Currently in Russia there is a huge variety of activities in which a businessman can be realized. The organization of any business requires a focus in a certain direction: a company should focus either on the sphere of mass consumption of goods and services, or on a certain target audience. Moreover, both options, in the case of competent planning, can bring substantial profits to their owner.
If, nevertheless, it was decided to choose the second way of business development, then it would not be superfluous to know how to open a yoga center. There is always a high interest in the services of such fitness organizations, which will provide a stable income.
Any private entrepreneurial activity begins with registration as an individual entrepreneur or legal entity in the legal form of a limited liability company (LLC). To avoid mistakes at this stage, it is advisable for a novice businessman either to use professional legal assistance, or to familiarize himself with the regulatory framework himself. The main normative acts are the Federal Law of August 8, 2001 N 129-FZ "On State Registration of Legal Entities and Individual Entrepreneurs", as well as the Civil Code of the Russian Federation. In parallel with the start of registration, it is worth starting to create a business plan for a yoga studio.
Yoga center business plan
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Selection of premises
You always have to start your own business with finding the location of the company. At the initial stage, a competent choice of premises is, perhaps, the main guarantor of future success. In addition, without it, it is impossible to formalize your activities as a legal entity.
Any of the prosperous districts of the city can become a suitable place for a yoga center. If the city is small, then, naturally, it is worth focusing on the central and busiest territories; in megacities, the criteria are the same, but there will be many more options.
A yoga center needs a fairly large area - at least 60 sq. m with the smallest turnover of visitors and small groups. Usually these can be found in semi-basements in new buildings or, for example, in large sports centers. You should not pay attention to too cheap options, since most often you have to invest a lot of money in their reconstruction, bringing them into proper form. The room must be equipped with two changing rooms, as well as showers. When renting a professional gym in a fitness center, the issue of changing clothes and hygiene, of course, is removed.
To avoid significant problems during registration, it is necessary to choose a hall that already meets the requirements of the SES of Rospotrebnadzor and fire safety services (MES).
If, however, these authorities identify violations, you can forget about the legal registration and the imminent opening until they are qualitatively eliminated.
The average rental price for a separate room in the country is 30-50 thousand rubles per month. Renting a fitness room in a sports center is much cheaper - it will cost an entrepreneur 20-25 thousand. It is better not to consider the option of acquiring even a very good hall in ownership at current prices, otherwise the yoga studio will not pay for itself for a very long time, even at the maximum turnover.
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Staff recruitment
The specificity of the yoga center is that its main staff consists exclusively of yoga specialists or fitness trainers. However, since, by law, a legal entity in the form of an LLC must have a director, the best solution in terms of saving money on salaries would be to appoint one of the trainers as a manager. Naturally, this person must be found at the registration stage, since without his participation it is impossible to carry out the legal registration itself.
The director should be chosen based on his professional qualities as a manager and as a fitness trainer, as well as on his personal qualities. Nowadays, it is not so difficult to find such a person, since the labor market is presented in all possible formats. It is worth hiring him only after a preliminary interview.
Together with the person appointed to the post of director, it is worthwhile to select the rest of the employees. Since the manager has the skills and knowledge in yoga and fitness, it will not be difficult for him to evaluate people who come for an interview, as well as give his opinion on the resume of job seekers.
The main positive characteristics in the resume are, of course, the experience of working as a fitness trainer or yoga coach, participation in various activities aimed at improving qualifications. There are no uniform criteria for this type of professional activity, so the founder needs to be guided and rely mainly on the director's opinion when concluding labor contracts.
As for the salary, its fixed minimum size should fluctuate within 15 thousand for the manager, and 10-12 thousand for the rest of the coaches. People who have been working in the fitness and yoga field for a long time cannot be scared off by such a small salary, since the bulk of their payroll will depend on the number of classes held and the number of clients. Such a small "official" salary will help the business owner save good money on taxes and other obligatory contributions to the state.
On the basis of a civil contract, a cleaner and an accountant must be hired. Their salary costs will be negligible, since they are not required to be on the job. The accountant can perform his direct duties remotely.
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Necessary conditions and equipment
If a fitness room has become a rented space, then there is no need to budget for any significant costs for specific equipment. Of the necessary, you can select only training mats and mats, the rest - at the request of the coaches.
If the premises were not equipped initially, then you will have to spend money on creating the right conditions. In particular, you will have to hire a company that creates floors for fitness classes. The services of such an organization will cost a businessman about 60 thousand rubles, and the work itself is usually carried out within 2-3 weeks.
Of the equipment that does not directly belong to the fitness area and yoga, but is mandatory for purchase, it is worth noting sofas or armchairs for relaxation and waiting, cabins and benches for changing rooms, mirrors for the hall and in changing rooms, hair dryers. In addition, you will need to purchase a cash register, laptop and printer for conducting financial activities.
After leaving X5 Retail Group, financier Elena Milinova decided to create her own business. Elena's husband, a qigong teacher, needed a place to teach followers how to gain health and longevity, so the entrepreneur decided to open a yoga studio and got her first business experience from her own mistakes. It turned out that not only amateurs can teach the system of Indian practices: instructors also want to become better. Less than a year later, the studio "DYSHI" managed to grow to a turnover of 1.5 million. Entrepreneurs told Inc. why teach potential competitors to make money and how to build a business in six months that does not need a manager.
