and are interested to find out more about it, this episode is sure to be a good listen.
Key Takeaways:
[3:36] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Sarajane Case.
[5:27] Who is Sarajane and what does she do? She also shares a profound moment she experienced in her first yoga class.
[8:13] What is the Enneagram and what got Sarajane interested in looking at it?
[10:15] Sarajane shares a lot of small nuggets of information on her Instagram account, because all the information about your personality can be quite overwhelming.
[11:33] How can you go about finding out what type you are?
[12:54] Sarajane explains how people can see themselves as different types, and what that could mean.
[15:25] What are some of the main distinguishing characteristics of each personality type?
[19:56] How do people who have taken the Enneagram try to change certain aspects of their personality?
[21:41] How can the Enneagram help us as business owners and entrepreneurs?
[25:30] What type are yoga teachers most likely to be? What are their superpowers, and how might they feel out of balance in their businesses?
[28:50] Sarajane highly recommends for business owners who are growing their team to have their team members take the Enneagram to find complementary strengths.
[29:37] Sarajane already had a strong following on Instagram. When she started Enneagram & Coffee, it blew up. What caused that?
[34:44] What are some of the things that have helped Sarajane build her personal Instagram account?
[36:15] Sarajane's business is mainly on Instagram.
[37:14] What are some resources business owners can tap into to learn more about the Enneagram?
[39:06] What are some of Sarajane's final thoughts on the Enneagram?
[41:29] Have you taken the Enneagram, or are you thinking about taking it? We'd love to hear from you!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Everything about [the Enneagram] is internal. It's your motivations, it's your basic fears, it's your coping mechanisms."
"What the Enneagram shows us is that we're all just trying our best with what we have and what we've been given."
"I am very cautious with the Enneagram to express it in a way that is all about acceptance, and self-acceptance, and self-compassion."
"I think that I definitely lead with how can I benefit the people who are here. If you've agreed to follow me, I want to make sure that I'm leaving you better than you found me."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 123: Habits for Health & Business with James Clear
Description:
How do you cultivate good habits that improve your life, and break bad habits that hold you back? On this episode, James Clear, author of Atomic Habits, reveals more about why habits are so crucial to your success and how to create, change and break habits that impact your business and life.
Apart from being a New York Times-bestselling author, James is the creator of Habits Academy, and international speaker. He combines ideas from a wide range of disciplines to create self-improvement tips for habits, decision-making, and continuous improvement, all based on proven scientific research.
James dives into the nitty-gritty of everything to do with habits - how they are formed, why they have such a huge impact on your health and business, and his tried-and-tested strategies for making small changes that will transform your habits and deliver remarkable results. He also shares hacks to help you reduce your social media usage and stop procrastination!
If you’ve been wanting to make your own yoga practice a habit, or if you need help creating routines to run your business better, this episode is full of tips that you can put into practice immediately.
Key Takeaways:
[5:57] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - James Clear.
[7:09] When did James' work with habits begin?
[8:43] What is a habit?
[12:59] Shannon and James discuss an example of how to create a habit that comes before a ritual or practice.
[00:15:14] Do habits need to happen at the same time every day, and do they need to be a daily practice?
[18:16] How can you hold on to your habits when you are traveling and the context is entirely different? Habit stacking can help!
[21:13] James gets a lot of website traffic and book sales around the New Year as people use their momentum of the fresh start to try to change their habits. What is his advice for people who want to change everything, and get overwhelmed?
[25:41] How does James approach failing to build habits or falling away from a practice?
[29:12] Perfectionism or wanting your habit to be perfect can kill your progress. James has some strategies to get past that, and how that ties in to identity-based habits.
[35:03] How can yoga teachers build habits in their businesses, particularly in areas like accounting or marketing?
[40:55] What kind of goals does James help people achieve?
[42:58] What are James' tips for people who tend to procrastinate?
[48:14] Shannon and James discuss rewards as a way to build habits, and if that could potentially turn into something negative.
[52:20] What can help people focus in the age of social media, email and constant distractions?
[57:53] Check out James' work and his book, Atomic Habits, at his websites.
[58:26] What is a habit James is struggling with right now?
[59:44] Shannon's biggest takeaway from this interview is the idea of casting a vote for who you are as a person through your actions. What's yours?
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Time is just one element of context, and so habits are linked to a particular context."
"One reason why people sometimes struggle to build a new habit is that they're trying to build a new habit in their old environment."
"It's almost never the first mistake that ruins you. It's the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows from that."
"Every action you take is a vote for the kind of person you want to become."
"Just knowing your numbers gives you confidence in your ability to run the business side of it."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 122: Productivity for Yoga Teachers with Amber De La Garza
Description:
Are you struggling with productivity and finding enough time to do all the things? On this episode, Amber De La Garza, The Productivity Specialist, shares strategies to help you become more productive and achieve your business goals.
Amber is a sought-after coach, trainer, speaker, writer, and host of the Productivity Straight Talk podcast. She helps driven entrepreneurs execute actionable solutions to maximize profits, reduce stress, and make time for what matters most.
There seem to be an endless number of tasks that we have to do to run our yoga businesses, and not enough time. Amber reveals the four buckets of highly productive activities we should be focusing our time on, and some strategies that you can put into action right now.
Whether you’ve been feeling stressed and overwhelmed by the number of tasks you have to do to run your business, or you want to improve your productivity to give yourself more time to do the things that you love - Amber has just the tips, strategies and advice you need.
Key Takeaways:
[4:14] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Amber De La Garza.
[6:28] How did Amber get into the industry of productivity?
[10:47] Shannon and Amber discuss how she found her niche as the productivity specialist.
[12:08] What is productivity?
[14:03] Amber shares an example of how she incorporates productivity in her personal life.
[16:25] Amber breaks down the differences between productivity, organization and efficiency.
[21:02] Money mindset - how can yoga teachers not feel guilty about charging for their services?
[24:53] In your business, one of the four buckets highly productive activities is marketing and visibility.
[30:36] The second bucket is sales. Amber explains why making the ask is so important, and some examples of how to do it.
[38:21] The third bucket is servicing the client, but remember that it doesn't stand alone!
[41:25] Bucket #4 is leadership. Amber reveals how this ties back to buckets 1, 2 and 3.
[43:52] How much time should you be dedicating to each bucket of activities?
[44:54] Amber dives into some visibility activities she does in her own business.
[48:18] What's the best way to deal with other activities like answering emails and doing financials that aren't part of the highly productive activities buckets?
[52:01] Hiring out administrative work and activities that are not in your zone of genius is a great way to increase your productivity.
[57:40] Check out Amber's podcast and her website to find out more about her strategies for improving productivity!
[59:23] Shannon shares her own takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I'm so busy working in my business, I have no time to work on my business."
"[Productivity] is a skill set that can be learned. And as long as you feel like you can learn something new, this can be something learned to help you in your personal and business life."
"[Productivity is] investing your best time into your best activities."
"At the end of the day, your business is not a business if it's not making money."
"Organization is not the same as productivity, and neither is efficiency."
"Not knowing that something is going to work 100% isn't a reason to not take action."
"The key to have this consistent revenue is to be consistent in all three of these buckets."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 121: Yoga for Pelvic Health with Shannon Crow
Description:
Why is yoga such an amazing gift for pelvic health? How does knowing this information and using it change the way we practice and teach yoga? In this episode, Shannon shares more about one of her favorite topics yoga for pelvic health.
Shannon reveals her own personal experiences of going through three pregnancies and births with no idea about pelvic health, and how finding out more about the topic ignited her passion in the topic. She talks more about the four key elements of yoga for pelvic health - breath, alignment, movement and information - and why yoga makes such a difference.
After learning more about pelvic health, Shannon started to incorporate some of the things she learned into her own yoga practice, and how she shared yoga with her students. She walks us through some simple examples you can practice, try out and share with your yoga students.
If you’ve been wondering about how to improve your pelvic health in some way or have students who have approached you with questions or concerns relating to pelvic health, this episode has some great information that will change the way you practice and share yoga.
Key Takeaways:
[4:14] Where did Shannon's passion for pelvic health begin?
[7:13] Shannon shares her first experience of meeting a pelvic floor physiotherapist.
[10:30] What are the four key elements of yoga for pelvic health?
[11:15] Element 1: Breath - How does breath relate to pelvic health?
[14:23] Element 2: Alignment - Focus on the yoga student in front of you and their unique needs.
[17:16] Element 3: Movement - Movement is a key element in our overall yoga practice, and also in pelvic health.
[19:41] Element 4: Information - Internal information is just as important as external information sources.
[23:10] Shannon explains how to apply these four elements to Bridge.
[28:49] Shannon shares more about rib cage breath vs belly breathing.
[30:53] Shannon no longer cues mula bandha / core engagement / pelvic floor engagement in her classes. Why?
[35:26] Share your thoughts and questions about these practices with Shannon, and check out her new offering around pelvic health!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"In the three pregnancies and births that I had, no one talked to me about pelvic health. I didn't even know about my pelvic floor."
