Yoga – PocketSuite https://pocketsuite.io Thu, 21 Jul 2022 07:30:51 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.5.5 https://pocketsuite.io/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/cropped-cropped-app_logo-192x192-1-32x32.png Yoga – PocketSuite https://pocketsuite.io 32 32 How to Become a Yoga Instructor https://pocketsuite.io/post/how-to-become-a-yoga-instructor/ https://pocketsuite.io/post/how-to-become-a-yoga-instructor/#respond Tue, 27 Jul 2021 09:53:00 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?p=17403 Yoga instructors work with their students on the adoption and alignment of specific body postures, breath control and meditation in this ancient Hindu discipline practiced worldwide for health and relaxation.

Yoga instructors use their class time to practice themselves, performing the asanas (body postures) on their yoga mats as a demonstration for students to follow.

Yoga instructor performing a low lunge with a scenic view in the background

There is a difference between a yoga instructor and a yoga teacher. A yoga instructor leads group classes through various levels and types of yoga practice. This includes demonstrating various poses and guiding students into position, working on flexibility, doing administrative work for the class, getting equipment ready for each class and learning what participants want from their yoga experience.

A yoga teacher trains students who want to become yoga teachers.

We’re going to focus on yoga instructors in this article.

As a yoga instructor, you’ll use your body to demonstrate the correct way to get into poses, the most helpful breathing patterns, and tips for achieving spiritual wellness that leads to greater health and serenity. You’ll also interact directly with students, gently adjusting their bodies to reach the correct pose, provide less experienced students with alternative poses and help all members of the class with their fitness goals. Planning classes that align with the abilities of students is an important part of the job.

Physical fitness and yoga knowledge are absolute requirements for this role. Classes typically last from an hour to 90 minutes, so everyone gets a workout. You’ve got to be in good shape to demonstrate good yoga technique if you plan to offer instruction at advanced levels. The more you’ve mastered, the more valuable you will be to your students.

Yoga instructor leading a class

Great communication skills are also essential. A yoga instructor must be able to explain clearly how to move the body and what this movement should feel like.

Motivational skill is likewise important. Yoga can be physically and mentally challenging, so you must be able to push, encourage and praise your students as they reach their goals.

Read on to discover how you can become a yoga instructor, helping students achieve inner peace and enjoy greater health as a result of your teachings.

In this article you’ll learn:

  • How much money you can make as a yoga instructor
  • The required training and certifications
  • Professional groups to join
  • Employment opportunities for yoga instructors
  • Finding clients
  • Plus helpful tips

How much money can you make?

The average annual wage for fitness trainers and instructors, including yoga teachers, was $40,390, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment of yoga instructors is projected to grow 13 percent through 2028, the bureau reports. That’s much faster than the national average for all occupations. If you offer your own private classes, operating as an independent business owner, over time you stand to make much more money than the national average. This is because you get to decide how much you want to work, how much you will charge for classes and whether you want to specialize in certain practices such as hot yoga, for which you can charge more.

Yoga instructor demonstrating a pose

Training and Certification

There are no state or national licensing requirements for yoga instructors. However, most gyms and yoga studios require that you have a certification to teach there.  For some gyms and studios, a certification may be the only credential you’ll need.  Some facilities require that you be registered with the Yoga Alliance or have graduated from Yoga Alliance-approved training.

Becoming a yoga instructor definitely requires experience, which you can receive through a yoga teacher training program. Instructors receive credentials based on how many hours of teaching experience they have, and whether they’ve learned a specialty, like hot yoga or yoga for children.

Some employers want broadly skilled fitness instructors who can teach yoga as well as cycling, Pilates or other classes, and may prefer to hire a certified fitness instructor with yoga experience. Because of this employment trend, you may want to diversify your skill set. PocketSuite offers deep resources in other exercise disciplines for you to learn about.

Here’s an extensive listing of yoga training schools you can review to find an education program best suited to your needs.

Yoga instructor demonstrating a simple twist

What you’ll learn in training:

  • A deeper understanding of poses and how they work together to produce the total yoga experience.
  • Yoga anatomy, alignment and key modifications, including hands-on adjustments.
  • Develop your leadership abilities to guide a class with confidence.
  • Broaden your understanding of yoga beyond physical poses by studying pranayama (breath control), meditation, chakras (energy centers in the body), and energy anatomy (where these chakras can be found).
  • Yoga philosophy and the history of yoga, including the science at the heart of these powerful poses and mental disciplines.
  • Living your best life through the benefits of yoga, and how to share those benefits with students.
  • How to teach yoga. There is a unique process to yoga instruction, which includes speaking deliberately and from the heart to achieve clarity and understanding.
  • Making course-corrections. In sailing a boat, it is often necessary to change direction so your navigation takes you to where you want to be. Similarly, being open in the mind to accept the need for change must be followed by the ability, the will, to change.