After working for 10 years as a CFO - first at Kamaz, and then at X5 Retail Group, Elena Milinova decided to radically change her life and start her own business. “Any business should not have a goal to make money - I have already done that. I needed a place where I would like to grow old, ”she says. The idea to open a yoga studio was born thanks to Elena's husband: Vladimir Sidorov is a professional qigong teacher with 30 years of experience, multiple champion of Russia and Europe in tuishou and taolu (Chinese wushu exercises - Inc.). Elena decided that her husband needed a place where he could teach people how to become healthy. At first, the businesswoman intended to focus only on teaching qigong. But Muscovites love Chinese gymnastics less than yoga: they look for it in Yandex ten times less often.
Elena's brother, Artem Khabeev, undertook to help Elena start a business (before the opening of the studio, Artem made sportswear under the KAMAZ sport brand). In the spring of 2016, they began to look for premises and teachers for the studio. The founders decided that the hall must be in the center of Moscow. They proceeded from the fact that approximately 2% of the population are engaged in yoga, which means that for a business to live, at least 50 thousand people must live within a radius of two kilometers from the studio.
Elena immediately decided that it would not work to build a business on only one style of yoga: it is difficult for clients to develop an interest in a particular style from scratch - simply because people have a hard time accepting new things.
Easier to lure to your teacher. “If someone thinks that he will promote his hobby and make a business on it, then he is mistaken, because, perhaps, they will go, but the conversion (in the purchase of a subscription - Inc.) is too small, ”explains Milinova.
The entrepreneurs found a suitable place in a residential complex between the Mayakovskaya and Novoslobodskaya metro stations. Basement 350 sq. m was removed for 250 thousand rubles a month. At first, the creators of the studio thought that the premises were too large (they were looking for 250 sq. M.), But now they are going to expand it at the expense of neighboring areas.
Economy of the start of the studio "DYSHI"
thousand rubles- rent (per month).
thousand rubles-partitions.
million rubles- floor.
million rubles out of 15 million rubles of start-up capital - only for repairs.
million rubles were postponed "for the first time."
Yoga studio "DYSHI" in numbers
source: company data
270
thousand - net profit per month.
1,6
million- revenue per month.
14
employees in the state (10 teachers, 3 administrators, director).
66%
expenses is payroll.
Looking for a guru
The studio needed a teacher-leader to take on the job of recruiting and training a team of yoga instructors. To look for such a guru in the summer of 2016, entrepreneurs went to the Free Spirit festival near Moscow. There they met Ruslan Kleitman, a Russian yoga teacher who taught his own course of Akhila yoga in the USA. “We wanted a non-local teacher - locals usually have their own studios in Russia. We needed a newcomer, but preferably one who spoke Russian, ”Elena recalls.
How to teach yogis
The founders of "DYSHA" are confident that business openness improves the image,
so they started a video blog "Business yoga"... In it, entrepreneurs tell how to open a studio, create a website, find teachers, and much more. Videos Elena and Artem are filmed and edited by themselves, they are posted on the channel once a week. Artyom and Elena have almost 130 videos in their plan. The target audience of the blog is educators dreaming of their own business.
At the festival Ruslan Kleitman took part in the round table "Yoga as a business", where they discussed whether it is possible to take money for yoga classes. According to some professional teachers, this is not necessary, because yoga is aimed at improving the spiritual state. However, Kleitman just believed that work should be paid - for the philosophy of yoga it is important to "create a circle of happy people", and if the teacher is not paid, then he is unhappy.
After the festival, Elena wrote to Kleitman a message on the social network with an offer he could not refuse (2% of the proceeds from his classes - teacher programs, as well as employment for instructors who had completed his course). We agreed that Kleitman will conduct two month courses for teachers, and will supervise the studio staff remotely. He turned out to be an excellent teacher, entrepreneurs say, but it was not possible to organize the work of the studio, being thousands of kilometers away. “Ruslan is a good teacher, a teacher with a capital letter. But in order to organize the work of a yoga studio, you need other competencies: the ability to select teachers, build motivation, form a schedule, etc., ”says Elena.
Akhila yoga was supposed to become the second style (after qigong) in which the studio planned to specialize, but it soon became clear that Kleitman's author's style was completely unknown in Russia. "Therefore, it was very difficult to attract clients: seeing in our schedule only Akhila yoga instead of the usual and popular Hatha, Kundalini, Iyengar and Ashtanga, they did not want to go to the studio." - says Elena. Now the studio has Hatha, yoga for pregnant women, meditation, and Akhila.
Ruslan Kleitman continues to teach the course for teachers. The training of yoga instructors is necessary in order, as Elena Milinova explains, to move to a new level of recognition, as well as to fill the studio in the daytime. According to entrepreneurs, they will reach full load (500 subscriptions, now 300) in six months or a year.
