The Yogipreneur » Working Smarter

Achieving Your 2011 Goals

yogipreneur — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:14:20 +0000

By now, you might be thinking… good LAWD will she ever stop talking about GOALS?

Um, no!

Why? Because one thing in life is GUARANTEED… if you do nothing, you will never live the life of your dreams.

When most people set their goals for the year (or if you followed my last post, for the quarter), usually they end up pretty off the mark as to what they can actually achieve in the year. So here is something that I want you to think about…

Look over your top 10 goals for this year. They can be personal goals, health goals, career/business goals, creative goals… whatever the top 10 goals that you have a burning desire to achieve this year. Things that would be so INCREDIBLE if you accomplished them in 2011.

Now, is there one (or maybe two) goals that will make all of the other goals fall into place? This goal will help you to achieve the other things on that list so much easier than if you were trying to achieve each goal individually, one at a time. Let’s call this your PUSH goal – the goal that if you put most of your energy on, everything else will come together!

For most of us, this is some sort of goal that will result in financial gain… yup… it’s some extra $$$. Why? Because that’s what makes the world go round! The things you want to experience or have in life generally have a dollar sign attached!

As an example, my PUSH goal this year is to reach 15,000 people through my online community (blog, website, facebook, email, etc). I know that if I focus on creating more content, putting more information out that will help others achieve their ideal life and business, then my own business will flourish! So my PUSH goal will trickle down into my other goals… including my target income for 2011, my desired lifestyle (including vacations with my family)… even my goal to upgrade my car!

Once you’ve identified your PUSH goal, make sure that each day you are doing something that will move you closer to accomplishing it! And make that task(s) your top priority, the thing you must do, first each and every day. You’ll be amazed at how quickly things will start to fall into place!

The Seasons of Business – Summer

yogipreneur — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:01:23 +0000

Every business is seasonal. For most of us, the summer is traditionally a slow time. Kids are on vacation, people are traveling, and routines are more relaxed. With a little planning, you can learn to use this time to grow your business and position yourself to have an incredible fall and winter!
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Summer

By the time July rolls around, there isn’t much time to create and implement new marketing or events before school is back in session. Attempting to put together a new program within weeks generally leads to poor results and destroys the integrity of your brand.

There are some things you can do to see a dramatic difference in both your students and the bottom line.

Relationships Many of your students came to yoga to learn about themselves. They had a goal – to achieve a certain yoga pose, to lose weight, to reduce stress – that is probably forgotten. A strong relationship with your students doesn’t only feel great – you work with friends all day – but you are helping them live their ideal life. So while things are a little slow, send a note to all your students to express your enthusiasm and support for their hard work and include an incentive for them to come visit you!
Newsletters If you don’t have a newsletter, now is the perfect time to start putting a monthly newsletter together. Begin by gathering all the email addresses of current students. For up to 50 addresses, you can simply used the CC on your email, however to make a more dramatic impact Constant Contact or Mail Chimp are great newsletter programs. Newsletters are a great place to feature stand-out students or teacher, announce upcoming events and promotions, and include an article to reinforce the students commitment to yoga & their health.
Summer Promotions Summer is a great time to run a promotion on classes! Announce to all of your classes that you are having a special on class packages. Put the announcement in the newsletter. Post an announcement on your facebook page. Send flyers home with every student. Make sure you tell every student you come in contact with – even telling people during class. Take the promotion to the next level by including a referral promotion – buy one get one half off! Bring a friend and get a free class! Be creative and reward your students for bringing their friends!

Now is the perfect time to start planning events for the fall. Once families begin to settle back into school routines and people are back from vacations, they will be ready to return to their regular yoga routine. So what can you do now to prepare for the fall?