Professional Groups to Join

The Yoga Alliance is the premiere organization devoted to yoga instructors. Members agree to abide by a code of ethical conduct and observe best practices in the teaching of yoga. Joining the alliance demonstrates dedication to your career and enhances your credibility among new students looking to enroll in a class. The initial registration cost is $115, including the application fee. After that, annual dues are $65.

Large yoga class following the yoga instructor in a pose

Employment

Gyms, public recreation centers, the YMCA – all may offer yoga classes (or would like to) in your area.

You’ll need photocopies of your résumé, training certifications and perhaps a photo of yourself demonstrating a yoga pose. This personalizes your application package.

If you mail these materials, always follow up with a phone call to keep your name on their minds.

Be sure to check online resources such as ZipRecruiter and Indeed.com, where a simple Internet search can often turn up dozens of job openings.

Finding Clients

Planning to offer private yoga classes? Business cards and a basic website should be the core of your marketing toolkit as a yoga instructor. The website need not be fancy or expensive, just attractively designed, with photos of your classes in session (get permission from any students who are visibly recognizable). The website must also include your business location and contact information at the top of every page.

In addition to your business website, the next thing to do is create an Instagram account to showcase your yoga practice. Instagram is the #1 online venue for creative professionals to promote themselves. It’s a free marketing tool that’s always working on your behalf.

Next, set up a Facebook page for your yoga practice so that people searching for yoga instruction can find you. This, too, is a free service that can benefit your business by putting you front-and-center of potentially thousands of students.

Other strategies for attracting new business:

  • Create a referral program with discounts for returning yoga students who bring new clients to you.
  • Ask students to review your classes online. According to a recent survey, 90% of people say their buying decisions are influenced by positive online reviews.
Yoga instructor demonstrating a back bend

Good to know:

7 tips to Help New Yoga Teachers.

Be authentic

Always be your true self, the person who practices yoga because it makes you feel alive and brightens the surrounding world. Plus, students will quickly recognize instructors who “keep it real” and motivate with their passion for yoga.

Plan classes thoughtfully

Each class should be thought out by identifying the goals for the session, while building in time for breathing and meditation, in addition to work on poses. Each class should build on the previous session so there is a forward momentum to your instruction. Be sure you have everything you need before going to class – yoga mat, music and a device for playing the music, chimes, a soft-toned bell – everything you would require.

Be on time

Always get to class before your students to set up and be prepared to start on time. This is a powerful demonstration that you are in control of your own life.

Play music during class

You can use a music streaming service or build a playlist of soothing music on your smartphone. Invest in a decent, portable Bluetooth speaker so you can play your music at a volume the class can hear. The phone’s built-in speaker is usually terrible for listening to music.

Yoga instructor holding hands to heart

Don’t be too serious

Life is about pursuing happiness and enjoying the sensation of being alive. Be able to laugh at yourself if you make a mistake in class – even if you fall out of a pose onto your mat. It is nothing more than a reminder of our common humanity. Students will love you for it.

Dress to impress

Invest in your yoga wardrobe by selecting clothes that reflect your personal style yet are also functional and durable. Yes, students come to class to learn yoga, but they also pick up nonverbal cues such as how instructors present themselves. Be sure to present the image you want to project.

Build a rapport with students

Learn everyone’s name. Try to learn what you can about their lives outside of yoga class. People respond favorably to people who show a genuine interest in them. This can pay off with exponential benefits. Students see that you care and are interested. They tell others about their positive experience in yoga class. Their friends become intrigued and sign up for one of your classes. Before you know it, you’ve maxed out on the number of students you can teach. Not a bad problem to have.

If you enjoyed this article, check out some more great PocketSuite.io content that can help you grow your career as a yoga instructor. Here’s a great place to start.PocketSuite has thousands of business owners who all started where you are right now. Our community is always happy to help you ramp up, grow your client base, and achieve your income goals, both within the PocketSuite app and as part of our exclusive Facebook Community Group. PocketSuite’s vision is for any professional to be able to work for themselves and make a great living. It starts here. It starts with you. It starts today. Let’s get started, download PocketSuite now! Feel free to reach out with any questions (we’d love to hear from you)! Text us @ (415) 841-2300.

