295: Make Money Teaching Yoga with Betty Welsh

How can yoga teachers make money? Particularly if they don’t have an online presence, is it possible to build a profitable and sustainable yoga business? Betty Welsh has done just that and is on the podcast to share her journey.

Betty Welsh is a certified yoga teacher and Thai Massage practitioner. She and her husband Barrie live on the water in a small community outside of Owen Sound. This is where Betty connected with Shannon who was teaching yoga classes at that time. Betty is artistic, full of stories and passionate about sharing yoga with her local community. It is evident how much care Betty gives to her friends, family, and yoga students.

Betty shares more about how she finds students in her local community without having a website, Facebook page, email list, or any other online presence or marketing strategy. She explains how she gets new students to come to her classes and why getting students to register has been a powerful tool for that consistency. It is inspirational to listen to Betty’s journey of growing her offerings and expanding her classes to build a sustainable yoga business that provides a consistent income – and you are sure to take away some ideas you can use in your yoga business too.

Key Takeaways:

[3:39] Shannon introduces her guest for this episode – Betty Welsh.

[7:30] Betty doesn’t have an online presence yet runs a successful yoga business. She shares a little about her journey.

[9:12] What made Betty want to move to her home studio?

[10:23] Betty finds new students in her community through in-person techniques.

[11:45] Betty has a paint and wallpaper business that she’s been running for over 37 years. How did she build that business?

[12:26] How did Betty’s regular students find out about her?

“Just [in] conversations I have with people, it comes up that I’m a yoga teacher. And so it’s just being known.” ~ Betty Welsh

[13:39] Betty teaches 7-9 classes each week and makes a steady income doing that.

[15:54] Shannon shares an update about Betty’s businesses since this episode was recorded.

[17:20] How does teaching in the church (where Betty could have more students) compare to teaching out of her home studio?

[18:23] What is Betty’s advice to yoga teachers who don’t want to have an online presence for their yoga business?

“It’s just not being afraid to talk about what you do.” ~ Betty Welsh

[20:37] Betty sends text messages to people who may be interested in her upcoming classes!

“If they show a little bit of interest, sometimes they need a little bit of a reminder that we had a conversation and I’m not afraid to do that.” ~ Betty Welsh

[21:59] What does Betty recommend for yoga teachers who may be a little shy about talking to people in person about yoga?

[23:14] Betty tries to make her offering special in a way.

[24:44] How does Betty run the financial parts of her business?

[26:21] Shannon shares some words from a Connected Yoga Teacher who uses OfferingTree.

[30:22] Where did Betty’s entrepreneurial spirit come from?

[31:07] What are some things that could help newer yoga teachers in terms of running a yoga business?

[34:27] Betty shares a story about her mother when she was young.

[36:22] What was Betty’s first yoga class like?

[37:16] How does Betty prepare her class plans?

[41:05] Shannon shares her takeaways from this conversation with Betty.

Links:

• Yoga for Pelvic Health: 3.5-Hour Online Workshop with Shannon
• “Blurred Lines: The Harmful Intersection of Diet Culture & Yoga” Workshop with Jessica and Elyssa
• Thread in The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group about OfferingTree vs Momence
• Kerri Zelman
• Kelly Lynn Dregely
• Pelvic Health Professionals
• Shannon Crow on Instagram
• The Connected Yoga Teacher Facebook Group

Gratitude to our Sponsor, OfferingTree.