How to Open a Yoga Studio With No Money: 7 Steps to Success

So, you want to know how to open a yoga studio with no money? You’ve come across the exact guide you need to get started. Within this extensive guide, you’ll find the following steps, feel free to skip to any personally relevant ones:

• Step 1 - You Need The Right Qualifications
• Step 2 - Low-Cost Yoga Ideas and Services
• Step 3 - Branding Your Yoga Studio on a Budget
• Step 4 - Sourcing Affordable Yoga Equipment
• Step 5 - Legalities of Opening a Yoga Studio with No Money
• Step 6 - Management Tools To Run Your Yoga Studio
• Step 7 - Marketing Your Yoga Studio on a Budget

Before we get straight into the details, if you want to find out more about our accredited yoga teaching courses, click here. You can also find this and many other vocational fitness courses in our downloadable course prospectus here.

Step 1 - You Need The Right Qualifications

First things first, you should definitely get the right qualifications behind you to get started in the yoga industry, and this is even more important when you want to own your own studio. It is also super important to ensure that you’re reputable, giving any students in your care confidence in you. 

This is because the legality of owning a studio requires a little more responsibility compared to if you’re employed by a company. So with that being said, what is the most cost effective option when it comes to getting the right qualification?

Level 3 Diploma in Yoga Teaching

Our recommendation is to go for the blended learning approach with a level 3 diploma in yoga teaching. This is essentially a mixture of the two crucial aspects to a yoga teaching course: the practical and the all important theoretical material too. 

This is because you are responsible for your independent study, utilising provided content including: 

• E-Books
• PDFs
• Online lectures
• Asana library

You can find out what you’ll actually learn and how here. But the point is that with you being the driving force behind your learning time the course is thus more affordable for you, so to ensure that you can trust a yoga course, look out for the recognition of CIMSPA and regulation by Ofqual. 

You should always be looking out for these two names when looking for the right course for you. Ofqual is the sister company of Ofsted and is what regulates the quality of vocational training just like this yoga teaching course.

You should also look out for CIMSPA recognition, this is the body that establishes the standards of the course content that you take, it is worth looking into these bodies prior to choosing a provider. 

Nonetheless, we still know the value of hands-on experience, especially when it comes to yoga.

You need to be able to build your confidence and ensure that you’re delivering yoga classes effectively and safely. The only way to do that is to get some practical experience from experienced professionals. 

That being said, don’t compromise on missing out on practical workshops by going for an unaccredited fast track course that doesn’t cover this area. That's why we recommend the blended approach, it ensures that you gain all the knowledge and experience you need without cutting corners. 

This course is the minimum requirement to get yoga teacher insurance which is non-negotiable when it comes to owning your studio. We will talk some more about the legalities later but this is how you can get qualified from a recognised provider in the most cost effective way.

Step 2 - Low-Cost Yoga Ideas and Services

Once you have your qualification, the most important step is complete. 

You now have the authority behind you and can start to form your brand. Opening a yoga studio with no money isn’t easy so we have some low-cost yoga ideas and services that you could begin with to kick start your studio.

Offer 1-2-1 Mobile Yoga Sessions

One way to keep outgoings low but incoming high is to offer exclusive 1-2-1 at home yoga sessions.

Since basic yoga equipment is affordable, you wouldn’t need to invest too much money into some reusable gear.

You will only need two sets of equipment, one set for you and one for your client. This includes things like:

• Yoga mat
• Yoga block
• Yoga straps
• Bolster
• Eye pillow
• Yoga mat cleaners

These little extras like eye pillows and bolsters (though aren’t integral parts of a yoga kit) are small investments that can make all the difference when it comes to going the extra mile for your clients.

Though you’re going to visit clients in their homes for your own benefit, you could switch the narrative of what this is and actually market this service based upon exclusivity.

For example, if a client for whatever reason doesn’t want to go to a yoga class, you could be the perfect person for them. By going to their home you’re able to keep costs down and offer a 1-2-1 exclusive service that will seem even more prestigious than going to a class.

This means that you could charge more than you would if you were to set up a class. This would net you more money alongside your main classes should you decide to combine the two so it is a great way to start branching out to other opportunities.

Utilise the Outdoors for your Yoga Sessions

It is nothing new to practise yoga in nature. In fact there are huge benefits of doing yoga in the park, or other picturesque places like beaches so there is no reason why you can’t use this to your advantage. 

In the UK in particular, the weather can go from one extreme to another in terms of temperature, rain, snow - it can be hard to sustain all year round. That being said, this is how to open a yoga studio for a low cost at the right time of year.

For example, if you want to take a budget friendly route for a short period of time while you build the financial means to open a yoga studio indoors, then holding your classes outdoors in the summer time can be a good way to do this.

