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
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
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
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
174: Time for a Break with Shannon Crow
Description:
Are you feeling overwhelmed, tired and uninspired right now? It may be a sign that you may need to take a break. If this feels like an impossible task, that’s exactly why you should take a break and, on this episode, Shannon walks us through this process.
Taking breaks is essential to us as business owners. We may feel like it is impossible because we are always thinking about our business, but there are many reasons why taking breaks is beneficial to your business, those you work with and you.
Building breaks into our schedules can help us be more mindful about taking breaks, and are an effective way to ensure that you take regular breaks. Shannon shares more about how she usually organizes time in her business so that she can take breaks and not miss a beat, what she has learned from a recent unplanned break, and why we need to give ourselves grace when our plans for breaks don’t work out.
Whether you’re struggling with overwhelm, lack of motivation, or just feeling tired, this episode is a must-listen.
Key Takeaways:
[1:12] Shannon is talking about how she plans to take breaks in her business on this episode.
[4:11] Schedulicity has paused payments till September 1st, 2020!
[5:40] Do you feel like you need a break today? There are times when we feel like we are dragging our feet to do something, or putting off doing a certain task. These are signs that you may need a break.
[7:16] How long of a break do you need right now?
[10:38] Shannon shares why it might be a good idea to look at your own yoga practice if you are feeling uninspired or unmotivated to teach.
[12:20] Are you planning for a break? Sometimes, taking a break is an unexpected event. Shannon had to take an unplanned break recently, and shares some of the things she learned from it.
[16:22] If you do not have any vacation time blocked off in your calendar, Shannon challenges you to explore that.
[18:40] Shannon has been working on the break at the end of her day.
[20:23] A break that Shannon loves to take is with an app that reminds her to take breaks.
[22:09] What feels right for you in terms of taking a break?
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Productivity-wise, we actually do better when we have these breaks." - Shannon
"Taking a break really serves your business. It serves the people that you work with, and it serves you. It's a win-win." - Shannon
"How can we plan ahead, and also, how can we have grace with ourselves when we don't plan ahead perfectly?" - Shannon
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
173: Social Justice, Politics & Yoga with Chara Caruthers and Maria Kirsten
Description:
What is the role that yoga plays in social justice and politics? As yoga teachers, we may shy away from such divisive and sensitive topics, but given the current global situation, we need to be engaged. Shannon shares the interview she did for the Live Like You Love Yourself Podcast, hosted by Chara Caruthers and Maria Kirsten, discussing how yoga is interwoven into social justice and politics.
Chara is a registered yoga teacher and certified yoga therapist who has been practicing yoga since 1993. She is also an ayurveda practitioner and the founder of Bliss Body & Soul, where she offers ayurveda Courses, workshops, and an Ayurvedic living Community. Maria has been teaching accessible yoga to grownups and beginners since 2000. She is the founder of Yoga for Grownups, and is committed to principles of inclusion and to making yoga safe and accessible for everyone. Together, Chara and Maria host the Live Like You Love Yourself Podcast, where they discuss how to live, age, parent, and “grow up” in a way that feels balanced and authentic.
This was a very open and vulnerable conversation about the connection between yoga and politics and social justice, as well as the challenge of knowing how to support communities of color and ALL communities through these challenging times. Shannon, Chara and Maria dig into what it means to hold “brave space” for the difficult conversation we are having, the role of the yoga community at this time, and how we can “do the work” necessary to be a part of the antiracism movement.
It’s time to do better.
Key Takeaways:
[1:19] Shannon introduces Chara Caruthers and Maria Kirsten, hosts of the Live Like You Love Yourself Podcast, where this episode was first aired.
[7:33] Chara shares a little about the current climate that is creating a lot of discomfort, and how yoga prepares us to deal with it.
[8:27] Chara introduces Shannon and the content they will be discussing in the interview.
[12:06] How did Shannon decide to create a community for yoga teachers?
[15:50] What has Shannon observed about the conversations in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook group through the pandemic situation?
[20:46] How has Shannon felt about holding "brave space" for the difficult conversations that need to be happening now?
[23:07] Talking about politics is always scary because of the divided opinions everyone holds.
[26:22] Maria and Chara discuss who should be responsible for the learning and education around these issues.
[29:07] Shannon reflects on some of her key takeaways from a training she attended.
[34:08] Shannon shares some of her struggles of wanting to showcase more diversity on her podcast but not wanting to be accused of tokenism.
[39:00] What are some ways in which we can all work to share the work of people of color who might not otherwise be heard or seen?
[43:22] What is the role of the yoga community right now?
[50:09] Shannon decided not to promote her launch during this period. Chara and Shannon discuss what "doing the work" as a part of the antiracism movement and as an ally means.
[55:40] What is equal parts powerful and dangerous about social media that it requires very little time or involvement to share a post. Maria highlights why that isn't the real work of yoga, and what is.
[1:02:58] How are we approaching conversations with our children about this topic?
[1:07:59] How do yoga and politics fit together?
[1:15:39] Chara sums up the conversation calling attention to the importance of having a safe community and holding brave space to tackle the issues we face today.
[1:18:50] Chara and Maria will be sharing more about yoga and politics with The Connected Yoga Teacher community soon.
[1:21:03] What are your thoughts about this interview and the issues raised? Share them with Shannon.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"You have to do your inner work, and I think it should be uncomfortable, and we should lean into the discomfort." - Maria
"Don't be defensive, just do better." - Shannon
"The more people of color that you engage with and that you hear from and that you look into and that you feature and talk with, the more, for lack of a better term, normal it will become." - Chara
"If we're moving towards a society that is more fair, that is more unbiased, then we do have to be willing to hear and process and integrate all of these different voices." - Chara
"Really what we're all doing is trying to offer space for healing, and it looks a lot of different ways." - Chara
"If no one is willing to step a toe outside of their comfort zone, then we'll never get to a place where we can start to even understand each other." - Chara
"It's very easy when you're in a position of privilege to think that everyone has an equal chance." - Chara
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
172: Checking In with the Team During COVID-19
Description:
This is a special check-in episode with the team behind The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast and community during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Connected Yoga Teacher team is based in different parts of the world, and Shannon checks in with the main team members: podcast editor SuZen Marie, community managers Nyk Danu and Sinead O’Connor, and show notes writer Crunch Ranjani. She also shares updates from Michael from Schedulicity, Shelly Aaron who helps with video production, and Kelly Christian who helps with accounting.
This series of interviews was recorded back at the end of April 2020, a few weeks after the global pandemic was first declared. We get a glimpse into the lives of the people who make The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast and community possible, the situation where they are based, and some of the challenges they are facing right now.
Key Takeaways:
[:39] Shannon introduces SuZen Marie, the editor of the podcast.
[1:41] SuZen explains why she had to opt out of doing a live chat with Shannon.
[2:20] SuZen shares how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted her and her family.
[6:19] Shannon shares some context around when these interviews were recorded.
[6:46] Shannon checks in with Nyk Danu, who shares more about how she has transitioned to sharing yoga online.