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Podcast: The Business of Yoga from Expert Teacher Trainer https://pocketsuite.io/post/podcast-the-business-of-yoga-from-expert-teacher-trainer/ https://pocketsuite.io/post/podcast-the-business-of-yoga-from-expert-teacher-trainer/#respond Tue, 20 Jul 2021 13:07:00 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?p=12646

Yoga is a big part of the health and wellness industry. 36 million Americans practice yoga and spend $16 billion on yoga classes, clothing, equipment, and accessories each year. The number of Americans doing yoga grew by 50% between 2012 and 2016 alone! On this episode of Professional-on-the-Go, we explore:

  • What makes yoga so popular and why the recent boom in popularity?
  • How much do Yoga Instructors make?
  • What is the secret to making more as a Yoga instructor?
  • What changes do people have to make when they want to take yoga instruction from a hobby to a career?
  • What are the licensing and certification requirements for yoga instructors?
  • How yoga professionals can ensure they have the training needed to protect their clients from injury
  • Who is Yoga Alliance and what is their role within the yoga industry?
  • What is the best advice for someone who is looking to grow their yoga practice and income?

Here to help us learn more about the yoga industry is Kerry Maiorca, the founder of Bloom Yoga Studio in Chicago. A yoga teacher for more than 20 years, Kerry is passionate about making yoga unintimidating and accessible for each unique student, and she also provides an online mentorship program for yoga teachers. Her writing has been featured on The Huffington Post, Elephant Journal, and Mindbodygreen, among others, and she explores the intersection of yoga and daily life on her Thinking Yogi blog.

For free continuing ed offerings for yoga teachers and great discounts, check out https://www.yogaalliance.org/ where there are lots of helpful resources for making yoga instruction into a viable business.

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How to Run Your Yoga Business With PocketSuite https://pocketsuite.io/post/how-to-run-your-yoga-business-with-pocketsuite/ https://pocketsuite.io/post/how-to-run-your-yoga-business-with-pocketsuite/#respond Tue, 06 Jul 2021 02:40:12 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?p=12837 Are you a Yoga instructor? Do you run Yoga classes and train students on proper movement, breathwork and poses? In this article, you will learn the secrets that took me years to figure out. How to set up classes, run them smoothly, and handle all of the back-end admin stuff with no sweat. As a busy yoga instructor, it was difficult to manage my business while at the same time re-scheduling clients, practicing poses, and coordinating classes for my students. I also needed to manage repeat clients, schedule group classes, and not forget to follow up with current students.

So I set out to find a solution… one app that could help me with all of these tasks and more. Lo and behold, I found that it can be difficult to decide between the full range of tools that are available to yoga teachers.

In this article, you will learn how I saved countless hours and now run my entire Yoga practice from my phone, using just one app. (Seriously!)
Health and wellness is a constantly growing industry and there is no shortage of Yoga instructors. Having amazing Yoga classes does not mean that you were born with a special ability that allows you to focus on yoga and business at the same time.

In most cases, successful yoga instructors who are running full classes with happy students do so by setting up tools and processes to help automate the back-end office work and admin stuff that typically takes up a lot of their time. That’s their hidden secret and that’s what I’ll be revealing to you in this article.

Your best bet is to go with an app that provides you with all the tools you need to run your Yoga classes smoothly – all in one place. You may be able to find apps that address each of these needs individually. Your problem here will be getting used to all of these different apps and making sure they are fully compatible with each other.

Most of the time they will not be! Nor will you have the time to figure out the nuances – you have classes to teach and clients to catch up with!
What is the alternative? PocketSuite.

PocketSuite is the all-inclusive app that allows Yoga teachers to schedule their classes, collect deposits, and manage their Yoga instructors, all in the same platform. You no longer have to worry about learning six different software tools in order to run your Yoga classes smoothly. Moreover, you no longer have to take your clients through a convoluted onboarding process (since you’re stitching together different features of several different apps).
Why not have all of that functionality under one roof – with PocketSuite you will be able to market to prospective students and your current students, organize classes, and collect deposits from your students in a streamlined way.

