The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Cristi Cristensen

The Importance of Trusting Your Own Inner Voice to Make the Big Biz Leaps.

A former elite-level gymnast and platform diver, Cristi trained with the US Olympic diving team as a young adult. After an injury cut her Olympic dreams short, Cristi shifted her focus to helping others improve their level of fitness through personal training, Pilates, Core Fusion, and yoga. After earning her degree in Kinesiology, Cristi studied extensively for over 10 years with world-renowned teachers including Saul David Raye, Shiva Rea, Seane Corn, Elisabeth Halfpapp, and Fred DeVito.

Cristi has been the face for yoga & lifestyles brands such as Exhale Spa, Loewes Hotel Hollywood, Satya Yoga Wear, and Ananda Soul Creations, and has graced the covers of Yoga Journal, Om Yoga, Self, and LA Yoga. When she isn’t teaching, globe-trotting, and empowering others, you’ll likely find Cristi dancing and doing back flips on Venice Beach!

The Business Of Yoga With Amy MCdonald & Jess Neff

Yoga Management & Getting Your Event Planning Right

Jess has some amazing insight on knowing when it is time to take the leap and not getting in your own way when your business is ready to grow.

We touch on the importance of written agreements, terms and conditions, systems and structures that enable you to do what you do better, and some great nuts and bolts, like Jess's recommendation for knowing how much to budget for promotions and advertising!

Abundant Yoga Teacher Success Stories

Role models and Yoga inspirers are SOOO important to me on my Yoga journey.
 
My teacher, Noah Maze, inspires me to sequence smarter and smarter and smarter.
 
Devdutt Pattanaik inspires me to tell great Yoga stories and share Yoga wisdom.
 
Carlos Pomeda inspires me to read and reread and reread the Siva Sutras.
 
Krishna Das inspires me to learn more about chanting and to memorize ALL of the Chalisa.
 
It’s also important to be inspired in our Yoga businesses. That’s why I’ve curated a beautiful gathering of Yoga teachers for this week’s Abundant Yoga Teacher podcast who will share their stories and journeys with you. 

These ladies inspire me so much. What they’ve let go of to grow in their teaching, their commitment to the path, their readiness to change and transform. Honestly, I think you’re going to LOVE this!

PS: These inspiring Yoga business owners are all graduates of the Growing Your Yoga Biz program.
 
Learn more about the program that transformed their businesses here: http://www.amymcdonald.com.au/growingyouryogabiz/

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Brenna Geehan

However you get Yoga to the people, get Yoga to the people.

In 1998, Brenna Geehan began studying with several Yoga Masters and in 2002 she met her teacher, Yogarupa Rod Stryker of ParaYoga.

Since then Brenna has become one of only a few Senior ParaYoga Level 2 Certified ERYTs. Brenna loves to get real with people because she insists on getting real with herself everyday. Brenna believes that we are all here to not only get through life but also to find out how to thrive. Every person's thriving will look different and Brenna encourages students of Yoga and Meditation to go deeper and deeper, and deeper still ~ until they are satisfied.

In every class, workshop, training, or retreat, one walks away with richer tools to help themselves experience more joy and spaciousness, less fear and tension, and to get intimate with their life purpose. Her classes are a masterful alchemy of clear alignment cues for the body and breath that draws each student to a remembrance of their Sri their brightest, fiery heart and soul.

Moving to San Francisco, CA in 2009, Brenna was invited by master and luminary teacher, Jean Mazzei, to co-direct their own teacher training program, Sri Yoga. Brenna and Jean of Sri Yoga have trained hundreds of teachers since then and continue to offer these transformational trainings and retreats in California and around the US. Currently, Brenna teaches weekly and monthly classes in San Francisco, as well as Sri Yoga retreats in trainings.

Practice with Brenna in person at Yoga Tree in San Francisco and online at Yoga Vibes.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Erica Hartnick

Erica and I delve into how to become location independent as a Yoga teacher and how the online Yoga business landscape has changed over the years. But this isn’t all!

Erica has so much to share about staying in the energy where great ideas can find you, the importance of staying safe and well on the road, and how to find a great community and business partners to keep you motivated and inspired.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Stephanie Snyder

Stephanie and I discuss about opening a studio and creating your own space, the importance of using humour and blending it with Yoga philosophy and stories, and keeping great boundaries by being warm as you build community.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Candace McKim

This extremely talented Yogini shares with us her wisdom on using our intuition in business (including how to have faith and trust ourselves), interpreting Yoga in our own way and having the confidence to share it and blending more feminine-encoded qualities into business

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Jean Mazzei

Tune in with Jean and I for a bunch of absolute Yoga fun as we discuss moving into teaching online and how self love is the starting point for everything.

Keep an eye out for some special guest appearances when we introduce our dogs to each other!

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Kamini Desai

Kamini shares some incredible insight for fostering lasting relationships with host studios, how to get started with your signature workshops and lectures, creating clear and flexible boundaries with business partners and being sensitive teaching across cultures.

And that's not even all! We also discuss Yoga Nidra as an important area of specialisation, and inner abundance as the starting point for outer abundance.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald, Sandy Connery & Jeni Barcelos

This extremely fun and dynamic duo have so much to share about blending your passions and skills into a Yoga business you love.

How to deal with detractors with grace (and sometimes fierce grace!) and the importance of having close business buddies to share the load with as you grow.

The Bhagavad Gita In Your Yoga Biz

If you've known me for a while now you must have noticed that my favourite Yoga text is the Gita.
 