[9:11] How has life changed for Nyk since the coronavirus hit?
[11:28] Nyk and Shannon discuss how her community might be reopening soon.
[13:22] What looks different in Nyk's day-to-day life?
[17:21] What does Nyk foresee for yoga teachers and studios?
[21:13] Shannon checks in with Sinead O'Connor.
[26:10] Sinead shares more about the switch of going from pre-coronavirus to everything being shut down.
[27:56] Sinead gives an update on her family and the COVID situation.
[31:40] What is the biggest difference for Sinead? She shares how she has been managing life at home with her children.
[35:24] Shannon and Sinead discuss the transition to virtual classes for studios and students.
[38:44] Shannon introduces Crunch Ranjani, who writes the show notes for the podcast.
[40:50] Crunch shares what it's like to be in one place after being used to traveling.
[42:20] Shannon gives an update on her situation.
[44:32] Crunch gives some insight into the day-to-day situation in Singapore, and what happened when the coronavirus was first detected in Singapore.
[48:17] Crunch shares her routines and tips to help with working from home.
[55:30] Shannon gives a quick update from Schedulicity.
[57:01] Shannon introduces Shelly Aaron, who does some video editing for Pelvic Health Professionals.
[1:02:56] Shannon gets an update from Kelly Christian, who handles the accounting and books of the business.
[1:08:13] Shannon gives some final shout outs.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
171: Pelvic Health & Movement Goals with Antony Lo
Description:
When people are experiencing pelvic health issues, they may be told to give up exercise or that certain movements are not appropriate or suitable for them to do. However, exercise may be important to clients beyond pelvic health issues, and there may be social and emotional impacts that restricting access to their usual exercise regime might have. This episode features a section of the interview with guest expert for the Pelvic Health Professionals membership site, Anthony Lo, which explores this topic.
Antony Lo is a physiotherapist from Australia who runs The Physio Detective, and has been in practice for over 21 years. His specialty is Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy, and he is a certified CrossFit Trainer and Football Coach/Consultant, who has been involved with treating CrossFit athletes for 7 years. Through his participation in CrossFit and his work as a Physiotherapist, he has developed a model of treatment that provides a realistic, holistic model of care.
Pelvic health and movement and exercise are the focus of this episode. Anthony shares his approach to treating clients with pelvic health issues who want to get back into movement and exercise, as well as how he helps people he's working 1:1 with as a physiotherapist. He also has some tips to help clients make necessary changes, and how we can empower them to continue their exercises outside their sessions with us. Shannon and Anthony also discuss why it’s important to have the connections to refer clients to the right professionals who can help them in a more specific and personalized way.
* This episode features a section of an interview from the Pelvic Health Professionals Membership site. If you would like access to the full interview, doors are open from now till June 12 2020 for the membership site where you can access this interview and others with other guest experts.
Key Takeaways:
[5:32] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Anthony.
[6:59] What does Anthony do and who does he do it for?
[8:12] Anthony shares his thoughts on how people with pelvic health concerns should approach movement and exercise.
[13:31] Shannon and Anthony discuss some options when helping a client who has certain symptoms of a pelvic health issue.
[17:29] What are some considerations to keep in mind for someone getting back to the gym postpartum?
[21:29] How does Anthony think about approaching clients with very specific concerns e.g. someone with pelvic health issues who wants to get back into running?
[28:01] What is Anthony's advice for dealing with clients who don't do their "homework"?
[34:31] What was your key takeaway?
[34:59] Shannon explains a little more about how calls are set up in the Pelvic Health Professionals membership.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"When we think of pelvic health, why are we only thinking about the pelvis?" - Antony
"My default answer will be 'Yes, you can go back to the gym. But it's going to look different to what you might expect straight away.'" - Antony
"If you want them to have a sustainable, long-term result, where you keep them safe and healthy and happy, then learn how to ask questions so that they can come up with those answers." - Antony
"It really isn't about us. It's about helping other people achieve their goals." - Antony
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
170: Is this Movement Safe? with Shannon Crow
Description:
A question that comes up time and time again, both from yoga students and teachers, especially those dealing with pelvic health issues such as lower back pain, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, infertility etc. is “Is this movement safe?”.
The truth is, there isn’t a list of movements that are safe or unsafe for a body, and it really varies depending on each person, and the movement itself. A lot of us teach yoga to women, and more specifically, women who have given birth at some point in their life. As such, the likelihood is high that we may have someone dealing with pelvic health issues in our class, but they may not be comfortable speaking about it, or may not be aware of it.
So how can we ensure that the movements and poses that we are offering in our classes are safe for each and every student? Shannon has four questions that can guide you in determining which movements are safe for your clients.
Key Takeaways:
[9:45] How can we check if a movement is "safe"? If you have other questions that you would like to add to this list, leave a comment!
[11:09] Question #1: Do I enjoy this movement and can I maintain it with ease? Shannon highlights the challenge of finding the balance between something you love but are afraid of doing, or something you hate but think is good for you.
[15:18] Question #2: Is my breath continuous?
[16:35] Shannon explains intra-abdominal pressure and how it relates to ensuring if a movement is "safe".
[18:56] Question #3: Is there doming or reverse doming (invagination) at the linea alba?
[22:53] Shannon brings up the example of her client who was struggling with plank pose.
[25:33] Question #4: Am I bearing down on the pelvic floor?
[29:24] Every body is different. Why is this so important to keep in mind?
[32:23] If you'd like to learn more about this topic, join the Pelvic Health Professionals membership. Doors are open till June 12, 2020.
Links:
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 129: Pelvic Floor 101 with Marie-Josée Forget
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"Find variations of movement that bring you joy." - Shannon
"What is happening if we are unable to keep a continuous and steady breath?" - Shannon
"It's not like there's this list of movements that are safe and unsafe for a body. There's this list of questions to ask." - Shannon
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
170: Is this Movement Safe? with Shannon Crow
Description:
A question that comes up time and time again, both from yoga students and teachers, especially those dealing with pelvic health issues such as lower back pain, urinary incontinence, pelvic organ prolapse, infertility etc. is “Is this movement safe?”.
The truth is, there isn’t a list of movements that are safe or unsafe for a body, and it really varies depending on each person, and the movement itself. A lot of us teach yoga to women, and more specifically, women who have given birth at some point in their life. As such, the likelihood is high that we may have someone dealing with pelvic health issues in our class, but they may not be comfortable speaking about it, or may not be aware of it.
So how can we ensure that the movements and poses that we are offering in our classes are safe for each and every student? Shannon has four questions that can guide you in determining which movements are safe for your clients.
Key Takeaways:
[9:45] How can we check if a movement is "safe"? If you have other questions that you would like to add to this list, leave a comment!
[11:09] Question #1: Do I enjoy this movement and can I maintain it with ease? Shannon highlights the challenge of finding the balance between something you love but are afraid of doing, or something you hate but think is good for you.
[15:18] Question #2: Is my breath continuous?
[16:35] Shannon explains intra-abdominal pressure and how it relates to ensuring if a movement is "safe".