National Yoga Month Yoga studios have a great opportunity to start the fall off strong in September! National Yoga Month is all about educating and sharing yoga with your community – a great time to bring in some new faces to your studio. Plan special events to be held throughout the month – some ideas could include: free or donation based community classes, strategic partnerships with another holistic health provider (massage, reiki, chiropractor), or:
Global Mala September 19th-20th is part of the Global Mala Project. Enroll your studio to participate in this Global Mala for Peace at www.globalmala.org. This site includes flyer templates and education you can use to promote this event. Host as a free community event or raise money for a charity!
Fall Schedule Class schedules should be created at least a month in advance. The best class schedules allow students to maintain a yoga practice at regular times throughout the week – such as Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 10AM or Tuesdays and Thursdays at 7PM. The key to a successful schedule is maintaining it – studios that cancel class often will lose students very quickly. Students should not have to check the schedule before each class – set the schedule and commit to it!
Workshops & Events If you will participating in Global Mala, you may want to set up workshops for the months following September. Bring in a guest teacher and watch your workshop fill the room! Workshops are a fantastic way to expose your students to new styles and deepen their practice, and also a great income generator.
Special Class Series A series of classes can be a fantastic way to introduce people to yoga. Organize a 6-8 week series for beginners, brides, men’s yoga, yoga bootcamp – whatever your community is asking for. Set a special price for the entire series – asking your students to prepay for classes not only increases your bottom line, but greatly increases their commitment to completing the entire series.
Promotions Each quarter, you should have a special promotion. You don’t want to overuse promotions as this will dilute your brand image. What kind of promotions will help your studio? Prepaid class packages or monthly packages. You are doing your students a huge favor by offering these at a discount – they will become more dedicated to their practice, achieve their goals quicker, and you’ll save them a few bucks by offering a discount.

With two months till Fall arrives, you have just enough time if you get started now. Here is a quick timeline to follow:
Week 1&2: Create a fall gameplan! Decide what you will be doing for September – November. Outline the class schedules, set dates for events, and start putting together flyers or other materials for marketing. Make sure you’re following up with your students and generating some summer business too!
Week 3&4 Line up your support! If you are bringing in teachers for events or workshops, make all the arrangements and get contracts signed. Make sure the events calendar is on your website and facebook! Start sending out a newsletter and let your community know of the events you are planning.
Week 5&6 Time to start marketing! Engage your entire team in active marketing – talking to people face to face will generate more interest than just leaving some flyers laying around. Presell all special events and workshops. Make sure you tell people that the workshops are limited to a specific number of people. Don’t let students wait until the last minute! Offer an early bird discount for up to a month before the event.
Week 7&8 Make sure your students and community know what to expect this fall! In the weeks leading up to September, families are settling into “back to school” mode, so you will need to over-communicate for anything to stick. Send emails, newsletters, flyers, events on facebook, or whatever you need to do to let your community know what you have planned for them!
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So you want to teach yoga…Part IV

yogipreneur — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 11:00:53 +0000

You’ve done all the prep work. You know exactly what kind of student you are hoping to teach. You’ve brainstormed a few different locations to teach. So how do you approach an organization to set up a class?

Create a proposal

A well-crafted proposal is an essential tool to gaining entry into the “non-yoga” world. If you are trying to start a class anywhere but a gym or studio, a proposal helps you to create:

Clear expectations The location knows exactly what you are offering, options for payment, and how the program will be run.
Professionalism A written proposal maintains a level of professionalism. Too many yoga teachers start a program with just a conversation and nothing in writing. A written proposal shows dedication and will increase the support from the organization.
Education Most of the people you will talk to know nothing about yoga – and what they do know is often wrong! Educate them on the benefits of yoga. Provide clear points that answer the question “Why do the people here need yoga?”.

What’s in a proposal?

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Resume

All yoga teachers should have a yoga resume. This resume should be customized to show your yoga background. This is not a resume that is full of every non-yoga-related job you’ve had since college. The purpose of this resume is simply to show your major accomplishments in the yoga field to show potential employers or partners that you know your stuff!

Here are some tips for your yoga resume:

Keep it to one page! Most people take less than 30 seconds to skim your resume. If it is full of unrelated information, your resume will not stand out.
Education Include college and where you completed your yoga training. Just as you may include your college major, include the hours and styles of yoga in which you are trained. You may also wish to include additional training in specialties, such as prenatal or kids yoga.
Contact Information Include current contact information including email and cell phone. Make all contacts as professional as possible – use your name as your email address (example: rachealcook@asdf.com) and make sure your voicemail message is appropriate.

