How Yoga Teachers Can Find Financial Freedom
Let’s be real, you don’t decide to become a yoga teacher because you plan on being a millionaire. I mean, c’mon, even though the wellness industry is a billion dollar industry that money isn’t exactly be distributed to the teachers themselves.
The truth of the matter is that most people decide to become yoga teachers, because the yoga practice has profoundly impacted their own life in some way….and they want to pay it forward to their students.
While teaching yoga is work that comes from the heart, that doesn’t also mean that you can’t actually find financial freedom while doing it.
I’m not going to lie and say that it’s easy…because it’s not.
This isn’t a quick three-step solution that’s going to make you hundreds of thousands of dollars quickly.
Nope. It’s more about a steady build, consistency, and continuing to improve as a teacher so that you’re able to provide more complex (and high priced) offerings.
Today’s post will cover ways in which yoga teachers can find financial freedom while staying in their integrity as a teacher.
Hint: you’ll have to break the cycle of only teaching studio classes if you actually want to see a meaningful return.
Read more about why yoga teachers need to teach retreats.
Check out my online 100 hour continued education course to improve your teaching, draw in new students, and get paid more from your employers TODAY!
How Yoga Teachers Can Find Financial Freedom
Financial freedom doesn’t happen overnight. Like, in any industry, not just with teaching yoga.
Before you even consider any of the below points, it’s really important that you focus most of your time and attention on simply becoming the best possible teacher you can.
That means: cleaning up your cues, spicing up your sequencing, and knowing your personal purpose as a teacher rather than trying to be someone else.
Learn more about all that in my online 100 hour YTT.
Once you know who you are as a teacher, then actually have something to offer to others. And that’s when things get really exciting.
Let’s get into it.
Teach Outside Of Yoga Studios
First and foremost, you’re going to want to ditch the idea of only teaching in yoga studios. If you rely on teaching studio classes for 100% of your income, I promise you that you will get burnt out.
I’m not saying that you should never teach a studio class again, because those classes are actually super helpful in refining your teaching.
Just don’t take up all your time with teaching in a studio, because then you won’t have space to explore other higher paying options.
Learn more about how to avoid burnout.
Teach Private Classes
Most of the time when I tell teachers to take a step back from studio classes, they’re a little nervous to do so. I get it, it can feel scary to venture out there on your own. And maybe that’s you.
The good news is that teaching private classes is one of the best baby steps away from only teaching studio classes, without a huge risk or investment.
Plus, these classes tend to pay about 3x more than a standard hourly rate from a yoga studio. Who doesn’t love that?
Learn more about different kinds of private yoga classes.
Teach Workshops
The next baby step away from only teaching drop-in yoga classes at a studio is to put together your first workshop.
Don’t forget that workshops can be online, or in person. And also don’t forget to leverage your existing students from those drop in classes to join your more in-depth offering.
In fact, ask your students what they want to learn more about. Or, at the very least, just start to notice what is most commonly requested in your classes.
These will be great indicators of what kind of workshop you should put together based on your student’s needs, interests, and demand.
Learn more about the difference between teaching online versus in person.
Offer Corporate Yoga Classes
Okay, so teaching corporate yoga classes is another example of breaking the cycle of only teaching yoga studio classes without needing to make the more radical shift of starting your own business.
Teaching corporate yoga classes can often feel similar to a studio class, but the pay is often higher than a standard yoga studio hourly rate. Why? Because they have more money, of course!
Corporate yoga can really apply to any more organized event style of teaching. Whether that’s at a tech company to their employees, or for a bachelorette party. Get creative with it.
Teach A Festivals
Now that we’re on the other side of Covid, we can actually start to talk about yoga festivals again. Remember those?
Yeah, they’re still very much a thing. And yeah, they’re coming back in full force.
Of course there’s the major yoga festivals that tour the world with the “famous yogi” teachers. But there’s also plenty of smaller, communal festivals and markets that you can choose from.
Since everything went online with the Pandemic, there’s also a ton of opportunities online, as many people have started to put together live events.
Put together a clean, kick ass resume, and start to circulate it.
Lead Your Own Yoga Retreats
Okay, we’re officially stepping away from your comfort zone now that we’re in the retreat territory. And look, I get it- yoga retreats can seem intimidating to put together, to fill, and to host.
And the truth is: these events are a lot of work. I’m not going to lie to you and say that they’re not. Take it from me, I’ve been teaching yoga retreats for 10 years now.
