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The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

Helping yoga teachers to stay connected to information, entrepreneur advice and a community of supportive yoga teachers and professionals.
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Now displaying: July, 2020
Jul 27, 2020

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

178: Tired of Social Media? [Consultation Call] with Devon Pelto

 

Description:

Are you feeling frustrated with social media? If you've been posting on social media but not getting engagement, or you're spending so much time on social media and are wondering where else you can focus on to create connections - you are not alone. Devon Pelto was recently feeling the same and posted in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group, which led to this consultation call to dig into social media.

 

Devon Pelto found yoga, tarot and meditation in 2012 as a new mother in need of tranquility and balance. Through these practices, she discovered a new depth of healing from her own childhood trauma in addition to support and mental stability. Today, these practices guide her in her life and the way she shares yoga and life coaching. Devon focuses on self-care, mental/emotional health and community in her corporate and 1:1  yoga classes and life coaching sessions.

 

Social media has become a key way of connecting with others, particularly during this pandemic, but it doesn’t have to take over your life. Shannon and Devon dig into how she can connect with clients and potential students via email, alternative channels for building connections, and tapping into her network. It can also be a real challenge to teach niche yoga, and they work through some of the difficulties of sharing the benefit of your offering as a coach or wellness advocate.

 

Whether you’ve mastered social media for your yoga business or are looking for other ways to connect in this time, this episode with Devon Pelto will be really enlightening.

 

Key Takeaways:

[4:56] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Devon Pelto.

[8:10] Devon shared a post in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group about how to step away from social media but still be actively marketing to prospects and staying connected with current clients.

[11:35] What does Devon do? Shannon and Devon discuss the core elements of her messaging around her work.

[18:27] Do you have to be on social media?

[21:31] Devon is trying to do some email marketing. Shannon digs into how effective her email newsletters are in generating clients.

[24:38] Shannon shares about a test she did in her own business about email marketing vs social media.

[27:07] Tapping into your network and leveraging word-of-mouth can be an effective way to reach more people.

[31:38] Devon and Shannon discuss niching down in her business.

[34:15] Schedulicity has a tip for you!

[35:20] The pandemic has taken away the usual channels in which we connect with others. Shannon encourages Devon to explore other avenues that she could use instead.

[40:39] Shannon explains how she uses videos to connect with clients virtually.

[41:54] What are some other ways that in her community that Devon could connect with her ideal clients?

[44:57] Shannon brainstorms some ideas for Devon to get visibility for her business while getting paid.

[48:12] Devon has an upcoming event - Shannon helps her walk through how she can fill the event.

[54:30] Devon brings up some of her hesitations and misgivings with social media.

[1:00:39] Shannon and Devon talk about some other ways she can share her personality and knowledge with others.

[1:03:27] Get in touch with Devon to work with her via her website or email newsletter.

[1:04:32] Shannon shares her biggest takeaway from this consultation call with Devon.

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

 

Quotes from this episode:

"You do not have to be on social media every day." - Shannon

 

"People take emails more seriously." - Devon

 

"You can always try a niche on for a while." - Shannon

 

"That's exactly how I want to use social media - is having it there for the beautiful tool that it is, but not relying on it in any way at all. It's just an accessible way to connect." - Devon



Jul 20, 2020

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

177: How to Connect (aka Network) with Natalie Eckdahl

 

Description:

No matter where you are in your yoga teacher journey, one of the things we need to run a successful business is a good network of connections. Thankfully, networking doesn’t have  to be awkward, or boring, and Natalie Eckdahl has just the tips on how to manage networking online.

 

Natalie Eckdahl is the founder of BizChix, Inc, and a business strategist and coach. She is dedicated to helping high performing women build, grow, and scale their businesses while avoiding overwhelm. As the host of the BizChix Podcast, Natalie showcases the expertise of hundreds of industry experts, and shares actionable tips and strategies to help her listeners and clients grow their businesses.

 

We often jump straight to getting on social media to get in front of people or building our email list, but on this episode we're going right back to the basics of networking. Natalie explains why it’s so important to connect with others and grow our network, and how to make the whole process less awkward and more authentic. She also shares more about how to track whether our networking efforts are paying off, and how networking can work for you even virtually.

 

If you are struggling to get yoga students to your classes, workshops or trainings, this episode is sure to be a helpful resource.

 

Key Takeaways:

[5:54] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Natalie Eckdahl.

[7:39] What does Natalie do and who does she do it for?

[9:08] What is networking?

[13:03] How can we connect and network online?

[17:51] How can we ease the awkwardness and reduce the "weird" factor?

[21:05] This is a good time to start reaching out to your students to see how they are doing.

[22:30] How can we measure or track whether our networking efforts are paying off?

[26:37] Shannon and Natalie discuss how being in conversation with someone can help "make the sale".

[30:02] Natalie shares a little tip around mindset and being paid.

[31:31] It is important for us to hold boundaries during our networking sessions as well.

