What does a person lack, forced to submit to the energetic rhythms of a modern metropolis? What is the dream of an office worker or an entrepreneur who lives a busy life and subordinates his routine to urgent matters? About peace. About relaxation. About the opportunity to stop racing against time and at least communicate a little with the most important person in your life - with yourself.
This is precisely the opportunity that yoga offers - perhaps the only fitness activity that helps strengthen not only physical, but also mental health. Modern yoga practices have centuries-old roots and originate in ancient Indian philosophy, the goal of which was to achieve balance between spirit and body, gain enlightenment and control over one’s physical and mental processes. Having gained popularity, modern yoga, designed for a wide consumer, has become more simplified in terms of spiritual content, turning from a philosophical school into a school of maintaining a healthy state of the body and psychological relaxation.
It is precisely because of the rich history and time-tested practices that this direction enjoys stable popularity in modern society. People do not have enough sports aimed at gaining and maintaining exclusively physical shape - they also need the opportunity to shed the burden of accumulated negative emotions, put their thoughts in order in a calm environment, and take themselves beyond the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Therefore, yoga studios are steadily opening throughout Russia – even in small cities.
Beer yoga
Two yoga instructors from Berlin, Jula and Emily, decided to make their classes more unusual and attractive to people far from sports, and opened a “beer yoga” studio. Participants in the classes are invited to combine yoga with drinking beer and performing asanas with bottles and glasses filled with beer.
Soon the phenomenon of BierYoga (“beer yoga”) spread throughout Europe and became one of the main yoga trends in the world. “We combine yoga practices and the pleasure of drinking beer to achieve the highest level of consciousness,” says one of the founders.
Expenses and income
At this point of the business plan, we will summarize all the costs, plan the estimated profit, the task of obtaining which we will set in the plan for the 3rd month of the yoga studio’s operation. We will also calculate the profitability and payback period.
Start-up costs
| Expense item | Amount, rub. |
| Decor | 10 000 |
| Rent of premises for 2 months | 60 000 |
| Repair | 80 000 |
| Purchase of inventory | 260 000 |
| Marketing and advertising | 65 000 |
| Total | 415 000 |
It is planned to allocate 365,000 rubles to start the business. The amount is small, we own it, so we don’t take out any loans or credits, which will positively affect the payback period of our studio.
Monthly expenses
| Expense item | Costs |
| Renting premises | 30 000 |
| Communal payments | 10 000 |
| Salary Fund | 50 000 |
| 25 000 | |
| Refilling the boiler | 1 000 |
| Internet payment | 2 000 |
| Additional purchase of inventory | 50 000 |
| Household cleaning chemicals | 10 000 |
| Total | 178 000 |
Income
Naturally, it takes time to develop a yoga studio and gain active attendance. At the first stage, it is planned to fill 3 groups of 15 people, who will attend classes 2 times a week (8 times a month). As a result, we get 360 man hours. It is assumed that 20 people will buy subscriptions at a price of 4,000 rubles (80 thousand rubles), the rest will pay for one-time classes at a price of 600 rubles (120,000). As a result, we receive revenue of 200 thousand rubles.
Profit taking into account expenses is calculated as follows:
200 000 – 178 000 = 22 000.
Profitability will be small, at 10%. Profits are also negligible. This is due to the low occupancy of the premises and the unknown nature of the studio. To achieve good profitability, you need to systematically work to increase the attractiveness of your business to clients. Only in this case can you achieve an increase in profitability of over 100% and an income of 100-150 thousand rubles.
Office yoga
Conducting yoga classes in offices and for corporate clients is no longer a new idea, but it is not yet in demand everywhere. In the USA, so-called office yoga programs have become widespread. One example of such a service is the Office Yoga company. Business processes are quite simple. The company provides a highly qualified instructor to the company’s office, and he conducts classes for employees, thereby increasing their working tone.
When promoting such services, the company offering the service will definitely tell you that such sessions are designed to “increase employee efficiency, improve mental clarity, strengthen a friendly atmosphere, and so on.” The company itself that provides yoga services does not need to have an office; it is enough to create an Internet resource with a sales staff that brings both parties together, acting as an intermediary.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INDUSTRY AND COMPANY YOGA STUDIO
A yoga studio is a specially equipped room that creates a favorable atmosphere for practical yoga classes. Yoga is a set of spiritual, mental practices that is rooted in Hinduism and Buddhism and is aimed at managing the mental and physiological functions of the body in order for a person to achieve an exalted spiritual and mental state. Yoga has many directions and movements, each of which has its own history and philosophy. Modern yoga has evolved from a philosophical school into a mass hobby that has achieved enormous popularity throughout the world. Of course, due to its mass popularity, it has lost many connections with traditions, but it is still based on many of the basic principles of yoga as a teaching. First of all, yoga has gained its popularity among modern people due to the fact that it not only promotes health and trains the body, but also allows you to fight the main diseases of the time, such as stress, nervousness, irritability, depression, and so on.
