how to open a virtual yoga studio

when we're in yoga teacher training, many of us dream of one day opening a bright, sunny, successful yoga studio that students flock to.

then, we graduate, start teaching some classes, and discover that opening a yoga studio is a lot more challenging and complicated (and costs a lot more money) than we initially envisioned.

you need to think about renting a space, hiring teachers and support staff, insurance coverage, props, tech equipment like computers and sound systems, etc. etc. etc.

and, as quickly as that dream appeared...it begins to fade...

but, today we're really lucky. we don't need to have a physical brick-and-mortar establishment in order to have your very own yoga studio. in fact, one of the best, most profitable and FUN ways to open a "studio" is to create one online.

(mini-side-note: you hear me talk about multiple streams of income a lot. the reason being, in order to really make yoga your full-time gig, you cannot rely solely on teaching classes. you need multiple streams of money coming into your biz in order to make a living -- like public classes, private clients, workshops, teacher trainings, e-books, online courses, recorded meditations, online yoga studio, and the like. plus, the mega benefit is that a virtual yoga studio is open 24/7 and you don't even have to "be there" to make money!)

so, if that vision of a studio still lingers in the back of you mind, i want to encourage you think about crafting a sacred space for your teaching online.

there are a number of tools and websites available now that will enable you to share your teaching with students from all over the globe! and, in my opinion, why just be a local yoga teacher when you could have a global impact with your teaching?!

in today's video, i'm sharing a number of several resources (many of which are FREE!) that'll enable you to build an online "yoga studio" where you can share the teachings that only you can offer.

there are many different options that range from simple videos and audio teachings to complex member sites. but, no matter how "techy" you are, i guarantee there's an option that'll work for you.

have an online "yoga studio"? share a link to it in the comments below so i can check it out!

here are the resources i mentioned in the video: youtube, soundcloud, audible yoga, the yoga recipe, gumroad, udemy, optimize press (FYI -- the ONLY site for which i am an affiliate is optimize press. that said, i've used optimize press to build 2 of my websites and one of my courses and would highly recommend it whether or not i was an affiliate :-)

how to monetize your yoga blog

someone from the CALM biz community asked me this question:

"how do i monetize my blog & youtube channel?"

first off, i want to congratulate you on thinking about how to pull in multiple streams of income for your yoga biz and for wanting to take your business online -- that's awesome!

but, you're looking for money in the wrong place if you're hoping for a 1::1 ratio of blog readers/youtube watchers to online yoga students. (does that surprise you?!)

the thing is, having a blog, e-newsletter and youtube channel is super important for yoga-entrepreneurs, but they ARE NOT how the majority of teachers who are successful online make their money.

let me me repeat that just in case you missed it -- they ARE NOT how the majority make their money!

we have to look at our blog, newsletter, social media pages and youtube channel as marketing tools, not products to be sold.

your blog and (the majority of) your youtube vids should give students and potential students super valuable, *FREE* info that they can use to improve their lives. and, doing this will build trust, foster a genuine connection with you and grow your community. all of which is necessary for making money down the road.

they are a means to the end...not the end.

then...when it comes time to sell something, like an online course, meditation guide, primo video series, e-book, workshop or training, you'll have a slew of people who KNOW, LIKE and TRUST you who are ready to purchase whatever it is that you're offering.

that's where the money is, and that's how feel-good marketing results in sales!

so, it's not about monetizing your yoga blog on the front end -- blocking readers until they pay -- it's about cultivating community and offering awesome info so that your blog readers become product buyers at the end of the day!​

check out this week's teachings to hear my take on this topic first-hand :-)

what marketing tools do you have in place for your yoga biz?

post your youtube, facebook & twitter links in the comments below. i wanna check them out!

self-care practices for mom-trepreneurs

as many of you know, we welcomed our first baby girl in early october 2014. and, after a lovely, long maternity leave, i started to dip my toes back into the day-to-day runnings of my business in mid-january.

making the transition for entrepreneur to "momtrepreneur" has actually gone pretty smoothly. overall, i feel more grounded and focused in my efforts and have a clearer sense of my priorities.

that said, being a stay-at-home mom and work-from-home biz owner can take its toll if you're not making self-care a priority.

a number of yogis that i work with are also moms. and i've noticed a common thread -- yogis' and moms' worlds both revolve around giving. we give to our students, children, spouses, friends, family, clients, co-workers, etc. etc. etc.

and though giving is a beautiful practice, if all your energy is moving outward, you'll end up feeling burnt out and depleted. no good.

if you sense that your life+biz could benefit from a bit more self-care (and let's be honest -- whose wouldn't?!), then this post's for you mama!

here are 6 self-care practices that i personally rely on to be my best self for both my family and my business.

my friend, Arianna, has put together an awesome FREE week-long program for moms called Heal at Home - a week of simple+effective self-care tips so you can better care for your little one. check it out here.

all you need is THIS to alleviate mental chaos

do you often feel like you're being pulled in a thousand different directions? and, even when you're working on one task, your mind is ticking through the countless other things you still need to get done?

being in a state of mental chaos (to put it bluntly) sucks.

it's tiring, frustrating and no matter how much you accomplish, it feels like you didn't get quite enough done.

if what i'm talking about here is something you live with or even just deal with occasionally, please know that this is not a "given" state of being for entrepreneurs. just because you may wear 20 different hats as a yogic business owner, doesn't mean you need to feel like you also have 20 different heads all competing for your attention!

but, as with all things, problems don't present themselves with solutions. and, luckily, i have one for you today that'll help you alleviate the mental chaos that's weighing on your mind.

in order to combat mental chaos, you need to have organization!

it makes perfect sense, actually. when your closet is a mess and weighing on your mind, you clear out the clutter, neatly stack your sweaters, line up your shoes and feel 1000% better. same goes for your biz!

today i'm sharing 4 organizational strategies that i personally use to get a handle on my business to-dos and prevent mental chaos from setting in. check out the vid now.

which strategy did you find the most helpful? share it in the comments below!