Yes, you did not become a yogi to make money. That’s far from your mind, as all you want is to meditate, calm your fears, rest your worries, and manage your stress. However, you finally want it to be a full-time job. You are not contented with doing yoga only in the afternoon after work or every weekend. You want this to be your full-time job already, as you’re passionate about teaching everyone the benefits of yoga in their lives.
But how can you do it when you have a mountain of bills to pay? Since it’s a pandemic, it’s not exactly easy to just invite students to your house. You wouldn’t know what everyone is carrying with them. There are too many risks in starting a private yoga business but more so if you join a gym or yoga center. You don’t want anyone dictating your hours, so doing this on your own as a freelancer is the only option.
Fortunately, there are many ways to earn an extra income when you want to become a yoga instructor. An actual yoga class is not the only way for you to earn some bucks. Reigning in your budget and expenses, aka managing your finances, is a factor in bringing peace, quiet, and calmness to your life.
Online Yoga Studio
Imagine a yoga studio but online. The possibilities are infinite because you can accept as many students as you want and can. You are not limited by physical space since the internet has endless capacities. You can create yoga videos that you will then upload to your website. When students enter the website, they will choose between private one-on-one classes or prerecorded classes. They can access these classes from anywhere in the world as long as they have an internet connection.
Make sure that there are levels to your classes—from beginners to advance. You can also use the studio to build an online community of yoga students. They can share their experiences, “hang out,” and exchange tips just like a real-life yoga studio.
Blog and Publications
As a yogi, you have loads of knowledge about the different types and poses of yoga. You know the challenges that yoga students face when they are starting to learn. This means you are the perfect resource person for yoga publications (printed or digital). Freelance writing is profitable, especially in niches like yoga. You can even backlink the article to your own blog or website.
Speaking of blogs, writing about yoga on your own website is the perfect way to monetize your knowledge about it. You will offer the articles for free, but advertisers will start to notice your website or blog through page views. Learn about search engine optimization (SEO) before you dabble into this.
Private Yoga Lessons
Some rich clients want a one-on-one yoga class, so why not offer that to them? The cheapest private yoga lesson is around $80 per hour. Some can even go as high as $200 per hour. Because private classes need a bigger time investment than group classes, make sure that you are well-compensated. Don’t undercharge. The cheapest you should go is $80, and that might even depend on the kind of yoga class you will offer. If the class is via Zoom, the same price structure will apply.
Yoga Merchandise
Another cool way to earn money from your being a yoga instructor is to sell merchandise with your studio’s name on the items. Students love these because they will feel part of a community. What merchandise can you sell? Shirts, yoga pants, and hoodies are always well-loved yoga clothing items, but you can also go with the less traditional mats, blocks, blankets, and belts. Calendars, notebooks, planners, and cards are also items your students will love to have.
Yoga Retreat
Many of your students may want to go on a retreat, but they don’t have the money to travel to Costa Rica or Bali in Indonesia. You can organize a yoga retreat for your students provided, of course, that they pay you a fee for organizing the event. Make sure to choose the right location—a ski lodge, a cabin in the mountains, or a house near a river or lake. Of course, you’ll take care of the programs, as well as the food. You have to make sure everyone will attain their goals for joining the retreat.
There are many more ways to earn as a yoga instructor, but these are the most popular and profitable ones. The great thing about becoming a full-time yoga instructor is that you’re doing what you love and making a living out of it. How many jobs give you that level of satisfaction?