Again, your outgoings will be pretty minimal, though you can choose to provide equipment if you wish, often class goers will bring their own mats, blocks etc. With that in mind, it is up to you to find the correct place outdoors, ensure that you have any necessary permits and insurance and hold the classes at the right time of year.

Though this is a budget friendly way to start the ball rolling when opening a yoga studio with no money, It wouldn’t be a class worth heading to if there wasn’t a competitive price mark so depending on location, you should be making it affordable compared to your in-studio competitors in your area.

This means that ultimately, clients will be expecting a lower price point since your outgoings would be less, you would still make profit regardless.

Begin Your Yoga Teaching Journey With Online Yoga Classes

Our third and final recommendation for those who want to know how to open a yoga studio with no money is to use the world of online yoga classes.

With the boom of online personal training, it became apparent that just about anything can be held online through the use of the likes of Zoom; so, your yoga teaching can be the same.

While online yoga classes are often cheaper than they are in a traditional studio setting, you can rake in numbers arguably easier since you’re not tied down to one single area. You can base your prices on your expertise and your accessibility rather than how close you are to potential clients' homes and the beauty of it is that there are no startup costs.

Take a look at how successful this can be, below you can see a London based yoga studio that offers online classes:

This yoga studio takes a different approach from what you may expect, they offer a membership price with a huge amount of yoga class resources within the membership as well as live classes.

This can be a super affordable way to begin building your brand. So long as you have a stable internet connection and the right insurance coverage, you can start to offer remote classes for anybody around the country or even internationally who wants to join.

With the help of technology the popularity of the convenience that comes with remote yoga classes is only going to grow in our opinion so why not make this your starting point and start earning?

Step 3 - Branding Your Yoga Studio on a Budget

If you’re trying to research how much does it cost to open a yoga studio, there are probably more expenses than you initially think of. So while you’re now aware of the qualifications and how you can actually begin teaching without huge investment, how are you going to build the said brand? 

Branding takes skill, while some may find it easy, it isn’t some people's forte so we’re here to make it easier for you with these two top tips, even if you're a beginner.

Don’t forget to stick around to find out more about affordable marketing tactics, this is your initial branding that we will talk about here!

Utilise Free Softwares for a Graphic Design Branding 

One of the things that makes branding so accessible now is the accessibility of graphic design platforms like Canva. 

Canva has made it easy and affordable for anyone to create branding materials, even if you’re a complete newbie. So the first thing you should start off with is a logo design, since no legitimate business operates without some sort of recognisable logo!

Luckily, this can be super easy. Simply log into Canva or create an account and choose the logo maker from the drop down ‘design spotlight’.

It is super easy to navigate and you can see that there is a huge array of creative tools on there as well. Take your time exploring the Canva site and get to grips with how it works, do a few practice runs and play about with the features before you get started with your drafting. 

Once you click through to create your logo, you can expect a dashboard like this:

As you can see, you’re able to choose free templates that you can manipulate change around and create your own or, you can start from scratch. The templates and component features that don’t include the ‘pro’ signalling are all free. 

There are tons of free options and they’re super professional looking, so don’t worry you’re not compromising on quality. If you do want the pick from the best though, you can pay for a Pro membership which could be worthwhile should you want to continue utilising the same branding tools.

As well as creating the logo, you can then get to work on other components like:

• Flyers
• Business cards
• Social media content
• Email templates

Once you’ve mastered the logo design, you’re all set to use it for free in your marketing efforts!

Use Reciprocal Offers to Collaborate With Other Professionals

One often overlooked way of affordably opening a yoga studio and still branding it professionally is by using potential connections within the creative industry. 

Other independent professionals could have a reciprocal benefiting business relationship should you put your best foot forward. So what does this mean for you? Essentially, you could do some outreach work in your area to find graphic designers or freelance professionals that would help you with branding. 

In return, you could offer them your services, free yoga classes. This helps if you’re both small businesses and instead of using financial means, use means of expertise to help you get where you want to be professionally.

You can find freelancers pretty easily online. You can utilise things like Upwork or even social media, Linkedin in particular to search for professionals that you think may be happy with what you have to offer.

This is a good way to get networking and find useful contacts within different pockets of the industry. 

Step 4 -  Sourcing Affordable Yoga Equipment

Step 4 is all about getting the most for your money. 

Starting any kind of business can have considerable costs, so it is important to work smarter. However, don’t just reach for the cheapest on the market, think about investment. 

Luckily, like we mentioned earlier there is only so much yoga equipment that you need (unless you’re in a particular niche like aerial yoga!) so it shouldn’t set you back too much. 

The cost depends on if you want to equip your studio with everything that your class may need or, will you ask clients to bring along their own equipment? Luckily, there are some options that make the providing of equipment more affordable.

