om yoga teacher training guide
Dreamt of having your own yoga studio? Franchising could make
this a reality says Michelle Nicklin
The
of
way
franchising
T
here are thousands of yoga teachers across the UK
helping people live healthier and happier lives every
day... while dreaming of maybe one day swapping
the community hall or local studio for a place of their
own. Of course it feels like a hugely daunting and risky
prospect, requiring major investment of time, money and energy. But
this doesn’t have to be someone else’s dream – there is a way for
people just like you!
From cafes, car cleaning, fitness to fast food, franchise businesses
are all around us and are today more popular than ever. Franchises
provide a quicker and safer route to follow your passion as they
provide an established brand, existing business structure, step-by-
step guide to success and a support network. The British Franchise
Association says that nine out of 10 franchises are profitable inyear one. The first 12 months are a critical period when many new
businesses fail as they run into inevitable teething problems.
My own experience in setting up a studio illustrates that it is
inevitably going to take 12-24 months to develop your own studio/
brand and business infrastructure to the point where you can feel
comfortable that you are truly ‘up and running’. Franchises remove
much of the risk, uncertainty and work from that start-up process.
But who are franchisees? There’s no set profile because everyone
is different. But good people skills, a passion for what you do, the
right work ethic and an ability to take on and follow an established
formula are all traits which underpin success. Franchisees often have
an entrepreneurial spark but prefer to start a business that doesn’t
present too many risks.
By paying an initial fee and then an ongoing percentage of profits,