Many yoga instructors have unfortunately discovered just how much money is lost with a complicated sales process. This is especially true of those instructors who are trying to expand a small practice. No matter how great a teacher you may be, prospects just don’t want to deal with website errors, crude paper and pencil questionnaires, scheduling mistakes, etc. They want to sign up, pay your fee, and receive the best yoga training possible!

What’s more, the modern client does not have to put up with a bad onboarding or scheduling process anymore. The Internet gives the average person more choices than ever. If your process is less-than-perfect, all it takes is one mouse click to find another Yoga studio, book time at a ClassPass gym, or download a self guided workout app with a signup process that is easier than yours.

Unfortunately, clients are less loyal than ever. They will do this with no thought of how it may affect your business, especially if you have not created a real connection or relationship with them.

How PocketSuite Works for Yoga Instructors
PocketSuite is made for Yoga instructors with no time on their hands. As a Yoga instructor, this probably describes you… after all, you are doing much more than just classes.

You have to keep up with the latest in terms of new breathwork techniques, new poses, and sequences for your classes. You need to know the latest in hot yoga, trapeze yoga, goat yoga, laughter yoga, beer yoga, postnatal yoga, etc. You must constantly practice in order to maintain your mastery.

Basically, you do not have time to deal with all of the back-office and admin stuff.

First, the app works in your favor by automating the marketing process. It does this by integrating with your social media, scheduling recurring classes, and sending personalized text messages. With PocketSuite focused on following up and building the future of your business, you can focus on doing what you do best – changing people’s lives through centeredness, stretching, and de-stressing.

Your marketing goes to another level when you start using PocketSuite. You can not only create groups of clients with similar backgrounds, you can market to those groups in a streamlined way. No more sifting through clients trying to remember if this one or that one wanted a group class or an extra phone call. PocketSuite does all of this for you, syncing the message that you want to put out with the audience that you want to reach.

Secondly, PocketSuite provides you with more time to focus on your core competency, namely, Yoga! The less time that you have to spend on things like appointment reminders, collecting payments, and rescheduling appointments, the more time you have to focus on creating an amazing experience for your students and changing their lives for the better. With all of the needs of the average Yoga instructor that’s running their own business taken into account – PocketSuite is the one stop solution.

I’ve heard from many Yoga instructors that they make the most money from private appointments. This is also one of the most satisfying ways to teach, because you can relay more information in a one-on-one session than you can in a group setting. However, getting these kinds of clients can be difficult if you’re not a natural salesperson. PocketSuite saves you from having to go back to school for marketing and sales – it does all of this by integrating directly with Google Ads.

Instead of having to sell packages after class, the app does it for you online. People who are looking for one on one classes can simply go to the app and sign up rather than having to ask or go through an awkward sales pitch from you. The result is better classes with no upselling pressure.

Because you can automatically organize your student’s info in the app, you can also easily put together group classes of people with similar skill levels or interests. Imagine not having to go through all of your customer lists in order to find these people. They will actually find you if your onboarding process is solid.

You can also get this done with the PocketSuite app, because your clients will complete your forms and sign up for your classes from the comfort of their home computer or phone.

You will be able to complete the entire sales process thru PocketSuite as well. This means signing students up for classes, creating ongoing connections and keeping private notes on each client for the upsell later.

The app will help you target who to give certain discounts to based on how often they book classes and/or appointments with you. It will also help you determine who are the most likely candidates for gift certificates and other online products.

Your Team
It is also important as a Yoga instructor to have the best set of health and wellness professionals around you. You may have a good amount of teachers under your umbrella or you may work with a small team to ensure the best experience for your clients. Either way, you need to showcase a high level of organization to keep your team and students happy. PocketSuite allows you to synchronize the schedules of your teams with the schedules of your clients. This is absolutely essential if you’re trying to expand your Yoga business through other teachers.

PocketSuite also allows you to coordinate all of your team member’s calendars. You have the ability to access client information remotely so that you can always seem like the “third-eye” regardless of where you are. You can turn your team into salespeople, tracking how well they are able to upsell Yoga clothes or Yoga mats to your customers, and paying them a commission on all sales. PocketSuite also allows you to reward them with certificates and other forms of acknowledgment if they positively affect your revenues.

No matter how you plan to expand your Yoga instructor business, PocketSuite is a tool that you can use to make it happen efficiently. Instead of hiring a bunch of admin assistants, paying someone to market your business online, or outsourcing your accounting to an expensive firm, you now have all of that at your fingertips with PocketSuite. This is the only way to expand in the digital era. Your competition is keeping things streamlined and you have to as well. Make sure that you investigate everything that PocketSuite can do for you before committing to any other solution.