"The four elements to yoga for pelvic health, and why yoga is such a great tool to use for pelvic health, ... are breath, alignment, movement, and information."
"There is this amazing information that comes from internal, and this is where we provide the space as yoga teachers for students to come to an awareness of what's going on in their body and their mind."
"There is never a time anymore where I am working with a group class and telling them all to engage their pelvic floor."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 120: Teach Private Yoga Online with Yael Oppenheim
Description:
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to teach yoga online, live, in a virtual class via video chat with a student? We’re all using technology in a variety of ways in our yoga businesses, but Yael Oppenheim is taking teaching yoga to a whole new platform.
Yael Oppenheim is the founder of FitMyTime, a marketplace for remote personal fitness and yoga classes, founded in 2018. She was inspired to create FitMyTime when she realized there were no options available for people who wanted to work out from home with the guidance of a personal trainer or instructor. Since its launch last year, over 150 instructors have signed up, and the platform continues to grow.
Virtual yoga or fitness classes may seem unusual, but it definitely caters to a need in the marketplace for both students and teachers. Yael explains more about the platform, the business model, and some of the challenges as well as the benefits of using FitMyTime for both teachers and students.
If you’re thinking about expanding your offerings to include teaching online, or if you’re just curious about what it will feel like to share yoga from behind a screen, this episode is going to be an eye-opener.
Key Takeaways:
[3:07] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Yael Oppenheim.
[4:27] Where did Yael's yoga journey begin?
[5:45] What does Yael do now and who does she do it for?
[6:53] What is the platform, FitMyTime?
[7:42] How do teachers and students connect with each other virtually?
[10:49] What motivated Yael to start FitMyTime?
[15:02] Yael shares some of the challenges yoga teachers, fitness instructors and yoga studios face, as well as her own initial experience taking lessons online.
[20:14] How has the FitMyTime platform grown?
[21:10] How can yoga teachers apply to teach on this platform?
[23:00] Students also have the opportunity to try out different teachers on the platform.
[25:03] How do the payments work on this platform?
[26:34] Shannon and Yael discuss waiver forms, insurance for teaching online, and scheduling details of FitMyTime.
[29:47] How many students are on the platform?
[32:21] How has it been for Yael growing her business?
[36:01] Check out the platform on the website FitMyTime.
[36:39] Shannon and Yael discuss the different groups of people who might be interested in working out with personal trainers online.
[39:16] Shannon shares some of her key takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"FitMyTime is a platform, a marketplace, that connects yoga instructors and fitness trainers with trainees, with students from around the world for the purpose of an online, live yoga classes or fitness workouts."
"The platform enables people ... [to] find instructors for different kinds of workout types."
"One of the things that I learned is that the connection between the teacher and students, not only in yoga but in general, is really reliant on the chemistry between two people."
"It's a great way to find teachers on one hand, and on the other hand, it's a great way for teachers to expand their work opportunities."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
119: Travel and Teach Yoga with Eva Hamilton
Description:
Have you dreamed of teaching yoga while you travel?? How can you create a feasible yoga business teaching yoga while traveling? If these questions have ever crossed your mind, Eva Hamilton is just the yoga entrepreneur you need to hear from.
Eva’s first yoga teacher training was in 2008, and since then she has completed multiple courses and trainings in yin yoga, restorative yoga, Thai yoga massage, and much more. She previously owned and operated a yoga studio in Canada, but in the past two years, Eva has traveled to several countries offering yoga teacher trainings, specialized yoga workshops, yoga retreats, online yoga classes and more. Her own practice is grounded in transforming feelings of anxiety into freedom, and she strives to help others to do the same in her classes.
Teaching yoga while traveling the world sounds glamorous and amazing, but it comes with its own set of challenges. Eva opens up about her own struggles with anxiety, and how she found her way to a path of teaching yoga while traveling. Shannon and Eva also discuss the practical aspects of moving abroad to teach yoga - finances, visa requirement, contracts and more, as well as what it’s like to teach yoga online.
If you’ve been wondering how to incorporate more travel into your yoga teaching career, or want to learn more about connecting with nomadic yoga teachers to bring what they have to offer to your yoga studio, this episode will be a real treat.
Key Takeaways:
[3:13] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Eva Hamilton.
[5:27] Where did Eva's yoga journey begin?
[8:42] How did Eva move from her realization that she had high anxiety and that yoga was helping, to wanting to travel the world?
[10:56] Where did Eva travel, and how did she deal with moments of high anxiety?
[13:03] In 2018, Eva traveled and taught in 5 countries. What were some of the things she learned along the way?
[15:00] Eva reveals more about the financial aspects of teaching yoga while traveling.
[18:35] Shannon and Eva discuss her transition into a more traveling path.
[19:56] What is Eva's advice for yoga teachers who want to become traveling yoga teachers?
[21:42] If you're considering moving abroad to teach yoga, it may be most beneficial to talk to a yoga teacher who is already teaching there to find out more.
[23:25] Eva shares more about her life in Thailand as a yoga teacher.
[25:32] What does Eva's average week look like?
[29:21] Do you feel like you're running away from something, or do you feel like you're running toward something?
[30:29] Making new connections has opened up new opportunities for Eva.
[33:32] Eva and Shannon dive into some of her challenges in teaching online.
[35:44] Eva shares some of her thoughts around competition in the yoga space.
[38:09] Get in touch with Eva via her website or on social media to find out more about her work.
[39:46] Share your questions in our Facebook group or in the comments!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I think I really made a strong connection to the practice in my first Savasana."
"I think a lot of people make the assumption because I was young that I was really attached to yoga as a physical practice, but for me it was always much more to do with this bridge between the mind and the emotions."
"I really believe yoga is not an answer in and of itself, but when we partner it with other forms of care, it can be extremely successful."
"A job letter is great, but get a contract before you uproot your life."
"It's a certain amount of stepping beyond the fear, trusting my intuition, but also do the work and the research and figure out what's going to make sense for you."
"Do you feel like you're running away from something, or do you feel like you're running toward something?"
"To me, what's the most meaningful part of teaching yoga is that human connection."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
Ep 118: Planning a Yoga Conference with Allison Rissel
Description:
If you’ve ever attended a yoga conference, you can imagine how much time, money and effort goes into it. But how do you get started planning, marketing and executing such an event? What are some do’s and don’ts of planning a yoga conference? Allison Rissel, joins Shannon on this episode to dive into the nitty gritty of planning a yoga conference.
Allison became a yoga teacher in 2006, and uses her master’s degree in Exercise Science alongside her extensive anatomy and biomechanics training to work with a variety of clients. However, her passion lies in training yoga teachers to create their own yoga communities. She does this by offering yoga teacher trainings and a range of services to help yoga teachers bring their yoga conference dreams to life.
On this episode, Allison reveals all the things that go on behind-the-scenes in planning and executing a yoga conference. From the schedule of events at the conference, to marketing strategies to promote and advertise the conference, to hard lessons learned along the way - Allison shares all her insight and experience.
Whether you’re contemplating planning a yoga conference, or want to know how to become a vendor or teacher to make new connections within the yoga community and expand your reach, this interview is full of actionable tips you can put to use immediately.
Key Takeaways:
[3:40] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Allison Rissel
[5:10] What does Allison do, and who does she serve?
[8:18] What in Allison's background enabled her to feel empowered to create her first yoga conference?
[9:53] When did Allison host the first North Dakota Yoga Conference? How did it turn out?
[11:30] How long did it take for Allison to plan for the event? How long did she advertise the event?
[13:17] How many teachers did Allison have sharing at the conference? What was the schedule like for the conference?
[15:12] Who were the attendees at the yoga conference?
[16:32] What has Allison learned along the way?
[19:29] What did Allison change or implement in her business after her consultation call with Shannon?
[23:58] Allison breaks down some of the numbers from her conferences.
[25:26] How does Allison ensure that 75% of the conference participants have signed up by the end of the Early Bird promotion?
[27:30] Shannon and Allison discuss Bismarck, North Dakota.
[29:27] What does Allison's preparation look like the week before the conference?
[33:37] What is Allison doing during the conference?
[35:36] How does Allison theme her conference?
[37:52] Allison explains more about how she attracts teachers, vendors and participants to her conference.
[39:30] How did Allison manage to turn a profit in the first year of running the conference?
[42:08] Allison shares how the conference acts as the top of her funnel.
[43:25] Find out more about Allison's yoga conference in 2019 by visiting her website.
[45:58] Share a conference you love, or any questions you have for Allison!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I saw the impact that yoga had, and that yoga teacher trainings were having in the towns I was at, and it was incredible, and I really wanted to spread that across the whole state."
"I saw the impact that yoga and yoga teacher trainings were having in the towns I visited. It was incredible and I really wanted to spread that across the whole state." (revised Sam)
"I don't know if it's something I could have done by myself, but having two other team mates really helped motivate me and really helped bring this whole dream to reality."
"The biggest thing I wish I would have known beforehand is how much time and money is really involved."
"I want to make other teachers feel really empowered and start their own businesses."
