The Math That Proves Group Classes Alone Can’t Sustain You
If you’re teaching eight group classes a week and barely making rent, I need to share something with you.
Group yoga classes aren’t your business model—they’re your marketing plan.
I’ve spent 20 years in this field, and I wrote The Professional Yoga Teacher’s Handbook specifically to address this issue—because the most burned-out teachers are the ones teaching the most group classes.
Let me do the math with you.
Say you’re teaching for $40 per class. If you teach eight classes a week, that’s $320. Multiply by four weeks—you’re at $1,280 a month. Before taxes. Before gas. Before the time you spend planning those classes.
Now let’s look at workshops and private lessons.
One two-hour workshop with ten students at $40 net each? That’s $400 for two hours of your time. One private lesson at $100 for an hour? You just made more than two group classes combined.
The Reframe That Changes Everything
Group classes are how students discover you. Workshops and private lessons are how you actually make money.
Think of it this way: your group class is the free sample at the grocery store. It gets people interested. But a workshop that solves a particular problem? That’s the full meal they take home.
When you show up week after week teaching group classes, you’re building trust. Students get to know your teaching style. They see how you hold space. They experience your expertise. And then—and this is the key—the students who want more will seek you out.
But here’s what you need to shift: you have to start thinking of those group classes as lead generation, not as your primary income. They’re the storefront. The real business happens in workshops, private lessons, and specialized offerings.
The Mindset Shift You Need
This requires a significant mindset shift, and it might feel uncomfortable at first.
Many of us became yoga teachers because we love the group class experience. We love the community. We love showing up and teaching. We love being able to change the course of someone’s day in a single hour. And there’s huge value in that.
But if you want to make a living wage as a yoga teacher, you have to think like a business owner, not just a class instructor.
Here’s the mindset you need: Your group classes are your marketing. Your workshops and private lessons are your revenue.
The core principle is this: you’re not abandoning group classes. You’re repositioning them strategically.
When you teach a group class, you’re demonstrating your value. You’re showing students what’s possible. You’re building relationships. And from those relationships, opportunities for deeper work emerge.
The students who show up every single week? They’re your workshop attendees. The student who asks you a specific question after class? That’s a private lesson client. The person who wants to go deeper into a particular pose or practice? That’s your next workshop topic.
Your group classes tell students who you are. Your workshops and private lessons give them the chance to work with you more closely.
Navigating Studio Policies
Now let’s talk about the practical piece that trips up a lot of teachers: studio policies about solicitation.
First—and this is critical—you need to get crystal clear on your studio’s policy. Ask directly. Don’t assume. Say, “What’s your policy on teachers offering workshops or private lessons to students?” Some studios are thrilled. Others have strict rules. You need to know the policy where you teach before you do anything.
Here’s what I recommend, and this comes from two decades of navigating these conversations:
Offer your workshops and private lessons AT the studio first. This is the cleanest, most ethical approach—and honestly, it’s often the most effective.
Approach the studio owner and say, “I’d love to offer a workshop on [specific topic] here at the studio. I’m seeing interest from students in my classes, and I think it would serve them well. Would you be open to that?”
Many studio owners will say yes because it benefits them too. You’re bringing programming to their space. You’re keeping students in their ecosystem. You’re adding value to their offerings.
If the studio takes a percentage of workshop revenue, factor that into your pricing. If they want 30% or more, charge accordingly. They provide for the space, the insurance, and the built-in audience.
For private lessons, same approach: “I have a student who’s asking about private work. Would it be possible to offer private lessons here at the studio during off-peak hours?”
Now, here’s the reality—some studios have policies that say you can’t teach their students privately, even outside the studio. If that’s the case, you need to honor that while you’re employed there. This is a professional integrity issue.
The key is this: be transparent, be ethical, and respect the relationship with the studio while also honoring your own business.
How to Let Students Know Without Being Pushy
So how do you actually let students know about your workshops and private lessons without being pushy or salesy?
In your group classes, plant seeds. When you’re teaching a particular pose or concept, you can say, “This is something we could spend a whole workshop exploring.” You’re not selling—you’re educating them on what’s possible.
When a student asks you a question after class that requires a longer answer, you can say, “That’s a great question. It’s actually something I work on with private clients. If you’re interested, let’s chat.”
At the studio level, propose workshops that serve the existing community. A workshop on hip openers for runners. A workshop on managing stress through restorative yoga. A workshop on arm balances for students who are ready.
These aren’t random topics—they’re based on what you’re seeing in your group classes. You’re paying attention to what students need and then offering deeper dives.
For private lessons, the best marketing is existing students. When someone’s struggling with a specific issue—chronic pain, anxiety, recovering from injury—you can gently offer, “If you’d like some one-on-one support with this, I do offer private lessons.”
You’re not hustling. You’re responding to expressed needs.
And here’s the beautiful part: once you start doing workshops and private lessons, your group class students see you as more than just the teacher who shows up on Tuesday nights. They see you as an expert, a specialist, someone who offers deeper value.
That perception shift is everything.
Ready to Make the Shift?
If you’re thinking, “OK, Sage, this makes sense, but I have no idea how to actually create and run a workshop,” that’s exactly why I created the Workshop Workbook.
It walks you through the entire process—how to choose your topic, how to structure your workshop, how to price it, how to market it, and how to deliver it with confidence.
The Workshop Workbook is also part of my Mastering the Art of Yoga Sequencing mentorship, but you can grab it as a standalone resource for $77—though right now, it’s on sale for $57.
Because here’s the truth: workshops are one of the fastest ways to increase your income as a yoga teacher without burning yourself out teaching more group classes.
Remember: your group classes are your marketing. Your workshops and private lessons are your business.