Maxim Yushko
partner of the YOGA PRACTIKA yoga centers network
The market is in a state of stability, close to stagnation. Until 2014, the number of studios grew, and then the crisis came. And at the same time, a balance has been established in the market between large fitness centers and yoga studios.
In our opinion, this is not a profitable business, because it is a mono-service that requires a specialized approach, equipment and conditions, while the cost is low. The business turns out to be low profitable.
Mistakes of the studio "DYSHI" according to Artem Khabeev
We invested a lot of money in the site. We paid 300 thousand rubles and waited 11 months to receive a business card site, which turned out to be no better than the one assembled on a constructor on our own for 2 thousand rubles.
When ordering the manufacture of expensive things (floor, partitions), we did not look at the reviews of the counterparties and almost lost 1.5 million rubles.
Expected to reach payback before nine months of work.
Prepared a schedule for the holidays and weekends on the last day. Lost money.
Andrey Stekachev / Inc.
Alexandra Gerasimova
co-founder of Fitmost
Yoga studios were among the first to develop the studio market (the fitness market consists of traditional fitness clubs and studios, where one or two areas are preferred). And if many trends like
* Calculations are based on average data for Russia
250,000 ₽
Minimum start-up capital
12 months
Payback
20%
Profitability
From 3 000 ₽
Wednesday cost of a lesson
Yoga is one of six orthodox philosophical schools that appeared in ancient India. However, in our days yoga has received a slightly different, more simplified meaning. Modern adapted yoga practices are more of a health-improving nature and are positioned by numerous fitness centers as an effective and time-tested way to maintain health and maintain excellent physical shape.
Choosing a direction
So, if you decide to open a yoga studio, first of all, you need to decide on the direction of yoga that interests you. There are several main schools of yoga. The most widespread (in the West and in our country) - hatha yoga - is a teaching, the purpose of which is to find physical harmony, to balance the energy of yin and yang, which is carried out with the help of physical exercises and meditation. Hatha yoga is considered the lowest, basic stage for other types of yoga, it is part of raja yoga and prepares the body for the spiritual side of this practice. Hatha yoga includes physical and breathing exercises, cleansing the internal organs, teaching proper nutrition, and the ability to relax.The main goal of Raja Yoga practice is to gain control of the mind through meditation. The goal of kundalini yoga practice is to awaken the divine energy of Kundalini. It includes mantra recitation, meditation, breathing and relaxation practices, and physical exercise.
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Another popular trend is ashtanga yoga, which includes eight steps and is a series of sequential postures, breathing techniques and concentration.
Iyengar Yoga focuses on the position of the body, which is necessary for harmonious development and gaining anatomical perfection. This is achieved through the adoption of certain postures (asanas) using supports.
Prana Yoga is a type of yoga based on breathing exercises that allow you to control the vital energy Chi.
Sahaja Yoga is a meditation method for achieving an inner balance of the emotional, physical and mental state of a person. And finally, agni yoga is a religious and philosophical teaching about life.
There are other, more modern modifications of ancient practices. For example, these include a new training system called "antigravity yoga" (or antigravity yoga). This set of exercises was developed a couple of years ago by dancer and gymnast Christopher Harrison. But even in this short period of time, anti-gravity yoga has won a large number of fans in Europe and the United States. For our country, this type of yoga is still a novelty, although already now some Moscow and St. Petersburg yoga centers have specially equipped rooms for classes.
Experts believe that this area has great prospects in our country as well. Anti-gravity yoga classes are held in special hammocks (swing), which are suspended from the ceiling of the hall. It is a simplified version of the trapeze on which gymnasts work in the air.
Of course, Harrison's creation has a very indirect relationship to traditional yoga. It can be called rather a certain type of fitness training for lovers of everything unusual with elements of traditional yoga. In particular, some difficult (including inverted) asanas are performed on hammocks, which would be difficult to perform without such a supporting element. This direction received its name due to the fact that when practicing in hammocks, a person does not have contact with the hard surface of the floor or walls, which creates the feeling of floating in the air. Antigravity yoga classes are based on New Age music.
As a result of such training, you can learn to own and control your entire body, improve coordination of movements, strengthen and develop all major muscle groups. Please note: anti-gravity yoga, as well as the direction of traditional yoga, has a number of contraindications. It is not recommended for hernias, high blood pressure, musculoskeletal injuries, high blood pressure. However, the swing itself can be used not only for active activities, but also for relaxation.
Opening your own yoga studio: organizational issues
If you want to open your own yoga studio, then most likely you are an expert, because these types of businesses usually "grow" out of a hobby. If you cannot call yourself a specialist, then it is advisable to find someone who will tell you about all the nuances and be able to teach them to your clients. Before starting any business, you need to draw up a business plan. In the process of working on it, you will see the prospects for running and developing such a business, determine the necessary start-up capital to open your own yoga studio and with its help you will find partners for the project.You need to start drawing up a business plan by determining the viability of your idea. To do this, conduct market research. You can order it from a marketing agency, or you can do it yourself. Study the competitors in your city. Direct competitors include the same yoga studios as the one you plan to open, and indirect competitors include all kinds of sports and fitness centers, dance schools, etc.