In Russia, the yoga boom began in the early 2000s and continues to this day. According to the TNS Marketind Index, in our country more than 2.3% of the country's adult population or 1.37 million people practice yoga, and their number is increasing every year. Expenses for yoga classes, excluding expenses for clothing and accessories, exceed 41 billion rubles. (data from Yoga Journal). Due to the fashion for yoga, yoga studios and yoga centers are becoming promising businesses, promising entrepreneurs large and stable profits. The other side of the coin is the increase in the number of unprofessional trainers and charlatans who not only distort the principles of yoga, but also often cause significant harm to the health of the population.
In our case, we plan to open a small yoga studio, the opening of which will be initiated by a qualified trainer who has a certificate as a yoga instructor. Since the project will be implemented from scratch, an individual entrepreneur will be registered to open the studio, staff will be hired, and preparatory work will be carried out in the selected rented premises (repairs, equipment). The yoga studio will be opened in a new residential area of the city with a large number of apartment buildings and a population of more than 80 thousand people. At the initial stage, classes will be conducted directly by the initiator of the studio opening and two more hired employees; other responsibilities (accounting, advertising promotion) will be partially or fully outsourced.
Yoga at the airport
The San Francisco airport has had a yoga room since 2011. In a specially equipped room, passengers can neutralize negative emotions such as stress and anxiety, which are often common during flights. The yoga classes were designed by Gensler design studio.
SUMMARY OF THE YOGA STUDIO PROJECT
The goal of this business plan is to open a yoga studio in the city of Rostov-on-Don. The project will be implemented from scratch, which involves registering an individual entrepreneur, hiring staff, selecting and renovating premises for rent.
- The volume of starting investments is 1,650,000 rubles.
- Source - own funds in the amount of 1,250,000 rubles, borrowed funds (bank loan) - 400,000 rubles.
- The loan term is 36 months, the rate is 18% per annum.
The payback period of the project is 13 months. The planning horizon for this business plan is 5 years. The expected average monthly turnover in the first year of the studio’s operation will be 260 thousand rubles, net profit - 110 thousand rubles. From the second year it is planned to reach revenues of 440 thousand rubles, net profit - 245 thousand rubles.
Table 1. Key performance indicators
| Discount rate (r-year), % | 6 |
| Discount rate (r-month), % | 0,487 |
| Payback period (PP), months. | 13 |
| Discounted payback period (DPP), months. | 14 |
| Net present value (NPV), rub. | 1 796 999 |
| Return on Investment Ratio (ARR), % | 19,88 |
| Internal rate of return (IRR), % | 10,71 |
| Profitability Index (PI) | 1,09 |
Yoga and color therapy
Entrepreneurs from London decided to literally colorize their yoga classes. The ChromaYoga studio offers clients to combine exercises with color therapy and attend classes with multi-colored lighting.
For example, if the red class is designed for dynamic exercises and increased vitality, then the pink class is for stretching, breathing exercises and relaxation. In a word, each color has its own set of exercises. Although the practical benefits of color lessons may seem dubious, from the point of view of photogenic classes and promoting the studio on Instagram, the idea is certainly a winning one.
Location and rental
When choosing a studio space, first of all pay attention to the proximity of direct and indirect competitors. If there is an existing yoga center located not far from the location you like, then it will be difficult for you to get the required number of clients, since all interested parties are probably already visitors to this center.
In addition, evaluate the location in terms of attractiveness to potential customers. If the studio is located in the city center or just next to large office centers, then it will be convenient for people to get to it after work (after all, the vast majority prefer to study in the evening hours). Proximity to public transport stops, location on the “first line” with high traffic and additional amenities (parking, convenient entrance, etc.) also increase your competitiveness. But proximity to noisy establishments should be avoided in the same way as proximity to competitors, because yoga requires concentration, huh. This means they are incompatible with extraneous loud sounds.
As for the area of the room, it must be at least 60-80 square meters (this includes a training room, recreation area, shower, toilet and locker room, hall and/or recreation area). An additional bonus will be the availability of free space for a tea room (which will add atmosphere to your studio) and a corner for selling related yoga products - mats, aromatic oils and sticks, incense burners and aroma lamps, tea, related literature, etc. (this will allow you to earn additional income).
No extraneous noise should enter the room; in addition, a good ventilation or air conditioning system is necessary so that stale air does not spoil the impression of classes. In addition, if you are going to do repairs (and in most cases you will have to do it), then pay special attention to the floor. Typically, yoga is practiced barefoot, so the floor must be warm and non-slippery to provide the necessary grip when performing the asanas. The ideal option in combination of “price and quality” is a wooden covering or a high-quality textured laminate. A more expensive option, but perhaps the most suitable one, is ceramic tiles with a rough surface, combined with a heating system (“warm floor” or “warm ceiling”). When it comes to wall decoration and overall design, you can opt for a neutral, calm interior in muted tones, or add a touch of creativity to the atmosphere and paint the walls with bright patterns in warm colors. The most important rule and criterion is that it is pleasant and comfortable to be within the walls of your center.
