The Connected Yoga Teacher Podcast
363: Build a Full-Time Yoga Career with Mary Reddinger
Teaching private yoga is a topic that often comes among yoga teachers. Questions like about finding and retaining private students, the difference between group classes and private sessions, and how to make sure private students are getting what they need are common. Mary Reddinger shares her insights.
Mary is a full-time yoga teacher and mother to two boys, ages 9 and 5. Mary has practiced yoga on and off for many years, but integrated it into her life after her first pregnancy when she started really seeing the benefits of yoga. Mary also shares a little about her journey to working with perinatal students – she currently teaches prenatal yoga, postnatal yoga and private lessons. In addition to her yoga teacher training, Mary has also studied under Francesca Cervero about The Science of the Private Lesson.
In this episode, Mary gives us a detailed look at her full-time yoga career as a private yoga teacher. She shares how she got started teaching private yoga lessons, what helped her retain her students, how she structures classes with private students and how she manages her schedule as a mother and yoga teacher. Tune in to learn all about the art of teaching private yoga lessons.
[0:17] Hang out with this episode's guest, Mary Reddinger, in Pelvic Health Professionals!
[3:08] This episode is sponsored by OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals!
[3:44] Check out the upcoming yoga series with Kathleen Pratt - Nourish Your Nervous System.
[6:16] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode - Mary Reddinger.
[10:53] What does Mary do and who does she do it for?
[11:55] How did Mary build up her private classes as her main business? How did private students find her?
[14:37] What challenges did Mary face after she completed her yoga teacher training in teaching 1:1?
[16:43] What did Mary find were the best ways to get the initial few students booked?
[17:44] How has Mary managed client retention after the initial set of sessions with a student?
[21:49] Does Mary do mostly online or in-person classes?
[22:47] What makes Mary's private sessions different from the group classes?
[26:02] Shannon pops in to share some exciting news about OfferingTree.
[27:59] Does Mary take notes when she is teaching 1:1?
[29:13] Mary explains why she goes to the student's home rather than having them come to her or meeting at a studio.
[34:00] What kind of responses or feedback does Mary get from her students about private sessions?
[38:03] How does Mary manage her schedule and find balance between teaching yoga and showing up for her family?
[43:06] Find out more about Mary and her work via her website.
[43:06] Shannon shares her biggest takeaways from this conversation with Mary.
[50:15] If you would like to support the podcast, do leave a review or make a financial contribution!
Previous Podcast Episodes about Private Yoga:
132: Marketing to Increase Private Bookings with Amanda Mays [Consultation Call]
081: Set Up to Teach Private Yoga [Consultation Call] with Stephanie Brunson
014: Build Your Private Yoga Business with Kate Connell Potts
Nourish Your Nervous System, 6-Week Online Series with Kathleen Pratt in Pelvic Health Professionals
Gratitude to our Sponsors, OfferingTree and Pelvic Health Professionals.
"The number one thing I have done to create a full schedule of private students is to tell people that I am a private yoga teacher."
"A lot of yoga teachers do not share that private sessions are something they offer."
"Really the first year of working with a new private student, it's about building your relationship with them and it's about building trust."
"Part of yoga as a practice is noticing what comes up when we are distracted and then what do we need to do to come back."
"In terms of what we're teaching, you can truly make a yoga practice that serves that student that day in the body and the mind they are showing up with that day."