Many entrepreneurs open similar centers closer to their homes to make it easier for them to get to work. But still, the main criteria that should be followed when choosing an area for the location of a yoga studio are the absence of competitors (at least direct ones) and the convenience of your clients. Keep in mind that many potential clients of your center will attend classes after the end of the working day, so it is best to open a large studio in the city center near office buildings.
Smaller centers are great for residential areas, but keep in mind that in this case, the best option for expanding your business is to set up an entire network of yoga studios in the main areas of your city. And this is expensive. But at the first stage, you can start with one. If the competition, in general, is not great or completely absent in your city or suitable area, you can proceed to the next stage - calculating the possible costs and expected income. The source of funds also depends on the size of the first amount - either you will get by with personal savings or an interest-free loan from friends and family, or you will have to take a loan from a bank or look for investors.
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According to the experience of other entrepreneurs, it will take about 250-300 thousand rubles to open a studio. This amount includes registration of a legal entity, renovation of premises, purchase of the necessary equipment and inventory. If you do not have such an amount, then there are several options where to get the money.
You can take a loan from a bank, which is associated with certain risks.
First, the payback period for your business will increase slightly.
Secondly, out of season or in case of force majeure, your income will drop sharply, but the loan will still need to be repaid. Therefore, if you nevertheless decide to contact banks, try to set aside a certain amount "for a rainy day" every month, so that, if necessary, you can make your next installment on time.
You can also team up with several enthusiasts and open your own studio for common money. On the one hand, this will allow you to get by on your own and at relatively low costs, but on the other hand, you must be confident in your business partners.
In this case, an individual entrepreneur and LLC are best suited as an organizational and legal form of doing business. The advantages of the first form are the simplicity of registration, the absence of the requirement for the authorized capital and legal address, in a simplified form of accounting for business transactions. When organizing an LLC, an authorized capital is required. In addition, the responsibility of the founder in this case is limited only by the funds of the enterprise and does not apply to personal property, as in the case of an individual entrepreneur.
The main items of expenses for maintaining a yoga studio include renting premises (together with utility costs, the rental cost will be about 35-40 thousand rubles per month) and other operating expenses. The latter include the purchase of drinking water and a cooler, plastic disposable cups, toilet paper and paper towels, liquid soap, cleaning the premises, security, etc. These costs will amount to about 10-15 thousand rubles per month.
Choosing a place to open a yoga studio
Your yoga studio should be located in a location with convenient transport links and a nearby parking lot. Traditional yoga centers consist of the following premises: a practice room, a toilet, a shower, changing rooms (or at least one changing room if the area is very limited), a hall (or at least an entrance hall), a tea area and a yoga store. The last two points are optional, but their presence can significantly increase the profit of your center.
The very room where the classes will be held must be equipped with an air conditioning system. Yoga classes require complete focus on the process, so avoid noisy neighborhoods. You should not open such a studio on the territory of dance schools, art houses, sports centers (or the room should have good sound insulation). Pay attention to the floors in the room. Yoga is usually practiced barefoot, therefore special requirements are imposed on the floor. Ceramic tiles are the best option for yoga classes, but they are also the most expensive.
The tile should have a rough surface, which creates good adhesion to the surface (remember, yoga is usually practiced barefoot). When using ceramic tiles, floor heating is indispensable. Heating can be from the bottom (according to the "warm floor" system) or from the top (the so-called "warm ceiling"). In second place for convenience are wooden floors. It can be a plank or parquet floor. The main thing is that the tree is not slippery and not too rough, leaving splinters. The most economical and easy-care option is using a high-quality textured laminate. Carpet and linoleum are the most undesirable coatings. Carpet absorbs odors and dust, and linoleum is too slippery. In addition, both surfaces are not environmentally friendly enough.
What equipment is needed for a yoga studio
Don't forget about assistive devices and yoga aids. For a studio, it is best to purchase inexpensive rugs. It is better to change them more often as soon as the old ones lose their appearance due to frequent washings. When choosing rugs, try to choose non-slip mats of medium thickness. But get a few tighter rugs in reserve. Not all people are comfortable practicing on a thin rug. People with sensitive skin may bruise on the thin rug after exercising. Average service life of one mat is 1.5-2 years with relatively frequent use.
Among other accessories for studio equipment, you will need belts, blocks, rollers (bloisters), blankets, stretching corners, bending ropes, meditation cushions. The number of each item depends on the estimated number of people in the group (plus 3-5 in reserve).
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For anti-gravity yoga classes, it is necessary to equip a separate room. In this case, the main requirement is presented to the room - the presence of a sufficiently high ceiling (and reliable fasteners). Of the additional accessories, you will need special hammocks - the AirSwing trapeze. Such hammocks are also produced in our country, so there is no need to order them in foreign stores. The simplest hammock model will cost 3.5 thousand rubles. More complex models with an additional hammock can be purchased at a price of 4.5-5 thousand rubles.