On average, renting space for a yoga studio will cost you 35-40,000 rubles (prices may vary depending on the region). If you add to this figure the costs of monthly maintenance of the studio (utilities, purchase of water, paper towels and liquid soap and other “consumables” necessary for the convenience of your visitors), then the costs will increase to 50,000 rubles.
Helicopter yoga
In the USA, there is a luxury class service for yoga lovers - a group of 6 people is dropped by helicopter onto the deserted cliffs of Nevada, where they are given classes to the songs of Frank Sinatra, George Michael and David Bowie.
The service, called HeliYoga: Limitless, is provided by Las Vegas-based Silent Savasana in partnership with Maverick Helicopters. The yoga class takes place at an altitude of 900 meters above the ground, and after it, participants are given time for selfies and offered a glass of champagne.
DESCRIPTION OF YOGA STUDIO SERVICES
The main services of the yoga studio will be group classes using the Iyengar yoga method - the most common and, most importantly, safe type of yoga. The rights to attend group classes will be realized through the sale of subscriptions for several classes. An additional area will be the provision of individual lessons. When choosing the studio’s pricing policy, it was decided to focus on competitors’ prices. At the initial stage, the cost of classes will be lower than the average for the city market.
Table 2. Yoga studio services
| № | NAME | DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES | UNIT COST, rub. |
| Group classes | |||
| 1 | One-time lesson | One-time group lesson | 320 |
| 2 | Subscription for 4 classes | 4 group yoga classes | 1100 |
| 3 | Subscription for 8 classes | 8 group yoga classes | 2100 |
| 4 | Subscription for 12 classes | 12 group yoga classes | 2600 |
| 5 | Trial lesson | Trial group yoga class | for free |
| Individual sessions | |||
| 6 | Individual lesson | Individual lesson with a trainer | 1300 |
Art yoga mats
Pixels is one of the largest print-on-demand marketplaces with over 500,000 products from independent artists, photographers, and other creatives. Among other things, you can find a huge selection of yoga mats here.
There are prints to suit every taste, from ordinary colors and patterns to football stars and singers. The platform can be used as a sales channel, but in order to surpass competitors, you have to try, because there are more than 45.5 thousand yoga mats alone.
Market analysis
Depending on the work of direct and indirect competitors, the work and profit of the created yoga studio will depend. It is necessary to carefully and thoroughly study the niche, determine the activities of competitors, so as not to work at a loss in the future. You must clearly understand pricing in the industry and identify the strengths and weaknesses of the business.
The work of the yoga studio is aimed at young girls from 25 to 45 years old. At the same time, it is possible to create classes for children, elderly women or men according to requests.
The key business risks include a possible increase in fees for the use of premises, serious competition in the market, and a decrease in the quality of services (this risk is associated with the qualifications of studio employees).
Application for finding a yoga teacher
Today, there are hundreds of mobile applications that offer video lessons and yoga programs for different levels of training. However, there are not many applications that allow you to centrally find a live yoga teacher. Several years ago, an application with similar functionality called Yogassential was tested on residents of London and Manchester. The user was asked to find a free teacher for a convenient hour and order a lesson in any convenient place.
You could select a teacher from the list based on the ratings and reviews of other users and a short biography. However, the idea apparently did not find a response, and the application was removed from application stores.
YOGA STUDIO PRODUCTION PLAN
The yoga studio will be located in a large residential area of Rostov-on-Don with a population of more than 80 thousand people. The studio is located in a transport-accessible location (there is a transport interchange and public transport stops nearby), and there is a car park at the entrance. To organize yoga classes you will need to rent a room of 80 square meters. meters. The premises will include a main training room, a small room for individual training, a relaxation room, a locker room and a shower/toilet. The capacity of the room for group classes will be 25 people. The premises will need to be renovated and provided with comfortable conditions for future visitors, in particular, install a heated floor, create the necessary lighting, and purchase equipment for conducting classes. The cost of repairing the premises will be 950 thousand rubles, equipment (including furniture and sports equipment) - 400 thousand rubles.
Selling calendars with yoga dogs
One day, photographer Dan Borris saw a two-year-old bull terrier named Ottis repeating the movements of his owner, who was doing yoga. This incident helped him become famous throughout the world. Since 2009, Dan began creating Yoga Dog calendars featuring dogs in yoga poses.
His wife helps him photograph dogs and cats (later Dan switched to them too): she helps the animals take the desired pose, and everything else is done using Photoshop.