Bio

Your bio showcases your passion and purpose as a yoga instructor. This is not the place to tell your entire life story, however personal details will set you apart and explain your uniqueness as a teacher. A dynamic bio is a useful marketing tool for workshops, presentations, or any locations where you teach.

Include in your bio:

What attracted you to yoga?
How has yoga transformed your life?
How has teaching yoga changed your life?
Describe the experience you offer as a teacher.
Describe your mission as a teacher.

Proposal Letter

This is the most critical piece in your proposal package. A well crafted proposal letter can be used to generate interest and start negotiations for a teaching position.

This letter should be 100% custom tailored towards the reader. By providing details specifically geared towards their needs, you greatly increase the chances of securing a teaching position. As you create this letter, answer these questions for your intended audience:

What is yoga?
What are the benefits of yoga for THEIR clients?
What type of yoga do you teach? Include class descriptions.
How can providing yoga to THEIR clients help their business?
What is your process for managing their clients and referrals (once you get a name, how do you follow up)?
How can you help promote their business?

A note on discussing payment and pricing:

Set clear expectations around payment and pricing. There are several ways to get paid when teaching outside of gyms or yoga studios, however make sure to GET IT IN WRITING. Document your hours, classes, and private sessions to ensure that you are compensated correctly.

How can you get paid?

Insurance If you are teaching at a doctor’s office, chiropractor, or physical therapist, your clients can charge their insurance for your services! When looking towards these locations, provide a range for payment to ensure that you can fit within the insurance guidelines.
Hourly/Headcount If you are looking to teach at a location such as a martial arts studio or dance studio, it may be easier for them to simply pay you similar to how they pay other teachers. If they do not currently have a set pay structure, make sure to include a base range that is competitive locally and is a win-win as your classes increase in size.
Renting Space If you are simply looking to rent space from a location such as a church, recreation center, or community center, make sure to get a sublease agreement in writing. This will detail what your responsibilities are including when rent is due. If you are looking to rent a space, include your space requirements and proposed hourly rent in your proposal letter.

What do you do with your proposal packet?

DO NOT BLAST OUT VIA EMAIL OR MAIL! If they are not expecting this material and have no relationship with you, expect a 1-3% call back rate on unsolicited proposals. So what do you do?

Friends & Family Let your core network know you are interested in new locations to teach. Be specific and ask them if they know of someone who may be interested in helping you. Tell them about the type of locations you are interested in teaching.
Networking If you aren’t already involved in local networking groups, start looking for one! Many groups meet once a month and the members are all ready to provide contacts to grow small businesses. Carry your business card and let them know you are looking for new locations to teach.
Call List Create a list of prospective locations. If you are looking to offer yoga for a physical therapy office, make a list of 50 offices. Pick up the phone! Ask for an appointment to discuss how you can help them grow their business through a referral based strategic alliance. Meet face to face and build the relationship!
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Creating a Business Plan…Part I

yogipreneur — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 11:00:54 +0000

As a yoga teacher, you take time to prepare for a class. You set the intention for the class. You look for inspiration from your teachers to impart on your students. A sequence is developed to prepare the body to reach a specific posture. Each class builds on what you taught in the previous class.

So it surprises me that many yogis begin on the journey of a yoga business (teaching or owning a studio) without a goal in mind. They spend more time planning classes than planning for their business.

Without a clearly defined purpose, the business is more likely to be unfocused and lack direction. When opportunities or roadblocks arise, how do you decide what to do or what not to do if you don’t even know where you are going?

A business plan is a tool that can bring clarity to decision making in your business. This is not a static document – a functional business plan is a dynamic plan that is consistently reviewed and updated. It keeps the business on track so that you can achieve the vision for your ideal life.

What is in a business plan?

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Executive Summary

The executive summary provides direction for the business. This is the section that would be read by investors or a board of directors to get a feel for your business. An executive summary answers the question “What does this business do? Why does the business to this?” while the remainder of the business plan answers “How? Who? When? Where?”.