Like this article? You’ll love our guide on how to generate leads for service businesses in 2022, and of course our Frustrations with Square article!

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How Wellness is a Necessity in Business https://pocketsuite.io/post/how-wellness-is-a-necessity-in-business/ https://pocketsuite.io/post/how-wellness-is-a-necessity-in-business/#respond Mon, 05 Jul 2021 00:48:28 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?p=12707

Wellness in the Workplace

Health impacts from excess of anything is always discovered later on… it takes time for the negative side of any activity to take its toll on the human body. Longer work hours, long exposure in front of millions of pixels, increased stress in the workplace and sitting for extended periods of time have all caught up with millions of humans that are part of the workforce.

It has resulted in many physical and mental issues in the last several decades. Increased suicide rates, obesity, spinal complications, and anxiety are just a few of the complications unhealthy work environment inflict on workers. Wellness at work has been and will continue to be a competitive advantage in recruiting younger generations of workers.

We Care about You

This has become a widely adopted core principle in company mission statements when referring to their employees. A special assurance that investments in the physical space and culture are being made to promote well being and happiness. The fact that our food is all organic and non-GMO or that we run on fully renewable energy to help protect your environment and planet. We’re the “good guys”. We care for the people that both build and consume our products. The implicit subtext is that the other guys do not. Overall, we are seeing a transition… incentives within the system are changing and we are finally seeing an attempt to create a win-win for all market participants.

Energy Draining Environment

The people you surround yourself with has major implications for what your believe, how you behave, and your worldview. Unfortunately, within the work environment, unless you’re part of management, you are not involved in recruiting and team decisions. You don’t determine who will be on your team and how much time you will be spending together. We have all experienced that “Debbie Downer” co-worker who brings 8 suitcases full of baggage to the office everyday. Rambling on about how their marriage isn’t working out, how the person in front of them in Starbucks put in an order for their entire office or how they can’t afford to buy the latest iPhone because their rent went up for the third month in a row.

As real as their challenges are, they are choosing to focus on them in a way that isn’t healthy for them and certainly isn’t healthy for co-workers. The counterexample is when we are overjoyed to get together with close friends and family. It’s not because they don’t have challenges of their own, but rather there is a sense of joy that comes with just being present with them — regardless of what else may be going on in your life. The energy that people bring around you can either drain you completely or fill you with bliss and restore your energy. When a molecule is positive (+), it wants to get rid of electrons to balance itself out… it’s looking to pass on energy to another molecule. The negative (-) molecule is looking to leech energy from other molecules. The positive molecule is happy to give off energy since it’s always in abundance while the negative molecule is always in a state of scarcity and needs to draw energy from others. I hope this analogy helps you better understand this phenomenon at work and in life.

So how are we fixing this problem in the workplace? Companies are not looking to address the personal problems of their workforce, but instead help them create an environment that fills people up, which inevitably has a positive impact on issues that people may be wrestling with outside of the office. Employers set aside time during the workday for recreational activities, games, positive social activities, rest and relaxation, food-drink-light conversation to support people and create positive connections. Once you create an environment that is fun and enjoyable, it raises the standard for everyone to contribute and sustain that mood. Noone wants to be that “buzz kill”. By creating a more positive work environment, employers are significantly improving the mental and physical health of all employees.

Physical Health

Lack of physical activity throughout the day like standing up, walking around…getting the blood pumping and circulating… can lead to health issues. If you are sedentary throughout the day that could lower your life expectancy. When you are stuck inside an office for the majority of your week, you don’t get sufficient natural light from the sun. Vitamin D deficiency makes it difficult to sleep and concentrate when you are awake. There is a domino effect at play in many cases — overworking leads to sleep deprivation, sleeplessness can lead to erratic eating patterns. Some will feel the need to skip a meal in order to get more rest. Skipping breakfast regularly, as an example, has shown to increase body stress over time. And the dominoes that are falling in this case, is your physical, mental, and emotional health.

Studies have proven that staring at a computer screen all day will strain your vision and lead to permanent damage. The combination of both artificial light and consistent viewing of farsighted perspective interactions with the monitor is leading to perspective changes in our sight, causing us to have less visual acuity. Staying seated for more than 90 minutes at a time causes chronic posture problems… and the lack of movement causes obesity and muscle stress.