EVALUATION OF THE EFFECTIVENESS OF A YOGA STUDIO
The effectiveness of the project is indicated by simple and integral indicators (Table 1). Changes in the value of money over time are taken into account using the discounted cash flow method. The discount rate is 6%. The simple payback period of the project (PP) is 13 months, the discounted payback period (DPP) is 14 months. The net present value of the project (NPV) has a positive value of 1,796,999 and exceeds the size of the initial investment. The internal rate of return (IRR) is 10.71% (greater than the discount rate). The profitability index (PI) is 1.09 and exceeds 1.
Yoga socks
Although yoga socks and gloves are no longer a novelty, just a few years ago the idea helped Arziona entrepreneurs, yoga instructor Gail Getzwiller and her daughter Jamie, create a large-scale business. Once recording a yoga lesson on video, Gail realized that her students would not be able to perform yoga asanas without a special mat, which means they would not be able to train in any conditions. A rug, for example, is inconvenient to take with you on trips or to wear to work. This is how the idea of Yoga-Paws was born - socks and gloves for yoga classes.
Thanks to their material and compactness, they allow you to practice yoga in any conditions without having to carry a mat with you.
What equipment do you need for a yoga studio?
Don't forget about auxiliary equipment and various yoga equipment. 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 washing. When choosing mats, try to choose non-slip mats of medium thickness. But buy a few thicker rugs in reserve. Not all people are comfortable exercising on a thin mat. People with sensitive skin may experience bruising after exercising on a thin mat. The average service life of one mat is 1.5-2 years with relatively frequent use.
Among other studio equipment, you will need belts, blocks, rollers (blosters), blankets, corners for stretching exercises, ropes for deflections, and meditation pillows. The quantity of each item depends on the estimated number of people in the group (plus 3-5 in reserve).
To practice anti-gravity yoga, it is necessary to equip a separate room. In this case, the main requirement for the room is the presence of a sufficiently high ceiling (and reliable fastenings). For additional equipment, you will need special hammocks - AirSwing trapezes. Such hammocks are also produced in our country, so there is no need to order them from 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.
Hammocks for anti-gravity yoga have soft inserts into the edges of the main fabric and soft “stirrup” handles to support the legs. These models are universal and suitable for both beginners and professionals. Hammocks are made of durable synthetic fabric in various colors. The main fabric of the hammock is 160 cm wide. At the same time, the models are equipped with additional blades 70 cm wide. Steel carabiners are the most reliable, but some models are equipped with aluminum carabiners. One hammock weighs 1.5-2 kg. Keep in mind that to perform some exercises (usually professional level) you will need not one, but two hammocks per person.
In addition to the necessary devices, additional accessories and items will be required. Since traditional yoga involves an inextricable combination of physical exercise, relaxation and meditation, it is necessary to create the appropriate atmosphere and mood when conducting classes. First of all, you will 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, stands for candles 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. This is more of a club for people who have common hobbies. Therefore, a conducive atmosphere must be created in it. Large yoga centers have special bars where you can order a cup of tea or an entire 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. 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 option for posting information and leaflets. For example, in the form of a large board with magnet holders or an organizer with pockets.
Fitness rolling pin
Yoga Flexer is a portable exercise machine for doing fitness at home. Outwardly, it looks like a giant rolling pin, but, unlike it, it has a less primitive structure. The Yoga Flexer can transform into a yoga mat, a resistance bar, or even a barbell. There are only five main options, and there are countless exercises. The exercise machine is convenient to store and take with you when traveling.
Certification
No permits or licenses are required in the Russian Federation. And in the USA, the generally accepted standard is that instructors and yoga centers have a certificate from the international organization Yoga Alliance. Yoga instructors require a $25 initiation fee and $55 annual fee, while yoga clubs require a $350 initiation fee and $200 annual fee. This increases the level of confidence in a yoga club in the USA, but whether it is necessary to obtain these certificates for the Russian market remains a big question for me. What do you think? Please share your opinion in the comments.
Goat yoga
There is a farm in Oregon that belongs to a man named Lenny Morse. One day, when a local instructor was looking for a place to practice yoga, Lenny offered him his farm as a site along with the goats that live there. Now a new type of yoga has appeared in Oregon - Goat Yoga, which literally means “goat yoga”.
The goats do not take part in the classes, but they always hang around and lift people’s spirits in every possible way, and sometimes even climb on people’s backs.
Personnel
Qualified trainers are one of the main components of the success of your studio. You should not save money by hiring inexperienced beginners, and if you still decide to go this route, then be prepared to invest in their training (the cost of participation in one training seminar costs about 3,500 thousand per person) or train the staff yourself (this is convenient , if you already master the art of yoga). Often, entrepreneurs who open yoga studios are also trainers themselves and act as teachers themselves - this allows them to save on wages.