In your executive summary, include:

Vision If you have been reading any of The Yogipreneur blog, you have now created a vision for your business and your life. In your business plan, you should craft a statement that states the major purpose for starting your business. By including a vision statement in your business plan, you are setting a powerful intention and setting the law of attraction in motion to magnetize your vision to you.
Mission How is a mission different from a vision? Your mission statement is your talking logo. It is a statement that tells your students who you are, what you stand for, and what makes you different. It is a powerful answer to “What do you do?” that intrigues people and sets you apart from similar businesses. This is the statement you will include in your communications, marketing, and public relations campaigns. This statement may evolve as your business evolves to resonate with your community.
Values Most businesses do not include this in a business plan, but I find that stating the values of the business, you set clear expectations of yourself and your employees. Limit to the top 5 values that are the most important to your community. For example, the values of The Yogipreneur LLC are: Integrity, Fun, Gratitude, Philanthropy, Creativity.
Business Summary The business summary highlights the major points of each of the key elements of the business plan. Any outside person should be able to read this section and understand: who the business serves, the products/services offered, and who is on the business team. You may want to write this section last and keep it about a page long.

Market Research

This entire section is dedicated to understanding who you are serving. Many businesses open their doors without understanding the market they are trying to serve. If you don’t know anything about your clients, how can you possibly communicate how your services can benefit them? By positioning your business to serve the needs of your clients, you will provide more value and your services will sell themselves.

Market research does take some time and detective work. National statistics may not apply to your community. By answering these questions, you will have a better understanding of your community and potential students:

What industry are you operating in?
What are the trends in your industry?
What is the growth of your industry?
What are the key success factors in your industry?
Who are your competitors – where do people in your community take yoga?
What services do your competitors offer? How much do they cost?
What are the demographics (sex/age/income) of your city?
What are the demographics of your yoga community (sex/age/income)?
Who is your primary customer/secondary customer?
What are the needs of your primary/secondary customers?
Why do your primary/secondary customers practice yoga?
How can you provide value to your primary/secondary customers?

Admittedly, there is not much information already available about the yoga market. Where can you get this information?

Yoga Journal publishes a study on the yoga industry. Search for the Yoga in America Study to find some fantastic statistics.
Interview local teachers, yoga studios and even gyms.
Create a survey! Make it short and sweet – no more than 10 questions – and survey at least 50 people. A great way to do this is to frequent other businesses that serve similar clientele (Whole Foods is a fantastic place – get permission from the manager first).

Products & Services

This is the one section that all business owners are able to create very easily. Even if you don’t write a business plan, you know what services you are offering!

How do you ensure that you are offering the right products and services? Understanding your market (see above). If you are targeting young professionals, don’t waste your time trying to create a class for gentle yoga or yoga for 50+. Offer products and services that your core market will value. You will be able to spend less time and energy marketing and selling if you have tailored your business to serve a specific type of student.

Make sure you create descriptions of the products and services you are offering. Write these descriptions as if you were talking to a potential student. Each description should answer: 1) What is the student looking for? and 2) What value does this service provide? Here are some suggestions for common products and services:

Yoga Classes Create a class description for each type of class you offer. Do not write this description full of yoga terms – make it clear to anyone the type of class, the intensity, and what types of students will benefit from this class.
Private Yoga Why would someone take private yoga sessions? Provide value in your description of the benefits of working one on one – this will drastically reduce price resistance.
Corporate Yoga Many companies, large and small, are looking to reduce the cost of healthcare, improve employee moral and loyalty, and help employees manage stress. How can you help these corporations achieve their goals? Create a compelling description that educated the human resources manager about the benefits of yoga for employees.
Teacher Training Many people enroll in a training program to deepen their own practice. Some are looking for a career in yoga. Make sure your address the different reasons someone would enroll in a teacher training program and how your program will provide value.
Yoga Workshops Workshops are a fantastic way to bring guest teachers to your business OR for you to boost your resume by offering workshops at other studios. Create a list of 10-12 topics for potential workshops.
Yoga Retreats Retreats are becoming a popular way to take a vacation. If you are considering yoga retreats, be prepared to market your retreat outside of your core student base. Consider combining a yoga retreat with a philanthropy project to create the ultimate experience.
Yoga Retail Warning – Retail is another business! If you have no experience managing inventory, merchandising products, or selling products – you may not want to enter this world without the help of an experienced retail manager. Determine what kind of products you will offer – yoga props, clothing, lifestyle, accessories, etc. Focus on a specific

