I was a professor of nursing and imagined doing this until retirement. I had been practicing yoga for 25 years, on my own and in classes, and always enjoyed the feeling I experienced both on and off the mat. When I decided to enroll in a teacher training program, it was to deepen my personal practice. I had no intention of teaching and absolutely no intention of opening my own studio, but someone above had a different idea.

I always enjoyed practicing yoga in a dome and there was no place in Tucson (so I thought) that had that type of atmosphere. In Tucson, yoga is primarily practiced in storefront locations, which are not compatible with maintaining your serenity as you leave yoga class. All of this leads up to the opening of my studio.

I have been living in Tucson 18 years, yet I never noticed the building that chose me for the studio location. One day, I was talking to a friend, and she said a dome shaped building ' just like I was describing ' exists in Tucson. So, that day, I drove to the location, and there it was in the center of the city ' a beautiful dome, surrounded by trees, truly a sanctuary in the desert. The history of the building teaches us the incredible force the universe has to provide us with what we need when we are ready. The building was built by one of Frank Lloyd Wright's students in 1963. It housed one dance group for 40 years. The dancer passed away this year and the building was left vacant.

When I entered the building, the directors of the building walked in through the side door, and we literally bumped into each other in the center of the lobby. They asked if I needed any help. Though I had no idea of the history of the building, I said I was thinking about renting the building for a yoga studio. They said, "We have never even considered renting this building out in the 40 years that we've owned it, but today we came over to discuss the possibility of renting it out, perhaps for yoga!" Divine Intervention, I must say.

My yoga studio is my first business venture, and I would like to share my experiences, as well as some guidelines for both business and teacher/staff/class selection. Preliminary Steps for Opening up a New Yoga Studio:

1. Get to know the yoga community in the location where you are planning to open your studio. Talk with the other studio owners. Share your intentions and find ways to work together i.e. ' co-sponsoring workshops, sharing teachers, etc.

2. If you are not already, become a Registered Yoga Teacher. Carve out your own teaching schedule

3. Set your vision and a mission for your studio.

4. Attend yoga conventions and practice yoga in other locations outside the vicinity, in order to get ideas from more established studios. Incorporate ideas that seem appropriate for your teachings and studio.

5. Know your strengths and limitations and surround yourself with personnel that can create balance within the studio teachings and offerings.

6. Be clear on the areas to which you want to devote your time.

7. Try to, at first, trade yoga classes for work related activities. (For example, a student with carpentry skills may help with studio repairs; a student with legal skills, may help you with insurance paperwork, your business plan, etc.)

What is needed to support your studio:

1. Money to support the operating costs for one year.

2. Someone to prepare your advertising and brochure design.

3. Computer software to house your data base. There are several types of software developed specifically for Yoga Studios.

4. Set up your business license(s), banking, phone system and bookkeeper service.

5. Host a special event to invite the community to the opening of your studio.

6. Set up class schedules. To me, this was the most challenging part. Identify times of the day that classes will be held by trying to fill in the gaps in the local yoga community. Identify which teachers are best for which times, based on the anticipated clientele and teaching style.

7. Have a meeting with all of your teachers and staff, clarifying your studio policies and procedures.

8. Identify the individual strengths of each teacher and try to use their expertise to develop a workshop series.

My studio has been open for almost two months, and at times I have felt discouraged by the small class size. However, I remind myself, as well as you, to have patience and realize we are doing all that we can. "Build it and they will come." Keep a positive attitude, filter the advice from others, and always keep in mind your intentions. Namaste.

Back