The most common option for remunerating a trainer is a percentage of income from each lesson conducted (25-40%). In some cases, trainers act as partners of the entrepreneur, concluding a sublease agreement for the premises. The option with a fixed salary is perhaps the most unfortunate and is beneficial to the employer only if the trainer teaches classes in a large group.
In addition, you will need:
- Administrator (2 people). Fixed salary.
- Sales managers. Minimum salary plus a percentage of season ticket sales. For part-time employment – interest without salary.
- Accountant (remotely). The average salary is 5,000 rubles.
- Cleaner (part-time).
The function of an advertising manager can be performed by the entrepreneur himself (if not, when writing a business plan, this position should be allocated as a separate position). Also, the studio owner can take on the responsibilities of an administrator.
Mobile yoga classes
It is often difficult for clients of yoga studios to regularly attend classes and adjust their schedule to the gym's schedule. In this case, you can organize an on-site business and call your business “mobile yoga classes.” Loganville entrepreneur Megan Kearney did exactly the same thing.
As part of her mobile classes called MOBI yogi, she decided to meet the locals halfway and offered a service that goes to home, office, school or even a park, and also removed restrictions on the age and level of advancement of the client. Now Megan continues her business in the field of yoga and runs a page on Instagram.
Advertising and Marketing
The main advertising of enterprises operating in the service sector within a city or microdistrict is rightly considered word of mouth. Therefore, it is necessary to pay very close attention to the quality of the classes provided and the atmosphere of the fitness club as a whole. It is recommended to periodically review the schedule of classes and include new areas, as well as organize trips for employees to events to improve their skills.
The following marketing methods also give good results:
- creation and promotion of your own website in search engines;
- advertising in social networking groups;
- distribution of leaflets;
- holding open days and other events.
Yoga furniture
The popularity of yoga entails an increase in demand for related products. One of the areas in which new business ideas regularly appear is furniture and yoga equipment. For example, a piece of furniture called the FeetUp Trainer is something similar to a stool with which you can do more than 100 exercises, including standing upside down without fear of breaking your neck.
Various devices are also appearing for aerial yoga and inversion therapy, which also involves exercises with an upside down pose. An example is the Omni Gym suspension system, which can be installed in any room and can be used to perform many exercises that are usually only done in professional gyms.
Yoga studio as a business: relevance and attractiveness of the idea
The popularity of this area of fitness will ensure high demand for services and stable income generation. Such a business can provide good material support and moral satisfaction for the owner.
The benefits of Indian meditation practices are obvious: it is a good prevention of diseases of the skeletal system, nervous disorders and depression, and spiritual self-improvement.
Nowadays, people pay great attention to maintaining physical fitness. Therefore, a yoga studio in a residential area can easily replace a small fitness center, providing the population with the opportunity to exercise near home or work.
Aquayoga boards
One of the popular areas of yoga today is aquayoga or water yoga, which takes place on boards. Especially for avid lovers of such an exotic hobby, there is even special equipment - Solstice from Swimline SolFit Yoga Board.
This is a special inflatable board that does not slip, has comfortable handles, a mount for a GoPro camera, and also includes a pump and a fin for control.
Permits and documents
To open a studio, you will definitely need to register an individual entrepreneur or LLC.
OKVED for yoga studio
The premises will require permits from the fire inspectorate and sanitary and epidemiological station. The cost of registering a business and obtaining permits will not exceed RUB 15,000. Instructors with certificates confirming their qualifications will increase the competitiveness of the studio.
Yoga cruises
Katarina Line's South Dalmatia cruises, which sail along the Croatian coast, are aimed at those who really want to relax properly. That is why the service is positioned as yoga cruises. Every morning, yoga classes are held with clients, and in the afternoon and evening, guests can go on an excursion to a new Croatian town or village along the travel route.
ORGANIZATIONAL PLAN FOR A YOGA STUDIO
To open a studio, an individual entrepreneur is organized, the tax rate is 6% of income (simplified system). In addition to managing the studio, the business initiator will act as the main instructor, who will bear exactly half of the entire load. You will also need to hire two yoga instructors. Instructors are paid on a piece-rate basis (30% of the proceeds from the lesson). In addition to instructors, accounting and support services such as cleaning will be outsourced.
Table 4. Staffing and wage fund
| № | Job title | Salary, rub. | Number, persons . |
| Administrative staff | |||
| 1 | Accountant | 20 000 | 1 |
| Production personnel | |||
| 2 | Yoga instructor | 30% of the proceeds from the lesson | 2 |
| Support staff | |||
| 3 | Cleaning woman | 5 000 | 1 |
Smart Yoga Wear
Online yoga has come quite a long way over the past few years. For example, the PIVOT Yoga company combined online lessons with the use of smart clothing. By wearing a smart yoga uniform with sensors, you can receive real-time adjustments from the app and yoga teachers on exactly how to turn your head or which way you need to lean a few more degrees.