"No matter how well you plan, that week before, something's going to go wrong and there's going to be a lot of work to do."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
116: Pain Language with Shelly Prosko (Part 2)
Description:
How important is communication and language when working with yoga students, especially those who are dealing with persistent (chronic) pain? The answer is - extremely. We don't want our yoga students to become fearful of movement, or trigger a pain response with our cues or tone.This episode is a continuation of the conversation from last week with Shelly Prosko on the topic of pain language in yoga.
Shelly is a physiotherapist, yoga therapist, author, international speaker and educator with over 20 years of experience in the field. She is also a Pain Care Yoga Trainer, and works to expand knowledge and education on topics surrounding persistent (chronic) pain, pelvic health, compassion and professional burnout. She is currently co-authoring the textbook, Yoga and Science in Pain Care: Treating the Person in Pain.
On the previous episode, Shelly shared cues that empower our yoga students instead of using cues that instill fear of movement. This week, Shannon and Shelly discuss the importance of self-compassion and the language we can use around that, as well as
how we can make yoga "safe" - both by creating safe spaces and through the use of our language. Shelly shares more about the topics covered in her upcoming book, and why alignment is so important as a part of yoga.
This conversation is such an eye-opener and will surely provide you with a new perspective on language, how we communicate with cues in a yoga class, and how it all ties in to the way we serve our yoga students who are dealing with persistent pain.
Key Takeaways:
[3:50] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shelly Prosko.
[4:35] Shelly shares more about the idea of having self-compassion and the language around that.
[6:21] What is an example of how someone might practice self-compassion?
[11:27] As a yoga teacher, you want to help people find their own luxurious experience.
[17:32] What is Shelly's book about?
[20:36] What is "safe" yoga, and how can we achieve it?
[27:19] Shelly breaks down the different aspects of language that we should be mindful of.
[31:49] Shelly speaks more about the power of intention and visualization.
[35:11] Shelly briefly touches on the topic of alignment in yoga.
[43:08] Find out more about Shelly via her website, social media and YouTube.
[44:11] Join the conversation by leaving a comment or joining our Live Q&A call.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I just would like to encourage people if they're interested to learn more about self-compassion and the language surrounding that, and then that will help you cue."
"As a yoga teacher, you want to help people find their own luxurious experience."
"The big question is well, how do you create a safe space? We talk about that a lot but how do you do it?"
"Let's cue alignment, but let's cue it to give [the students] a variable experience.”
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
116: Pain Language with Shelly Prosko (Part 1)
Description:
When people turn to yoga in search of healing, they often carry with them a lot of pain. As yoga teachers, it can be challenging and frustrating to know which words to choose when communicating with our students and giving cues, particularly for those who are dealing with persistent (chronic) pain. In part one of this two-part interview, Shelly Prosko joins Shannon to talk about this topic in a way that makes it playful and fun.
Shelly is a physiotherapist, yoga therapist, author, international speaker and educator with over 20 years of experience in the field. She is also a Pain Care Yoga Trainer, and works to expand knowledge and education on topics surrounding persistent (chronic) pain, pelvic health, compassion and professional burnout. She is currently co-authoring the textbook, Yoga and Science in Pain Care: Treating the Person in Pain.
Shannon and Shelly discuss the concepts of pain and some of the science behind pain (hint: it’s not a ‘thing’, it’s a phenomenon and an experience!). When guiding a yoga class, some words we use innocently may either be empowering or triggering - Shelly shares more about some words to avoid, and her suggestions for alternatives.
This episode is full of Shelly’s tips and strategies for being more aware of language when guiding a yoga class. Whether you’re teaching a trauma-informed yoga class or just want to be more conscious of how your language can trigger and alleviate pain responses, you’re sure to learn something you can apply to your own classes right away.
Key Takeaways:
[4:43] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shelly Prosko.
[5:36] What got Shelly interested in the topic of pain language?
[9:58] Shelly explains the connotations of 'chronic' pain vs 'persistent' pain.
[13:09] It's important to have self compassion and not get too caught up or stressed about always choosing the right words.
[15:39] What do the terms 'neuroplasticity' and 'bioplasticity' mean?
[19:03] When people get overwhelmed with language, they shut down - that's why it's important to keep conversations about language playful and exploratory.
[21:16] How can language turn someone around from their negative pain story into sometime more empowering? Shelly shares an example.
[25:23] How does Shelly approach changing the language used around pain - through explanations, or a gradual shift in language?
[29:27] What are some of Shelly's cue considerations around pain language?
[34:31] Shelly shares some alternatives that she prefers to use in giving cues.
[43:23] What are some other "dos-and-don'ts" when it comes to communicating in your yoga class?
[48:51] What is your main takeaway from this interview? Share your thoughts!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"For people in pain, that have been suffering from persistent pain or chronic pain for a long time, there can be certain changes in the brain and the nervous system that makes the nervous system more hypervigilant, ... or more sensitive."
"We have to also respect the lived experience of pain, meaning what are people in pain saying?"
"Our whole being potentially has the capacity for change."
"Pain is the output of the human."
"The output of the brain is the pain experience, and pain is not a thing. It's a phenomenon, it's an experience."
"With the giving the permission, just be cognizant about are we creating an environment that gives people the sense of safety, confidence and the courage."
"You don't have to tell people what to do or what they should be doing. You're just providing this experience, you're more their guide."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
115: The Polyvagal Theory and Yoga with Dr. Ginger Garner
Description:
We all know that communication and language are important in a yoga class. But it’s not just about giving instructions and guidance about breathing or poses - it’s also how we communicate. The timber and volume of our voices, music or chanting in the class, even certain words, can have an effect on other people, but also ourselves, and it creates an internal response for both parties. This is all part of the polyvagal theory, and Dr. Ginger Garner joins Shannon on this episode to explain how this theory can influence how we teach, communicate and hold space as yoga teachers.
Dr. Garner is a trained doctor of physical therapy, licensed athletic trainer, professional yoga therapist, published author, and renowned educator. She strongly believes that health and healthcare should be approached holistically, and founded the Professional Yoga Therapy Institute®, the first yoga therapy certification for healthcare providers in the world.
The polyvagal theory, the wandering nerve, the use of sound, music, cues and communication in a yoga class, chronic pain - Shannon and Dr. Garner dive deep into these topics and more. Dr. Garner shares examples from her multi-decade career about the use of polyvagal theory in treating chronic pain, and highlights some tools yoga teachers can put into practice in their own classes.
Whether you want to improve how you communicate with your yoga students, or be more aware of the impact and influence something as simple as your voice could be having on your yoga classes, this episode is full of great information.
Key Takeaways:
[2:56] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Dr. Ginger Garner
[4:17] What got Dr. Garner into yoga, and what was her first experience with yoga like?
[6:49] What is the main work that Dr. Garner does?
[9:14] What is the polyvagal theory?
[15:33] The polyvagal theory involves the vagus nerve, which Dr. Garner calls the wandering nerve. Why is it called that?
[21:28] How does polyvagal theory apply to how yoga teachers cue and communicate in a class?
[24:00] What does it look like when yoga teachers are trying to create that safe space?
[27:14] In what way can yoga teachers use sound in their classes to affect vagal tone?
[28:39] Shannon and Dr. Garner discuss eustress and distress and some examples.
[30:56] Dr. Garner explains how sounding would play out in a yoga class.
[33:26] What could be therapeutic for someone may be disassociating for someone else. Dr. Garner highlights some examples of this.
[37:43] What does breathwork have to do with the nervous system?
[43:19] Shannon shares an anecdote about her student who was suffering from chronic pain.
[44:06] People can get stuck in a circle of chronic pain, and then turn to yoga as a means of breaking that cycle.
[46:08] What are some tools that Dr. Garner suggests to overcome negative pattern?
[55:15] Why do we forget to breathe in a way that helps us?
[1:01:25] Shannon and Dr. Garner discuss the importance of integration of fields of study for more effective treatment.
[1:03:53] Find out more about Dr. Garner and the work she does by visiting her websites - links below.
[1:06:27] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"How I use yoga, how I use polyvagal theory, how it all comes together is to create a safe space for people who are in a lot of pain."
"When I'm teaching yoga teachers or I'm teaching healthcare providers to use yoga, ... I want them to be able to create a therapeutic landscape that is conducive to creating safety for that person."
"Sound can be a trigger, but it also can be a eustress, a positive stressor."
"Using sound as therapy and music as medicine is in its infancy still."
"Our biomedical system is quite broken."
"[Yoga] alone doesn't fix it, and [surgery] alone doesn't fix it, but together, it will. It can."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
114: Compassion Fatigue with Diane Liska
Description:
As yoga teachers, we come across people who come to yoga in search of healing, and we help to guide their experience and help them in their healing process. But this can take a toll on us, and lead to burnout and compassion fatigue over time. Diane Liska has some strategies for how best to develop resilience to compassion fatigue and evolve in our own professional practice as healers.