[18:56] Question #3: Is there doming or reverse doming (invagination) at the linea alba?
[22:53] Shannon brings up the example of her client who was struggling with plank pose.
[25:33] Question #4: Am I bearing down on the pelvic floor?
[29:24] Every body is different. Why is this so important to keep in mind?
[32:23] If you'd like to learn more about this topic, join the Pelvic Health Professionals membership. Doors are open till June 12, 2020.
Links:
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast Episode 129: Pelvic Floor 101 with Marie-Josée Forget
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"Find variations of movement that bring you joy." - Shannon
"What is happening if we are unable to keep a continuous and steady breath?" - Shannon
"It's not like there's this list of movements that are safe and unsafe for a body. There's this list of questions to ask." - Shannon
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
169: Integrating Pelvic Health into Yoga with Shannon Crow & Mado Hesselink
Description:
Lots of people who do yoga may be dealing with pelvic health issues, but there has traditionally been very little focus on integrating pelvic health and yoga. Shannon is extremely passionate about the importance of pelvic health, so this episode features an interview Shannon did on Mado Hesselink’s Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast on the topic.
Third-time guest Mado Hesselink has been teaching yoga since 2005 and training yoga teachers since 2010. She is the creator of Yoga Teacher Resource, created to fill the gaps between what is taught in YTT and what it takes to be a successful and effective teacher. She also hosts the Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast, where this episode was first aired.
With Mado in the interviewer’s seat, Shannon dives into the basics of what every yoga teacher needs to know about pelvic health, why Kegels and Mula Bandha aren’t appropriate for all (or even most) yoga students, and why pelvic health can be a fantastic niche for yoga teachers. Find out more about how how Shannon built up my 1:1 pelvic health business and how yoga teachers can work cooperatively with pelvic health PTs to grow in this niche.
Key Takeaways:
[8:44] Shannon introduces Mado Hesselink who conducts the interview on this episode.
[10:13] How did Shannon get interested in pelvic health and what has her experience been with it?
[14:13] What are some commonly taught and practiced yoga techniques that specifically could be detrimental to people with pelvic health conditions?
[16:05] Mado and Shannon address the idea that the pose that you hate the most is the one that you need the most.
[19:16] Shannon highlights the importance of addressing specific concerns like doming or invagination.
[21:36] Shannon speaks about three other things to look out for when teaching poses that may be contraindicated.
[24:18] What are some cues that students may interpret in the wrong way?
[27:36] Mado and Shannon discuss the importance of providing students with information about the exercises and techniques that could help them.
[31:34] Reminder - there are PTs that specialize in pelvic health. If you or your student suspect you might have a pelvic health issue, approach them directly.
[34:43] Having access to the right information around pelvic health can help a lot of practitioners of yoga.
[37:02] Taking the shame away from the conversation around pelvic health can really help.
[37:47] Shannon talks about the business aspects of niching down into pelvic health in yoga.
[44:37] Mado highlights some strategies for connecting and building relationahips with PTs.
[48:45] You can't make a success of a yoga niche that you're not actually passionate about.
[51:24] Shannon shares some final bits of information about pelvic health in yoga.
[53:19] Check out Pelvic Health Professionals for more resources around pelvic health.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Pelvic Health Professionals
Quotes from this episode:
"Lots of people deal with different pelvic health issues, and there's no part in a yoga teacher training that covers it." - Shannon
"Movement and variation in movement, and finding things that challenge the body are also beneficial." - Shannon
"We know that overall, most people are holding quite a bit of tension in the pelvic floor." - Shannon
"You can't make a success of a yoga niche that you're not actually passionate about." - Mado
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
168: Social Media Marketing Strategy with Andrea Jones
Description:
Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, Twitter, … With all these social media platforms available, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out which one to be active on and what to post. That’s why we need to have a social media marketing strategy that helps us to be intentional with our actions on social media.
Andrea Jones is a social media strategist who is committed to helping businesses build profitable communities online through simple social media solutions. As the host of the Savvy Social Podcast and the creator of SavvySocialSchool.com, Andrea simplifies social media through easy-to-follow courses, professional guidance, and community support. Andrea’s mission is to make social media fun, reduce the feeling of overwhelm with strategy that works for her clients.
There isn’t a best way to approach a social media strategy, but Andrea has some insight into key questions such as how much time we should be spending on creating content for social media, how often we need to check in, and how to grow our audience. She also explains how we can ensure that our actions on social media are having a positive impact on our main marketing goals.
If you have ever wondered what you should be posting on social media, or what platform you should be on, you are going to love this episode.
Key Takeaways:
[6:19] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Andrea Jones.
[8:20] What does Andrea do and how did she get into doing it?
[10:01] How did Andrea meet her husband on YouTube?
[11:51] How do you turn a marketing goal or objective into a social media strategy?
[13:46] How should yoga teachers figure out what they should post on social media?
[16:43] Andrea shares more about her 5 Pillars of Content - Promotional, Educational, Community, Entertainment & Engagement.
[17:47] How should you think about scheduling out posts in relation to the 5 Pillars?
[19:47] How many different platforms should you be focusing on, and which platforms should they be?
[21:57] What are some of Andrea's favorite tools for scheduling?
[25:07] What tips does Andrea have around planning content for Instagram stories?
[26:52] How can we get our posts out to more people? Andrea shares her tips for boosting engagement.
[33:29] Check out Andrea's free course, and do connect with her on social media.
[35:25] Shannon has a personal update to share.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and The Connected Yoga Teacher Collective
Quotes from this episode:
"You want to think of social media as dating."
"You're not going to get your class completely booked by posting one time."
"Instead of just posting about the fact that there is a class available, really think about why someone would join."
"I recommend having the same content on multiple platforms."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
167: How to Make a Recruiting Plan with Reneé Clair
Description:
One of the best parts of growing your team is that it frees you up to have more time to work on the parts of your business that you love. However, it can be tricky to know how and where to start offloading tasks to other team members, and where to look for your ideal candidates. That’s where Reneé Clair comes in.
Reneé Clair is the founder of Clair de Lune Yoga, and has been teaching yoga since 2015. Apart from being a yoga and meditation teacher, she is passionate about helping yoga teachers build their teams in order to offload tasks and make their business run more efficiently. She’s a yoga teacher who works for yoga teachers by recruiting multi-talented yogis!
Recruiting is a multi-step process (ten, in fact!) and it may feel overwhelming to know where to start. Reneé takes us through this process and guides us on where we can start, how to know who you should recruit, and tips on interviewing. She also has some strategies to make the recruiting process easier through automation, and insights about other aspects of crafting a recruiting plan.
If you are hiring or thinking about hiring, this episode is full of great nuggets for you. If you’re on the other side of the recruiting process, Reneé also has some advice for you, so be sure to tune in.
Key Takeaways:
[8:53] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Reneé Clair.
[10:41] What does Reneé do and who does she do it for?
[11:46] Once you decide to hire someone, what is the next step?
[12:51] What are some of Reneé's tips for writing a job description?
