Right here, just not "write" here. These last six weeks (or so) have been dedicated to some important changes and growth in my business, Maple Leaf Community Yoga. I was writing about it so much on teachstreet.com (click for reviews!), craigslist.com, mlcyoga.com, etc., etc., etc. that I just didn't get around to writing about it here. Also, I wasn't entirely sure I would come back here to write...not sure that my voice was adding to the harmony of the web's chorus rather than the clatter of noisiness that it can easily become.
But, now, here I am. My studio now has on-line registration/schedule administration, which should take a huge workload off of my shoulders (once I get a handle on operating it efficiently...there is a learning curve, after all). My first 200-hour yoga teacher training class begins on Sunday. My long-term projects of creating a Purna Yoga Prenatal Teacher training and a Prenatal Purna Yoga book for moms and dads are moving out of my head/dream space and into "real life". My Sunrider business is growing. Goals are set, work is afoot, and life continues as it always does...we're just getting ever more creative in how we live it.
After my Gentle Yoga class this morning I went next door to Cafe Javasti to have tea and a crepe with two of my students. One of them is also an entrepreneur and we got to talking about how great it is to be in business for yourself...particularly at this time. We are able to adjust - in many ways more quickly, I believe - to the ebb and flow of the marketplace in a myriad of ways that corporations cannot. We can work at the grassroots level to build community and camaraderie while sharing our expertise/products with our neighbors. Entrepreneurs hold a vision of how we want to earn money and with innovation, discipline, and commitment we turn our dreams - and oftentimes the dreams of our clients - into reality.
This is a perfect time to be in business for yourself. People all around the country are redefining themselves, their work lives, and how they go about making a living. We don't have to continue in the model of corporations if it no longer serves us as individuals. The amount of risk involved with going into business for yourself is not necessarily greater than the risk involved in working for a profit-driven company, particularly while the economy is chaotic. Different endeavors require different amounts of start-up money...it isn't always expensive to open a new business. Nowadays with the outreach potential of the internet the main thing a business needs is a (good) website.
An excellent example of this is Sunrider. The monthly investment is about $150. Every month I purchase goods that I use in my diet, home or personal care. The money goes back into my health. My "job" is to simply listen for people's needs - for better health, more time, or a new way to earn income. I offer a potential solution: for health through the consumption of these wonderful herbal foods which I have eaten for over four years and strongly believe in, for time/income through an opportunity with this franchise-like business. If a person is interested, we meet and I tell them all about it. If not, no worries! I do not keep stock, as I am not a store. I do not worry about "selling", because that is not the point (sharing is). I do not pester people, I simply offer my solutions and let them decide. As I sponsor more people as consumers or business-owners, my income grows. It's a simple concept that works, but it does require some willingness to step outside the box of "this is what being in business is like", along with a fair dose of self-discipline and learning how to mentor. I have learned so much and grown so much through this endeavor, that even without the monthly check it is completely worthwhile!
I'm on a roll with this today, probably because I'm preparing for an informational meeting at my house tonight. I really enjoy being able to offer something truly helpful to people, and look forward to doing so this evening. If you are interested in learning more, contact me: seattleyogini AT comcast DOT com or leave a comment below.
With best wishes for your health and prosperity,
Kelly
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