Diane is a Registered Psychotherapist with over 10 years of experience in the mental health field, specializing in the areas of trauma, attachment and neuroscience. She became a Certified Yoga Teacher in 2015, and now focuses on combining her expertise in the two fields to help her clients navigate personal challenges and connect with their inner resources to cultivate wholeness, resiliency and a strong body-mind connection.
In yoga-informed psychotherapy, Diane uses yoga and other somatic or body-based therapy practices to weave into her work of psychotherapy. She shares more about the differences between burnout and compassion fatigue, and some of the symptoms to look out for. Based on her experience, Diane suggests some exercises and strategies that increase resilience against compassion fatigue, and some tools you can use to overcome it.
If you’ve ever experienced times when you fall away from your own personal practice, or if you’re looking for tips on how to avoid compassion fatigue, this episode will give you the tools to build resilience against and overcome compassion fatigue.
Key Takeaways:
[3:15] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Diane Liska.
[5:13] Which came first for Diane, psychotherapy or her yoga journey?
[6:25] Why do we suffer from perfectionism?
[8:40] What propelled Diane forward in her yoga-psychotherapy journey to where she is now?
[10:17] What does Diane do?
[11:21] What kind of clients does Diane work with?
[11:47] What is compassion fatigue, and how is it related to burnout?
[16:04] Shannon shares a personal anecdote of working with victim of trauma.
[18:11] Diane briefly explains polyvagal theory.
[22:33] What are the symptoms of compassion fatigue?
[26:00] Diane shares some of her recommendations on how to prevent compassion fatigue.
[31:50] Diane gives an example of what co-regulation would look like when working with a client.
[32:38] Diane touches on the concept of compartmentalizing, and why it's not an effective method.
[35:49] Another suggestion to combat compassion fatigue is to maintain your own personal practice.
[38:11] Responsible healing that can also protect against compassion fatigue comprises of two aspects: self care and self awareness.
[40:55] Shannon and Diane talk about the scope of practice as yoga teachers, and how compassion fatigue factors into that.
[42:48] How many roles of care are you taking on? That plays a part in compassion fatigue as well.
[45:43] What are some other tools that can be helpful?
[48:38] What are some things that are not helpful if you are suffering from compassion fatigue?
[51:10] When is it important to reach out outside of ourselves for help?
[54:23] Get in touch with Diane via her website to learn more about her work and to work with her.
[55:51] Shannon highlights her biggest takeaways from this interview with Diane.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I found yoga really helpful for me at that time to address and help soothe some of my perfectionistic tendencies."
"I find that burnout and compassion fatigue very often get lumped together, and they're actually different. They can co-exist at the same time, but they are different."
"Compassion fatigue is different [from burnout] in that it's actually a form of trauma."
"As healers, we are holding space for and bearing witness to a lot of pain."
"Compassion fatigue is a result of healthy working physiology in the body."
"Serving ... is supporting an individual to fill their own needs and to heal themselves."
"We need to have this dual awareness of both of our experiences at the same time, to combat against compassion fatigue."
"The beauty of the nervous system is that it's extremely resilient."
"Connection is medicine."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
113: Pinterest to Promote Your Yoga with Kate Ahl
Description:
How important is Pinterest to your yoga business? If you’re like some of our yoga teachers, a significant portion of your website traffic may be coming from Pinterest - but it’s not the same as other social media platforms like Instagram or Facebook. That’s why we have Kate Ahl of Simple Pin to share more about how you can use Pinterest to promote your yoga business.
Kate Ahl is the Owner and Founder of Simple Pin Media, a Pinterest management company that helps business owners manage their Pinterest accounts and presence so they can focus on running their business. She also hosts the Simple Pin Podcast, where she shares useful actionable tips and strategies that can help you DIY your Pinterest marketing.
Shannon and Kate dissect how often to pin, what kind of content to pin, and even the kinds of images and fonts to us. She also answers some of Shannon’s questions around personal vs business accounts and resharing pins to other social media platforms. Kate also reveals why Pinterest functions as a powerful search engine, and why it’s such a great platform to tap into new markets.
If you’ve been wanting to create more awareness for your yoga business, or have been wondering how to connect with people across different generations, Pinterest may be your answer - and this episode is just what you need to dive right in.
Key Takeaways:
[2:24] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Kate Ahl.
[3:36] What does Kate do and how did she get started in this business?
[5:09] Pinterest is not so much of a social platform like Instagram or Facebook, but it's more of a search engine. Kate explains what this means.
[7:40] What is Kate's suggestion for the workflow on Pinterest?
[9:34] Is there a ratio of your own pins to someone else's pins?
[11:20] Kate breaks down the idea of pinning daily on Pinterest, and some tips on pinnable images.
[14:47] How much text is too much text?
[18:30] Kate comments on the practice of creating 10 pins for a particular piece of content.
[19:21] What is Kate's advice for people who want to pin images that are not from your article? She walks us through an example.
[21:47] What are Kate's thoughts on re-sharing pins to Instagram and Facebook?
[23:49] What are Kate's tips for the beginner who wants to use Pinterest to grow their yoga business?
[27:40] When it comes to websites and Pinterest, should you be creating images on your website with Pinterest in mind?
[30:27] If you are into DIY and want to learn more about Pinterest marketing, check out Kate's podcast, Simple Pin Podcast.
[31:10] What are some things to consider before hiring out your Pinterest marketing?
[32:20] What is Kate's intake process for taking on new clients, depending on where they are in their Pinterest journey?
[35:06] What are Kate's packages priced at?
[37:02] Shannon and Kate discuss what the different generations are using Pinterest for.
[39:23] Kate leaves us with some final thoughts about Pinterest.
[41:25] Shannon shares the actions she's taking as a result of this interview with Kate. Share your Pinterest strategy with Shannon in the comments.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"We often refer to Pinterest as a search-and-discovery platform, and the joke is that it's the introvert's platform."
"You're building awareness of your company through your knowledge, through your articles that you're writing."
"If somebody comes to your Pinterest page or profile, do they understand who you are and what you represent?"
"You want to see your Pinterest boards as a curated resource for your audience."
"Consistency is best."
"I think the biggest problem when we're doing Pinterest images and we're not graphically-inclined, is we spend hours overthinking it."
"Just jump in with both feet, play around, and don't overthink it."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
112: Niche Down to Market Your Yoga with Amanda McKinney
Description:
Picking a niche is something that can be scary to a lot of us. Particularly as yoga teachers who believe that yoga is for everyone and that we can help everybody, we feel that picking a niche excludes people we want to help. But have you ever thought that specializing is the best way for you to bring yoga to more people? Amanda McKinney is a Marketing Coach for Yoga Teachers, and on this episode, she explains exactly why niching down is the best way to market your yoga.
Amanda provides online courses and group coaching to help yoga teachers market themselves authentically, so that they can earn a living sharing yoga with others, without the burn out that comes with catering to everyone. She has some great information on why it’s so important for you to specialize, and some practical strategies to help you discover your niche.
In this episode (which was also a Live Q&A session!) Amanda tackles difficult questions from yoga teachers, like how to decide which topics to blog about, and how much time you need to market a yoga retreat. She also offers advice on dealing with mindset issues around niching down, and some tips on marketing yourself as a yoga teacher.
Whether you’ve been a yoga teacher for years, or are just starting out on your yoga entrepreneurship journey - Amanda’s insights and tips on niching down and marketing are sure to help you in your business. Tune in to also find out more about the 3-day content challenge and joint group coaching by Amanda and Shannon!
Key Takeaways:
[2:43] Shannon introduces her guest - Amanda McKinney.
[3:35] Who does Amanda work with, and what is the work that she does?
[4:41] Amanda explains the story behind why her website focuses on yoga teachers as business owners.
[7:33] Why do yoga teachers need a niche?
[9:03] Amanda shares her journey of how and why she niched down in her own business.
[9:43] How specific does a yoga niche need to be?
[11:47] What are some of the roadblocks that stop people from niching down?
[14:39] Having a specific niche helps people give you referrals.
[16:50] How can you discover your yoga niche?
[19:30] Listener question from Valeria: How do you identify the topics that clients want to hear about if you host a yoga-focused blog?
[25:20] Listener question from Sue: If I'm marketing a retreat in September, how soon do I start putting the info out there to market it? How early is too early?
[29:32] What does marketing mean as a yoga teacher?
[35:50] What do you do if you can't decide between two or more really good niche ideas? How do you pick?
[37:52] How can yoga teachers combat the feeling of 'Who am I to do this?' when picking their niche?
[40:56] What is Amanda's advice for yoga teachers who feel like they need to be ready or perfect before they start on their business journey?
[44:26] Listener question from Kristen: I'm having a hard time describing trauma-informed yoga in a way that makes sense to other people.
[47:59] How long does it take to develop or find a niche?
[52:05] What's Amanda's response to people who say that niching down has been a challenge?
[55:10] What is the work that Amanda is really excited about right now?
[58:34] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this episode.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"So many yoga teachers are not told and informed, they are a business owner once they graduate with their Yoga Teacher Training Certificate!"