Anti-gravity yoga hammocks have soft inserts in the edges of the main canvas and soft “stirrups” handles to support the legs. These models are versatile and suitable for both beginners and professionals. Hammocks are made of durable synthetic fabric in various colors. The main canvas of the hammock is 160 cm wide. In this case, the models are equipped with additional blades with a width of 70 cm. The most reliable steel carabiners, but some models are completed with aluminum carabiners. One hammock weighs 1.5-2 kg. Please note that some exercises (usually of a professional level) will require not one, but two hammocks per person.
In addition to the necessary fixtures, you will need additional accessories and items. Since traditional yoga involves an inextricable combination of exercise, relaxation and meditation, it is necessary to create an appropriate atmosphere and mood when conducting classes. First of all, you need audio equipment. The best option is a player that can read from a flash drive. CDs are gradually becoming a thing of the past and are not so convenient to use.
You will also need to purchase scented candles, aroma lamps, candle holders and incense sticks, decorative pillows, paintings, folk musical instruments and souvenirs. Don't forget that a yoga studio is not just a place where people come to work out. It is more of a club for people with common hobbies. Therefore, an inviting atmosphere must be created in it. Large yoga centers have special bars where you can order a cup of tea or a whole tea ceremony. But even in small studios, you can provide a place where you can calmly drink tea. Of course, this will require special dishes and cutlery.
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It is also worth purchasing and installing stands or special stands at the entrance to your studio for advertising materials, business cards with contacts, etc. One simple stand costs about 3 thousand rubles. However, you can save money and make a more original version for posting information and leaflets. For example, in the form of a large board with magnets-holders or an organizer with pockets.
Personnel issue
The main condition for the success of such a studio is qualified teachers. Even with the most limited budget, you shouldn't save on people. Often, in small centers, trainers also perform the functions of administrators, advertising managers, sales managers ... Often, start-up entrepreneurs have a question about the remuneration system for workers. Administrators usually work for a fixed salary.
Sales managers (looking for new clients) - for a percentage of the deal and a small fixed salary (however, sometimes they do without it when working part-time). The hardest part is to define the instructor remuneration system. The most undesirable option is to pay a fixed amount for a lesson. On the one hand, in many cases (for example, with large groups) this is beneficial to the employer and simplifies the settlement system itself. The most common option is to pay the instructor a certain percentage (25-40%) of the profit from each lesson. This system is more flexible.
In small studios, the percentage of revenue that the teacher receives is higher, since objectively, with all his might, he cannot conduct more classes per day and with a large number of people in the group. In large yoga centers, instructors receive a lower percentage, which, however, is compensated by more classes per day and people in the group. With this scheme of work, the instructors are interested in ensuring that the entire group is as staffed as possible.
There is a third, less common option, which involves sublease. Teachers are encouraged to register as an individual entrepreneur and formalize a sublease relationship. Basically, the owner of the premises and the tenants act as partners.
Please note: if you want to conduct anti-gravity yoga classes in your center (and other practices that are still new to our country), most likely you will not find a teacher in your city who works on this program. You will have to either pay for his training, or study on your own (the best option), and then conduct classes in your center. Such seminars are regularly held in various cities. Participation fee starts from 3.5 thousand rubles.
The main expenses for opening a yoga studio are renting premises, renovating, buying equipment and supplies, and decorating the interior. Ongoing costs include renting premises, utility bills (electricity and water), staff salaries (including trainers, accountant, administrator, advertising manager), and advertising placement and distribution. The owners of the studio will receive income from the sale of subscriptions, the provision of additional related services (we will write about them below) and the sale of related products (tea, incense sticks and candles, special literature, yoga equipment).
How to declare yourself
The simplest, but no less effective way to make yourself known is to distribute flyers to mailboxes in your area, display on counters in supermarkets, beauty salons, “friendly” sports centers, etc. Do not forget about your own website. and social media. People 20-35 years old are fond of yoga. This is exactly the target audience that spends most of their time on the Internet. However, in order to achieve good results, you need to spend a lot of effort, time and money on website promotion. According to statistics, on average, about 60-65% of customers come from the Internet. Others - according to leaflets and word of mouth - recommendations of friends and acquaintances.
You can attract the first clients by holding a free class for everyone who wants to do yoga. Open house days can also be arranged regularly - once or twice a month. Of course, not everyone who attended the trial lesson will continue classes. Approximately 30-40% after the first lesson decide to continue their studies, but this is a very good result. Almost everyone has heard about yoga, but many people have a very vague idea of what it really is. Some believe that yoga has a religious connotation. Others believe that performing asanas requires special physical training (which is partly true, but training proceeds according to the principle from simple to complex).
Most of the yoga classes take place in the evening. In the morning and afternoon in the yoga studio, classes are held for those who do not work, for expectant mothers and children. As a rule, classes in the morning and afternoon are cheaper than evening ones. An additional source of income for a yoga center can be seminars, lectures and trainings. Moreover, not all of them are directly related to yoga. Since traditional yoga assumes a special lifestyle and philosophy, seminars can be devoted to proper nutrition, breathing, hygiene, and even Vedic psychology and philosophy.