Keep Reading – Creating a Business Plan Part II
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July Business Bootcamp

Allow The Yogipreneur to guide you through the process of creating a functional, results-oriented business plan. This series of 4 webinars will take you through each section of a business plan with a bonus session on creating systems to allow you to achieve more of your goals with less time and energy!

Two Week Series | Tuesdays & Thursdays 1PM – 4PM | July 14 – 23 2009
Creating a five year strategic action plan for your business.
Read more and Register Online

So you want to teach yoga…Part III

yogipreneur — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 11:00:14 +0000

Submit a resume to your local gyms and studios, but don’t limit yourself to only these locations. In these economic times, there are dozens of alternative locations looking to add more to their menu of services. Once you have identified your ideal student, brainstorm other places your student might frequent. [private]

Health Club/Gyms
Many people take their first yoga class in a gym setting. While you may have to leave out many of the spiritual aspects of yoga, a gym will allow you to focus on building a following of dedicated students. Also, many gyms pay hourly instead of by head count, which is preferable for many new yoga teachers who need a dependable paycheck. Once you have a strong following of dedicated students, the transition to a more “yogic” setting will be much smoother.

What kind of potential students are at a gym? Depending on the gym, you can find everyone from college students to professionals to working parents. Propose a class specifically for your ideal student – such as an early morning yoga bootcamp for men – to set yourself apart from other teachers at the gym.

Corporations
There are major changes underway in the corporate world. One of the biggest is in healthcare. The cost of healthcare is extraordinary for corporations and small businesses and they are now looking to reduce that cost. Many businesses are creating programs to encourage their employees to become healthier and reduce their healthcare costs.

Many businesses are not actively looking for a yoga program. Create a proposal and be ready to educate the benefits of yoga. Most importantly, do the research on the company before approaching them about yoga. Make sure that many of the potential students (employees of the company) fit your ideal student description. It will make it much easier to explain to the human resources manager why yoga will help them to have healthier happier employees.

Colleges & Schools
Are you interested in teaching yoga for kids or teens? Consider teaching at your local college. All colleges require students to take a fitness credit as part of general education requirements. Also, you may be able to teach yoga in the college recreation or fitness center. This can be a great way to direct students and faculty from a local college to your other classes.

After-school yoga clubs have become very popular around the country. The benefits of yoga for children are numerous. Many parents are looking for activities that will enrich their children’s lives but not cause a tremendous amount of stress. Children as young as elementary school can enjoy the benefits. Look for schools in your area that have an after-school activities program and create a proposal specifically for the age group you hope to teach.

Churches/Libraries
Many religious institutions (churches, synagogues, and temples) have low cost space available for rent. If you are involved in your church, this could be the perfect outlet for starting a class.

Similarly, many libraries offer meeting rooms for little or no cost. I was pleasantly surprised to find that my local library had a huge meeting room available for free to all library card holders.

These locations are more likely to ask that events are free to the public – so offer free or donation based community classes or programs to generate interest in your regular classes.

Hospital/Police Station/Fire Station
Doctors, nurses, police officers, EMT and firefighters have some of the most stressful jobs out there. If you are looking to give back to those who sacrifice for us every day, set up a class just for these heroes. Many stations are looking for ways to help manage the high stress of these jobs. Create a proposal outlining the benefits of yoga and provide options for different types of yoga classes.

