From The Yoga Boss Vault: Evaluate, Breathe, Keep Going
Building a yoga business isn't that different from practicing yoga.
You show up. You try something. You evaluate what worked and what didn't. You breathe. And then you keep going.
Practice, practice, practice. All is coming.
But here's what I see happening: Yoga and Pilates teachers start building their businesses with the same intention they bring to their mat—and then they stop evaluating.
They take action, but they don't collect results.
They try something once, it doesn't work, and they quit.
Or worse, they stay stuck in the "how" and never actually start.
Today, I want to walk you through the exact process I teach my clients for turning their idea of a beautiful, successful yoga business into reality.
It's simple. It's repeatable. And it works.
Step 1: Get Clear on What You Want to Create
Before you can build anything, you have to know what you're building.
What kind of yoga business do you want to create?
- Do you want to teach privates?
- Build an online teaching platform?
- Run retreats?
- Teach the mental side of yoga instead of asana?
- Create a brand new class format?
Some of my clients know exactly what they want. Others say, "I don't know."
And if that's you—if you feel disconnected from what you really want—that's okay.
It just means you've spent too long telling yourself it's not possible. And after telling yourself something isn't possible for long enough, you lose clarity on what you actually want.
So here's the first step: Reconnect to the possibility.
It is absolutely possible for you to hit six figures—even seven figures—teaching yoga.
When you tap into that possibility, your mind starts to imagine. Ideas start to flow. You get clarity.
Because here's the truth: Every single thing that exists in your life right now started as a thought.
That tiny thought—I could become a yoga teacher—turned into action. You signed up for training. You went to classes. And now you're certified.
You took an idea and made it real.
Your yoga business is just another idea you can make real.
Step 2: Take Action That Creates Results
Once you know what you want to create, it's time to act.
Not research. Not ruminate. Not spend another month "getting ready."
Act.
Your primitive brain—the part that seeks pleasure, avoids pain, and wants to be efficient—is going to resist this.
It's going to tell you:
- You're not ready yet
- You need more training
- You need more experience
- You need to know how before you start
That's okay. Let the fear and doubt be there. You can feel discomfort and act anyway.
The "how" is not the important piece.
You don't need to know how before you start.
Instead, ask yourself: What can I do right now?
- What can I do right now to produce revenue selling retreats?
- What can I do right now to get private clients?
- What can I do right now to fill my classes?
Take your best guess. Then do it.
Meet people. Build your network. Tell them what you do. Make an offer.
Take action that produces results.
And then—this is critical—collect your results.
Step 3: Evaluate Your Results
Most people take action and then just keep going without stopping to evaluate.
Or they get a result they don't like and they quit.
Neither of these strategies builds a business.
Instead, you need to evaluate intentionally.
After every action you take, ask yourself three questions:
Question 1: What Worked?
Take ownership for the positive results you created.
When you sell out your retreat, get really clear on what worked:
- Was it your Instagram post?
- Your blog post?
- The way you explained it?
- Who you talked to?
- Your freebie offer?
Get so clear on what worked that you can do it again on purpose.
Sometimes your brain will say, "Nothing worked."
That's okay. Be patient. Keep asking.
Maybe you didn't get the revenue you wanted yet—but what else is working?
- Did you have good conversations?
- Did people respond to your emails?
- Did you show up consistently?
You want to know what's working so you can replicate it.
Question 2: What Didn't Work?
Be honest. What actions didn't produce the results you intended?
If you're not getting the result you want, there's something off in what you're doing—or what you're not doing.
Your results don't mean anything about you.
The revenue you bring in, the number of students in your class, the number of people on your retreat—none of that means anything about you as a person.
If you want to build this business long-term, you have to evaluate from a truly objective standpoint.
Be like a scientist running an experiment.
What worked? What didn't? What will I try differently?
No drama. No shame. Just data.
Question 3: What Will I Do Differently?
Sometimes the answer is: "Do more of what worked and less of what didn't."
Sometimes it's: "Say it differently. Show up differently. Try this instead of that."
Make your best guess. Then go do it.
Step 4: Breathe and Keep Going
This is the process:
- Take action (What can I do right now?)
- Collect results
- Evaluate (What worked? What didn't? What will I do differently?)
- Breathe
- Keep going
This is the same practice you do on your mat.
You try a pose. You evaluate. Where can I add more effort? More ease?
You try again. You breathe. You evaluate.
And eventually, over time, that practice of showing up and restarting again and again is what gives you handstand.
But yoga isn't about nailing handstand, right?
It's about who you're becoming on the way to achieving the pose.
The same is true in your business.
Your business isn't about the money you'll make. It's about who you'll become on the way there.
It's the type of person you'll be when you can take action, fail, succeed, evaluate, and keep going.
The money you make? The results you create?
That's the cherry on top.
The Bottom Line
Building a yoga business is a practice.
Take action. Evaluate. Breathe. Keep going.
Don't get stuck in the "how." Don't wait until you're ready.
Just start.
And when you don't get the result you want, don't quit. Evaluate. Adjust. Try again.
Practice, practice, practice. All is coming.
Want more support building your yoga or Pilates business?
Listen to the full episode of the Studio CEO Podcast: "Evaluate, Breathe, Keep Going"
Work with Jackie Murphy
- Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial
- Level up your Marketing Skills in the Free Marketing Training:
https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/3-marketing-mistakes - Learn more about The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo
Tags
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