[14:30] What are some ways to put together the application aspect of recruiting?
[16:09] Reneé shares some strategies for automating processes around the application stage of recruiting.
[18:13] How does Reneé sort through the applications received?
[21:35] What does Reneé do to make the sorting process easier?
[23:54] What is Reneé's opinion on addressing pay rate in the application?
[26:34] The next step of the process is the interview. Reneé and Shannon share how they worked on this stage.
[28:53] What are the top three questions to ask during interviews?
[34:22] Why was it so important for Shannon to narrow down the pool of candidates to her top 3?
[36:20] Shannon did some test tasks with her potential candidates to see how they would be a fit for the role.
[39:53] What are some questions Reneé recommends for the final stage of the recruiting process?
[42:21] Reneé shares some tips for people who are going through the final stage interview, which can be nerve wracking!
[44:17] Reneé helped Shannon with rejecting unsuitable candidates.
[47:08] How do personality tests fit into the recruiting process?
[50:53] Reneé has some last tips for people going through the hiring process.
[52:52] Check out Reneé's podcast, Light Me Up.
[54:45] Get in touch to Reneé on Instagram, LinkedIn or her website to find out more about her work!
[55:56] Shannon does a recap of the steps in the recruiting process.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and The Connected Yoga Teacher Collective
Quotes from this episode:
"I really encourage you to start [where your audience is] because those are the people who are interested in what you have to offer and most likely, those are the people who are going to want to give back and to work with you."
"If we can automate things, we're going to really save ourselves some time, and that's even true within your own recruiting process."
"It is so important to talk about and be okay with setting a salary range that you're happy with."
"It is always important not to just see a candidate for where they are right now, but how could they grow with you in your business."
"I encourage you to be mindful of your time and their time as you go through this process."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
166: When & How to Hire a VA (virtual assistant) with Sandra Booker
Description:
Running a yoga business is more than just teaching yoga classes. From scheduling and collecting payments, to sales and marketing, to promotion and logistics, we may find ourselves needing help with different elements of running a business. That’s where a Virtual Assistant (VA) can come in handy, but where do we start?
Sandra Booker is the founder of Any Old Task, where she provides small business owners with Business Support and Assistant Services. She specializes in workflow and process review, and helps streamline business processes and develop efficient workflows to keep things organized and on track. She also helps startup VAs generate the same kind of raving clientele she enjoys in her own business as part of her work at VA Studio.
Do you really need a VA or you need to look at your own productivity? What should you look at before hiring a VA? How much would a VA cost? Where can you find them, and what are some questions you should ask before hiring? Sandra answers all of our questions about bringing a VA onto your team, and shares some of the benefits that having a VA on your team could provide.
If you’ve ever thought about bringing in help into your business but aren’t sure what that would look like, this episode will be an eye-opener.
Key Takeaways:
[10:33] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Sandra Booker.
[12:05] What is the work that Sandra does and who does she do it for?
[14:22] How can yoga business owners tell when they need to hire a VA?
[16:49] Sandra clarifies when someone might need an OBM vs a VA.
[18:09] How much do VAs charge?
[21:08] Sandra also teaches VAs how to build up their own practice.
[23:39] How specialized should your VA be?
[26:44] How can we prepare to hire a VA?
[29:31] It can be hard to give up tasks that we're so used to doing. How can we decide what to keep and what to give up?
[32:55] Shannon and Sandra discuss some of the benefits of having a VA on your team.
[39:15] What are some things we need to do prior to hiring a VA?
[43:31] Sandra has some tips around when you might start looking for a VA.
[47:50] Your job posting can include some screening questions to filter out applicants to hire.
[50:07] Sandra offers her prospective clients a call to assess if they are a fit for her VA services.
[52:43] How else can you find a VA? Sandra has some suggestions about how to find a VA who is a fit for you and your business.
[55:06] Sandra has a few final tips for anyone thinking about hiring a VA.
[59:08] Get in touch with Sandra via her website or email.
[59:38] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this episode.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"What goals are you working towards right now? What do you need in order to achieve those goals? And what are you missing, what's holding you back?"
"Always be aware of what the goals of the person you're about to hire are."
"All-in-ones don't work. They don't work with shampoo, they don't work with VAs."
"If you have anything less than 10 hrs of work to hand off to somebody a month, you probably don't really need a VA yet."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
165: Offer Online Yoga Masterclass with Shannon Crow & Amanda McKinney
Description:
Living in this crisis state of the global COVID-19 pandemic is becoming our new normal, and as yoga teachers, we are all trying to adapt. More of us are switching to offering yoga online, and this can be a challenge to most, if not all of us. Recently, Shannon got together with her biz bestie Amanda McKinney to host a masterclass on the topic of offering online yoga.
This is a replay of that masterclass in which Shannon and Amanda answer some of the questions they were receiving from yoga teachers who wanted to know how to get online and teach online in a really quick way. On this episode, Shannon and Amanda outline the first steps to get started in taking your yoga online and offering yoga to your students virtually.
Regardless of whether you’ve never done a live video on a social media platform or you’ve had some experience on video and want to offer group or 1:1 lessons on Zoom, or you want to go to the next level by putting your videos on YouTube - this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways:
[7:35] Shannon introduces the topic for this episode - a masterclass about offering yoga online.
[9:12] Offering yoga online is all about taking it step-by-step, starting with what you have.
[10:16] Level 1 - If you've never worked with video before, this is where you can start.
[11:24] Where should you start? Amanda recommends starting with live videos for a variety of reasons.
[13:06] Shannon has some tips about going live.
[16:56] Level 2 - You've worked with video before and are more comfortable with it, but you're looking for an option to work with students either 1:1 or in a group setting. This is where you can use Zoom.
[18:36] Shannon highlights how useful having a recording of your classes can be.
[21:50] How can you use Apple TV with Zoom?
[25:10] Should you be offering yoga for free or charging the same?
[28:01] Amanda suggests finding a partner to practice with Zoom before launching it to your students.
[31:50] What tech should you use to take your yoga classes online? Use what you have!
[33:59] The next level is using YouTube, which can be a fantastic resource.
[37:58] There are many benefits to YouTube but you have to decide what's best for your students right now.
[39:16] Shannon shares some of the feedback from yoga teachers who have started teaching online after this Masterclass.
[41:50] Shannon shares more about her new idea, The Connected Yoga Teacher Collective (TCYT Collective).
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"Start free, and start where you're comfortable." - Shannon
"What people really want is connection." - Shannon
"Don't assume that your students don't know anything about technology." - Amanda
"We do things for free all the time, but make sure that you are also taking care of your business as well." - Amanda
"Use what you have to figure out what you need." - Amanda
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
164: Deepen Your Yoga Practice with Barrie Risman
Description:
As yoga teachers, how can we deepen our own yoga practice so that we can teach from a place of authenticity? In between juggling our many commitments and responsibilities, particularly in this challenging time in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can often fall away from our own practice of yoga. However, we all know that there are so many benefits to having a regular yoga practice, and deepening it. Barrie Risman shares her new book, Evolving Your Yoga: Ten Principles for Enlightened Practice, on how to take your yoga practice deeper.