"I will have walked the path that my clients and students walk, which I think is the best way to get to know your target audience."
"Yoga is for everyone, and that actually makes the point of niching down more important."
"As soon as you narrow down and focus on one particular thing, it takes away that competition."
"For every $500 that the retreat is, you need 90-days lead time."
"Knowing that there is no other one like you out there, that you will attract the people who will learn best from you."
"The more you can say it, the clearer it's going to be."
"Knowing what you don't like is just as important as knowing what you like."
"Attracting the right person to work with you is important, but repelling the others is just as important."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
111: Teaching Children's Yoga with Shakta Khalsa
Description:
Have you ever shared yoga with children? If you have, you might have realized that teaching yoga to adults, and sharing yoga with a room full of children are completely different. Shakta Khalsa is a leading expert on children and yoga, and on this episode the “fairy godmother” of children’s yoga shares tips and strategies for teaching children’s yoga more effectively.
Shakta is the Founder and Director of Radiant Child® Yoga, an internationally-known training program for teaching children’s yoga and working with children consciously. She is a parent, Montessori educator and a yoga professional recognized by Yoga Journal magazine as one of the top five Kundalini Yoga teachers in the world. She has also authored multiple books, and produced albums and award-winning DVDs
On this episode Shakta shares her journey to yoga through Kundalini yoga, and explains how that formed the basis for her to start sharing yoga with children. She explains the differences between teaching yoga to adults vs children, as well as her unique strategies and tips for working with children. She reveals the inspiration behind some of her books, shares tips on how you can go about writing your own book, and talks about her own challenges in running and scaling a yoga business.
If you are involved in children’s yoga in any form or fashion, or if you need some tips on running and scaling a yoga business, or if you need inspiration to write a book, you will surely get lots of great nuggets of wisdom from this interview with Shakta.
Key Takeaways:
[3:47] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shakta Khalsa.
[5:55] Shakta shares the experience of her first yoga class in 1972.
[7:39] Who was Shakta's first Kundalini yoga teacher?
[9:11] What was Shakta's journey of becoming a yoga teacher?
[11:52] What did Shakta's friends and family think when she went down the path of being a yoga teacher?
[13:51] Shakta was also a Montessori teacher. She explains how she realized she should be sharing yoga with children.
[18:31] Shannon and Shakta discuss how to share yoga with children - what works with adults, doesn't work with children!
[19:42] What is the basis for the book Fly like a Butterfly?
[22:45] Shakta explains how she uses yoga to control the class when sharing children's yoga.
[24:48] How does relaxation in a children’s yoga class, for example, look different from the adult Savasana?
[27:18] What made Shakta think that children can begin yoga?
[30:08] When children go through a phase of resisting yoga, Shakta has a set of yoga warrior cards she uses.
[31:44] What are some of Shakta's biggest tips for teaching children's yoga?
[35:08] What are some things to consider when deciding which children's yoga teacher training to take?
[38:23] Shakta teaches a 200-hour Radiant Child Family. She explains more about the course.
[40:45] What is Shakta's advice for someone who is struggling with mindset issues around treating yoga as a business?
[45:17] What has Shakta learned about marketing and scaling up her yoga business?
[50:41] What helps Shakta to write a book?
[57:42] Learn more about Shakta's work and check out her training sessions on her website.
[58:36] Leave a comment to stand a chance to win Shakta's book or the Yoga Warrior Cards.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I don't know any paths of yoga that had a formal teacher training like that. It was basically you lived your yoga."
"The yoga that [the child] had been doing for those five years, that that yoga was the crowning glory of her Montessori time."
"For [the children], it's just fun. But they're using all the yoga tools."
"We use the yoga to control the class."
"You can try to stop a rushing river, but you aren't going to stop the rushing river very easily, so why not go with the flow of it?"
"How do you playfully, and still honoring the child's desire to move their bodies and be joyful, how do you take that enthusiasm and then organize it and we do that all through the yoga."
"When you start early, [yoga meditation] is just as normal as brushing your teeth every morning. It just becomes normal."
"It's important to have form to it, structure and form, and then bring in the fun element as well."
"Inspiration, information - those two things together make a really good book."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
110: Create a Yoga Proposal Package with Lisa Zaehringer
Description:
If you’ve ever wanted to share or promote a unique yoga class or workshop, I’m sure you have wondered how best to convey your offering to the yoga studio owner, or even where to begin in reaching out to studios. Lisa Zaehringer, after having to go through this process every 2-3 years, shares more about what goes into the yoga proposal packages she sends to yoga studios, as well as her 7-step process for reaching out to studios.
Lisa is a Yoga Alliance registered yoga teacher, whose work as a yoga teacher complements her profession as a mental health counselor. In her yoga business, she supports mothers of all ages as they reconnect with themselves, reclaim rest, and practice compassionate self-discovery. Her unique workshops and courses include the Sacred Motherhood Restorative Practice, Sacred Baby 8 Week Course, and Sacred Pregnancy Weekend Retreat.
As part of her transient military lifestyle, Lisa was having to move every few years, and she had to find an authentic, creative way to be able to approach yoga studios in her new hometowns where she had zero credibility - a yoga proposal package. She explains the different elements that make up the package, and also reveals step-by-step, how she reaches out to studios.
Whether you’re wanting to create a yoga proposal package to get some clarity about your yoga niche, or you just want to be prepared to take advantage of any new opportunities that may arise, this episode is full of great tips you’ll be able to use.
Key Takeaways:
[3:34] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Lisa Zaehringer.
[4:39] What is Lisa's background, and what is the work that she does now?
[5:18] What prompted Lisa to develop her mini-retreat for mothers, Sacred Motherhood Restorative Practice?
[8:09] Shannon and Lisa discuss how she found her purpose in her motherhood journey.
[9:29] What does Lisa's workshop look like?
[11:49] What motivated Lisa to create her yoga proposal package?
[13:25] Lisa shares more about the challenge she faced in getting yoga studios to understand her unique offering.
[14:11] What is in the package that Lisa provides? The first element is the Proposal.
[16:43] The second piece is the suggested schedule and themes.
[18:03] The third document Lisa includes in her package is a personalized flyer.
[18:59] The next item in the package is the Sequence of Events.
[19:40] Where does Lisa get the images for her package?
[20:55] The last piece of the package is A Gift of Gratitude.
[22:06] Where does Lisa begin to approach a yoga studio? She walks us through the 7-stage process.
[27:32] If multiple places accept Lisa's offering, does she then have to choose between them?
[29:40] What stands out is that throughout this process, Lisa is the one who is choosing, and she has been able to do this because of her clarity in her niche.
[31:27] Lisa shares some of her struggles around marketing her yoga offering.
[33:42] What are Mama Projects?
[37:03] Lisa has some final words of wisdom about creating packages for your yoga offering.
[40:47] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I believe that that's where connection happens - when vulnerability is met with compassion."
"I wanted to find an authentic, creative way to be able to approach yoga studios in the new hometown where I had zero credibility."
"There's some doubt and fear that bubbles up each time [I approach a yoga studio], like, is anybody going to get this? Is this going to make sense to anybody?"
"[It's] just those little things that say I really care about the time you're putting into reading this."
"Where ever this is meant to happen, is where it's going to happen."
"The universe is always conspiring in our favor."
"I felt like it's a mutual interview, so I'm interviewing [the yoga studios] as much as they're interviewing me."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
109: Attracting Clients with Your Message with Eman Zabi
Description:
Your business is about you, but does your branding and website copy reflect who you are as a yoga teacher, and showcase your unique personality and voice? Eman helps business owners “put the personality back in your business” and she has some tips for you to get started doing the same.
Eman is the founder of The Scribesmith, and she puts her background in Political Science, Econometrics and Neuromarketing to good use in her business. She works with clients from the outdoor, fitness and wellness industry to help them create copy that makes their businesses sound human, capture the essence of the person behind the business, and stand out from the hundreds of other similar offerings.
Particularly in the yoga industry, the human aspect is so important, because a lot of times, our students work with us because they like us, and our style and our personality.
That’s why personality-driven copy on our websites is so important. Eman shares why it’s so important to share your story, what your brand is as a yoga teacher, and some tips for how to capture your unique voice and convert it into copy.
If you're feeling like your website reads like a robot wrote it, or if your branding and copy just don't stand out among hundreds of other yoga business owners out there, you are going to love this episode.
Key Takeaways:
[3:22] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Eman Zabi.
[5:03] Where did Eman get started with her journey of copywriting, particularly for wellness businesses?
[7:27] Has Eman ever encountered a situation where she thought that she should pivot away from working with businesses in this space?
[9:20] What benefits has Eman seen in businesses when they niche down and speak to a specific audience? Eman explains more about the Return on Investment (ROI) of branding and differentiation.
[12:38] What does "brand" actually mean for yoga teachers or yoga studios?
[13:24] Eman shares some tips on how to connect with your brand.
[16:00] How can you start to dig in and showcase more of who you are?
[17:34] How much is too much when it comes to sharing?
