Office Yoga Teacher Training 101: Start Acting Like a Small Business Owner
Interested in Office Yoga Teacher Training? Click here to learn more!
If you are a corporate yoga teacher, you might think of yourself as just that—a corporate yoga teacher. But here’s a significant shift in perspective: you are a small business owner. Whether offering classes as an independent contractor or running a brand under an LLC, you are in the business-to-business (B2B) market. This means that your services don’t just end when class is over; they extend to running an enterprise that builds partnerships, plans for growth, and invests in its future.
If you’ve taken Office Yoga Teacher Training with me before, you’ve heard me say this a thousand times. Embracing the mindset of a small business owner will transform your business. Here’s how:
1. Separate Yourself from Your Work
As yoga teachers, we pour our souls into our classes. It’s hard not to take it personally when someone walks out of class. Thinking of yourself as a business owner helps you to separate your identity from your professional work. Instead of seeing yourself solely as a corporate yoga teacher, recognize that you are a provider of yoga services. This shift allows you to approach your work with the clarity and objectivity needed for growth. It’s similar to a meditation insight where you realize that you are not your thoughts—you are an observer of your thoughts!
When you think of yourself as a business, you free yourself from the pressure of seeing your work as an extension of your identity. This separation helps you handle challenges with a clearer perspective. If you receive constructive feedback or face a difficult client situation, it’s easier to navigate when you remember that you’re running a business, not putting your worth on the line. You can make strategic decisions, pivot when needed, and manage setbacks without feeling like your core self is being threatened.
2. View Your Clients as Strategic Partners
Your client relationships evolve when you see your work as running a business. In the B2B world, your corporate clients are not just one-time customers—they are strategic partners. For example, if Company A hires your business, Company B, to offer yoga services, the relationship extends beyond a simple service transaction. It’s an opportunity to create mutual value.
Think of Company A as a partner invested in building a healthy workplace culture. As a small business owner, you must understand their needs, learn their culture, and adapt your services to maximize their benefit. This means more than just showing up for weekly classes; it means building trust, becoming familiar with their goals, and even suggesting tailored offerings, such as guided meditation sessions or workshops on stress management, to support their mission.
The more time you spend with your clients, the more opportunities you have to enhance your partnership and offer more profound, impactful services. This client relationship doesn’t just help you retain business—it positions you as a key player in the client’s overall health and wellness strategy, making your yoga business invaluable.
3. Business Planning and Marketing Become Easier
Follow Office Yoga on Instagram for Desk Yoga stretches.
When you think of yourself as a business owner, developing a business plan and marketing strategy becomes less daunting. Suddenly, you’re no longer just a corporate yoga teacher; you’re the company’s CEO with its growth trajectory and brand. This shift in mindset opens the door to learning from the broader business world rather than just yoga. You might get inspiration from a local coffee shop’s newsletter and think about how you can create a newsletter for your own business that engages your clients with tips, class schedules, or health-related content. You could observe how a boutique gym expands and incorporates similar strategies to increase your offerings, like adding new yoga classes or collaborating with wellness experts for holistic programs.
Putting yourself in the “CEO” role means not just operating reactively but planning proactively. You can start setting revenue goals, analyzing expenses, and figuring out ways to scale your services. Maybe it’s offering corporate retreats, starting online classes, or partnering with local events to promote your brand. These are the kinds of strategic moves that help you expand and adapt as a business, not just a yoga teacher.
Take the Leap with Office Yoga Teacher Training
Becoming a small business owner isn’t just about a shift in title; it’s about a shift in mindset. When you consider yourself an entrepreneur, you embrace the responsibility and opportunity to make strategic decisions that foster growth, create lasting partnerships, and elevate your services. You begin to see your role as not just teaching yoga but building and leading a business. Your company will benefit from the clarity, confidence, and creativity when you take conscious ownership.
So, take a moment to adjust your perspective. Instead of thinking of yourself as just a yoga teacher, think of yourself as a small business owner who happens to teach yoga. The world is full of lessons from other businesses, and by applying them to your own, you’re bound to find new ways to thrive and expand. It’s time to act like the Conscious Business Leader you already are.
__________
Ready to start your corporate yoga journey? Check out the Office Yoga Teacher Training program here for more details.