Moreover, the latter topic is attracting more and more attention from our compatriots. But the topic of classes in a yoga studio is not limited to this topic. Try to use the rented space as efficiently as possible - conduct dancing, singing, drawing lessons. As we mentioned above, yoga centers are not just a variation of a fitness establishment. This is a real club uniting people interested in spiritual development and physical self-improvement.
The yoga studio is open all year round. Overall, this business is not considered seasonal. But certain seasonal fluctuations are also observed here. Some decline in sales is observed in the period from May to August, as well as from December to February. This is due to the fact that in the summer many people go on vacation, and in the winter they take a break from their studies due to long holidays, bad weather conditions, etc.
To open your own yoga studio, you need about 250-300 thousand rubles. If you are going to teach some exotic types of yoga, then your expenses may increase by 50-100 thousand rubles (this amount includes the training of one specialist and equipment of the hall with everything necessary for conducting classes). The payback period for this type of business is from one year (the calculation is given for a small yoga studio with two halls).
715 people are studying this business today.
For 30 days, this business was interested in 29,972 times.
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Today yoga is a popular and trendy fitness area. For many, yoga classes are becoming not just a common hobby, but also a way of life. More and more people strive to lead a healthy lifestyle and exercise regularly. Opening a yoga studio can be not only a pleasure for the soul, but also a very profitable business.
Market analysis
In connection with the emergence of a large number of yoga lovers, and, accordingly, a serious demand for this service, every year there is an increasing number of studios, cents, offering classes in this direction. The first small yoga studios were mainly opened by professionals in this field, but over time, due to the popularity of this fitness area, whole centers for yoga began to appear with the attraction of large investments. In this regard, the competition in this area of business is quite high.
When planning the opening of a yoga studio, it is necessary to take into account the fact that in the autumn-spring period there will be much more visitors than in summer.
We can say that in this direction of business there is a certain seasonality, since in the summer there will not be so many people wishing to attend classes. However, this situation exists in many sports and recreation facilities.
In order for the planned business to become successful, before opening a yoga studio, it is necessary to conduct a marketing analysis:
- Determine the number of competitors in the region of interest.
- Determine the average cost of one lesson.
- Determine the demand for this service.
Having collected all the necessary information, it will be possible to determine how much this direction is in demand, find out the degree of market saturation, and form the studio's pricing policy. Only after that you can start registering and organizing your business.
Business registration and organization
After the conducted marketing research, it is necessary to register the business. To open a yoga center, it is quite enough to register as an individual entrepreneur by choosing a simplified taxation system. To do this, you must register as a taxpayer with the tax office and obtain a certificate of individual entrepreneur.
The next important step that needs to be taken is to decide on the direction of yoga that will be taught in the studio. There are the following types of yoga:
- raja yoga;
- hatha yoga;
- kundalini yoga;
- prana yoga;
- ashtanga yoga.
Hatha theory is the most popular type of yoga in Russia and Europe. This direction combines a whole system of healthy eating, proper relaxation and breathing exercises.
Location, premises and interior
Before deciding on a place to open a yoga studio, it is necessary to analyze the presence of competitors in the immediate environment. It can be not only studios or centers, but also fitness complexes, gyms.
It is advisable to open this business near:
- office buildings;
- residential buildings;
- park area.
It is important to understand that in yoga classes it is necessary to observe silence, calmness in order to properly relax and complete all the exercises.
Therefore, you should not choose a location for a studio in a noisy area, for example, near a bus station or a market, as well as in an area with a large concentration of transport and entertainment facilities. It is also necessary to take care of the availability of parking spaces for studio clients in advance.
A yoga room should have:
- Good ventilation.
- Air conditioning system.
- Warm floor.
- High ceiling.
For the comfort of clients, the area of a studio with a hall and additional rooms should be at least 50 sq. M. It is not necessary to build a center, you can rent the necessary square in a separate building or in a complex with other establishments.
The yoga studio space should include:
- reception;
- bathroom;
- changing rooms;
- spacious training room;
- recreation area.
It is important to create a comfortable, soothing environment in the yoga center that is most conducive to relaxation. For this you need:
- Choose a suitable background music.
- Place scented candles and sticks.
- Purchase fresh flowers, and hang thematic paintings and posters on the walls.
It is desirable that the training room has a lot of light, windows and an even, pleasant color of the walls.
Equipment and facilities
Yoga classes cannot do without the use of special inventory, accessories and equipment. The most important element during your workout is yoga mats. It is desirable to buy them of two types: thin and thick, since each person has his own threshold of sensitivity. The required number of rugs must be calculated based on the expected traffic intensity and the area of the hall.
Equipment list:
Organization of studio work
For the purpose of the proper functioning of the yoga center, it is necessary to correctly distribute responsibilities among the staff, establish a working schedule, and develop rules for servicing clients.
A very important point in the work of a yoga studio is to create a comfortable home environment.
To do this, you can equip a small cafe or bar in the institution where you can relax and drink relaxing herbal tea or create a relaxation corner where you can drink a healthy drink (for example, smoothies, green cocktails, fresh juice, herbal tea).
Staff
If the future owner of a yoga studio is not a professional in this field, then it is imperative to hire qualified instructors, and at least three. In addition to trainers, you need to select the following personnel:
- Administrator.