Companies are creating initiatives to promote more physical activity at work. From group yoga, standing desks, open offices to mud runs and outdoor game competitions. They are making it a priority for employees to participate in activities that get them moving. They understand that this type of investment in employees leads to healthier workers and better business results.

Relationships

Earlier we shared an example of co-workers that carry baggage into work and how business’ are curating healthier, happier environments in which that kind of behavior is the exception not the rule. From vacation days to maternity leave, employers are investing in their workforce maintaining good personal connections in and outside of the office. From Part 1, work-life balance is very important for all. With work and intention, management and employee relationships are improving. CEO’s and other senior executives are prioritizing workplace culture. The net result of all of this corporate shift in caring about and investing in healthy workers, workplace, and culture is that the experience of work is getting better FOR ALL, including employees and managers.

Democratization of Brand Influence (Part 3) ->

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What’s the Best Yoga Studio Software And Why? https://pocketsuite.io/post/whats-the-best-yoga-studio-software-and-why/ https://pocketsuite.io/post/whats-the-best-yoga-studio-software-and-why/#respond Thu, 01 Jul 2021 20:52:46 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?p=12685 Depending on your studio size and needs, PocketSuite might be the answer for you. You can schedule classes online (packages, drop-ins, subscriptions), message with prospects and clients, take payments, scan cards, and payout teachers. It’s a completely mobile app and takes out all the complexity compared to Mindbody (I’ve set it up before).

There’s no studio laptop needed, nor going back to your desk to invoice and wrestle with setting up class schedules. It scan cards for new customers using the camera so no hookup a reader.

There’s a great revenue dashboard to see your earnings, and all your data can be exported to run deeper analysis on everything.

Also, for marketing, there’s built-in features for targeted messaging for clients that have booked a specific class or those who haven’t seen you in a while.

You’ll also get a business phone number automatically assigned so you won’t need to give up your personal number.

Instructors can be assigned classes and have access to everything they need on their own phone to run it, and the owner has oversight over everything.

Start your free 30-day trial: https://pocketsuite.io

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Tired of MindBody’s Complexity and Pricing? https://pocketsuite.io/post/mindbody-online/ https://pocketsuite.io/post/mindbody-online/#respond Sat, 26 Jun 2021 06:06:20 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?p=12720 MindBody is great if you have lots of time and money.

As an entrepreneur and self motivated fitness and wellness coach, I’m sure your time is focused on your clients. Designing classes, promoting them, reaching back out to past clients about a new offerings… are just a few of the many things that come with running your own business and practice. The administrative tasks are endless. You don’t want to get side tracked from doing what you do and it is not always an option to hire a full time assistant to manage it all for you.

For large fitness businesses, MindBody is one of the more popular choices when it comes to helping you run your practice. Handling client appointments, class booking, invoicing and so forth. Getting started with software like MindBody can be very scary and difficult to learn, especially for people that aren’t technical experts. For any software, if you have to enroll in a class (much less a university like for MindBody) to understand how to use it is a major red flag. Your goal is simplify your work and save time not increase your workload with a complicated tool.

No Software Please

MindBody requires an in person seminar to onboard new users to their platform because of the complexity and the overwhelming number of features that are included. Users must become experts in the desktop software and mobile application and their clients have to download and log into a portal (which clients don’t love). If you are a large corporation or a gym owner with multiple locations, it makes complete sense why you and your team would be willing to invest weeks into customizing your administrative settings and training your people on how to use the mobile app. For independent personal trainers, yoga and pilates instructors, as well as health and well professionals; however, it is just plain too much.

It’s like learning to ride a bike… once you learn to balance it comes naturally… but try riding a bike and putting on an 80lb suit. That additional weight changes everything. Same goes for a mobile app that helps you run your business. You’re balancing your time between booking and payments as well as delivery of amazing client service, which is where you would like to spend 99% of your time. If you have a heavy suit, your focus is inevitably tilted away from doing what you do best to operational logistics.

PocketSuite would like to help you take the suit off.

Higher Price Always Means Better Right?

MindBody charges 3x to 6x more than other business apps for the health and wellness industry, How else can they pay for expensive onboarding classes and instructors. The fact that an average user has to dedicate 4 to 5 hours on average to learn the basics is extreme. If you are a Pro that has lots of clients, but no time to figure it all out, don’t invest resources in a solution that will require a lot of time and ongoing effort to maintain. You need something that is designed for your existing workflow, requires minimal setup, and automates all of the repetitive tasks that you do every day to schedule clients and collect payment.