Not only does the client receive feedback and learn how to perform the exercises correctly, but the clothing itself is made of high-quality breathable materials, is easy to wash and does not restrict movement.
Choosing a location to open a yoga studio
Your yoga studio should be located in a location with convenient transportation and parking nearby. Traditional yoga centers consist of the following premises: a training room, a toilet, a shower, locker rooms (or at least one locker room if space is very limited), a hall (or at least an entrance hall), a tea area and a yoga supply store. The last two points are optional, but their presence can significantly increase the profit of your center.
The room itself where classes will be held must be equipped with an air conditioning system. Yoga classes require full concentration 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 must have good sound insulation). Pay attention to the floors in the room. Yoga is usually practiced barefoot, so there are special requirements for 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 done barefoot). When using ceramic tiles, you cannot do without underfloor heating. Heating can be from below (using the “warm floor” system) or from above (the so-called “warm ceiling”). In second place in terms of convenience are wooden floors. This could be plank flooring or parquet. The main thing is that the tree is not slippery and not too rough, leaving splinters. The most economical and easy-to-maintain option is using high-quality textured laminate. Carpet and linoleum are the most undesirable coverings. Carpet absorbs odors and dust, and linoleum is too slippery. In addition, both coatings are not environmentally friendly enough.
Yoga Bottles
The Ujjaya Balance Bottle is designed specifically for yoga practitioners and, in addition to its main functions, allows you to maintain balance while performing many exercises.
The bottle looks like a rectangular block, similar to some kind of black brick. It is made of Sevilen - a light and durable material that is quite easy to clean from dirt.
Opening of a fitness center
The grand opening took place in early September. It is during this period that people look for suitable centers for themselves, after the summer break. To prevent potential clients from signing up with competitors, Sonya had to make every effort to attract them.
Before the opening, the girl ordered printing of advertising leaflets for a total of 2,500 rubles. Together with her sister, she distributed them throughout the area. The most visited places were affected - parks, cafes, schools. On the opening day, the studio was solemnly decorated with balloons. They cost the owner 7 thousand rubles. Fruit smoothies were also ordered for 23 thousand rubles. Additionally, the girl ordered printed business cards - 3 thousand rubles, badges for staff - 3 thousand rubles, cardboard passes - 1,700 rubles.
A close friend of the owner of the center was invited to act as a photographer at the opening. As payment, she was given a free subscription to classes. The studio was named "Active". The cost of subscriptions was set taking into account the prices of competitors. The first lesson was held for free, then it was offered to buy a subscription for one month: 4 training sessions - 2.4 thousand rubles; 8 training sessions – 3.8 thousand rubles; 12 training sessions – 5.4 thousand rubles. In honor of the opening, they offered to purchase passes at a 50% discount. The proceeds covered half of the monthly rent.
Meditations on buses
Be Time is a New York-based mobile meditation studio set up in a converted bus. To turn the bus into an oasis of calm in the middle of the metropolis, it was equipped with sound insulation, air conditioning, generators and laser light panels.
Now, inside the meditation bus, 30-minute yoga classes combined with aromatherapy and chromotherapy are held under the guidance of professional instructors. The cost per visit is $22.
Business Investments
The first thing the owner of a yoga studio will have to face is finding funds to open a business. This will require about 300,000 rubles. Entrepreneurs consider the main costs to be the renovation (design) of premises and the purchase of equipment.
“We did not use credit funds and consider this method very risky. We found start-up capital by pooling funds from our teachers. We take no risks, and everyone works with their own client base. Moreover, if one of the masters gets sick or leaves, his clients temporarily study with another master. This makes our center stable in terms of clientele,” says Yuri Minochkin, teacher at the Kaliningrad Yoga Center.
Fixed monthly expenses include:
- Rent of premises (~120 sq. m.) – 40,000 rubles.
- Advertising (banners, contextual advertising) – 15,000 rubles.
- Utility bills – 8,000 rubles.
- Cleaning and accounting – 11,000 rubles.
- Taxes (UTII) – 7,000 rubles.
- Consumables (drinking water, cups, hygiene products) – 1,500 rubles.
- Other expenses (security, small household expenses, etc.) – 8,000 rubles.
Total – 90,500 rub. per month.
In order to not only cover such expenses, but also earn money, the studio must conduct about 60 classes a month, taking into account the fact that the average group consists of 20 people, and one ticket costs at least 250 rubles.
Yoga with orchestra
To help health-obsessed millennials get more benefits from their yoga practice, music venue Glaswegian offers a fitness class called Musoga, which combines yoga and a live orchestra.