- Accountant (possibly with a free schedule).
- The cleaning lady.
- Account manager and customer engagement.
Marketing
The success of the studio, the stability of its work, the prestige of the institution and income depend on the effectiveness of the marketing policy. When you open a studio, you can do some free trial workouts in order to attract potential clients. You should also inform as many people as possible about the launch of a new yoga center. To do this, it is worth placing printed materials (leaflets, business cards, discount flyers) in places where future customers gather. It can be:
- Beauty Salons;
- sports shops;
- cafes, restaurants offering menus for healthy eating;
- clothing stores.
Effective marketing tools to promote your yoga studio:
- conducting seminars and trainings by experienced instructors;
- organizing festivals and lectures on health and religion;
- tea drinking is an irreplaceable ritual of any yoga center.
In the process of studio development in order to increase the profitability of the business, it is worth taking care of additional services. For example, you can open:
- Massage room.
- Shop selling natural cosmetics, tea, yoga products.
- Bar or tea area.
It is worth coming up with pleasant little things for visitors. This can be free sweets, cool water, the opportunity to look through an interesting magazine or a specialized book.
The financial component of the business
The main income of a yoga studio will come directly from the number of workouts. The main task of the business owner is to make the establishment as empty as possible. To do this, you can organize "happy hours", make discounts for students, reduce the cost of classes for group visits, and develop a system of discounts in the summer.
Opening and maintaining costs
Initial business expenses will range from RUB 50,000 to RUB 250,000. Everything will depend on investment opportunities, region, level of equipment, rental cost.
The main running costs are:
- rent and utility bills;
- employee salaries;
- consumables (rugs, disposable products, candles, replenishment of the tea area);
- replacement or repair of inventory.
Amount of future income
The average profit per month is from 40,000 to 60,000 rubles, taking into account that the cash register per day will be from 1,500 to 2,000 rubles. Additional services, work in two shifts, as well as an increase in the prestige of the studio will allow increasing profits.
Payback period
The payback is estimated at 9-18 months. Everything will depend on the qualifications of the yoga instructors, the level of service, the effectiveness of marketing and advertising policies, the attractiveness of the programs for the classes and the general atmosphere.
Yoga classes allow people not only to keep their muscles in good shape and have a toned body, but they are also a certain philosophy and way of life. Business in this area will always be profitable and in demand.
Evgeniya Benevolenskaya
I have been doing yoga every day for several years, yoga has firmly entered my life. Then I found teaching courses in Poland, went, unlearned, passed a tough selection and passed the exams. I taught for a while, but then I wanted something more. Because when you work for someone, you have to accept their conditions: for example, I was given only an hour for classes, but I believe that during this time very little can be given to the group. I had my own vision of how to teach yoga, and I decided to open my own studio. It was 8 years ago.
We were the first yoga studio in Kazan - that is, a place specializing only in yoga (before that the practice existed only as one of the directions in some fitness centers). But the market developed, and with our suggestion other studios began to open in the city. Many of them have not survived to this day. Now in Kazan, 7-10 studios are working stably, you can come to them and know for sure that the subscription will not be lost; many studios work for six months and are closed.
The heroine of our article says that the secret of the longevity of her studio is the correct prioritization. You should not, at least immediately, expect big money from this business. Higher and long-term motives must be found.
But the demand for the services of a yoga studio in cities today is high and there is room for new players. The demand for business is growing for many reasons. If 10 years ago yoga classes were popular mainly in the capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg, then in recent years the wave has covered the million-plus cities. With the development of the Internet, information about yoga and its benefits has become available to people. Many doctors recommend yoga as good physical fitness. The influence of the religious aspect is also important. In the most successful yoga studios, such as "Shanti", classes are recruited 3-5 times a day.
The science of yoga is actively mastered by Russians: new teaching styles are being studied, seminars are being held. Therefore, you can find your niche.
Personal experience
We only teach hatha yoga, since I myself am well versed in this direction. The manager should understand 80-90% of the directions that are in his studio, because if visitors have questions or complaints, they will come to him.
The human factor also plays an important role: yoga is a practice in which contact with a teacher is important. Therefore, people are looking for their teacher, who will be close in pace, workload, and simply in appearance.
Who comes to yoga classes? It can be both high school students and retirees. Benevolenskaya notes that people interested in yoga are bright personalities. These are representatives of a wide variety of professions - from a doctor to a supreme judge. Yoga is a relatively new area of knowledge for our country, so people with an inquisitive mind, who are looking for it, are mainly interested in it.
Be aware that teaching has its dangers. Most start doing yoga because they have some kind of health problem. And if the teacher inadvertently gives them an asana (yoga posture) that will harm them, then the demand for this will be from the leader. Therefore, both you and your teachers need to be very knowledgeable about anatomy.
Investment size
How much do you need to invest in starting a company? It depends on the location and which contingent you will be working for.
Evgeniya Benevolenskaya
founder of the yoga studio "Shanti"
I had no money, I had just graduated from college. Therefore, I took out a loan - to start a business, it took about 1 million rubles. I wasn’t targeting rich people. But I did not consider any other places besides the city center, although rent there is not cheap. 80% of investments were taken by rent.
