In this episode of the Blissful Biz Podcast, I sit down with Gwen Ferreira, a business coach and mentor for yoga teachers. Gwen shares her journey from burned-out yoga instructor to successful online entrepreneur, offering valuable insights on creating a sustainable and profitable yoga business.

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Gwen’s story is a testament to the power of following your passion and adapting to change. Originally from France, she moved to Nusa Lembongan, a small island near Bali, ten years ago. With a Ph.D. in underwater archaeology, Gwen’s path to becoming a yoga business coach was anything but straight.

After opening a yoga studio in 2016, Gwen found herself teaching up to five classes a day, leading to burnout. This pivotal moment forced her to reevaluate her approach to teaching yoga and running a business.

10 Key Takeaways from Our Conversation

Here are the main takeaways from my conversation with Gwen:

1. Diversify Your Offerings: Expand beyond regular classes to include workshops, retreats, teacher trainings, and online courses.
2. Create a Strategic Offer Suite: Start with your non-negotiables, find your specialty, and build a pathway from lower-priced to higher-priced offerings.
3. Rethink the Membership Model: Be cautious with yoga memberships in 2024 and beyond. They work best as a retention tool rather than a primary offering.
4. Embrace Hybrid Business Models: Combine in-person and online offerings for flexibility and multiple income streams.
5. Focus on Your Community: Create offers that align with both your passion and your audience’s needs.
6. Learn from Mistakes: Don’t be afraid to make mistakes – they’re part of the entrepreneurial journey.
7. Keep Moving Forward: Take consistent action, even when faced with setbacks.
8. Provide Implementation Support: People crave community and help with implementing knowledge, not just more information.
9. Be Strategic in Marketing: Find softer ways to build your community that align with yoga values, rather than aggressive sales tactics.
10. Invest in Learning: Don’t hesitate to seek help or invest in learning business skills to complement your yoga expertise.

Gwen’s approach helped her go from her first 50k year to 100k the following year, demonstrating the power of strategic business planning in the yoga world.

Connect with Gwen

To learn more about building a successful yoga business, follow Gwen on Instagram or visit her website at yogacareerwithgwen.com.

Remember, building a sustainable yoga business takes time and effort, but with the right strategy and mindset, you can create a thriving career doing what you love.

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