[19:17] What are Eman's thoughts on how to choose a name for your business?
[20:53] Listener question from Pili Bailey: How can I share my story while weaving together yoga and aromatherapy?
[22:25] What helped Eman along the way to develop her homepage? How can yoga teachers and yoga studio owners apply that to their own homepages?
[25:52] Shannon and Eman discuss the call-to-action on your website, and how this ties in with a sales funnel.
[28:10] What is Eman's advice to yoga teachers who haven't found their niche?
[30:57] How can you own your story and share who you are without feeling embarrassed?
[34:21] Eman shares more about an email marketing campaign that really made an impact.
[36:56] How does Eman create amazing subject lines? She also dives into what makes a great email with some examples.
[44:19] How can you deal with people who unsubscribe from your email list?
[45:12] Eman leaves us with some final tips on how to dig into your own voice in your copy.
[46:44] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from her interview with Eman, and leaves you with some homework!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"It just made sense to be writing about a space that was such a big part of my life."
"The yoga studios here, particularly, I found that they really have to find really unique ways of telling their stories - they need to stand out."
"As a yoga studio owner, if you invest in your branding and in your story, you're using that to differentiate yourself."
"Just bringing a part of yourself to the table and using that to connect with others - it's one of the easiest and most effective ways of standing out."
"We like to work with people we like, and you cannot like people don't know."
"How much you share comes down to who your audience is, and it comes down to knowing your audience."
"As a business owner, you have the luxury of being able to pivot your business when you feel like it isn't working."
"If I put myself out there, I'm able to reach more people. And if I'm able to reach more people, I'm able to help more people."
"Email marketing, I think, is the most underutilized tool in the fitness industry."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
108: Inclusive Language for Prenatal Yoga with Shannon Crow
Description:
How can we use inclusive language in a fertility, prenatal or postnatal yoga class so that our students feel heard, seen, accepted and welcome? This episode is a mini-training on how we as yoga teachers can make our classes more accessible and inviting through the words that we use.
Inclusive language is not something a lot of us think about or consider when we are teaching yoga. However, it is an important part of creating welcoming spaces where our students feel accepted and safe. This can be particularly complicated in a prenatal, postnatal, fertility, or baby & me yoga class.
On this episode, Shannon shares more about the different aspects to consider when it comes to inclusive language. Starting with your core values and beliefs, to your promotion and marketing materials (yes, even the images!), to the language you use during the class - Shannon dives headfirst into the kinds of inclusive language you can use in your classes, with tips, examples and templates for you to tap into.
Whether you’re trying to be more mindful of the language that you use to create a safe space for your students, or you’re wondering how to keep up with the times and include different students in their birth journey, this episode will give you plenty to think about.
Key Takeaways:
[3:57] Shannon almost backed away from doing this episode - she shares why it was so difficult for her.
[5:15] This episode is all about inclusive language.
[5:47] Inclusive language begins with your core beliefs and values. Shannon has an exercise - the "I Believe List" - for you to try out.
[9:29] Your core values and beliefs get communicated through all your promotional and marketing materials, not just through language but through your images as well.
[11:08] Getting to know your students helps you use appropriate and inclusive language. Shannon recommends a waiver form and suggests some of the topics to ask about to better understand your students.
[14:51] The next part of using inclusive language for prenatal yoga ties in with the "Welcome and What to Expect" portion of the class. Shannon shares an example that she might use to welcome students in a prenatal yoga class.
[22:15] In class with your students, what is the inclusive language that you can use?
[22:47] The first two categories of inclusive language have to do with acknowledging and including baby, and on the flip side, acknowledging self and space for the pregnant student. Shannon has some examples of how you might cue this in your class.
[25:39] In your prenatal yoga class, choose empowering and encouraging language.
[26:55] It's important for us as yoga teachers to learn the medical language, and then to choose what you don't want to use.
[28:14] Get comfortable talking about pelvic anatomy and different conditions that the prenatal yoga student may have.
[28:48] Part of inclusive language in a prenatal yoga class is using gender-neutral language.
[34:20] Another important part of inclusive prenatal yoga classes is being inclusive of all family dynamics, beliefs and choices.
[35:35] Shannon touches on the topic of postnatal and parenthood inclusive language.
[38:38] Birth circles are a time for new parents to share their birth story, with no judgment.
[39:53] Shannon leaves us with some final thoughts about this topic.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Inclusive language starts before you are standing in front of a room full of yoga students. I believe it begins with your core beliefs or values."
"Be gentle with yourself as we go through this inclusive language and just know that we're all learning."
"We get to make a choice around what language we use."
"As I'm talking about this with you today, if you feel some resistance come up, figure out where is that coming from."
"I want to keep up with the times on this one, so that my yoga students don’t feel excluded or discriminated against."
"The more we actually know someone's story, the less we're just reacting to what we're used to, to our "normal" in society."
"We don't have to have the same choices, we just need to stay neutral on this, as the person who's holding space."
"What is the intention of the inclusive language?"
"If I can make someone feel welcome, heard, seen, accepted in my yoga class, it is totally worth it."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
107: Launch & Promote Your Yoga Offering with Abby Herman
Description:
Do you struggle with putting out content that connects you to your yoga students? Have you gotten overwhelmed about promoting your yoga offering - not knowing where to start, which platform to choose, or even what to say? Abby Herman is just the expert you need to hear from about all things content-related.
Abby is the founder of Write Solutions and is a content strategist who helps her clients to get their message out to their audience, in their own voice, and on their own terms. She specializes in working with service-based businesses and helps small business owners generate ideas and strategies to move their businesses forward with content that attracts the right clients.
You have something unique to share with the world, but if people don’t know about you, they can’t work with you. That’s why content is so important - it helps you connect to your ideal yoga student, and attracts them to you. Abby talks about finding your zone of genius, brainstorming, how to use content across different platforms, and what it really takes to make a successful launch.
If you’ve been wanting to start promoting your yoga offering more consistently, or if you find yourself getting stuck in creating meaningful and relevant content for your audience - this is the episode for you. Listen to the end of the episode to find out how you can stand a chance to win a live 1:1 content planning session with Abby!
Key Takeaways:
[2:43] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Abby Herman.
[5:28] What has Abby's experience with yoga been?
[6:27] What does Abby do and who does she do it for?
[6:50] What does 'launching' mean?
[7:54] How much time do you need to lead up to a launch?
[10:33] It is possible to launch a program or course with a tight turnaround, as long as you are nurturing your audience on a regular basis before that.
[12:07] What should you be saying in emails that nurture your audience? How can you brainstorm content ideas to engage with and remain connected to your audience?
[15:46] How does Abby generate content in her own business?
[20:30] How many umbrella topics should you have in your Excel spreadsheet?
[23:11] How long does it take to brainstorm ideas? Abby shares some tips about things to do, and things to avoid.
[26:55] Abby shares her thoughts about repurposing and reusing content across different platforms.
[35:20] Is it important to focus on platforms that you are uncomfortable or unfamiliar with?
[36:35] What is the best way to map all your content ideas out onto a calendar?
[42:25] It's important to link to other content in emails, but can you ever be adding in too many links to different content?
[46:21] What's the best time to send emails? How often?
[48:08] To find out more about Abby and the work that she does, get in touch via her website.
[48:42] Shannon highlights her biggest takeaways from this interview with Abby.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Launching means you are putting something out there ... to your audience and it's a way to really narrowly focus your audience's attention on one thing that you want them to buy."
"People have to hear things like 7, 8, 9 times in order for it to really register."
"Whether it's a free event or not, you still want to get a commitment because once they say 'yes, I'll be there', they're much more likely to actually show up."
"The more you can expand that experience for your clients, the better, and the more willing they will be to buy the thing."
"Think about content in themes, and then it's a lot easier to then take those themes and plug in different ideas for a blog, for an email you send out to your audience, for social media posts."
"When you have too many, your message gets watered down, and so people don't really know what to come to you for. They don't really know what you're an expert in."
"Sometimes we're so close to our own content and our own ideas that we don't really know what other people need to know."
"What I recommend doing is creating content that is complementary but not the same."
"Think about where you can show up the best for your audience, and how you can promote that."
"Think about that any time you're creating any content at all - what do you want them to do, or what do you want them to know, or what's the call to action at the end."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
106: Defining My Yoga Business Niche with Shannon Crow
Description:
What’s your yoga business niche? Do you share your yoga with everyone, or are you focusing in on your zone of genius? Even though she has been in the yoga industry for 13 years, Shannon still struggles with defining her yoga business niche. On this episode, she shares her own process that helped her figure out where to take her yoga business.
As Shannon started planning her content for 2019, and looking forward into how she wanted to grow her yoga business in the new year, she kept feeling stuck with some content planning. She shares the strategies that she uses in her content creation process - what worked, and what didn’t work. (Hint: If you’re having trouble with content, some of these methods will help!)
The result of all her planning and reflection was the realization that she needed to niche down in her yoga business once again. Shannon talks about her struggle with accepting and admitting that her focus in her yoga business had shifted from where she started out, and why niching down is a process that never ends.
