3 Reasons Growing Your Studio Is A Struggle
Does it feel like trying to grow your yoga studio post-COVID and pre-recession is like trying to swim in mud?
I could be really cliche and remind you of the no mud, no lotus quote...but I'll pass. It's true, but not super helpful here.
Apparently, yoga studios are not going to get a break anytime soon. We finally got to the other side of COVID, and now we seem to be facing a recession. Great. It's enough to make you want to roll up your mat and be done with it all.
But here is what we do know...according to ClassPass users, yoga was the 2nd most booked class type in 2021, behind strength training classes. And according to a McKinsey survey, 68% of respondents reported that they prioritize their health more than they did before the pandemic and 65% reported using exercise as stress relief.
Score more points for yoga! And not surprising, mental health is top of mind these days as well.
It is clear, however, that if you want a bigger piece of the pie in your community, what got you to where you are today will not get you into 2023 and beyond. If you didn't spend 2020 and 2021 creating systems that save you time and make you money, you are going to stay stuck on the struggle bus. And if you opened or took over a studio in 2021 and thought that the same game plan as before was going to work, you likely now know that just isn't true.
The yoga fairies aren't coming to sprinkle pixie dust on your studio and fill it with clients who love what you do and stick around for years.
Maybe that sounds harsh, but it is true. And I can say it because years ago, I waited for the yoga fairies, too.
I don’t know if you know this about me, but it took close to five years before I realized that I was creating the logjam in my business by refusing to hire help and create systems. Once I did, and I spent both the money and the time needed to get it done, my business started to see some traction and enough income to make a noticeable difference in my day-to-day life.
Five years.
Do you really want to wait five more years to make changes? Can you go five years without sufficient revenue? No free time to enjoy what you have created? Most business owners give up within the first 5 years, nevermind COVID. That’s why I’m committed to helping studio owners like you shorten that time. So, to ensure that you can be successful sooner, it is helpful to identify what causes success to take so damn long for so many studio owners in the first place.
Here are three top reasons why it takes so long for most entrepreneurs to get their businesses to where they want them to be.
Reason #1: There is SO MUCH to learn
Right? Pricing. Hiring. Marketing. Selling. Tech. Social media. Understanding your KPIs. There is a lot. But don’t need to learn all of it, and certainly not all at once. In fact, you can get your studio on track with much less than you think. And wouldn't it be great to have someone who's been there tell you what to learn, and when?
Reason #2: Learning takes PRACTICE
Some of the things you need to learn to run your yoga studio require some skill beyond just teaching a rocking asana class. Skill comes with practice. Do you think you’re automatically going to be a master at sales conversions or running your business reports in a couple of weeks? No, of course not. But you also don’t need to be a master to get some results, and I don’t need to tell you that you'll never get good at something if you never learn it, practice it, or do it. Another set of eyes to "check your work" while you are learning can make all the difference.
Reason #3: "I'll figure it out myself" attitude
No joke, y'all, the BIGGEST time, energy and success killer is the "I’ll just figure it all out myself and do it" approach. It takes WAY too long, actually COSTS you money and SLOWS your growth way down. Just look around. Anyone that you would label a success will readily admit they never got there alone. They hired staff, coaches, mentors and invested in training to help them get where they want to go faster. They didn't wait until they thought they had the time or money before they asked for help. That’s why they became successful.
Countless entrepreneurs admit that they missed out on years of income and impact because when there is so much to learn and so much to do how the heck do you even know what to focus on first?
The "I’ll do it myself approach" is like trying to dig for buried treasure without a metal detector. You stay busy digging and working hard but how do you even know if you’re digging in the right spot? You don’t. My own coach so many years ago was the catalyst to the 16+ year success of my brick and mortar studio.
Do it alone = trial and error
Trial and error = long and slow
The right coach can show you where to dig, how to dig, and how to get anything out-of-the-way that would prevent you from digging.
Unfortunately most struggling studio owners just keep acquiring more content from social media and more information from training videos and facebook posts, thinking that one day they’ll finally get it all figured out and will be successful.
The truth is, no amount of knowledge will ever compensate for a lack of perspective. But with the right coaching, you get someone who helps light the way, shows you where to focus, and get you to the results you want faster so you can skip all of that trial and error nonsense.
My Barefoot Boss Studio Strategy Program was designed specifically for studio owners like you who are ready to work less, enjoy more free time, and operate their studios like the well-oiled machines that they can be, so that you can enjoy time away, or even on your own mat.
In this potent 4 month, 12 session container, we will deep dive into your studio, together, and craft systems and strategies to literally change the way you feel about your studio, so that your studio can serve YOU, instead of the other way around.
Connect with me today and let’s get you off of the struggle bus, and on to the path for success.