Barrie Risman has been a dedicated student of Iyengar Yoga for more than 25 years, and teaching for almost 2 decades. As the creator of The Skillful Yogi, an online practice and study community of yoga students and teachers from around the globe, Barrie offers a uniquely accessible, authentic and integrated approach to yoga. Her book, Evolving Your Yoga is a guide for teachers and students to deepen, expand, and integrate the benefits of yoga in their lives.
We can go deeper in our practice without necessarily doing more or working harder, or even achieving more difficult poses. Barrie talks to us about how to stay interested in our practice, how to make time for personal practice and why that’s so important to being a yoga teacher. She also shares some tips on how to take your practice deeper, and really highlights that it's not just about doing more trainings and getting more certifications.
As all of us grapple with this current situation, this episode could provide some guidance on how to stick to and deepen your yoga practice.
Key Takeaways:
[7:06] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode.
[8:29] How did Barrie get started with yoga?
[10:52] What is the work that Barrie does now and who does she do it for?
[15:23] What is something that helps Barrie propel her yoga business forward?
[17:36] How can we deepen our yoga practice?
[21:41] Barrie recommends going back to what made you fall in love with yoga in the first place.
[24:00] Shannon shares how she incorporates self-reflection into her own daily practice.
[24:57] What are Barrie's thoughts on yoga teachers always reaching for the next training to feel like they're adequate enough?
[31:05] What did it look like when Barrie was a full time yoga teacher, and what brought in the biggest portion of her income?
[33:18] Barrie shares more about the membership aspect of her business.
[38:02] There is something for everyone in Barrie's membership - it's not exclusively for yoga teachers.
[39:40] What does it look like behind the scenes for Barrie in terms of making content?
[41:35] How do people in Barrie's group connect with each other?
[42:53] What helps Barrie make so much content?
[45:01] Barrie walks us through what a day and week look like in terms of her routine.
[47:14] Creating content is a lot about discipline and less about creativity - like yoga.
[51:40] What are some other tips that Barrie has for yoga teacher trying to grow their business?
[53:38] What are your key takeaways about how you can deepen your own yoga practice?
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"I really dedicated and prioritized time to going deeper into my own experience of yoga and learning from that, and trusting that as a source of wisdom."
"We can go deeper in our practice without necessarily doing more or working harder, or achieving more difficult poses."
"We need to really expand our ideas of what practice looks like, and just doing that helps us deepen our practice."
"The prerequisite for being a student of yoga is the willingness to begin again."
"The question is not if we're going to get disconnected from our practice, it's when, and how are we going to bring ourselves back once we've done that."
"Yoga is not just what we do. It's how we reflect and learn from what we do."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
163: Collective Yoga Studio Model with Jenifer Parker
Description:
Yoga studios are run in many different ways, from a single owner who may or may not be a yoga teacher, to partnerships between different yoga teachers, and even franchises. On this episode, we’re exploring a different model for yoga studios with Jenifer Parker - the collective yoga studio model.
Jenifer Parker is the Director of Healium, a yoga studio within the context of a holistic health collective in Wellington, New Zealand that she has been running for 10 years. She has been a full time yoga teacher for about 20 years, and has run multiple collective yoga studios with different yoga teachers in different parts of the world in her yoga career.
A collective yoga studio is a unique model that Jenifer found worked best to address the challenges she was facing as a yoga professional. Through her experiences, she has collected a wealth of information on the legality and logistics of setting up and running a collective. She explains how a collective works, what you need to form it, as well as some of the details of the operations and what it really takes to run a yoga studio in this way.
Challenges help us think outside the box, and Jenifer’s experience is testament to that. If you have been looking for creative ways to think outside the box and create a very different yoga studio model, perhaps even something that could be applied online, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways:
[7:30] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Jenifer Parker.
[8:47] What does Jenifer do and who does she do it for?
[12:23] What is Jenifer's current model with her yoga studio and why did she choose it?
[18:55] There is sometimes a fear around yoga teachers working together, but there is more room for collaboration than we might think.
[21:59] Jenifer shares some of the details of her collective.
[27:15] A special message from our sponsor, Yomassage.
[29:29] Jenifer highlights some of the benefits of the collective yoga studio model to both students and the teachers.
[33:12] Jenifer eventually moved to New Zealand and had to sell her yoga businesses.
[35:01] The legal structure of a collective is very different. Jenifer shares some of her challenges in setting up the collective yoga studio model when she moved to New Zealand.
[40:40] Jenifer explains how she started her collective in New Zealand with one other yoga teacher, and how that model has evolved since it started a year ago.
[44:06] What has Jenifer's experience been as a yoga studio without premises?
[52:19] Being transparent with her community has helped ease the transition for Jenifer. She shares how the community has responded to the changes she's implementing going forward.
[55:45] What are some of Jennifer's tips for yoga teachers who are considering starting a collective?
[59:10] How did Jenifer manage the legal side of running a collective yoga studio?
[1:01:24] You can always hire experts to help with the legal and accounting side of running a collective.
[1:04:52] Find out more about Jenifer's collective yoga studio by visiting her website.
[1:07:10] Shannon shares a few things that are helping her right now.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Yomassage
Quotes from this episode:
"The collective model ... creates less administrative work and more opportunity for people to work together and to have the outreach that they want." ~ Jenifer Parker
"We need everyone to solve the problems. We need all the generations of yoga teachers to solve problems." ~ Jenifer Parker
"The hardest thing is making sure that you have really clear communication with the people that you're working with." ~ Jenifer Parker
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
162: Fill Your Yoga Workshop with Mado Hesselink
Description:
Have you ever struggled to put on a yoga workshop? Maybe you’re hesitant to put on a yoga workshop because you’re worried about how to fill it. Perhaps you're excited to offer a workshop and just want to get started. Mado Hesselink, repeat guest on the podcast, is just the person with the insights on this topic.
Mado Hesselink has been teaching yoga since 2005, and training yoga teachers since 2010. She is the creator of Yoga Teacher Resource, and host of the Yoga Teacher Resource Podcast. Her focus is the places where business and yoga principles overlap, so that yoga teachers make a bigger impact with their teaching, and her mission is to help yoga teachers stay true to their values as they create their own definition of success.
We may have toyed with the idea of teaching a yoga workshop, or attended a workshop ourselves that has inspired us to create our own, but it can be tricky to know when we're ready to teach a workshop. Mado shares more about the four categories of workshops and how to know if people are going to sign up for the workshop. Mado explains how to choose a workshop topic and title that will get people to sign up, her advice for yoga teachers scrambling to fill their workshops, and what we need to focus on to run a successful and effective workshop.
Workshops can be a fun and engaging way to connect with our students on a different level beyond just a yoga class - Mado has insights about how to make the most of it for everyone!
Key Takeaways:
[7:19] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Mado Hesselink.
[9:06] Why would yoga teachers even want to teach workshops?
[11:42] Depending on how you market the workshop, the perceived value can be a lot higher than a class that's more general and not marketed to a specific audience.