Plus, for a few months, you need to think over the salary for a good teacher, because you can't pull it alone. It is important to be prepared for the fact that for some time you will work in the red. Now, I think, more investment will be required - over the 8 years that we have been working, the rental price has doubled.
Also, part of the funds will be spent on repairs. Fortunately, repairs for a yoga studio need minimal, because the more free space, the better. Wall mirrors are not needed for yoga. Moreover, they are even harmful because they distract - in yoga it is very important to physically feel the position. You need to purchase inventory. Moreover, Benevolenskaya says that the miser pays twice, and advises to buy more expensive rugs.
Personal experience
We have not changed the rugs for 8 years, although people use them every day. Because this is a very high quality inventory. Familiar guys decided to save money, bought cheaper rugs, but after three months they were worn out.
The state does not support this area. You can win a grant from the labor exchange, but it is small - a little more than 100 thousand rubles. Therefore, own funds or loans and borrowings remain as a source of investment. Now many banks have good conditions for lending to small businesses.
The running costs of this type of business are rent, wages and utilities.
Funds are also spent on improving the qualifications of teachers. Even an experienced specialist is periodically required to update and improve his knowledge at seminars and trainings. It is especially important that the teacher is well versed in anatomy, since the main principle in yoga is do no harm.
Evgeniya Benevolenskaya
founder of the yoga studio "Shanti"
Each teacher is trained to provide first pre-medical aid, we all passed the exam in the Red Cross. These are also expenses, but they are not monthly. The certificate obtained by passing the exam in the Red Cross is valid for three years.
Our teachers themselves find courses that are interesting to them, sometimes I pay for them to take them, if it is important for me, as a leader, that an employee has these skills. In addition, from time to time I myself bring interesting teachers to Kazan and arrange paid seminars that my employees can attend free of charge.
Step-by-step instruction
As their interest in yoga grows, the people who will practice in your studio will need various related products - a personal rug, clothing, and so on. Therefore, it would be good for you to also establish relationships with suppliers of yoga goods.
Personal experience
We ourselves have found a company with which we have been cooperating for 8 years. Of course, when you develop, you are found and offered goods, more favorable conditions, but we did not like the quality of work and the delivery time of goods, so we still cooperate with our first suppliers. We also have suppliers - small firms from India.
How to promote a studio? Benevolenskaya advises: more mass events. Free events attract people. But there is a pitfall here: your studio runs the risk of attracting a contingent of people who always go only to free events. Therefore, such meetings need to be arranged constantly, but not often.
Evgeniya Benevolenskaya
founder of the yoga studio "Shanti"
Every year, on the first Sunday of summer, we hold a flash mob on the Black Lake. Participation is free. All our teachers teach classes. After that, many members come to our studio and become clients.
We also annually celebrate our birthday - in the fresh air at the site near Kazanka. Participation is also free. Most of our clients come there to have fun together. We give gifts, subscriptions, discounts. Such events attract many.
What kind of staff is needed to run a yoga studio? A good resume doesn't really matter. It is necessary to see how a person works.
Evgeniya Benevolenskaya
founder of the yoga studio "Shanti"
Then I ask you to also conduct a training session for the staff. We look at how a person teaches, how he explains. Sometimes I deliberately make mistakes and look: will he notice or not? The teachers have been working with me for many years. We attract with the name of the studio and good attendance, which guarantees a high salary.
The salary of the staff of the yoga studio mainly consists of the salary and interest for the number of visitors and classes. The more in demand a teacher is, the higher his salary. Those who also conduct personal classes have a good income, although they are more difficult. The average salary of a yoga teacher in Kazan is 25-30 thousand rubles.
How to organize your work schedule? Naturally, the main influx of visitors will be in the evening, as well as in the early morning - many people like to do yoga before work.
Personal experience
We work mainly in the morning and in the evening. In the afternoon we conduct yoga for pregnant women and personal classes. The most visited time is after or before work. In the morning hours come students who study in the second shift, or those who work in shifts. At seven in the evening we always have a full hall. On weekends, we conduct group lessons in the mornings, and personal ones in the afternoon.
Where is the best place to open a yoga studio? In places accessible to the contingent you are assigned to work with. Youth, students - this is mainly the center of the city, where educational institutions are located. If you are targeting mothers on maternity leave, then you can open a studio in a residential area. There are examples of successful studios that operate in remote areas in courtyards. If your specialty is yoga for children, open up in the school and kindergarten area.
The room should have as much free space and air as possible. Avoid columns, turns, corners. Basement floors are not suitable for a yoga studio: no matter what hood you install, you will not have enough fresh air and light, so it is better to choose a room higher above the ground.
In a hall with an area of 20 sq. m can accommodate 10 people - they will be comfortable doing it.
The documents
Opening a yoga studio will not create any particular difficulties in paperwork. This type of activity is not licensed. It is advised to open an LLC, not an individual entrepreneur: it is more prestigious and rated, the same counterparties and landlords are more fond of working with an LLC than with an individual entrepreneur, because it is easier to close an individual entrepreneur.