The classes are held as hour-long events, the first of which took place at St Luke's & The Winged Ox in Glasgow. Organizer Christian McDaid explains that "the idea stems from a love of music and a passion for music therapy."
27.06.2019
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Anna Davydova The Flex: Business is risks, you are constantly getting involved in some kind of adventure
A healthy lifestyle is becoming increasingly popular. Now it is fashionable not to have bad habits, eat healthy food and exercise. Currently, there are many fitness centers and studios operating in Irkutsk, where citizens can not only tighten their figure, but also put their thoughts in order. At the same time, playing sports does not have to be banal and boring, says Anna Davydova, champion of Siberia in rhythmic gymnastics, founder of the network of stretching studios “Twines” and The Flex. In her opinion, fitness can be interesting, uncomplicated, and become part of a full, rich life. It was for this purpose that a network of stretching studios, The Flex, was created, one of whose branches was recently opened in Irkutsk. In an interview with IrkutskMedia, Anna Davydova spoke about risks in business, competition and success in the fitness industry.
— Anna, tell us a little about yourself. When did you start doing business? How did you come up with the idea for The Flex stretching studio? Why did you decide to choose this particular direction?
— I have been doing rhythmic gymnastics since I was 4 years old. I fulfilled the standard for a master of sports and trained during training camps with the Russian national team. And at some point I thought that in gymnastics we are very drawn to children, why not do something similar, only with adults. That is, we, in principle, did not have the kind of stretching that they give in fitness clubs, it was a deeper stretch.
The first studio was called Twine. It was just a regular stretching studio. After that, we thought that we needed to create our conceptual core and become more than just a stretching studio for people.
We decided to show our potential clients that sport can be cool, interesting, uncomplicated and it can be part of their full, rich life. This is how the network of stretching studios The Flex appeared.
The entire team lives their work with Flex. Photo: From personal archive
— The Flex stretching studios are already open in Russian cities?
— We opened our first branch in Krasnoyarsk at the beginning of this year. After this, the studio was opened in Novosibirsk. In September, The Flex appeared in Irkutsk. A little later we will open a second stretching studio in Krasnoyarsk.
— What difficulties did you encounter in the process of building a business? What was the most difficult thing?
“We encounter difficulties constantly, almost every day, but we do not perceive them as obstacles. It's just part of our life, part of our work, so everything goes quite easily. In September, I spoke at an online forum in Irkutsk, and they also asked me: “Your case is so positive and cool, everything is so good.” But I can’t say anything bad, because everything is really good with us - in marketing, design, sales. There are a series of minor problems: we came up with so many projects, but the team simply “burst” because we didn’t calculate the staff and our strengths a little. Because there are ideas and clients are also active. That is, there is no danger that no one will come to us; on the contrary, there is a possibility of oversaturation of our studios and employees.
— How did you find your first students?
— Advertising on Instagram (12+). Until now, this social network is our main source of customer generation. We are also going to connect various sources like Facebook (12+), VKontakte (12+). We have pages, but so far they are not as popular as Instagram.
— That is, the main promotion channel is social networks, but do you use advertising banners, advertising in the media, for example?
— Before the opening in Krasnoyarsk, we rented banners and advertised offline. The live screen was located in a famous shopping center. But to be honest, such advertising works more for image than for sales. On Instagram we can invest the same money and get an influx of five times more. Therefore, we mainly work with Internet marketing.
Anna Davydova. Photo: From personal archive
— What services does The Flex offer to its clients? What are the features of training specifically in your network of studios?
— Our studio has four areas: classic Stretching — stretching on mats, Sky Stretching — training on hammocks with elements of yoga, meditation, aerial acrobatics and stretching, TRX — functional training using special loops, and Barre — stretching at a barre elements of ballet to classical music. At the end of the classes, self-massage is also performed using special rollers.
Barre is a unique trend; in principle, it doesn’t exist anywhere else in Russia. We developed it ourselves. In fact, I am developing methods for our programs.
In general, we have four directions. In the Irkutsk studio we also opened a massage room - a spa and relaxation area.
— Is it difficult to compete?
— We have competitors, but they are located in Moscow. That is, we compete with them while being in Siberia, but at the same time we focus on the development of the Siberian Federal District at this stage. At some points, I am sure, we are not even on the same level as them, but better than them. Competition is good, it's cool. We love our competitors, stretching studios that are opening. This only encourages us. We don’t get upset in any way, we don’t look back, we do our job and everything works out great.
— What are the benefits of stretching? Are there any age restrictions or contraindications?
— There are practically no restrictions on stretching. It is practiced by overweight people and people with disabilities. But only after the doctor's recommendations.