[13:31] Workshops helps deepen your connection with your most dedicated students.
[14:55] How can yoga teachers tell if they are ready to lead a workshop?
[17:25] What are some workshops that work really well? Mado highlights four that work really well - the Intro workshops, the 'Yoga +' workshops, the Deep Dives and the Experience / Celebration workshops.
[21:50] Shannon and Mado discuss which category Shannon's workshop falls into.
[22:36] How can we choose the topic for our workshops and determine what the title should be?
[26:54] How can we fill our yoga workshop and ensure that it works?
[30:12] What can you do if you take all the right steps and your workshop still doesn't fill?
[34:00] What are some other tips Mado has for yoga teachers trying to market their yoga workshop.
[39:19] Mado shares some tips for yoga teachers who are scrambling to fill their yoga workshops, and for people who want to call it quits after a 'failed' attempt.
[42:45] What does Mado have to say to yoga teachers who think that they 'really, really need to' fill a workshop?
[44:36] Mado shares more about her course for filling yoga workshops.
[46:21] Mado has a list of 100 yoga class themes and 100 yoga workshop ideas available.
[47:32] Mado leaves us with some final thoughts about workshops.
[48:52] What were your biggest takeaways? Shannon shares what has really impacted her from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity
Quotes from this episode:
"We need to really switch our mindset in this time. Instead of thinking 'can I offer this online?' to switching to 'how can I offer this online?'." - Shannon
"If you hit on a topic that really resonates with the people that you're trying to teach, it can end up being a lot more per hour." - Mado
"Depending on how you market the workshop, the perceived value can be a lot higher than a class that's more general and not marketed to a specific audience?" - Mado
"Not every single person who would benefit from your workshop, not every single person who fits into your target audience is going to be able to attend." - Mado
"You have to go back to who is this for, and where do they spend their time?" - Mado
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
161: Get Your Yoga Online in 48 Hours with Jennie MacGoy
Description:
The situation with COVID-19, the novel coronavirus that is spreading quickly across the world, is rapidly changing. Many places are on complete lockdown, with many more people practicing social distancing in the interest of safeguarding their health and that of everyone around them. In this context, in-person yoga classes may not be feasible or safe for the moment.
Jennie MacGoy has taken her yoga business online in just 48 hours, and on this episode she shares her experience and the insights she has gained from it. Jennie is a Yoga and Functional Movement instructor and an Accessible Yoga ambassador who specializes in working with people who are dealing with chronic pain. She typically offers in-studio classes, but in light of the recent coronavirus outbreak, she made the decision to start offering all of her classes virtually.
Transitioning from in-person classes to 100% online classes is not easy, but Jennie has managed it in just 48 hours. She explains how she made the first decision to switch to virtual classes, some of the technology that she is using in her classes, and the logistics of running online yoga classes.
We all need to change and adapt to this new situation - this episode is a great introduction to how to make the switch from in-person to online classes. Be sure to also check out the other resources around how to manage the COVID-19 situation in the links below.
Key Takeaways:
[2:47] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Jennie MacGoy.
[5:52] Last week, Jennie sent out an email to her students saying they weren't going to be using any props. How did her students receive that, and how did Jennie manage her classes without props?
[10:05] Jennie's students weren't skipping the class because they were afraid. What made Jennie decide to move her classes online?
[12:55] How are Jennie's students' reacting to the Zoom classes?
[14:17] Jennie explains some of the tech behind running her classes virtually.
[20:48] How does attendance work for Jennie's classes?
[23:17] Schedulicity is waiving all fees for 3 months!
[26:13] Shannon and Jennie discuss how taking her yoga classes online is impacting her students, and her business.
[33:20] Where can you sign up for one of Jennie's classes?
[34:15] Shannon and Jennie brainstorm some ideas to create a sense of community in a virtual class.
[35:41] Is Jennie recording her virtual classes?
[37:25] Jennie shares some of the challenges she has faced in getting her yoga online.
[40:04] Shannon and Jennie share some of their thoughts around the evolving situation and how taking your yoga online may play out.
[42:19] Shannon reflects on this interview with Jennie, and the current situation.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity, Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, and Yomassage
Quotes from this episode:
"How can I, in good conscience, continue to bring people together?"
"[My students] look forward to eventually all of us coming back together in person, but for now, it's fine."
"We have to go virtual."
"I thought it was just much more important to jump in and start doing it."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
160: Milestones of My Yoga Business with Shannon Crow
Description:
Where were you when you first began your business, and where are you now? Looking back on your journey as an entrepreneur and business owner is a great reflection exercise, and on this episode, Shannon shares her reflections and thoughts about her yoga business, and the milestones she reached along the way.
In doing this reflection exercise, Shannon goes to a time way back before the podcast was started. Even as a child, she had an entrepreneurial streak in her, and she shares some of the early lessons she learned from her first forays into entrepreneurship, as well as her first successes as a business owner running a garden market. She reveals how she eventually transitioned into becoming a yoga teacher, and subsequently a podcast host as well.
Shannon highlights some of the key milestones she reached (including some that she’s still working on!) along her business journey, including stepping into a business mindset, creating systems and processes, and even finding a niche and specializing. Shannon also reflects that none of it was ever a clear path, but everything has contributed to the business she has today.
This is an inside look into Shannon’s road map to creating her yoga business, but remember - everyone’s journey will be different. Special thanks to Isabel for asking this question that prompted the reflection!
Key Takeaways:
[2:51] Isabel asked: How do you know that your business has grown to certain levels or reached certain milestones? What are the different pieces that make your entire business, and how long did it take you to put them all together?
[3:35] Shannon's business journey began way before the podcast.
[6:14] Shannon gives a shout out to a few people.
[9:33] Take a moment to reflect on your own yoga journey. Where were you when you began, and where are you now?
[10:43] Shannon shares her backstory of how and why she became an entrepreneur, and her first business ventures.
[18:27] Shannon describes how she became a yoga teacher.
[21:04] Shannon's grandfather gave her some words of wisdom about saving, that have stuck with her.
[27:08] This episode is sponsored by YoMassage.
[28:19] The first milestone in Shannon's business is her business mindset.
[34:12] Another part of the business mindset is the money mindset.
[40:00] Milestone #2: Know your why.
[41:37] Milestone #3: Systems, processes and planning.
[43:07] For Shannon, accepting and asking for help was her fourth milestone.
[44:28] The last milestone is specializing and niche work.
[47:15] You're not alone in your journey as a yoga teacher and entrepreneur!
