28 ways to make money online

by now, you've likely had someone (maybe me!) suggest that you should "take your yoga biz online".  but, what does that exactly mean? well, first and foremost, it means you need an online presence and, most importantly, a website.  (read 17 reasons why a website is a MUST for all yoga teachers!)  

but, if you have a website, if you're growing your email list, if you're using social media & guest blogging to build social proof, what's the next step?...

the next step is to create an online offering; something that your ideal students will LOVE that you can sell on your website that people from anywhere in the world can purchase.

once you begin to build a menu of online offerings you set yourself up for the potential for exponential yoga biz growth because you're no longer limited by your geographic location.  by offering online products & services, you can serve ideal clients from all over the globe -- how cool is that?

even cooler is the fact that your online offering can make you money 24/7, 365 days a year.  you just have to build it once, and then you can offer it again and again with no additional time commitment -- a very valuable thing when you're a busy yoga teacher!

so, if you're ready to dip your toe in the global yoga biz community, here are 28 online offering ideas for your yoga biz.  (now, keep in mind, this list is by now means all-inclusive.  it's simply meant to get your wheels turning and inspire you to create your first -- or next -- online yoga offering.)

1. 10 yoga poses for radiant energy e-book
2. tibetan meditation guide
3. ayurvedic cookbook
4. yoga video series for beginners
5. chair yoga video
6. speaker series during which you interview holistic wellness experts
7. online yoga sutra workshop 
8. yoga for athletes online training
9. design-a-home-yoga-practice course
10. anatomy & therapeutics webinar
11. yoga for a better world telesummit
12. 30-day meditation challenge
13. discover your yoga niche workshop
14. let your authentic self shine group coaching
15. 1x1 yogic life coaching via google hangouts
16. 3 guided meditations for busy professionals
17. mommy & me yoga sequence
18. safe stretching for tight bodies report
19. yoga nidra audio recordings
20. 5 class plans for new yoga teachers
21. master arm balances online training
22. chakra map & audio teaching
23. ethics of yoga webinar
24. 3 mini life+biz coaching sessions
25. how to get more private clients coaching via skype
26. guide to self-massage & restorative poses
27. alleviate chronic low-back pain video
28. how to keep new students coming back tip sheet

do you have a great idea for an online yoga offering?  share it in the comments below!  

or, if you already offer an amazing online yoga product or service, tell me about it in the comments & share a link so i can check it out :-)

biz: where a successful yoga teacher's income comes from (hint: it's NOT public classes)

do you know where a successful yoga teacher's income comes from?

maybe you have visions of her (1) teaching several packed public classes a week and (2) working with several private clients each week.  but the truth is, truly successful yoga teachers have WAY MORE than just 2 streams of income -- and relying on public classes is rarely a big part of the monetary equation.

here’s a hypothetical breakdown of what a super successful yoga teacher’s career looks like – so that you can perhaps model your own after it!

• 3 public classes/week at $50/each = $7,500/year
• 5 private lessons/week at $125/each = $31,250/year
• one-time workshops (in-person or via webinar) $50 per attendee (15 attendees, 4x year) = $3,000/year
• 4 week yoga immersion that meets 1x week (in-person or via webinar) $500 per attendee (10 attendees, 3x year) = $15,000/year
• home yoga immersion video series (on demand via your website) $75 for videos (sell 15 per month) = $13,500/year
• yoga e-book (on demand via your website) $25 for e-book (sell 20 per month) = $6,000/year
• premium training for students or fellow teachers $2750 per registrant (10 registrants, 1x year) = $27,500/year
• guest teaching gigs at conferences, workshops, other people’s teacher trainings $200 per time (5x year) = $1000/year
• total yearly income: $104,750

as you can see, yogis that make it big rely very little on their public classes to make a living.

the key is having MULTIPLE STREAMS of income. 

you’ve heard the saying “don’t put all your eggs in one basket”?  well, the same principle applies here.  you can’t expect to have a super successful yoga career if you rely solely on teaching public classes.

you NEED TO think about how to branch out and serve your students in new ways that serves both them and you better!

ok, now it’s time to dream big.  using the examples above for inspiration, what ONE THING would you like to incorporate into your yoga career as another income stream within the next 6 months?

do ONE THING TODAY to move you in that direction!

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biz: why success is yogic!

The more success you enjoy as a yoga teacher, the more students you’re able to reach. Success and yoga – these two things (on the surface) appear to be at odds. Thanks to our Western world view, success is about striving, achieving, even competing. Whereas yoga is about being, accepting, and even surrendering. By these common-held definitions, success and yoga appear to almost be opposites. But, in truth, it’s our definition of success that’s askew. Success is not about domination, it’s about authentic fulfillment, and when you’re truly successful, you enjoy abundance in all areas of your life, personally, professionally, emotionally, and spiritually. Though we often associate success with the amount of money in one’s bank account, that’s just a small part of the actual equation. Success is moreso about making a meaningful and lasting contribution to the world – and what’s more yogic than that?

If you’re still not convinced, let’s apply this concept to you, as a yoga teacher. The more success you enjoy as a yoga teacher, the more students you’re able to reach, and therefore, the more you spread and share the benefits of yoga. Continuing on, the more students you teach, the more money you see coming in, and the better you can provide for your family. I think we can all agree that there’s nothing less conducive to yoga than stressing out about paying your bills, and feeling overwhelmed and tired from teaching too many classes for too little money.

True success – the kind you should strive for as a yoga teacher – is about finding that sweet balance between what serves your students and what serves you. And, if you’re thinking that putting yourself into the equation is selfish, think again. The only way to serve others is to take care of yourself – otherwise you get burnt out, and that’s not helping anyone!

Yogis are some of the most passionate people you’ll ever come across. Yoga teachers believe in the benefits of yoga, because they have experienced them for themselves, and they seek to share the goodness of yoga with anyone who will listen. If you’re passionate, dedicated, and committed to your teaching, success in its purest form will undoubtedly find you – and, if doing what you love brings you success, you’re simply enjoying the lovely, tried-and-true benefits of good karma! In helping others, you ultimately help yourself.

When you strive for success in your yoga career, you’re not selling out, you’re looking to fulfill your full potential, and embody your dharma. And, when you do that, you’re a living example of your yoga each and every day!

This post was originally written for Yoganomics.

biz: it's all about confidence

do you know what the first step is toward making yoga your career?  are you thinking things like: "get insurance" or "figure out a teaching niche" or "contact yoga studios to see if they're hiring"?  no, no, and no. the first step toward making yoga your career is to decide to make yoga your career.  sound simple or even silly?  it's not.  when you decide something for yourself, it has profound ramifications.

ever hear the saying "thoughts are things"?  well it's true.  and when you decide to make yoga your career, you send out a powerful message that yoga will be your career.

when you decide that you want to teach -- and even make teaching your living -- you step into your power by deciding your destiny.  once you decide to make yoga your career, and someone asks "what do you do?" the answer is simple: "i teach yoga."  there's no hemming and hawing, no caveats or qualifications.  there's just you standing in your truth.  you are a yoga teacher -- whether you teach 1 class or 10, whether you have no private clients or a waitlist.

once you embrace your chosen path -- the path of teaching -- doors will open.  people will appear in your life that will help you achieve your dreams.  and your ideal students will find you.  but the first step is to find the confidence and inner strength to boldly state your desire -- and then go out and live it!