[35:10] Reframe the word 'networking' to connecting. How can you connect with people in your network? Natalie shares some of her tips and strategies, especially using video!

[41:09] Yoga teachers, people are looking for you - make it easy to be found, and make it easy for them to connect with you.

[43:05] Natalie highlights the importance of connecting with complementary service providers.

[0044:59] Shannon shares her biggest takeaway from this interview with Natalie.



Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

 

Quotes from this episode:

 

"What I see networking being is something that helps your network know what you're doing, and having visibility in your network." - Natalie

 

"If our network doesn't know what we do and who we do it for, then the people that they're connected to cannot work with us or find out about us." - Natalie

 

"We can seek to create community virtually." - Natalie

 

"Circle back with old clients. It's never too late to pull someone back in." - Natalie

 

"Video is one of the best ways to connect." - Natalie



Jul 16, 2020

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

BONUS: Anti-Racism & Yoga with Michelle Johnson

 

Description:

In light of everything that has been happening in the US and across the world with the Black Lives Matter social justice movement and calls for anti-racism, how does yoga fit in? What can yoga teachers do to hold space for these conversations that need to happen and how do yoga and anti-racism really work together? This special bonus episode is a Live Q&A session with Michelle Johnson to tackle these questions.

 

Michelle Johnson is a social justice warrior, author, dismantling racism trainer, empath, yoga teacher and practitioner, and an intuitive healer. She has over 20 years of experience leading dismantling racism work and working with clients as a licensed clinical social worker. With her deep understanding of how trauma impacts the mind, body, spirit, and heart and her awareness of the world through her own experience as a black woman, she helps others understand how privilege and power operate. Her book Skill in Action: Radicalizing Your Yoga Practice to Create a Just World was published in 2017 and addresses these specific topics.

 

As yoga teachers (and studios), how can we move into the realm of social justice? What  can we do to create businesses that promote anti-racism, and create inclusive spaces in yoga? Michelle shares her insights about these topics, as well as privilege, dealing with white guilt, and addressing cultural trauma, and so much more.

 

This rich conversation with Michelle may make you feel uncomfortable, but it is important to sit with our discomfort to learn and grow, and start doing the work in this space.

 

Special thanks to Offering Tree, for sponsoring this bonus Q&A session.

 

Key Takeaways:

[1:19] This episode was originally done as a Facebook Live video in The Connected Yoga Teacher Group.

[00:05:23] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Michelle Johnson.

[8:48] Michelle has been doing this work for a long time. What has her experience been like in the past few weeks with so much new interest in her work?

[11:40] How does anti-racism relate to yoga teachers and yoga studios?

[14:08] What are some ways in which we can continue doing this work?

[17:42] Yoga teachers may think they are already doing the work, but it is also a matter of seeing what they couldn't see before. Michelle shares an example of how capitalism may be showing up in our yoga businesses as a form of oppression.

[21:14] How can we go about creating real inclusion without falling to tokenism? Michelle speaks to the importance of balancing mindfulness and urgency.

[26:54] What is Michelle's advice for people who want to do the right thing, but are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing?

[30:56] Some yoga teachers are finding it difficult to hold space for others, and are struggling with dealing with their own white guilt. What are Michelle's thoughts on that?

[36:55] How does yoga specifically address guilt and shame?

[40:26] What can the yoga teacher community offer in terms of speaking to cultural trauma?

[43:26] A yoga teacher asks about adding a social justice component to her YTT. Is it appropriate for them to do so, or should they invite someone else to facilitate the conversation?

[46:25] Michelle explains the term BIPOC.

[51:09] Michelle shares more about how biracial people who has not felt connected to any community can participate in these conversations about race.

[54:50] Where can yoga teachers begin?

[58:16] What are some beneficiaries you can donate to?

[58:58] Get in touch with Michelle and find out more about her trainings via her website.

[1:00:44] How do you think we can hold space for these conversations that need to happen, and move more into a space of social justice?



Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

 

Quotes from this episode:

"We're coming to this space with different emotions, feelings, lived experiences that define how we show up in this particular moment." - Michelle

 

"Racism is also connected to every other form of oppression, and ... any system of supremacy, they're all interlinked." - Michelle

 

"I lead with race as a way to deepen our lens and understand how systems of oppression work, with an awareness that really what I'm talking about is how power works, and that is similar with every other form of oppression." - Michelle

 

"Creating an inclusive space is different than making it look like it's a space that's inclusive." - Michelle

 

"Black, indigenous and people of color need white people to do their work, and that guilt can get in the way of doing work." - Michelle

 

"The language shifts, and language when it shifts, is an indication that culture is shifting." - Michelle



Jul 13, 2020

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

176: Email Marketing Strategy with Jessica Stansberry

 

Description:

As an entrepreneur and business owner, you never stop learning. There are so many strategies for running a successful business, and different approaches work for different people. There’s always something new that we could learn and implement in our business that could really make a difference. On this episode, we get to hear from another expert on email marketing, Jessica Stansberry.