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsors Schedulicity, Yoga for Pelvic Health Teacher Training, and Yomassage
Quotes from this episode:
"I had this lightbulb moment thinking, 'There are no other teachers in the world that can share yoga like I can'." - Shannon
"You are here to offer a type of yoga that no one else can." - Shannon
"It doesn’t matter what you make - it matters what you save." - Shannon
"Your message needs to be louder than all of the fears and roadblocks and learning that you need to do." - Shannon
I wanted to check in with all of you today and tell you about what we are working on to support you. There is a free masterclass to help you to take your yoga online. I also wanted to share why we are self-isolating now in our home.
http://www.theconnectedyogateacher.com/covid-19-check-in
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
159: Mindful Touch and Yoga with Tiffany Ryan & Katherine Parker
Description:
Do you incorporate touch into your yoga classes? Or do you enjoy touch in your classes but aren’t sure how to go about introducing it in your classes? Yomassage may be the answer you are looking for. This unique offering fills a niche in the health and wellness space, and seeks to combine the principles of yoga and yogic philosophy with the benefits of massage.
Tiffany Ryan and Katherine Parker are co-founders of Yomassage, and they offer an innovative approach to wellness that combines yoga and massage therapy. Tiffany and Katherine come from very different backgrounds, but their paths crossed by chance and Yomassage was born. The classes they offered at the studio became so popular that they decided to offer trainings to other wellness professionals. Today, they offer a variety of Yomassage classes and trainings across the US to create affordable options for self-care through bodywork.
Tiffany and Katherine Parker join me to share more about how they came to discover this as their niche, how they serve their clients, and the benefits of Yomassage. They also highlight how yoga teachers can incorporate this area into their current yoga offerings to students and how mindful touch is different than a yoga teacher providing adjustments and assists.
If you’ve ever thought about incorporating more touch into your classes, or are interested in finding out more about how mindful touch can benefit your students, this episode is for you.
Key Takeaways:
[5:13] Shannon introduces her guests for this episode - Tiffany Ryan and Katherine Parker.
[7:32] What is Yomassage and how did Tiffany and Katherine create it? Tiffany shares a bit about her journey that led to Yomassage.
[11:27] Where did Katherine's yoga journey begin, and how did her work tie in with touch and massage?
[14:34] Katherine shares more about the trainings on Yomassage that they offer massage therapists and yoga teachers.
[15:12] There has been a lot of discussion in the yoga world about why it might be better not to incorporate touch into classes. What are Tiffany's thoughts on this?
[20:06] How does Katherine, as the studio owner, safeguard the interests of students coming in with regards to who wants touch and who doesn't?
[23:27] What is the process when students sign up for a Yomassage class?
[26:15] The training for mindful touch provides teachers with a framework for what is acceptable and what isn't.
[28:31] A word from our sponsor - Yomassage.
[29:43] What are some of the the recommendations, do's and don'ts for Yomassage?
[31:28] For a yoga teacher who would like to incorporate touch into their classes, what would be the best way to go about it?
[35:15] People need 10-15 minutes of touch daily, and Yomassage classes aims to provide this. How are the classes organized to do this?
[39:15] Katherine shares some of the details about the Yomassage and mindful touch classes.
[42:36] How much touch do people receive in a Yomassage session vs a mindful touch class?
[44:44] What are the training sessions like for Yomassage and mindful touch, for practitioners who want to include these as a part of their offering?
[48:17] Connect with Katherine and Tiffany via their social media pages to learn more about Yomassage.
[49:07] Shannon, Katherine and Tiffany discuss the importance of touch.
[51:28] Shannon shares her biggest takeaway from this interview.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Yomassage
Quotes from this episode:
"The combination of the touch and the restorative yoga would be almost like receiving that savasana / feel-good touch throughout the whole class." - Katherine
"Touch is known and proven to help the body enter into the parasympathetic nervous system." - Tiffany
"Touch is so impactful, and it really can help people heal." - Tiffany
"It's really important to have this additional training that teaches you about touch, how to touch and to do it with consent." - Tiffany
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
158: Yoga Nidra with Kaya Mindlin
Description:
Something that is said to be as old as yoga itself, but which is less well-known and not as widely practiced is yoga nidra. Sometimes described as “yogic sleep”, yoga nidra can be a powerful healing technique. Kaya Mindlin, an expert on the topic of yoga nidra, shares more about this fascinating aspect of yoga on this interview.
Kaya Mindlin is a Yoga Therapist and Ayurvedic Practitioner with 18 years of experience teaching yoga and nine years of experience training and mentoring yoga teachers. She is the co-Founder and director of Emeryville Yoga Therapy Center, and has created multiple programs for yoga teachers. She is passionate about the soft, slow, inward-oriented side of yoga that holds the purpose of yoga at its heart. Today, Kaya teaches yoga teachers in-person and online, through training courses, mentoring and private sessions in yoga therapy and ayurveda.
What does yoga nidra offer that other practices may not? Why is it especially needed in our modern society? What kinds of things can come up for students during yoga nidra, and how can we as yoga teachers hold space for that? These are just a few of the topics Kaya shares more about. She also talks about the best positions for yoga nidra, what a good yoga nidra script should include, and even has some special resources for you.
This is an excellent episode for anyone curious about the practice and benefits of yoga nidra, both as a teacher of yoga and to use in your own practice.
Key Takeaways:
[6:55] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Kaya Mindlin.
[8:43] Where did Kaya's yoga journey begin?
[11:17] What is Kaya's specialty now, and how did she find her focus?
[12:35] Kaya explains the pronunciation of 'nidra' and why the pronunciation matters.
[15:50] What is yoga nidra?
[17:24] What happens when people fall asleep during yoga nidra?
[18:17] How do we know when we've reached the state of yoga nidra?
[21:29] When can we access the yoga nidra state?
[22:40] Why is yoga nidra so important?
[24:35] What are some of the other benefits of the yoga nidra state?
[29:15] What are some things we might experience in a state of yoga nidra?
[32:46] Where would Kaya recommend that yoga teachers try out yoga nidra?
[34:56] Kaya has some resources available on yoga nidra.
[35:41] Kaya shares more about her offerings both online and in person.
[40:39] A lot of problems we see in people in modern society are related to sleep.
[45:10] What does Kaya wish yoga teachers knew about yoga nidra?
[47:24] Find out more about Kaya and her work at her website.
[48:33] Shannon shares her key takeaways from this episode.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Toronto Yoga Conference April 2020
Quotes from this episode:
"Yoga nidra is an inner state. It is the deep sleep state with awareness retained."
"I train [yoga teachers] in techniques to open the doorway to that state, but there's no guarantee that it will happen, but whatever happens will be beneficial."
"We feel only ignorance, and simultaneously that ignorance is described as a mass of bliss."
"At a deep level, it's very appealing to us because we are starved for rest and relaxation, and we're really starved for sleep."
"Yoga nidra works at the subconscious level to resolve problematic patterns of thinking and habits, and it also goes all the way to the unconscious level."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
157: Horse Wisdom Yoga with Fotini Chandrika Walton
Description:
You may have noticed that there has been a trend in recent years surrounding yoga and animals - puppy yoga, cat yoga and even goat yoga. These are variations of yoga where animals are present during the yoga practice. Fotini Chandrika Walton offers her clients something unique - Horse Wisdom Yoga.
