Why I chose a monthly subscription-based business model.
I’ve been asked a lot lately why I settled on offering my classes as a monthly subscription-based business model so I figured why not blog about it.
“It’s all about sustainability. Sustainability for the yoga student and the yoga teacher.”
Let’s first examine that sustainability from the student perspective. As a yoga student in my Be You Hub you have a steady, reliable focus of weekly practices. There is variety in class style and length and yet each class helps the other in a given month. It’s a wonderful way to safely empower and support your yoga practice.
For example in the month of January 2021 all classes were drawn from my personal yogahour sequence. The sequence has over 50 poses – it’s a lot but through weekly repetition it becomes more doable. Every Sunday we practice the sequence start to end and week after week students can see how their body and mind react to that same sequence. And then on Wednesdays I take the opportunity to pick out just one peak pose that shows up in that yogahour sequence and we really break down all the component parts with the goal to apply that detailed knowledge next time the pose comes back up in the weekly yogahour class. All the classes meld together over the month in this way by teaching similar poses and sequences in unique ways. I notice the student body and mind more open and ready for the practice when using this model. So your monthly commitment is what gives you the benefits of the practice. I am hoping to build not the experience of bliss in a single class, but the experience to truly be well overall. For me that is a much bigger reach in a drop-in based class model.
As a teacher this model provides me sustainability in multiple ways. It provides more financial sustainability. I’m fifteen years into my career as a yoga teacher and I want the income to be steady, reliable and meaningful. My energy input must match the financial output. I crave routine, professionalism and organization and the subscription-based model provides these.
I also get to spend a whole lot less time on social media begging folks to attend my classes! That’s a win for everyone because really does anyone care for the 100th time that I’m teaching on Tuesday morning – nope probably not unless you are already attending. In not chasing after class by class I get to concentrate instead on meaningful content. I am really geeking out on monthly class planning for the Be You Hub. That is how I want to spend my time – not on social.
And it all goes back to why I started by explaining how the model is sustainable for the student. Yoga asana is an art form of being in union with your Self. That takes practice, lots and lots of practice. So if I’m lucky enough to share class with a student on a regular basis I can help guide you in a safe and empowered way. Knowing I’ll get to practice with you again and again means we add up the progress overtime. I invest in you as much as you invest in me. Wherever we are going we get to do it with the support of one another and a whole community cheering each other on.
I’ve had some Be You Hub members reach out that haven’t joined a single livestream class because it doesn’t match their schedule, but with the organization of the membership and progression through the month they’ve told me they feel connected to the whole and have learned so much. That’s awesome. I’m going for that.
Every business model will have its strong and weak points and I recognize that this model has limits too. But I am buoyed knowing I’ve had the great opportunity to learn from, to practice alongside, and to be the trainee for dozens of excellent yoga teachers offering different models. I’m definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but I know there are great teachers and models out there that will work for you. There is plenty to go around.
I’m so happy that thus far what we’ve done with the Be You Hub is working. The exchange is sustainable and I love it!