The World is going Mobile

There is no denying that the world is going mobile. To meet client expectations for speed, transparency, and predictably you need to have systems that enable clients to book you from anywhere, at anytime, on any device. By definition, desktop solutions don’t make the cut. You don’t have access to them when you are in the field or in session with clients (which is everyday for most of the day). You need to be able to do anything from confirm a booking request, charge a card, look up a client’s payment history, and send a contract at a moment’s notice. When you go mobile, everything comes together. The simplicity of scheduling messages and follow ups with clients is literally a game changer. Mobile helps professionals build deeper, stickier, longer, and more loyal client relationships.

Try PocketSuite today… simplify your daily booking, payments, and client messaging. Automate your work and save yourself time and money.
Over 5,000 fitness, health & wellness professionals use PocketSuite’s free set of features:

  • Packages Services & Classes
  • Package any set of services or classes that you offer
  • Sell packages to clients for immediate and upfront payment
  • Track all package sessions by client
  • Recurring Client Payments
  • Set clients up on recurring payment plans
  • Auto-charge any client’s card after each week, month, or any period of time
  • Just a 2.9% + 30¢ processing fee for credit card payments, and 2-day direct deposit
  • Direct Client Import
  • Add any client directly to PocketSuite or import clients directly from your mobile phone contact list
  • Track all income earned from each client
  • Take notes (text, photos) on each customer for private viewing
    Appointment Calendar Sync
  • Sync all PocketSuite scheduled appointments and sessions directly to iCal, GCal, etc.
  • Pick and choose which calendars sync (i.e., Google, Outlook, etc.)
  • Use a single calendar app to manage both client and personal appointments
  • Mobile Messenger
  • Send instant text messages to any of your clients
  • Clients receive messages via SMS text and respond in real-time
  • Share photos, share contacts, share GPS pin location

3. Your Payments: Cardio

Payments are what keep the engine going!

You want to not only give your clients an incredibly convenient (and pleasant) payment experience, but you also want to give yourself a very simple tracking system to ensure no payment ever slips through the cracks.

Give your client easy options through which they can pay you. Don’t force them to lug around a check book or make sure they went to the bank to withdraw cash. And avoid making the act of asking for payment feel awkward or uncomfortable. Create a simple system allowing your clients to pay you remotely so you don’t have to be physically in front of them to collect, and so they can even pay you ahead of time for any services you offer (reducing your payment risk completely).

Keep a log of these payments close so you can quickly get a glimpse of who owes you what, and how much you’ve made from each customer. You want to make sure you know who your best clients are and ask them to refer you to their friends…maybe even send them a holiday card! At the same time, you want to know what payments are outstanding so you can efficiently and professionally remind clients to pay, never letting a payment slip through the cracks.

4. Your Business Health: Brain

Exercising this “muscle” drives you to make all the right business decisions.

Instead of flipping through bank statements, or making daily logs of cash payments, leverage technology to know exactly how your business is doing each day, week, or month. Having all your client information, appointments and payments in a central location will allow you to leverage all this data to understand the overall health of your business. This health score gets increasingly difficult to measure as you start to grow as an solo professional, as there becomes so much more information to keep track of. And don’t fall into the trap thinking you have to pay an accountant to tell you how you’re doing!

A major factor in growing a business is also understanding how much to invest for growth. If you know how much income you’re bringing in vs. last month, then maybe spend some of that extra income on marketing or leads or advertising, to bring in more clients.

If you’re making less this month than the previous month, understand why – Were you working less? Did certain clients take up too much of your time? Are you waiting on payment?

Help is Now Here!

Following the above simple steps sounds like a ton of work, but the reality is it’s not. Technology is starting to offer independent and solo professionals (of all industries) valuable tools they need to help them compete, grow, and drive their business to success. The trick is finding the tool that’s right for you, without paying an arm and a leg. But little tips like the above can help you grow your business in incredibly efficient ways to reach that scale you need to succeed.

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Video Interview: Why Insurance is Essential for Yoga Professionals https://pocketsuite.io/post/video-interview-joe-fagan/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:40:34 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/yoga-career-overview-2/ Yoga Networking Groups https://pocketsuite.io/post/yoga-networking-groups/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:33:40 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?post_type=generic_pages&p=8195 Meet Other Professional Yoga Instructors

Check online and Facebook, specifically, for a large number of great Yoga groups to join. Groups are an excellent way to meet people in the Yoga Community.