Fotini Chandrika Walton is the Founder of the Big Red Barn Creativity and Wellness Centre Inc., a non-profit organization in Ontario, Canada where she offers an Equine Guided Wellness modality, Horse Wisdom Yoga®. Fotini was introduced to the Yogic lifestyle at 6, and officially began her yoga practice in 2004. Through a journey of personal transformation, Fotini uncovered the power of yoga in combination with the ancestral wisdom of Horses, where the non-predatory nature of the Horse and the principles of Yoga bring to life the ancient history of horse-human connection.
This is a very specialized form of combining time with horses and yoga. Fotini shares how it is more than just doing yoga with horses grazing in the practice area, and explains what a session with her and the herd might look like. We also dig into the challenges around describing what your unique yoga offering is to someone who has not experienced it before, and how Fotini approaches marketing in a very novel way.
This was a fascinating interview to learn more about how one yoga teacher is incorporating unique elements into their offering of yoga, and finding a niche that sets them apart.
Key Takeaways:
[5:55] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Fotini Chandrika Walton.
[7:21] Where did Fotini's yoga journey begin?
[10:42] What is the work that Fotini does now, and who does she do it for?
[14:40] How did Fotini really start working with horses and yoga in the same modality?
[16:45] It is difficult to describe the experience that Fotini offers and to explain what she does to someone. She shares more about how she explains it to others.
[19:34] How does Fotini explain her special niche in yoga to others?
[24:14] What "structured" marketing does Fotini do to get the word out about her business?
[28:10] How do Fotini and her horses work with clients?
[32:33] Fotini shares more about the training sessions she has lined up.
[33:02] Fotini outlines what an initial session would be like for a client.
[37:57] Shannon and Fotini discuss what could come out of a session of Horse Wisdom Yoga.
[40:31] How often do clients work with Fotini?
[42:02] What are Fotini's prices like?
[43:52] What is Fotini's recommendation for yoga teachers who are interested in learning to facilitate Horse Wisdom Yoga?
[46:19] Learn more about Fotini and her work at her website.
[47:30] Shannon shares her experience with Horse Wisdom Yoga.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Toronto Yoga Conference April 2020
Quotes from this episode:
"I feel like everything is yoga."
"I am really authentic in how I present myself to the world, and I think that has been my greatest asset when it comes to 'marketing' my business."
"Your biggest job is to take care of you."
"Abundance is not always going to show up in the form of a monetary exchange."
"I do believe that people become more intuitive the more they listen."
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
156: Define Your Brand with Rachael Kay Albers
Description:
What is your brand? Hint, it’s not just about the colors or images on your website. Figuring out what your brand is all about can be confusing, and it can be hard to think about how to differentiate yourself from other yoga teachers (especially if you don’t feel you serve a very specific niche). Branding expert Rachael Kay Albers has some tips on how to define your brand and stand out with your branding.
Rachael is a digital strategist, and Founder and Creative Director of RKA Ink, a branding, web design and digital marketing studio based outside Chicago. She helps thought leaders and visionary entrepreneurs all over the world stand out online with unforgettable brands. Apart from her work crafting epic brands, Rachael also hosts Awkward Marketing, a business comedy show blending fun-sized business advice with storytelling and sketch comedy.
From what your brand actually means, to why yoga teachers may struggle with a branding problem, Rachael has a wealth of information on finding, defining and sharing your brand. She also talks about the concept of reverse niching, how we can use that to find our ideal yoga students and how to stand out by taking a stand.
Whether you have a clearly defined brand identity or your brand is still a work-in-progress, this episode has lots of strategies to help you craft and refine your brand.
Key Takeaways:
[6:13] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Rachael Kay Albers.
[7:55] What does Rachael do and who does she do it for?
[10:26] Rachael describes herself as a rule-breaker - even when she got married!
[11:41] Why do "woo businesses" need to work on their branding? Rachael explains what branding means for yoga teachers.
[14:06] Where do "woo businesses" have a problem with their branding?
[19:34] How can yoga teachers deal with having to sell people what they want without being slimy or salesy?
[23:02] Rachael shares an example of how she helped her client figure out her ideal client and how that relates to the messaging and copy.
[26:46] Shannon and Rachael walk through an example of an ideal client for a teacher offering restorative yoga.
[30:58] How would knowing the ideal client translate into copy for social media or on a website?
[33:17] Rachael addresses the worry and concern that many business owners have about writing copy for specific people.
[35:20] Rachael recommends using your copy to direct your design.
[38:49] What is reverse niching?
[44:23] Branding has two jobs - to attract your ideal clients, but also to push away the wrong people.
[46:57] What other aspects of branding should yoga teachers think about to stand out?
[51:16] Rachael shares an example of how to turn a complaint or a pain point into positive content that serves your audience.
[54:35] The brands that really stand out are the ones that are willing to ruffle feathers and take a stand.
[1:00:45] Shannon and Rachael discuss the idea that there's a market out there for every kind of yoga teacher.
[1:02:51] Find out more about Rachael and the work that she does at her website.
[1:03:55] Shannon shares her takeaways from the interview. What was your biggest takeaway?
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Toronto Yoga Conference April 2020
Quotes from this episode:
"At its heart, your brand is how your customers remember you and experience you."
"At the end of the day, you don't get to say what your brand is. Your audience says what your brand is."
"The cardinal rule of branding and marketing: Sell them what they want, give them what they need!"
"Who am I not a good fit for?"
The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
155: Yoga Teacher Q&A with Shannon Crow
Description:
This podcast was created to serve you, and to help you connect to information and feel supported as you navigate being a yoga teacher and an entrepreneur. On this special episode, Shannon answers some of the questions YOU have asked!
Courtney Butler Robinson has a question about burnout. Despite loving what she does, she feels like her schedule is overfilled and she is approaching a state of burnout. Shannon shares her own experiences with burnout, as well as some strategies to manage and avoid it.
Jessica Saunders has chosen to focus on growing her online yoga business. However, she needs some help in figuring out how to effectively engage her online audience, as well as how niching down can help her stand out online. Shannon has some tips on specialization, why the online space can be tricky to navigate, and some strategies to set yourself apart.
Do you have a question for Shannon? Leave her a voice message or send her an email!
Key Takeaways:
[1:39] This episode is a Q&A based on questions asked by yoga teachers from the community.
[7:44] Courtney Butler Robinson asks what Shannon's experience is with burnout and how she manages it.
[11:19] Shannon shares some strategies that can help avoid burnout.
[17:12] Check out Schedulicity's hot tip of the week.
[17:57] Jessica Saunders asks: What techniques are effective in engaging an online audience? Shannon shares more about how niching down can help you stand out.
[22:29] Marketing yourself online means that you have access to more people, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's easy. That's why specializing is particularly useful.
[25:40] Ask yourself: What do you want to be known for - for now, not forever?
[28:59] Shannon would love to hear your feedback on this type of episode.
Links:
Gratitude to our Sponsor Schedulicity and Consultation with Shannon
Quotes from this episode:
"One thing to remember as the entrepreneur, as the yoga teacher - you are designing your own business."
"Start before you feel 100% ready to go."
"We are so much more likely to give a referral when someone is specialized."
"We have to really feel connected to something to make that our niche."