Dance/Martial Arts Studios
Dance or martial arts studios can be a fantastic place to offer classes and cross promote yoga with another teacher. If you do not want to focus on teaching children, look for adult dance studios (such as ballroom dancing) and adult martial arts programs. With the current economy, each hour a room is left unused is costing that studio money. Offer to rent the space on an hourly basis. A great way to introduce yourself to the current students of the studio – offer a workshop, ask to have an announcement on the next newsletter, teach a free community class, or even teach a 10-15 minute intro to yoga at the beginning or end of other classes.

Bodywork Studios
Chiropractors, massage therapists, accupressure specialists – many of these alternative healthcare practitioners are also prescribing yoga in their therapy. Offer private sessions in the office – there many even be an opportunity to have insurance pay for yoga!

Private Homes
This is a highly overlooked place to teach – private homes or community clubs. There are thousands of beautiful homes that are historic landmarks, bed and breakfasts, inns, or museums. If there is a clear space available, these homes can provide a beautiful location to offer a yoga class.

Many neighborhoods now have a community club house that is part of the homeowners association. These club houses may be available for rent – or even for free if you live in the community. Often, the people who live in the community have a very similar lifestyle to you.

Next…creating a proposal
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So you want to teach yoga…Part II

yogipreneur — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:33 +0000

You are now a yoga teacher! With a RYT certificate in hand, you start applying to gyms and yoga studios; however with the current economy you quickly realize there are few openings for new yoga teachers. So how do you find students and places to teach?[private]

Who is your ideal student?

A common thought in the yoga community is since everyone can benefit from yoga, you should market and offer yoga services to everyone that you come across. Often this leads to unfocused marketing campaigns that are ineffective and expensive. It also leads to students who simply are not a good fit – they are demanding of your time and energy and are often the same students who are asking for you to discount your services!

Focusing on a specific type of student allows you to become more efficient, create a stronger personal and professional brand and expand your business. Does this mean that you turn away students who do not fit this “ideal student” profile? Of course not! But you are more likely to attract the students to appreciate and value your teaching.

The law of attraction is a simple concept: like attracts like. So what kind of student are you attracting?

When I think of myself as a yogini and yoga teacher, there are several personal qualities that resonate with a specific type of student. I am very focused on my health and fitness, but I also value a relaxed lifestyle that is focused on friends and family. I eat organic and vegetarian most of the time, but I love a family cookout and a glass of wine. Staying in shape is important to me, but I don’t like to run. So the students I’m looking to attract work hard and play hard – they are looking to develop a yoga practice that provides energy, focus and personal growth in their life.

Another example could be a friend of mine who teaches Gentle Yoga a few times a week. She is a more mature woman with a sparkling personality and calm demeanor. Her voice is very soft and soothing. Her full time career is demanding; she prefers a relaxing and soothing practice. So her ideal students are a similar demographic – more mature, career oriented people who are looking for a practice that will be relaxing and soothing.

Create a description of your ideal student.

Start with these questions to identify who your ideal student is:

Who is your ideal student?
What do they do for work?
Are they married or single?
Do they have kids?
How much do they earn?
Where do they live? What kind of home/neighborhood?
What kind of car do they drive?
What do they do for fun?
What stress/problems do they face?
What kind of food do they eat?
Why do they practice yoga?

Why are these questions important? Understanding the lifestyle, values, and stresses of your student allows you to provide more value.

When you focus on attracting students who you resonate with, amazing things begin to happen. People feel that you have created a class just for them! Students share their positive experience with friends. Word of mouth is the most effective marketing – so create an amazing experience!

Positioning yourself as an “expert” with a particular type of student is also helpful when approaching gyms and studios to get a job as a teacher.

Consider another friend of mine who is a former firefighter. He had started taking yoga while still in the fire department and knew the benefits yoga provided to those who have very stressful careers. Before he even finished his training program, he started talking to local fire departments about offering yoga to the fire fighters. Because he is a former firefighter, his students are more likely to respect and value him as a yoga teacher.

Next…where is your ideal student…

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Smarter Not Harder

yogipreneur — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 11:00:13 +0000

I am often asked how I am able to stay so focused and accomplish so much so quickly. Many people think that I must work non-stop – but this is not true. Admittedly, I used to be one of those people who put in a 12 hour day then came home to work on the weekends. Now I have simply learned some ways to work smarter and not harder – freeing up my time and energy to pursue my passions and spend time with my loved ones.