Check out Facebook Groups for Yoga Instructors:

Yoga With Adriene – community group (unofficial)

Yoga & Meditation

Yoga & Ayurveda Jobs Abroad

Yoga Teachers & Students Around the World

Yoga with Kassandra Community

YOGA JOBS IN AMERICA

Yoga Therapists in Hospitals USA

Yoga Teachers

YOGA LEANERS (CREATED By YOGA NITHISH )

Yoga Jobs All Over The World.

YOGA JOBS

Yoga

AcroYoga

Transform Your Life – Yoga, Meditation & Spirituality

Yoga Everyday

Yoga

YOGA AND MEDITATION

Yoga and fitness trainers in India

Kids Yoga

YOGA RETREATS

Yoga – Healing – Ayurveda

International Federation of Yoga Professionals – IFYP

Yoga jobs

Yoga International Members – Private Group

Yoga Retreat in India

Yoga And Meditation

Yoga Alliance

Laughter Yoga USA

AHYMSIN – Association of Himalayan Yoga Meditation Societies International

Vinyasa Yoga

Yoga Retreats

Yoga Instructors worldwide – Exchange and jobs

Yoga Marketplace For Apparel, Jewelry, Mats and Accessories

Yoga for Beginners

Yoga Goddess Collective

Florida Yoga

Yoga and Meditation Learning

Yoga for Everyone

Demic: Weight Loss Workouts

Acro Yoga 757

Yoga Therapy

Yoga and Meditation events London, UK

Yoga Ads UK

Sri yoga for fitness

YOGA TEACHER MARKETING COMMUNITY – DIGITAL YOGA ACADEMY

Yoga Inspired

Yoga Advertising USA

Generation Yoga

Yoga in Los Angeles

QCI YOGA PROFESSIONALS-IFYP

Yoga Community Toronto

Yoga Teacher Training in India

RYT Yoga Instructors

Yoga for All

ISHA Yoga

OB yoga

Health Fitness and Beauty Tips

Indian Yoga Community

The Spring Life

Yoga Teachers UK

YOGA Singapore

Ayurveda

yoga for health

Georgia Yoga Community

Michigan Yoga Connection

Yoga Teachers of Texas

Yoga and Wellness with Erica

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Yoga Career Overview https://pocketsuite.io/post/yoga-career-overview/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:33:40 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?post_type=generic_pages&p=8196 WHAT DOES A YOGA INSTRUCTOR DO?

Since the 1970s, health, and wellbeing practices imported from the East have become more and more popular. Yoga is probably the most ubiquitous of these to the extent that almost every community sport and recreation center in the United States will offer yoga instruction of some kind. It came a long way from Northern India over 5,000 years ago.  

Yoga therapists work with groups or individuals and teach combinations of breathing, stretching, and meditation exercises designed to help promote a more balanced and healthy mind and body. Indeed, it is in the increased integration of the mind and body that Yoga achieves its aims. Yoga instructors can teach a wide range of individuals, from students to adults, and teach broad concepts to highly specialized and focused versions of the practice.

 Practicing Yoga can promote a healthier lifestyle by:

  • Increasing mental clarity and energy
  • Increasing flexibility and physical endurance
  • Improved muscle tone and weight loss

WHAT DOES A YOGA INSTRUCTOR EARN?: 

The US Bureau of Labor reports that employment for all fitness instructors is likely to increase by 13% from 2018 through to 2028 as health and weight loss remain high priorities for the American public. In 2005 the North American Studio Alliance, which specializes in Interactive Yoga, estimated that 70,000 instructors were working in the US alone.

 

  • Projected job growth 2018-2028 13%
  • Median salary 2018 – $39,820

Resources to help in starting or expanding your Yoga career:

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Yoga Schools & Training https://pocketsuite.io/post/yoga-schools-training/ Wed, 23 Jun 2021 09:33:15 +0000 https://pocketsuite.io/?post_type=generic_pages&p=8123 Yoga Schools & Training

States do not regulate yoga instructors and yoga therapy professionals, but most employers do require certifications of some kind, mostly when instructing in more specialized yoga disciplines.

Yoga instructors often begin training in more traditional health and wellness disciplines such as physical therapy or holistic care before adding yoga therapy to their repertoire.

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