Actually, this is a huge plus of stretching. It suits almost everyone. It does not put stress on the joints, improves blood circulation, can prevent injury and improve emotional well-being. We rarely talk about this in our training, but if, for example, you have some psychological blocks, grievances, and so on, then you can also get rid of them with the help of deep stretching. That is, roughly speaking, through the body we interact with our soul. By working the muscles and ligaments, we relieve emotional tension. Yes, sometimes, when something annoys me and even starts to “shake” me, I turn off the phone, turn on calm music, stretch, relax, until it becomes easier. After this, I can make some kind of adequate decision, and not just rashly.
Stretching is a very cool activity that is useful for everyone and should definitely be done.
Krasnoyarsk studio. Photo: From personal archive
The Flex in Krasnoyarsk. Photo: From personal archive
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— Personnel issues are always important. How do you select trainers?
“We have a separate story with the coaching staff, a very long and complex one. We currently have 35 candidates, of which only 16 will get into Flex. Trainers who are already certified come to us, either with higher education or some additional certificates from the university they graduated from. After this, the selected participants receive individual training in all our areas. Then the coaches pass practical and theoretical tests, based on which we then look at who we take and who we don’t. It is very important that the coach is able to communicate competently, knows the technique of performing exercises, and is able to work emotionally and psychologically with students. That is, trainers are super-professionals in their field who must understand absolutely everything related to stretching. Plus, I am always in favor of our coaches being former athletes.
80% of our instructors who currently work in the studios are masters of sports, candidates for master of sports, and mainly in gymnastics.
This is also a very important point. Since many people who have received a completely different profession and have never been involved in sports, take regular stretching courses, come and say: “I’m a fitness trainer,” but in the end they don’t know anything, don’t feel their body the way people do, who have been involved in sports professionally for several years. They do not have the necessary training and it is very difficult for us, even as employees, to work with them. The Flex often hosts open events and master classes. Once we conducted a training session for 500 people. Before this event, our coaches rehearsed for about two months, devoting all their free time to work and preparation for the event. Therefore, those working at The Flex must be willing and well-trained, and these, in fact, are mainly athletes. It’s not just that he came, worked and left. The entire team also lives by their Flex work.
- Just like you?
- As I.
Fitness can be fun and easy. Photo: From personal archive
— Where does the equipment for classes come from?
— We have different equipment. For classic stretching, mats, blocks and pillows are used. We sew the pillows ourselves; we order blocks and rugs from abroad. We also sew hammocks ourselves. In principle, nothing special is needed for stretching.
— Who is your main client? Do you have an image of the person who visits your fitness studio?
— Our students are driven and active girls. They love life and love sports. This is mainly the millennial generation 17-25 years old. Girls who want to be better. They live in the modern world, they look at Moscow, they see some girl bloggers doing stretching, for example, and they want to be like them. They are charged with their energy and understand that training is cool and healthy!
The students of The Flex studio are driven and active girls. Photo: From personal archive
— How can you evaluate the quality and volume of services provided in fitness centers and stretching studios in Irkutsk?
— To be honest and frank, Irkutsk has very bad service in all respects - in cafes, fitness rooms. Of course, people are trying, but so far everything is difficult. In Krasnoyarsk, for example, the level is much higher. People in this city are more demanding in terms of service provision, so companies have to provide much better service. In Irkutsk there isn’t even anywhere to go; the level is approximately the same everywhere. I am sure that people are working on this and the capital of the Angara region will improve its service.
— Is the city consistent with the trends that are currently emerging?
— In fitness trends, yes. Because basically in Irkutsk everyone works under franchises. We also follow Moscow and at some points we may already surpass it. Therefore, there are no problems in the field of fitness in Irkutsk.
— What is the success of starting a business in your field?
— It seems to me that a person who creates a business in the field of fitness should live by this business, understand what he is doing. Service is also important. You need to give people more than they give you. The cost of the same subscription should be much lower than the quality of services provided. This should work for any area, in my opinion. Then people will absolutely not mind giving money, they will come again and again.
The Flex. Photo: From personal archive
— to have to have your own business? What advice do you have for those who are faced with the choice of whether to open their own business?
— Irina Khakamada speaks very well on this topic, about businessmen and so on, that these are such creatures, a special class of people who must conquer the world. In principle, I agree with her. But it seems to me that this should come from within a person. And it’s absolutely normal that some people are given the opportunity to run a business, and others are not.
Some people need stability and tranquility, but business involves risks. You constantly take risks, constantly get involved in some kind of adventure. This is not a quiet way of life, not the one where you come, work from 09.00 to 17.00, and then go about your own business. That is, you need to be risky, self-confident, open-minded, but business is cool, interesting and you don’t need to be afraid of it.
— What are you striving to achieve in the next few years? Tell us about your plans?
— I really want to open, firstly, a studio abroad, for example, in America, perhaps in Canada. I lived in this state for six months. In the next few years, we plan to open many The Flex stretching studios throughout Russia and perhaps several will be abroad. The plans are to develop and learn, to develop in the product, to be the best in our field.