 

Jessica Stansberry is the Founder and CEO of Hey Jessica, LLC. She is a personal and business development strategist dedicated to helping women create and grow online businesses. Apart from hosting the weekly podcast Grit, she runs an extremely popular YouTube channel with over 80,000 subscribers. Through free content on her blog and online courses that teach #allthethings about starting and running a business, Jessica helps women “turn their dreams into dolla bills”.

 

Email marketing is powerful, and you can harness it in your yoga business. Jessica shares her tips about which email platform you should be using, how to create a nurturing sequence, and how to set up emails so students open them. We also discuss why having a huge email list is not as important as an engaged audience (which is why we need to trim our lists) and why you need to “make the ask” in your emails!

 

Email marketing is another handy tool to have in your arsenal to reach your ideal clients, so tune in to hear Jessica break it down in a way that’s easy to approach and implement.

 

Key Takeaways:

[7:02] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Jessica Stansberry.

[8:25] What does Jessica do and who does she do it for?

[9:31] What is the importance of email?

[13:00] Jessica addresses the concern of yoga teachers who feel their students may get tired of hearing from them.

[14:41] Shannon and Jessica discuss "scrubbing your list".

[16:46] What are Jessica's tips for building your email list?

[18:32] When it comes to email service providers, what are Jessica's recommendations?

[27:10] What is something people aren't talking about enough with regards to email?

[30:10] Should you include images in your emails?

[31:47] How long should your email be?

[33:56] We need to make the ask in our emails!

[35:36] Shannon and Jessica discuss nurture sequences for new subscribers.

[37:40] Find out more about Jessica on her YouTube channel, Instagram, or listen to her podcast.

[38:46] What is one thing you learned that you want to bring into your own business?

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

 

Quotes from this episode:

"The only thing you actually own is your email list." - Jessica

 

"Conversion rates from emails are higher, sales rates from emails are higher." - Jessica

 

"They want to get on your email list because you gave them some piece of value for free to get there." - Jessica

 

"You want to land in their inbox, and to do that, you need to be writing emails like you're writing an email to a friend." - Jessica

 

"[Email] is a place for you to nurture your people so when you're ready to sell, they're there and they're ready." - Jessica



Jul 6, 2020

The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast

175: Coping During a Crisis with Diane Liska

 

Description:

Since the start of 2020, so many things have happened, including the COVID-19 global pandemic. Physical distancing is being enforced in many places, many businesses have been shuttered, and many of our yoga businesses have been impacted in one way or another. We may be feeling like we're in a state of crisis, and we may not know how best to cope in this time. Diane Liska returns to the podcast to share with us some strategies for coping during a crisis. 

 

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 focuses on combining her expertise in yoga and psychotherapy to help clients navigate personal challenges and connect with their inner resources. Diane runs a private practice in Canada offering her Yoga-Informed Psychotherapy and regularly provides consultation and education services to healing professionals.

 

How does a being in a crisis affect our minds and bodies? Diane explains more about the brain science behind it, and some techniques on how we can effectively manage the stress and strain that comes with being in crisis-mode. We dig into how specifically the COVID-19 pandemic is affecting us, and how we can look at opening and creating that safe space for our students.

 

This episode is full of great tips and strategies to help you navigate any crisis or time of great stress, so be sure to tune in.

 

Key Takeaways:

[6:44] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Diane Liska.

[9:13] What does Diane do and who does she do it for?

[9:51] How would Diane describe our collective experience right now with the COVID-19 pandemic?

[11:50] As yoga teachers, how can we cope so that we can serve our students?

[13:30] Diane shares more about the different states our brain can be in.

[19:12] Diane explains more about the "resources" people might need to create a felt sense of safety.

[21:27] Each of our scenarios is unique, but there is also collective connection in these circumstances.

[23:18] The next tier of safety has to do with relationships and feeling loved or connected.

[25:01] How is the prefrontal cortex coping with the current situation?

[29:30] What are some practices that are working in terms of addressing younger wounds?

[31:22] Why are we feeling so much more on edge in the current situation, and what might we do to address that?

[34:49] Shannon shares her experience in dealing with a crisis situation.

[38:39] What is Diane's advice for people who are looking at creating safe spaces?

[42:55] How can we deal with some of the restlessness that we might feel, and how can we address it when we see it in others?

[48:00] Get in touch with Diane to find out how you can work with her further.

[48:34] Shannon shares her reflections from this session with Diane.

 

Links:

 

Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity

 

Quotes from this episode:

 

"We need to take care of ourselves first." - Diane

 

"It is important to be able to try and identify, What is it that's making me feel or causing me to feel unsafe right now." - Diane

 

"There is a whole lot of very real stress going on right now in current circumstances." - Diane

 

"It's just essential to try and lead with compassion for everyone and their experience, because everyone is struggling in their own unique way." - Diane

 

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