Yoga continues to be one of the fastest growing industries in the world. People have more demands on their time than ever, and stress related illness is at an all-time high. More and more people are looking to learn yoga in an effort to find more balance in their hectic lives. And just like yoga, home based businesses and working from home are also on the rise. This made me wonder: “Can I open a yoga studio in my home?”
You can open a yoga studio in your home and there are many benefits in doing so such as costs and convenience, however before starting make sure you check with your state, city and county laws and regulations to make sure it is ok to do so first.
Read through this quick guide to see if opening a yoga studio in your home is actually a good idea. Your home may be the perfect solution!
Reasons to open a yoga studio at home
There are several reasons why you may be considering opening your home to yoga students. You may be thinking that just teaching at home is the easiest and most cost efficient option. And it may be. Some of the reasons people open a yoga studio in their home are:
- No start-up money
A yoga teacher who is thinking of teaching out of their home may be assuming that the cost will be significantly lower than opening a studio with a store front. Yes, you’ll save rent on the public space, and the cost of utility bills. But the rest of the costs will remain.
Ask yourself these questions: What will it cost to retrofit my home? Is this something I want to do permanently? Or will I be undoing the retrofit in less than two years? Will I be paying for storage for my personal items during this time? Will I be paying a higher premium for my homeowners insurance?
Maybe there are low cost options in the public arena that you could consider like churches, rec centers gyms or yoga studios.
- Market need
Often a yoga teacher will want to begin teaching out of his or her home because the closest yoga studio is miles away, as is common in rural areas. In this scenario, the studio will most likely be a long-term venture. In this case, more commitment and more investment of time and money makes sense.
Ask yourself: Is this something I want to do long term? What will I need to build or change to bring this to fruition? What is my vision? Will I be having other teachers? Retreats? Trainings? Or will I just be teaching at night to a few of my friends. Know where you are going so you can grow accordingly.
If you are solely wanting to teach in the community and not bring in teachers and students for special events, you may want to begin to build your following in the local church or rec center to see if the community will support a dedicated yoga space.
- You are an expert in your niche
If you are an experienced yoga teacher who has a following and the ability to ask a more substantial rate, you may be considering opening your home to your clients. At this stage in your career, you most likely have the equipment you need, clients who are ready to follow you anywhere and the referrals that grow your business.
If you have the space, and there are no zoning restrictions or insurance concerns, I say go for it! Paying rent and commuting are overheads you no longer need to worry about-unless you prefer to do so.
See below for other things to consider.
Some things to consider
So you’ve gotten this far and you’re thinking that you may like to open a studio in your home. So let’s dig a little deeper. Consider these things:
- Space
If you are wondering if you have enough space in your extra bedroom to change it into a yoga studio, measure how many mats will fit with at least a foot of space in between. A mat is 2 feet wide and 6 feet long. So if your room is 12×15 feet, you can fit 10 mats, but the fronts will be touching! The students in mountain pose will be eye to eye unless you stagger the mats, which brings the count to 9. One mat for the teacher and you have 8 students crammed into your guest bedroom.
If you can fit 8 into a typical North American bedroom, you’re lucky. But in most domestic spaces, it’s not going to be comfortable. If someone is looking for a place to unwind every Thursday night, they may look elsewhere.
Also, the ceiling heights in homes are different from most studio areas. This may lead to more feelings of being cramped together and your students may long for more spaciousness. If this is a temporary studio, you may be able to pull it off for a year or two while you create your permanent space and build your student base.
If you are looking at a garage or porch, what will it take to make your students comfortable? Are there heaters or air conditioning? How will the music sound? Lights? Will you need to change the flooring? No matter where the room is, carpet isn’t great for yoga. Hardwood, concrete, tile or laminate is best.
Once you’ve figured out where you will be and how many mats will fit, you will want to think about how many classes you can teach a week and how many of those you can fill. Then do some math. If these classes are full (or half-full) is this enough of an income to make it worth the effort?
Also consider how many years you’ll be using this space and how much money you plan to bring in over that time.
- Local regulations
Every state, county and city are different, so you’ll need to call the governing municipality for business licenses in your area and see what they allow in your zoned district. There will also be a yearly cost associated with the permit you receive.
Be prepared to make a space handicap accessible if it is required for your license. There may also be bathroom regulations. Sometimes, especially in rural areas, there is none of this. But you’ll need to make that call to be sure. And you may have to go so far as to apply and be inspected before you can be absolutely positive about what having a home-based studio entails.
- Buying equipment
You’ll want to be able to supply your students with any props and they need. Price these out while you are considering your costs. Some studios have every kind of equipment available, but to begin you will want blocks, blankets and mats.
Also, where will you be storing these items? Will you need to install shelving?