If you’ve been feeling burned out from teaching too many different yoga classes or are feeling stuck in the work that you’re doing - it may be time for you to look into defining your yoga business niche, and this episode has just the insights you need to get you started.
Key Takeaways:
[:28] This episode is about a challenge Shannon has been facing in her yoga business
[3:17] Next week's episode with Abby Herman is all about content, and there's an amazing prize giveaway too!
[5:37] Please leave a review if you're enjoying this content!
[8:54] It's so much easier for Shannon to share the work she does with yoga and yoga business owners when she is connected to herself, her yoga practice and her community.
[10:23] Shannon shares more about how she hit a point of struggle in her yoga business just before 2019.
[14:55] Taking away the guilt from the process can help you move away from what's keeping you stuck, and into areas that you thrive
[17:00] Reflecting back on your work can help you see clearly where you are struggling in your business.
[18:47] Shannon shares how she does her content brainstorming - Start with the main content topic, then map out subtopics.
[20:56] Shannon loves to map out three things when it comes to content - the channel she's releasing the content, the release date, and when she's creating that content. Why is this so important?
[23:07] How is all of this related to defining your yoga niche?
[25:58] Shannon talks through her struggles around Mama Nurture, and how she resolved them.
[31:56] Niching down is work that never ends.
[32:55] Shannon shares a personal anecdote about her journey with niching down.
[35:22] Check out the ways you can work with Shannon at The Connected Yoga Teacher website.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"What's the secret to podcasting? It's simply 'Just keep going'."
"There have been times in my yoga career where it really does feel like very difficult work. And that's when I know I'm kind of fighting against where I'm actually supposed to be going."
"You pick the channel where you really like to connect to your audience."
"You do not have to make a content plan that would make sense to someone else."
"Stick to one piece of content that you really love to do, that's your one main channel. And then add on as you want to, or as it works in. Don't try to do it all at once."
"My content struggle is that I do not feel rooted in the 'now' with prenatal yoga."
"I believe that each and every yoga teacher has a unique and amazing gift to offer to the world that no one else can."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
105: Insurance for Yoga Teachers with Beth McVeigh
Description:
As a yoga teacher or yoga studio owner, do you have insurance that protects you if a lawsuit arises? How much coverage is enough? Beth McVeigh, a specialist in liability insurance for yoga instructors and yoga studio owners, joins Shannon in the last episode of the 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to shed light on the topic of insurance.
Beth McVeigh is the Manager of the Commercial Lines Complementary Health Department at Lackner McLennan Insurance, the largest provider of insurance to yoga instructors and yoga teachers in Canada. They specialize in liability insurance, cover a wide range of yoga modalities, and have 25 years of experience serving the yoga community.
Protecting yourself financially is just as important as serving your audience and catering to their needs. That’s where insurance comes in, but it can be confusing! Beth answers questions relating to the amount of coverage needed, waiver forms, the requirements to apply for insurance and much more. She also has some tips on how best to protect your yoga business and yourself from potential lawsuits that may come up years later.
Whether you’re wondering if you need insurance for your business, or if you’re looking to improve your coverage, after this episode, you’ll definitely have a better understanding of the kinds of insurance you need and should have.
Key Takeaways:
[3:47] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Beth McVeigh.
[5:21] What is Beth's role as Manager of the Commercial Lines Complementary Health Department at Lackner McLennan, and how is it relevant to yoga teachers?
[8:00] Beth shares more about how she got into the yoga space in the insurance world.
[10:03] How much insurance do yoga teachers really need?
[11:54] Shannon and Beth discuss waiver forms - do yoga teachers need them, and how do they work?
[17:36] How soon after completing their training should a new yoga teacher get an insurance policy into place?
[18:31] What do yoga teachers need to get insurance?
[18:59] Do yoga teachers need to be part of a larger organization in order to be insured?
[19:25] What else should new teachers be aware of when it comes to getting insurance?
[20:07] There are three main types of yoga business owners - the yoga teacher, the yoga studio owner, and the traveling yoga teacher. Beth explains the different types of policies available to cater to them.
[23:56] Shannon shares her experience with insurance coverage and teaching yoga in her home.
[25:58] Beth and Shannon clarify some other questions related to renting studio spaces, traveling abroad, event cancellation and disability insurance.
[29:54] What's the difference between an occurrence-based policy and a claims-based policy?
[32:44] What are some other aspects for yoga teachers to consider in order to better protect themselves?
[36:09] Whose responsibility is it in a situation where the teacher has done his / her due diligence and given appropriate instructions, but the student doesn't heed them and gets injured as a result?
[38:48] Beth shares more about the prices and coverage for some of the policies for yoga teachers.
[40:49] Shannon and Beth discuss some instances and examples of scenarios that could take place that might give rise to a claim.
[43:00] Does the scope of practice of yoga teachers play in at all with insurance?
[46:26] There has been a lot of discussion in the yoga world around touch. Beth shares her perspectives on the topic.
[49:30] For yoga teachers in Canada who are looking for insurance or need more information, check out the Lackner McLennan website.
[50:49] What are Beth's thoughts on sharing yoga online?
[53:48] How does insurance change if you are a yoga therapist or if you're certified with the Yoga Therapy Association?
[55:07] Shannon shares her key takeaway - it's important to take a look at your own insurance and make sure it covers you for everything you need.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"We've tried to make insurance as fun and painless as possible because nobody likes to have to purchase insurance."
"Unfortunately, in the world that we live in today, people do sue."
"When it comes down to a claim, and you are drawn into a lawsuit, the more detail you have, the more you have written down and the more that you can show, the more the chances are that you're going to be exempted from it."
"We know that a lot of claims will come about years from the time of the incident."
"It doesn't matter how small the class is, or if you're only teaching part-time, you're still exposing yourself, so you still need to make sure that you're fully covered."
"If you're doing any sort of specialty yoga, then we would definitely have to put in a bigger policy in place."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
104: Legal Answers for Your Yoga Business with Saerin Ally Cho
Description:
Should your yoga business be an LLC? Do you need to trademark your business name? What kind of permits and licenses do you need to legally run your yoga business? Saerin Ally Cho, founder of Love Light Law joins Shannon in the fourth episode of the 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to talk about all things legal.
Saerin is a lawyer and yoga teacher, who combined her love for the two disciplines into her company, Love Light Law. Her mission is to help yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs do what they love and share their light by protecting their businesses with the law on their side.
On this episode, Saerin and Shannon tackle some of the confusing and complicated (but extremely important!) legal aspects of running a yoga business. From the type of business entity you should have, to legal responsibility for your students - they discuss it all.
If you’ve ever struggled with figuring out taxes or wondered about your liability as a yoga instructor, or even just needed help with the practical aspects of legally establishing and managing your business, this is a must listen.
Key Takeaways:
[2:15] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Saerin Ally Cho.
[5:00] Saerin is a lawyer and a yoga teacher. Which came first in her journey? How did motherhood lead her to become a yoga teacher?
[7:00] Should yoga teachers have an LLC? Saerin explains more about what that means, and the different business entities that are available as options for yoga teachers.
[11:52] Shannon's business is a sole proprietorship. Saerin explains what that means from a tax and legal standpoint.
[13:51] How does Saerin determine if someone should start an LLC? She illustrates with a few examples of people at different points in their lives and careers.
[16:56] What are some tips and tricks for determining what your business name should be? What are some of the considerations when it comes to choosing a name for your business?
[20:21] Shannon and Saerin discuss some of the trademarking issues that come up in the yoga space.
[21:08] If you're in the US, you can "obtain an EIN from the IRS". Saerin explains what that means.
[24:34] Getting legit with required licenses and permits. Saerin talks through some of the paperwork you may need to run your yoga business - be careful, this varies according to local laws!
[26:41] Shannon and Saerin delve a little deeper into what legal requirements there are when it comes to teaching in a public space or in your home.
[29:56] Hands-on assists can be a bit of a tricky situation in yoga classes. Find out what's allowed in your jurisdiction, as this may differ!
[31:47] If a student openly disregards the teacher's instructions and then suffers some sort of injury, whose legal responsibility is it?
[33:03] What is an example of gross negligence?
[34:34] How much information should you get about the student on your intake and waiver forms?
[38:22] Do get your free download of Saerin's checklist to ensure that the different aspects of your yoga business are considered.
[40:43] Get in touch with Saerin via her website.
[42:00] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from her interview with Saerin. Do you have any other legal questions? Leave a comment!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I took a good look at what I enjoyed doing before I became a mother, and decided to dive deep into that, and that was yoga."
"Coming into a business, and yoga is definitely a business even if you're teaching part-time or full-time, you're going to think about what is the right legal entity structure best for me."
"The legal entity structure, in general, creates a wall between your personal assets and liabilities on one side, and professional assets and liabilities on the other."
"A yoga teacher coming out of a yoga teacher training 200 might not have legally the same level of standard duty of care that's the same as someone who's been teaching for 20 years and is a yoga therapist."