First off, you could buy in bulk and this could be a good investment into your studio. So long as you take good care of the equipment, there is no reason why it can’t last. For example, if you want to buy mats and blocks and any other props for your studio, there are wholesalers that provide a more affordable price. 

For example, take a look at Ekotex yoga, who offer a discount for bulk buys especially for teachers and studios.

As you can see, they offer convenient options for studios and teachers and by investing in a larger bulk order, you’ll be saving in the near future if you decide to buy in dribs and drabs.

As well as that, another benefit of searching for affordable wholesale options is that it can contribute to the overall uniform nature of your studio. 

A studio with a particular colour scheme and equipment all the same can really help to professionalise the feel and it doesn’t look ‘jumbled’.

If however this is going to set you back a little too much, you could create a renting system. This is not anything out of the ordinary, it is quite common to be able to rent yoga studio mats or towels in many different places. This just means that they can borrow the equipment for a small price which many people prefer.

It saves them carrying around their own equipment and due to the payment the equipment should always be kept at a high standard. This could at least be an option until you have made back the money you have spent on the equipment to ensure you’re not making too much of a dip in the investment fund. 

Step 5 - Legalities of Opening a Yoga Studio with No Money

Now for the important stuff that you can’t cut corners with, the legalities that come along with opening a yoga studio. 

This might seem initially intimidating, but the good news is that much of what you need to do won’t actually set you back all that much. 

First we will talk about what actually will take some level of investment.

Get the Correct Insurance to Run a Yoga Studio

If you’re completely new to the fitness industry, it can be difficult to know where to start when it comes to insurance, so allow us to point you in the right direction.

A good place to start is Insure4Sport. Their yoga instructor policy covers all that you need as a minimum, and you can then add on any extras that you feel necessary depending on each individual. 

For example, if you’re a yoga instructor and want coverage for your equipment or for your own safety as a self-employed person, you may want to add policies to build up your plan. 

Below, you can see what you can combine for the coverage you need:

Public liability coverage is the most important one to pay attention to. This is the policy that is going to protect you if you become liable for any incidents that happen as a result of your instruction and or in your care.

The other policies are certainly still worth adding though, policies such as personal accident and loss of earnings coverage is important if you’re self employed and are ever concerned about losing income when the cause is out of your control.

As well as that, you can protect your equipment which is a good idea if you’re planning on providing it for your class to use. Things may get taken or damaged by accident so it can be a good addition to your policy.

Finally, this example of specialist yoga insurance includes worldwide coverage. This can be useful should you want to take your services worldwide but if you’re looking for ways how to open a yoga studio with no money it is unlikely that this is on your plan just yet.

Nonetheless, there is no reason why this may not be a goal for the future so you may find it beneficial regardless. 

Check what Licences You may Need for your Yoga Studio

You may not always need licences when opening a yoga studio, but if you do they can often be avoided until you have the necessary funds to implement them.

The two main licences that you may come across are either:

• Music licence
• Data privacy licence

However, both of these are only necessary in certain circumstances. 

If you choose to utilise licensed music within your class, you will need a music licence. However, this isn’t always necessary since you can instead use royalty free music and you won’t be breaking any rules.

Similarly, you may come across a licence that requires you to register should you want to operate CCTV on your premises. You can find more information about this on the UK Government Licence Finder if you’re having any doubts. 

For more clarity, you can read our article on yoga teacher licences here. 

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For some more useful resources on building your yoga studio business, head over to these articles below:

• How Much To Charge For An Online Yoga Class 
• 9 Key Challenges Of Running A Yoga Studio (& How To Overcome Them) 
• SEO For Yoga Teachers: The Complete Guide

Step 6 - Management Tools To Run Your Yoga Studio

Without a team of people behind you, managing a yoga studio can seem intimidating - but it doesn’t have to be.

There are tons of resources available that can help you manage your business with little to no cost. 

Here are some management tools that could help you professionalise and manage your business so you can keep everything running smoothly.

Use Softwares to Manage Your Payments

Managing payments is one of the more important things that you need to successfully run and open a yoga studio with no money. 

Once you start to build a bigger client base, you may find that keeping track of finances becomes a little more overwhelming, so there is no reason why you can't turn to softwares to help you manage it all.

For example, you will likely want to separate your personal account to your business account, but there are softwares that can help you keep these organised in one place, like Mint.

Mint can help you store all of your finances in one place and manage what is coming in, going out, while also predicting useful figures, you can see below how it looks in a nutshell:

As you can see, it is super simple and if you’re new to managing finances, you could find this incredibly useful. 

The biggest selling point is that it is free, you’re able to visually see your finances in one place like this:

This can really help you to gain control over your business and ensure that you don’t waste any time or energy on money worries due to disorganisation. 