So here are some of my tips and tricks so that you can get off the 12 hour treadmill and start having more control over your time!
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Importance of Space
Creating a functional workspace will have an incredible impact on your energy, focus, and productivity. This space should be dedicated 100% to your work. Each day you enter this space, you should instantly be able to get started and ready to go.

Clear the clutter! You may think that you are able to work just fine with those piles of paper on the desk, extra files on the floor, and things strewn about; but you will never become efficient working in that environment.

Create a filing system. File away only documents that you will need to refer back to. Throw away or shred anything you will never need again. Organize your files into groups such as finances, marketing, clients, and staff. Use the same labels for your paper (hard copy) files as well as your computer and email (soft copy) files.

Get Inspired!Hang your vision board directly above your desk. Look at it each day. Visualize that you have achieved that ideal life. If what you are spending time, energy and money on is not getting you closer to your vision, STOP IMMEDIATELY! Focus on the big picture.

Model Calendar
This is one of my biggest secrets! Many people focus on to-do lists – unfortunately as a business owner there are tasks that you must do each week to ensure your business success.

A model calendar blocks out time each week to focus on specific tasks. Every business owner should block out time for returning phone calls and emails, marketing, professional development, client relationships, and business planning.

This is essentially setting meetings for yourself. Each meeting has a purpose. Focus on the topic at hand during this meeting – do not get distracted by email, the phone, or your to-do list. Your productivity will skyrocket when you begin to systematize how you approach the key tasks to running your business.

To Do Lists
Many of us keep a to-do list that never seems to end. New things are constantly being added to the list. It becomes so overwhelming that you begin to focus on the little things instead of the more challenging tasks. Wasting time and energy sweating the small stuff will prevent you from achieving your bigger vision.

Years ago, as a graduate student, I read Stephen Covey’s 7 Habits of Highly Successful People. This book completely transformed how I looked at where I spend my time and energy. One of the tools I began to use was a Four-Corner To-Do List. Download Four Corner To Do List

This to-do list prioritizes your tasks by importance and urgency. If you focus on the important tasks at hand (and use a model calendar), you will quickly find that the number of urgent tasks is dramatically reduced as you focus energy on important tasks.

With few urgent tasks, you begin to get more control over your time. You can plan out your day, even your week, in advance, knowing that urgent issues can be handed at your convenience!
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Creating a Life Plan

yogipreneur — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:45:20 +0000

Most new business owners think the first thing that they should do is start writing a business plan. While a business plan is imperative to the growth and success of your business, there is something even more important that you need to consider – creating a life plan.

As a business owner, many opportunities arise. Many of these opportunities will be incredible business opportunities to grow or increase income, however many of these opportunities will also move you away from your vision of your ideal life. A life plan is the foundation for not only your business plan, but also for the decisions that you will need to make in your business.
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Dream Your Life into Existence
As children, daydreaming was a daily activity. We imagined growing up to be doctors, firefighters, or famous rock stars. We dreamed of traveling the world, learning to surf, or meeting our heroes. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, society told us that it was time to stop dreaming.

Dreaming is a powerful tool. Take some time to dream about your ideal life. Imagine a day in your ideal life ten years from now. Describe it in vivid detail from the moment you wake up. Don’t censor yourself! Include details about:
• Who are you with?
• Where are you?
• What are you doing (for income/for fun/for health)?
• Why are you doing it?

If you have a significant other, include them in this process. Each person should create their own vision. Share your visions with each other. Are you on the same page? Can these visions happen together? With some creativity and comprise, you can create a vision for your relationship that allows both partners to live out a dream. The ability to dream and plan your life together is one of the secrets to happy and long marriages.

Focus on Values
Former Coca-Cola CEO Brian Dyson once said “Imagine life as a game in which you are juggling five balls in the air. You name them: work, family, health, friends, and spirit – and you’re keeping all of these in the air. You will soon understand that work is a rubber ball. If you drop it, it will bounce back. But, the other four balls – family, health, friends, and spirit are made of glass. If you drop one of these, they will be irrevocably scuffed, marked, nicked, damaged, or even shattered. They will never be the same. You must understand that and strive for balance in your life.”