"When you look at it from a legal standpoint, you look at all the facts. Who are these people, and what should they have known?"
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
103: Hiring and Nurturing Your Team with Shelli Warren
Description:
Do you have a team supporting you in your business? Are you thinking about hiring, because some parts of your business seem just too overwhelming? Do you need help in hiring, building, and nurturing your team? Shelli Warren, Team and Leadership Coach, joins Shannon in the third episode of the 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to share more about what it takes to build a successful team as you grow your business.
As the Chief People Officer at BizChix, host of the Stacking Your Team podcast, and leadership and team-building expert, Shelli draws on her years of corporate experience to help business owners grow their teams alongside their businesses.
You can’t grow a business without a strong team to support you. But when is the right time to start hiring, and who do you hire? How do you ensure your employees are happy? Shelli shares her expertise about the process of hiring - from knowing which position to hire for and creating a compelling job description, to how to find and hire employees who are the right fit for your organization. She also gives tips on cultivating a strong team, and speaks to the importance of team meetings.
Whether you’re thinking about hiring your first team member, or you have a team supporting you in your business, this episode has lots of insights into leadership and team building that are sure to make an impact on your business.
Key Takeaways:
[6:00] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Shelli Warren.
[9:23] What is the first step you should take when you think you need to hire someone in your business?
[15:20] It important to come to center and get grounded, rather than staying too long in your own head space, before making any decisions about your business.
[17:24] Shelli describes her time leading large teams at Procter & Gamble, and how that honed her people development skills.
[19:54] What are some of Shelli's tips for hiring? She speaks to the adage of "hire slow, fire fast".
[22:35] What does it take to write a compelling job description?
[25:33] Why is it so important to have a job description that reflects the mission, values and culture of your organization?
[28:20] Shelli explains more about having built-in triggers in the application process to weed out people who are not a good fit.
[33:03] How can you create a compelling job description for a task or role that you yourself dislike and do not enjoy?
[38:50] How can you nurture your team? How often should you have a team meeting to manage the team?
[44:31] Shannon and Shelli discuss some of the logistics of running team meetings.
[49:07] What is the best way to check in with your team to ensure that things are going well?
[52:44] What are some ways to check in with virtual team members or other team members you may not see as often?
[58:35] Shelli shares a tip for getting more feedback from clients, and how to cultivate these clients into raving fans.
[1:04:42] Do check out Shelli's Stacking Your Team podcast and get your free hiring resource bundle by visiting her website.
[1:07:23] Shannon shares some of her key takeaways. What were your biggest learning points? Shannon would love to hear from you.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Really stop and think 'Why am I feeling like I need to hire?'"
"What would give me the most relief and the most joy to stop doing right now?"
"We hire to free our minds and ourselves up to be able to do the work that we are intended to do."
"Oftentimes, it's all anyone is looking for - it's to be seen and heard."
"Thing that you really dislike doing, others jump up out of bed to go and do. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes."
"That's when that whole level of respect for one another is really going to elevate, because they start to know each other as people."
"The premise of that, for you, is to open up the conversation for them, and your job is to listen."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
102 Yoga Studio: Mission Statements & Core Values with Steve Hart
Description:
What does your yoga business stand for? Who are you serving? And what do you hope to achieve? Steve Hart, founder of Riffs Studio, joins Shannon in the second of this 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to share more, not just about mission statements and core values, but also pricing, memberships, marketing and the business of running a successful yoga business.
Steve Hart started Riffs Studio, a unique music and yoga studio in 2012, and offers a full-service yoga program with beginner to advanced classes in a variety of disciplines, with live music. Steve didn’t always have it all figured out - he shares some of his struggles in finding a structure that worked, and why having his mission statement and core values made the journey all the easier.
Shannon and Steve dive into the nitty gritty details of what it takes to build and run a successful yoga business - from establishing a membership system that works to managing teachers and paying them fairly, from marketing techniques and strategies to the importance of ensuring the team buys into the core values and mission of the business - they talk about it all.
Whether you’re a yoga studio owner or a yoga teacher working with yoga studios, this episode will shed some light on the intricacies of running a yoga business, and how to bring the different aspects of your yoga business in alignment with each other.
Key Takeaways:
[6:17] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Steve Hart.
[8:08] Where did Steve's yoga journey begin?
[12:15] Steve explains more about how yoga was a part of his music store when he first started out, and how it has evolved since.
[13:25] What shifted for Steve that brought everything about his music and yoga studio into alignment?
[17:12] What systems did Steve have in place and what did he shift to that had the biggest impact on his business?
[18:43] How does the membership system work in Steve's studio? He takes us through the process of going from new student to studio member.
[21:36] How does Steve ensure that his membership model for the yoga studio is profitable for the business?
[24:10] What does Steve pay his yoga teachers as their flat rate per class?
[26:09] How many teachers work at Steve's studio, and how many classes does the studio offer? Steve elaborates on the schedule he runs.
[27:22] When did Steve decide to add in the idea of a well-defined mission statement and core values to the running of his yoga studio business?
[29:29] How does Steve convey his mission statement and core values to new hires as he on-boards them?
[30:25] Steve shares more about how he conducts the quarterly review of the core values and mission statement with his team.
[32:05] What does Steve's team look like now, and how has it grown from when he first opened?
[34:31] What are Steve's mission statement and core values?
[35:54] What were some of the key things Steve has learned along the way in his journey as a yoga studio owner?
[38:25] Good marketing is key to spreading the word about the good service that you provide.
[39:26] Where should yoga business owners start investing, in terms of marketing? What has the marketing that has been the most helpful for Steve's studio.
[42:45] Steve explains why it is important to surround yourself with different types of people.
[44:37] Steve works with yoga teachers and yoga studios in a consultant's role. He elaborates more on what he does how it aligns with his mission.
[45:34] Get in touch with Steve via email to find out more about his work and how he can help you in your yoga business.
[46:21] Steve leaves us with some final advice.
[47:59] What do you think that you could use from this interview in your own yoga business? Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"My first impression of yoga was actually pretty negative. I didn't really like it all that much!"
"I fell in love with yoga and I saw the impact that it had in my life, and the impact it was having on others around me."
"I really, at that point, fully believed in what we were selling, and I think that was probably the most important thing."
"My job is to bring people in the door, as the yoga studio."
"There's so many people around, and there's so many potential new students around that at any given time during the day, there's enough students to make a class profitable."
"This mission statement / core values probably, first and foremost, above anything else, I think is the hands down most important thing that needs to be defined, sooner rather than later, in any company."
"Providing a good service doesn't really matter if you don't have good marketing."
"Providing a good service without good marketing won't get you very far."
“Focus on teaching great classes and connecting to people.”
“Being a teacher, I think you focus on teaching. Being a yoga studio, that's when I think the marketing becomes a really important thing.”
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
101: What I Learned as a Yoga Studio Manager with Shannon Crow
Description:
What does it really take to run a successful yoga studio business? Join Shannon in the first of this 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101, to find out more about the different aspects of building and running a yoga studio business.
Shannon shares what she has learned as a yoga studio manager, and in the next four episodes, brings on four other experts to share more about creating a mission statement, hiring and training a team, the legal aspects and insurance aspects of running a yoga studio business.
Shannon has had years of experience as a teacher working at yoga studios, and as a manager ensuring the smooth running of yoga studios, before she moved into the consulting space. On this episode, she shares her six biggest takeaways from her time managing for yoga studios:
If you are the owner of a yoga studio, or dream of becoming one someday, or if you’re an independent yoga teacher who wants to build a yoga business - there are lots of great insights for you in this mini-series!
Key Takeaways:
[2:13] This is the first of a 5-part mini-series, Yoga Studio Business 101.
[7:21] Shannon has learned a lot about running a yoga studio business by working at and managing for yoga studios.
[9:35] How can you set prices with confidence? Why is that so important for a yoga studio? Shannon breaks down the money mindset issues behind setting prices.
[14:50] Shannon shares some strategies to build your confidence in setting your prices.
[22:01] Consider doing registered sessions instead of drop-in classes. It's all about the commitment that comes with it.
[24:30] Regular, consistent communication matters. Why?
[27:18] Attention to the numbers and the data is powerful. What kind of data do you need, and how can it help you run a better yoga business?
[30:51] Always value community over competition. Shannon shares some insights about the fear that drives competition, and how to overcome it.
[34:08] Yoga teachers are the brand of the yoga studio. Shannon illustrates why, with a personal anecdote of how one of her yoga studios went from zero profit to profitable overnight.
[39:43] Connect with Shannon and other yoga teachers at various events and training sessions coming up.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Everything hinges on that teacher. The teacher needs to make enough money so that they can continue to sustain those yoga classes."
"The sustainability of a yoga business really hinges on if we can maintain those professional relationships and maintain our hires of yoga teachers."
"Lowering the price and having a good deal isn't always what gives us value."
"What is holding you back with your prices and your confidence around setting prices?"
"Your ideal yoga students know your value."
"Regular, consistent communication matters."
"Your personality is really your brand, and students connect to teachers."