9 Steps to Start a Yoga Retreat Business

How to Start a Yoga Retreat Business

1. Ask yourself if the yoga retreat business is right for you

The yoga retreat industry is not for the faint of heart. It is a long journey filled with many obstacles.

Before you do anything, I want you to be very honest with yourself. Spend some time thinking about this one simple question:

Why?

Why do you want to start a yoga retreat business?

Is it because you want to make money doing what you love?

Do you live and breathe yoga and want to make it your whole life?

These reasons all sound great on paper, but there are fine details that you must be aware of.

Before opening a yoga retreat center, you must make the transition from a simple yogi to a business owner. Many yogis do not have the business acumen to make it work.

Managing a yoga retreat center is a lot of hard work. Besides practicing yoga, operators must also think about a myriad of issues, such as marketing, accounting, and customer service.

Things will go wrong from time to time. Do you have the patience and go-getter attitude to work through these obstacles?

If so, then keep reading.

2. Find a business partner

One of the best things that you can do in the yoga retreat business is to find a business partner.

Why?

Because this industry is notorious for its loneliness.

Your business location will most likely be in a secluded place.

You will be away from friends and family.

By talking to guests and locals, you will still be able to interact with other humans. However, it is not the same as talking to someone who truly understands you.

Getting through tough days is much easier if you have someone to discuss business and general life issues with.

Therefore, get a business partner.

However, be picky when choosing your business partner. Make sure they have skill sets that complement your skill sets.

Don’t just choose a random friend or family member. They must be able to meaningfully contribute to the retreat center’s bottom line. Otherwise, they will just get in the way.

3. Pick a location

You obviously need a location if you want to open a yoga retreat business.

First, decide whether you want to set up shop in your country or another country. There are pros and cons for each.

You will already understand the language and laws if you open the retreat center in your country. You should have no problem communicating with guests and regulatory organizations if any.

However, your budget may not go as far.

The geography of your country may not even be right for a yoga retreat center. It may be difficult to find a beachfront property or a log cabin in the woods away from the hustle and bustle.

As a result, you may have to engage in bidding wars to acquire a location in a desirable area. If this is the case, then look overseas.

Relocating internationally for your yoga retreat business may help you make the most of your budget. Your money may have more purchasing power depending on currency exchange rates.

However, keep in mind that you will be in an unfamiliar place where people will most likely speak another language. Learning this new language will take time.

In addition, you will also need to understand local laws and customs. For example, some hand gestures may be polite in one country, but offensive in another country.

Therefore, make sure to do your research if you want to set up shop overseas.

4. Get supplies

Now that you have your location secured, it’s time to get supplies. Decorate the place and get everything ready for your grand opening.

What do you expect your guests to bring themselves during their stay?

What will you provide for them?

Think about these questions to come up with a list of needed supplies.

For example, do you expect guests to bring their own yoga mats? Regardless, it doesn’t hurt to have a few extra just in case.

In addition, for longer retreats, you need to think about providing toiletries and food for your guests.

5. Market your yoga retreat center

Don’t expect your yoga retreat center to be fully booked when you open for the first time. It probably won’t happen unless you’re well known in the yoga industry. It takes years for most retreat centers to be packed with people.

Think about the kinds of guests that you would like to have. For example, do you want to primarily market to travelers or locals?

You might say, why not everybody?

I’ll tell you why.

You will waste time and money if you’re not strategic with your marketing. You can always start small and branch out later.

If you are marketing to locals, then make sure your advertisements are written in their language. This might mean getting translators to proofread your ad copy.

Most importantly, remember to show, not tell.

Use images and videos to show potential guests how they will benefit by visiting your yoga retreat center.

For example, they can use the experience to think about these three important life questions:

Who am I?

Where am I going?

How do I get there?

6. Maintain the property

People who own yoga retreat centers are real estate owners. This means that they must attend to maintenance issues that come up.

For example, they may have to solve problems related to plumbing, air ventilation, and energy efficiency.

Let the experts deal with hazardous issues. For instance, know when you should get an electrician.

At the same time, learn how to deal with minor issues yourself. You can learn how to fix things by watching YouTube videos and reading articles.

Learning how to be self-sufficient will help you save money.

7. Understand customer relationship management

Yogis have all kinds of personalities.

Some of them radiate sunshine and happiness. Others have trouble getting along with people.

Make sure you have systems in place inside the yoga retreat center to ensure everyone’s stay is bearable.

For example, create spaces for people to reflect and enjoy silence. People can use other spaces to collectively discuss their passion for yoga.

8. Think about safety

This is a big one.

Yoga retreat centers are intentionally located in secluded places to help guests escape the stressors of everyday life. However, being in the middle of nowhere is a major drawback if something bad happens.

As the yoga retreat owner, you must think about your safety as well as the safety of your guests. Consider hiring security guards for everyone’s protection.

Install cameras throughout the area for surveillance. Think about what to do in case someone has a medical issue and needs emergency assistance.

9. Remember to spend time on yourself

As the yoga retreat owner, you will probably live in the center for months on end. Don’t think about the business 24/7. You will get stressed.

Make sure to block out chunks of time throughout the day for self-care routines. Do things other than yoga.

Hang out with friends if it’s convenient. They can visit you. You can also ask your business partner to cover for you while you take a brief trip. This business is a marathon, not a sprint.

Always remember to have some sort of work-life balance.