However, although there’s a lot that goes into making a great retreat, it’s also totally possible. And, the financial return is huge. I’m talking as much as you’d make in 3 - 4 months teaching studio classes.
Learn how to plan your own retreat HERE.
Get Hired For Yoga Teacher Training Courses
If you’re already teaching at a yoga studio, then I can almost guarantee that your studio has a YTT program. After all, yoga teacher training are really the bread and butter that keeps yoga studios alive.
Ask your studio owner if you can start just by teaching some of the asana classes, and then start to tiptoe your way into the lectures. The hourly pay is always higher for teachers who teach YTTs.
Plus, you’ll get to form a really great connection with the students, which can help your additional offerings down the line.
Learn what it takes to write a yoga teacher training manual.
Teach Yoga Online
Teaching yoga online really becomes this whole other beast, because that means you now need to brand yourself, make a website, start a mailing list….and also still show up to teach the classes.
Sure, you’ll probably have to learn new skills and platforms. But guess what? These skills will be valuable to you in any job, or any future endeavors.
Not to mention, the great thing about the internet is that it’s infinite.
Rather than only relying on people walking through the door of your studio to find you, you now have access to people from all over the world. Which means your student base will expand, your class sizes will grow, and your payment will increase.
Learn what you need to create your branding.
Leverage Your Social Media
Leveraging your social media really goes hand-in-hand with teaching yoga online. But it also just helps you to further establish yourself as a teacher in general.
Keep in mind, there’s a big difference between growing your social media to become an influencer, versus leveraging your social media for sales.
Try to focus more on the people who are already there, and use the platform as a space where you can deepen your teaching skills, instead.
Learn how to use social media for productivity rather than distraction.
Start A Yoga Blog
I mean, you are reading a yoga blog right now. So, I guess you could say I’m little biased when it comes to starting a blog to grow your business.
Just like I’ve already said a million times about other options: it’s not easy.
Actually, it’s less about it being easy or hard, and more about it simply taking time. You can’t expect to write a few pieces a month to have tens of thousands of views overnight.
Should you choose to start a yoga blog, make sure that you actually like to write. And then dedicate yourself to writing 3 - 5 posts per week.
Yep, that’s a lot, I know. But that’s really what it takes to grow.
Start A Yoga Podcast
Podcasting kind of reminds me of the audio version of blogging. However, unlike blogging, you don’t need to release a show every day in order to grow. Once a week is fine.
Similar to blogging, however, you can’t expect to start a podcast and have it become an overnight success. This isn’t Call Her Daddy, okay?
You really need to combine your podcast with an overall online presence with social media, a website, and a mailing list in order to grow.
Learn more about what you need for your first website.
Create An Online Course
Starting your own online course is one of the best ways to increase your earning as a yoga teacher. And the best news is that there’s no shortage of topics to cover in our industry.
Keep in mind that this can be a low price point offering (like my bundle classes), or a higher price point offering (like my 100 hour course).
Guess what? Yes, that’s right: it’s a lot of work. But also, it’s worth it.
Start Your Own Yoga Studio
Okay, let’s exist in the digital sphere and talk about more lucrative in-person options, shall we? Although, I should mention that any of these in-person offerings will perform even better when paired with digital marketing.
You can start your own yoga studio. Yes you! You can.
Of course this can be a lot more financially risky than starting your own online yoga studio or yoga app, but it can still also be done in pretty financial sound ways.
Check out lease options on commercial spaces in your community to see what kind of investment you need upfront. And most importantly, please make sure to create a complete business plan before you sign any lease agreement.
Lead Your Own Yoga Teacher Training Course
I would strongly suggest only leading your own yoga teacher training course once you either have experience of teaching on other YTTs, or you’ve been teaching for at least 7 years or more.
Getting a YTT off the ground is tough, but it’s also incredibly rewarding to teach students your own unique ideas and curriculum alongside the ancient knowledge of the yoga practice itself.
Open Your Own Retreat Center
Finally, you can take the wild and crazy leap that I did and open your own retreat center. Whether you do this in your own country of origin, or abroad, just know that this will likely be the greatest upfront investment of all.
Learn more about our experience of buying and building in Nicaragua.
Let me know which option you’ll choose first as you start to pave a path of financial freedom as a yoga teacher in the comments below!
xx,
K