If it’s not your Yoga book bestie, here is a quick overview:
 
Length: 18 chapters
Setting:  Kurukshetra War battlefield
Characters: Arjuna and Krishna
Published: 500 – 200 BCE
Primary teachings: essentially everything!
 
Seriously, this is your go-to for teachings on the Gunas, the Charkas, duty and Dharma, courage under fire… I could go on…

And I’m going to!
 
Yup, join me in an hour for the Abundant Yoga Teacher Podcast where I’m sharing some of my favourite teachings from the Gita to ease any conflict (get it, conflict? Like, Kurukshetra War gag?!) between having an abundant Yoga business AND being a spiritual warrior!

PS: If you like the idea of growing your Yoga biz while you learn more about Yoga, take a look at GYYB, which is now enrolling.
 
Here is the link: http://www.amymcdonald.com.au/growingyouryogabiz/
 
Over our 6-month journey through GYYB I’ll be sharing more Yoga philosophy, story and know-how as well as everything you need to take your Yoga teaching from hobby to abundant business.

Cool right?

And through until THIS SUNDAY night there is an additional $3200 of bonuses for early birds, including my best home study programs AND 4 private coaching sessions with me.

So you get all the biz Bhava of GYYB AND some biz alone time with ME!

Bollo!

Here is the link again: http://www.amymcdonald.com.au/growingyouryogabiz/

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Rudy Mettia

Rudy’s passion is evident when we sit down and chat about standing out and using competition to fuel your own desire for improvement, developing Yoga products as a way of growing your business and Social Media and it’s importance in being a Yoga professional.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Dianne Bondy

Dianne and I have an absolute ball together, so get set for an interview full of laughs, with stellar advice on keeping it really cool, choosing what you have a passion for and starting with what you’ve got.

There is also a behind the scenes version of her amazing video!

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Kimberly Parsons

Kimberly has such a fantastic holistic view of Yoga and wellness.

We chat about how the first ever class of Yoga lead to a chain of Yoga studio cafes across London, the importance of partnering with the right people for retreats and events, saying 'No' as an empowered business move, and creating a business based on your passions AND the way you truly desire to do life!

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Philip Goldberg

While not a Yoga teacher himself, Phil has a ton of amazing advice to pass on to Yoga teachers.

We discuss the business of Yoga over time: from Yogananda onwards and how the first Gurus to the West were supported financially and had to become 'business men' despite their affinity for it.

Phil shares some highs and lows about  being a published Yoga author.

We also discuss the importance of respect and integrity with the tradition of Yoga as Yoga businesses continue to grow and develop, teaching online and podcasting about Yoga, and the importance of Yoga teachers being successful as a way to continue to share the teachings of Yoga and support a broader spiritual awakening.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Tymi Howard

Tymi and I sit down to chat about why Yoga teachers deserve abundance, too!

We also discuss the importance of staying healthy and well on the international teaching circuit, and how to produce gorgeous photos and use them to build a cult Instagram following.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Lorin Roche

Lorin and I sit down for a big juicy conversation that covers so many crucil topics.

We delve into meditation and it's benefits, the importance of listening to your intuition and choosing actions that your inner rebel whispers to you, how to stay inspired in your topic after years of research and teaching, learning from everyone, not just your 'teachers', and the dangers of following Yoga trends.

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Annier Carpenter

Known as a “teachers’ teacher,” Annie is the creator of SmartFLOW Yoga, an intelligent marriage of mindful movement with compassionate, wakeful alignment.

Based in northern California, Annie creates practices that are at once advanced and challenging, yet safe and playful.

Annie began practicing Yoga in the 70s. Her practice helped her through an amazing period where she danced and taught at the Martha Graham Center in NYC.

An influential Teacher Trainer since 2003, Annie leads 200/500 trainings and workshops globally, and at YogaGlo.com

Yoga Biz QnA Live with Amy

If you're looking for some Abundant Yoga Business inspiration this week... you GOT IT!

Enjoy this podcast where I'm answering all of your Yoga biz questions!

I'll also share info about my Abundant Yoga Teacher Immersions in Europe and the UK this June!

Enjoy!

Oh, and Save your place for Berlin and Glasgow here.

I hope these resources help you in your Yoga biz. 

Remember: more Yoga = better planet!

PS: Growing Your Yoga Biz - a 6-month comprehensive Yoga business training - is now open for registrations with some VERY fine early bird bonuses!

Here is the link to learn more about it.

As well as 8 modules of video trainings, live coaching and workbooks, covering everything from branding to boundaries, when you register BEFORE May 14 you'll also receive:

4 private 1:1 business coaching calls with me through the program to craft the teachings to your specific situation and get tailored support and guidance.

Receive personalised feedback on your website, marketing and class offerings!

(Valued at $2200)

My 4 best home study programs:

• Writing from the Heart for your Yoga Biz

• Create Your Perfect Yoga Website

• How to Offer, Fill & Run amazing Retreats

• Powerful & Prosperous Private Classes

(Valued at $1000)

And (this is crazy cool!) if you are one of the next TWO people to register, you'll also receive a complimentary place on the Abundant Yoga Teacher Retreat is Thailand this September.

WHAT?

Here is the link to learn more: http://www.amymcdonald.com.au/growingyouryogabiz

The Business Of Yoga With Amy McDonald & Kara-Leah Grant

Kara-Leah has some really savvy insider tips for running great retreats that I’m sure you’re all going to love.

We also touch on how you need to let your Yoga business be you Sadhana and the importance of mentorship, honesty and openness when it serves your audience.