Tips for making a living out of yoga teaching. By Julie Montagu
T
urning a passion into a way to make a living
is undoubtedly one of the best ways to live
a happy and fulfilled life. Choosing yoga as
the path for you in terms of your work is a
beautiful choice and will enable you to share
this happiness with your students.
Although this will surely be an exciting and rewarding
career, you may also find it difficult at first to solely
make a living out of teaching yoga!
One of the greatest tips that I can give to you is to be
persistent and patient whilst you are getting started. I
used to take my children with me to hand out flyers for
my very first classes. The hours spent doing this would
often not seem worth it at the time, but eventually my
classes began to fill up.
Due to the social media age that we live in, wandering
the streets with flyers may not be your best choice
anymore, as you now have the potential to communicate
with countless people in your area about your yoga
classes. So, invest some time getting to grips with online
marketing – or find somebody to do this for you.
It can also be helpful to diversify what you offer. Group
yoga classes are great, but there’s also the possibility of
one-on-one classes with clients, and you may also find that
giving talks and teaching at festivals can be a good way to
make extra money too and get the word out that you are
an amazing yoga teacher. You may also eventually consider
creating online yoga classes through various social media
channels reaching a much wider audience worldwide.Angela Pham, who is a business coach and mentor
on my Whole Self 200-hour yoga teacher training
has given her top 5 tips:- Be you
There is a growing number of yoga teachers each year,
but the one thing that makes you different is you. So be
the most authentic version of you. There’s room for all
of us in the yoga industry, and the key to succeed is to
think of how you can stand out in the crowd. How can
you create value for others? What do you have to offer
that only you can share? - Think big
Stop the small thinking; many of us think too small. We
let the fear cripple our growth and success. What are the
ways you can earn money in addition to teaching group
classes? Be creative and dream big on ways you can create
new opportunities to grow your business. Plan a retreat on
a farm in Italy, host a workshop on a topic that you care
deeply about, plan a special one-off yoga event for singles
to mingle, organise a lunch and learn in corporate offices
The business
of teaching yoga
to bring yoga into the corporate world, etc. And utilise your
existing network to grow your business.- Be smart about your money
Getting paid for that first time teaching a yoga class
will be very exciting. Do your dance and celebrate – but
don’t blow it all on a new pair of lululemon leggings! Be
smart with how you save your money as you start your
business. Limit the costs you put into your business by
leveraging free resources online. Don’t spend loads of
money on your business until you start making profit.
Once you start generating income, be sure to set aside
money for savings, taxes, retirement, investment in
further training courses, etc. - “The talking about the thing isn’t the
thing. The doing of the thing is the thing”
- Amy Poehler
Less talking. Less thinking. More doing. You don’t need
to know all the answers before you start. Just start. Take
baby steps. I promise you, you’ll be surprised by what
comes your way when you take even just the tiniest
step. So starting right now, what’s one thing you can
do that will take you one step closer to your goal as a
successful yoga teacher?
- Silence the inner critic
Half the battle will be within your own mind. It’s that
voice or that noise that will find a way to try to talk you
out of your goals and dreams. When this happens, tell
that inner critic to quiet down and remind yourself why
you want to be a yoga teacher. What’s your ‘why’? What
is your drive to hustle each day to succeed as a yoga
teacher? Rely on your ‘why’ to provide you strength and
empower you at times when you want to give up. - Take care of you
Let’s be real here. No one said that following your
dreams and creating this life you want will be easy, but I
guarantee it will be worth it. Believe in yourself. And when
times are challenging, breathe through it and smile. Take
some time out if you need to and then came back to it
when you’re ready. The small moments of self-care are
necessary and important to maintain your focus.
However your yoga career unfolds, be sure to remember
to pay attention to your own practice too so that you
continue to love what you do!Julie Montagu is the founder of Whole Self Yoga
which provides 200-Hour Teacher Training courses
(wholeself.yoga)