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| hello...
I'm new here... and apologize if this question has been answered before... but I wasn't able to find anything about it in the threads.
I am opening my own yoga studio in the spring and I'm trying to decide if I should charge for classes or make it donation only? Obviously I will need to make a living... as well as keep my studio afloat and my teachers happy... so I'm curious which method is better for everyone involved.
If it's donation only... how does one divide the tender between the teacher and the studio?
Any and all thoughts, suggestions and/or advice is greatly appreciated.
thank you kindly,
yd |
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| If you are thinking of opening a studio within a captilist society then I would not do so on the basis of donation. People do not have enough understanding to determine the value of yoga instruction and placing the decision for that in the hands of others places the solvency for your business in the hands of others.
If you want to run your business then it's best that you determine its value, believe it deeply, and expect to draw those that agree and feel your valuation at a deeper level.
It is a "nice idea" to do something on donation. But thus far I have yet to see it work within the framework most businesses need to operate within. |
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| In a society where this is not traditional, I think people are more comfortable knowing what to pay than not.
If something is by donation, I think a suggested donation is a good idea. Probably most people will go with the suggestion, those that can't will have the option to donate only what they can afford, and probably a few that can afford it or value it more will donate more.
Edited by aystam 2007-09-04 4:35 PM
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| Dear Yoda:
It is apparent from your post that you wish to make income from your yoga studio.
What you do with the income is only your problem. But, you need income. And, therefore, you should charge for your classes. Otherwise, it is mixing two things which do not mix.
yogadarling - 2007-09-04 12:35 PM
hello...
I'm new here... and apologize if this question has been answered before... but I wasn't able to find anything about it in the threads.
I am opening my own yoga studio in the spring and I'm trying to decide if I should charge for classes or make it donation only? Obviously I will need to make a living... as well as keep my studio afloat and my teachers happy... so I'm curious which method is better for everyone involved.
If it's donation only... how does one divide the tender between the teacher and the studio?
Any and all thoughts, suggestions and/or advice is greatly appreciated.
thank you kindly,
yd |
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| thank you everyone for your advice!! i greatly appreciate it!
however, i guess i should have said that i was debating on offering the class as a "suggested donation" class. the studio where i practice now operates this way and is thriving... i guess i just don't feel comfortable asking the teachers there how they get paid...
does anyone out there teach in a "suggested donation" studio??? and if so, how does the tender get divided up?
i am writing two versions of my business plan, one for "suggested donation" and another for charging for classes... but i need more information on the donatation kind.
thanks again...
namaste,
yd |
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| Darling: Please do not feel shy. Go ahead and ask that teacher how he/she gets paid. Once you do it a few times, you shall be glad that you did so.
And, if one thrives by one method, does not mean that you shall also thrive by that method. |
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| there is a donation only studio in my area. but, the situation is a bit 'special.'
this woman has another business, that needed an office space. she found an affordable office space that had too much room. she then decided that she would have yoga classes there "by donation."
the rent and expenses are paid for under her other business. so, in a way, she is just doing the other side "for fun" (even though it is a business). she has a following of students, so it's easy for them to move across.
before this, she rented a room in a local HFS in order to teach 'by donation' classes--but because she had to pay rent, etc, it was difficult for her. sometimes, she wouldn't have enough students to make rent, etc.
along with this, she is already supported. not only does she have her other business, but her husband also works. this means that she needn't make money teaching yoga at all. so even when she lost money on rent at the other room, she still felt ok with it because she doesn't use yoga to make money.
in my opinion, unless you're in this situation or forming a coop for yoga, i suggest charging a fee and running it like a normal business. this way, everyone knows what the various agreements are, how things run, etc. by donation can be dicey in these situations.
but that doesn't mean you shouldn't run a few things by donation--once a week class for example--could be 'by donation' with that money going to a specific cause. definitely worthwhile.  i know a lot of studios do this--and there are some students who only come to that class. in most cases, the teacher donates his/her time so no one 'gets paid.' |
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| suggested donation is actually a better description.
i'm teaching a workshop at her studio relatively soon, and the process is rather simple.
first, on all of her marketing materials, she defines donation and gives the suggested donation per class.
second, when it comes to other events--such as my workshops--most of the work falls to me. that means that i develop and pay for my own advertising, etc, and she supports it by hanging it in her studio, etc. on this, i put the suggested donation on the materials so that people know what to pay.
then, the agreement is whatever people pay, she gets 30% for use of the room. so, it's simple enough. |
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| Thank you, everyone, again for all the great advice!!!
I think I will move forward with my business plan to operate my studio in a typical manner and offer "suggested donation" classes on occassion.
Namaste,
YD |
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| In addition to the above, I would offer the following snippet of conversation In had with a pal a little while ago.
"Why is it that when you put something out with a note on it saying "Free to a good home" it'll sit there for ages but as soon as you change the note to "£5 only" someone will steal it within minutes?"
"Basically, I think many only really value that with a price"
Fee |
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New studio - need advice...