The yoga space may also have its own dedicated cleaning equipment.
- Homeowners insurance
Check your homeowner’s policy or your rental agreement to see what happens in the case of home-based businesses. You’ll need to know that you are covered in case of an accident, that your students are safe, and if you have any guest teachers, that they are included along with their students.
- Taxes
The good news here is that if you have a dedicated space for your home-based business, you can take a deduction on your taxes for this space.
You can still get started from home
At this point it’s possible that you are starting to wonder if this is a good idea or not. Don’t worry, you don’t need to decide just yet! There are so many things you can be doing to get your teaching career off the ground.
- Practice and certification
First of all, make sure that you have students that want to come to your classes! A good teacher has a good practice, so even if you aren’t certified yet, your career in yoga begins with a good practice. So, start now if you haven’t.
- Experience and gaining students
Your certification for yoga isn’t just a piece of paper. It’s an experience and a growth process. Choose your program wisely. Your business licensing office and insurance agent may want to see your paper, but your students most likely won’t care. They will know whether or not they trust you when they come to your class. The trust is what brings them back. So, choose a teacher that you trust to certify you.
- Business license, LLC, bank account, etc
Even if you are teaching in a studio or in the local church, you can start your own business. Your bank will tell you what they need from you before you can open your business bank account.
Form an LLC on your state’s Security and Exchange Commission web page, or have a lawyer do it for you. Then register your business name with the local government and get zoning approval if required. If you can’t get zoned to teach in your home, you can probably still get zoning to run your administrative office out of your home, so you can use your home address.
You can also get a free tax EIN number from the IRS website for your business.
- Insurance
There is a malpractice insurance option for yoga teachers that you will want to enroll in. Any business, church, or community group will appreciate knowing you have this. This will also cover you anytime you are teaching yoga, regardless of where you are.
- Website, logo, social media following
Make sure your social media presence is set up so that the students who love you can find you easily online. If you decide, have a logo made with some business cards and then have a website built. These are all steps you can take as an independent teacher who teaches in a studio or for local organizations.
Are you ready?
You can do all of these things while you are honing your craft, teaching, getting certified and continuing your education. Becoming a yoga teacher is a career that reflects the practice and lifestyle of the teacher. Yoga will be a way you can serve and teach for the rest of your life.
As you are deciding if you want to teach from your home or not, envision what you would like for your home studio to look like 3, 5, 10 and 20 years in the future. There are many beautiful home-based studios around the world that were built out of devotion to teaching and service. Many of them have been in operation for a very long time.
If your heart is calling you to open your home to seekers of yoga, follow that. The way will open for you. If you’re not sure, don’t worry! Offer your classes wherever you can and keep this information in the back of your mind. Someday it may be the perfect solution to your need for a place to teach.
Frequently Asked questions
Teaching yoga in a studio is a great opportunity to be part of a yoga community. You’ll have the opportunity to talk to and learn from other yoga teachers from all walks of life and levels of experience. Keep in mind that just like any community, there is a ‘vibe’. Sometimes you’ll feel right at home, and sometimes you may not. Either way, you’ll have lots of opportunities to practice your yoga on and off the mat.
Yoga teachers often teach for free. It’s a great way to ‘tithe’ or ‘seva’. There are so many underserved communities that can benefit from yoga, but can’t afford the cost of classes. Also, for a new teacher, offering a volunteer class can bring more experience and chances for networking. But remember to value yourself and your craft as well. Don’t sacrifice yourself to the point that you have nothing left to give. Your offerings have value, so put a fair market price on your time when you aren’t offering ‘karma yoga’.
This depends entirely on the situation. If the church is welcoming you in and you are holding respect for their religion, there should be no conflict. You will be invited to come to church constantly, so practice the delicate ways you can decline the offers, and try not to mention it if your Sunday mornings are usually spent nursing a hangover or worshiping trees. Also be sensitive to the use of sanskrit words or references to Indian gods that may put your students on edge. Read the room and you’ll be fine.
To learn more about starting your own Yoga Business check out my startup documents here.
Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.
Meet Shawn Chun: Entrepreneur and Yoga Fan
I’m a happy individual who happens to be an entrepreneur. I have owned several types of businesses in my life from a coffee shop to an import and export business to an online review business plus a few more and now I create online yoga business resources for those interested in starting new ventures. It’s demanding work but I love it. I do it for those passionate about their business and their goals. That’s why when I meet a yoga business owner in public at a studio or anywhere else I see myself. I know how hard the struggle is to retain clients, find good employees and keep the business growing all while trying to stay competitive.
That’s why I created Yoga Business Boss: I want to help future yoga business owners like you build a thriving business that brings you endless joy and supports your ideal lifestyle.