What Does It Take To Run A Yoga Studio/Wellness Business?

July 16

We live in a capitalist society. I don’t favor the model of capitalism, but I chose to live under its rule. Running a yoga studio should be run as any other business, if one chooses to do so. If I had unlimited resources and ran my own studio, I could offer all free classes, but it would still be run as a business. The money issue will always be there and people need to be paid for their services.
I used to practice at a non-profit yoga and wellness center that offered several sliding scale and donation classes so that limited and no income people were never turned away. Unfortunately they had to convert to for-profit because there just wasn’t enough money to rent the space and keep the building heated. The place is thriving again and sliding scale/free classes are still available.
Somethings I thought of that has had great social significance that were not businesses are Food Not Bombs, The Diggers, and The Black Panthers. But can you imagine trying to bring yoga to the people by these methods? I’m just not sure how one separates offering yoga from running it as a business in America.
What I see as the pros of running a yoga/wellness business: offering a way to healthier lives, walking the walk, making your own hours, create the working environment as you wish, financial gain, an amazing community.
And the cons: staying in the red, always being connected to the phone, extra hours, uncertainty, increased responsibility, no guarantees.
There has to be a market for a yoga studio. If I open a studio in a neighborhood/location where the population isn’t interested in fitness or yoga was thought of as esoteric, I’m not going to draw many people to my business. Location, for this reason, is critical.
Dedication and commitment to your practice, to learning and to teaching are tantamount to running an effective studio, as well as having an open heart, a strong spirit, a sense of humor, and excellent instructors.
It’s 2011, what can’t be commodified? People want to learn so they seek out teachers. Teachers need to eat and should absolutely be compensated for their time. Everyone has a right to earn their own living. If you want to offer free yoga and not call it a business, I won’t try to stop you.
Conflicts I see running a yoga/wellness business: money management, capability of fulfilling all the roles necessary to achieve success, problematic students and/or staff, time, business partner. Conflict can come from anywhere. Staying calm and level-headed is the key to managing whatever comes up. Stick to the facts!