Manage your Clients with Software

Secondly, another way you can handle any growing demand from your clients is with software.

You may think that CRM software isn't necessary until you have scaled up your business, but the key to being able to actually scale up your business is by starting while you’re small and utilising softwares to help your yoga studio grow.

Hubspot is a popular option that can start you off for free and has a good reputation for helping small businesses start off on the right foot.

With this software, you’re able to do things like:

• Get by the minute views of your sales funnel on a visual dashboard
• Track customer interactions automatically
• Store leads such as calls, emails, meetings and notes

There are plenty of other useful things that you can do with HubSpot and other similar softwares too so ensure that you take advantage of any free tools available from the get go.

Step 7 - Marketing Your Yoga Studio on a Budget

Once you have decided where your marketing efforts will go, you can start to actually put it into practice. 

The good news is that there are free marketing tools that you can begin using as soon as you begin the set up of your yoga studio.

Utilise Budget Friendly Marketing Research Tools

If you want to do some digital marketing for your yoga studio, utilising free marketing management tools can help you direct your attention in the right places when it comes to attracting students and growing your business.

One free tool that you can use is ThinkwithGoogle. This is a ‘digital marketing tool box’ that includes relevant things like:

• Find my audience 
• Google Trends
• Market finder 

You can use all of these to help pinpoint who you should market your yoga studio too without spending a penny.

Once you have built up the funds, you could then utilise paid marketing research tools but this is the best place to start since you can get such valuable information with no price tag!

Use Free Email Marketing Softwares

Email marketing is something that will continue to grow. It has a huge success rate with HubSpot’s research telling us that for every $1 spent, the ROI is $36.

The good news is that email marketing can be free, especially when you’re just starting out as a small business. You can use the likes of MailChimp since they offer a free plan for up to 500 contacts. 

You can see below a comparison between some of the plans that MailChimp offer:

As you can see, while you don’t get as many benefits that you do with the paid memberships, it is certainly a promising start and provides you with the kick start into marketing your yoga studio that you need.

You can gather emails from current clients or on social media and begin to create campaigns and even referral programmes to get more and more clients to your yoga classes and retain the ones you already have.

Utilise Social Media Marketing as a Free Tool

Aside from using more direct approaches like email marketing, you can also use social media to get the word out about your yoga studio.

You can set up a business social media account that can show you all kinds of useful insights, from who your most interacted demographic is to your best performing posts. This kind of insight is incredibly valuable to a small business especially when you’re looking to market yourself on a budget.

Instagram is able to show off your studio/ classes, you can communicate with potential clients and share successes of your current classes to get more people on board. This is also a great place to put some images of your studio and show people what they can expect.

For example, take a look at his yoga studio Instagram that shows their studio and the personality behind it below:

This is a great way to put your studio out there and you as the instructor. It can help make potential class goers at ease knowing what your studio looks like and you can entice them further by interacting with your followers.

You can then go on to utilise promotions and boost your favourite posts into advertisements; however, if you’re sticking to the free route, the best thing you can do is to be consistent. 

Utilise yoga hashtags, engage and keep your page looking professional and enticing to keep followers around. It is one of the best ways to get people on board with your classes and will cost you nothing but some time and effort.

Set up a Google my Business Page

Our third and final recommendation for marketing your yoga studio with no money is to set up a Google my Business account. This is a free and easy way to make your studio available to those who are searching for studios that fit your description. 

You can do this super easily, we have an extensive guide here on how to use Google my Business but so you can get a brief overview on what this can look like for you as a yoga studio owner, here is an example.

You probably use GMB more than you think, it is a great tool that makes your business information accessible. Below, you can see the results when we search for “Yoga studios in Liverpool”:

You can see that there is vital information that the yoga studio owners have inputted to bring up these results (the more optimised the listing is, the higher it will climb).

You can optimise the listing by ensuring that when you sign up, you input every piece of information. Besides the information that you can put in, you then need to help your listing by gaining some reviews and answering any questions you may get.

For example, take a look at the top listing who has done these things:

As you can see not only have all of the fields been filled by the studio themself, but they have also answered the questions which is a great way to optimise your listing. 

Similarly, reviews are a great way to improve your chances of climbing to the top few listing on GMB, this same studio has great review rate too as you can see:

You can politely ask your class if they could leave reviews and it can help boost your chances of getting noticed.

The great thing about all of these techniques is that they will not dip into your investment fund. They are all free and are great tools when opening a yoga studio with no money.

Before You Go…

So, is it expensive to open a yoga studio? Hopefully you feel confident in knowing that you don’t need all the money in the world to get the ball rolling. 

With passion and drive, you’ll certainly get to where you want to be. But first, don’t forget that you can take the biggest step right away with a level 3 diploma in yoga teaching. Find this and much more in our downloadable course prospectus here.