Understanding your core values will help you to make better decisions to achieve your ideal life. For example, one of my core values is my marriage. My husband is my partner in life. I nurture that relationship and quickly back off of projects, situations, or business relationships that will prevent me from spending quality time with my husband.

When discovering your core values, here are some questions to consider:
• What’s really important to you?
• When you think about your life, what’s most valuable to you?
• What is the purpose of money in your life?
• Where do you want to spend your time?
• What do you want to contribute?
• What do you want to leave behind as your legacy?

Clearly write out your top five core values in a value circle. (If you have a partner, have them do the same.) Each decision you make should be helping you to live a life in balance with your core values. When you make decisions based on someone else’s needs or values, you will quickly find that life becomes more difficult, stressful, and unbalanced.

Set Goals!
Once a year, millions of people make a hoopla about setting a goal that will help them achieve (or get a step closer to) their ideal life. Lose weight! Save money! Spend time with my family! And two weeks later, these goals are long forgotten until the same resolutions are made next year.

People that achieve incredible things in their life are goal setters. They understand the importance of achieving small victories as you work towards the bigger vision. Goal setting is powerful. It is an inspiration to work towards your vision every day. A milestone in the creation of your ideal life. And most importantly – it is written down and reviewed regularly!

Start creating powerful goals! This technique will help you write clear goals that include the actions that you must take to achieve them. Consider each of the following when writing your goals for the next 1, 5, and 10 years.
• Specific – Describe in detail who, what, when and where.
• Present Tense – Write the goal as if you are achieving it today.
• Measurable – How will you know you have accomplished the goal?
• Time bound – Give yourself a specific deadline – down to the day!
• Challenge – If the goal is not challenging you, why aren’t you doing it already?
• Actions – Include what you are doing to achieve your goal!
• Affirmative – Write affirmative goals about want to want to happen – the law of attraction does not see the difference between what you do and don’t want. So leave out the don’t wants!

Here is a template for creating 1, 5, and 10 year goals for your personal life, health, and career.Download Goal Setting Worksheet

Now create your business plan!
Now that you have a clear picture of what you are trying to accomplish in your life, you can begin to manifest a career or business that will help you to achieve your ideal life!
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Learn the essentials of creating a functional business plan with The Yogipreneur Blog – Creating a Business Plan coming June 24th!

Taking yoga off the mat

yogipreneur — Wed, 20 May 2009 18:45:17 +0000

As yogis and yoginis, we practice yoga asana to learn to master the body and quiet the mind. However many of us forget the importance of a quiet mind when we step off our mats and into our business!

We live in a world of NOW. Someone calls you, you immediately answer. An email pops up on your blackberry, you immediately start typing a response. You get on facebook while you watch TV. Throughout the day, you are constantly interrupted and distracted.

The average person is interrupted about 50 times per day, for an average of 5 minutes per interruption, and it takes us about 20 minutes to get re-focused. This means approximately every 8-10 minutes you are interrupted. Each workday, you spend almost four of eight hours dealing with phone calls, instant messages, emails, etc. It seems the only time you can find a quiet mind is on your mat!

A quiet mind is powerful. A quiet mind brings more clarity, focus, and attention to detail than the mind consumed by multi-tasking. It also brings efficiency and productivity to your business.

So how can you re-create the peaceful feeling off the mat when you are dealing with your business?

Create a space and time that is distraction free. Tell everyone that you can not be reached for a few hours. Do not answer your phone, email, instant message, or facebook. Do not allow anyone to walk into your office to ask a question. Do not get on the internet. Focus 100% on the task at hand.

This may be difficult. We are all addicted to our devices and worry that things can’t run without us there. THAT IS NOT TRUE! Everything will continue to run, people will figure out their own problems, and you will become much more productive and effective. You will be amazed at how quickly the mind will become quiet with no distractions or interruptions.