Why the Business of Yoga Feels Uncomfortable
And what is really happening beneath the surface
I work with yoga teachers every day and the same theme comes up again and again: discomfort around the business side of teaching, especially marketing. Not because teachers do not care and not because they lack ability, but because the work of teaching yoga asks something very different from the work of running a business.
Before we go any further, it helps to get clear on what we actually mean by marketing. A lot of teachers understandably think marketing means posting on Instagram or making reels. In reality that is one very optional piece of a much bigger picture.
What marketing really is
Marketing is not performing online or convincing anyone of anything.
Marketing is:
Defining what you offer — clearly and confidently
Honing in on who it’s for — the students you genuinely want to work with
Understanding their needs, desires and fears
Communicating honestly and simply — in a way that feels like you
Making it easy for people to buy or book — clear pages, clear steps, clear pricing
Creating a welcoming experience — so people know they’re in the right place
Keeping students once they arrive — the nurturing, the follow-up, the long-term care
Building something sustainable — so you’re not constantly chasing attendance
When you see marketing like this, it becomes less about shouting and more about clarity, care and connection. Social media can support this, but it is not the centre of it.
Why the business side feels so uncomfortable
Yoga asks you to be present, compassionate and grounded.
Business asks you to talk about yourself, explain your value, set boundaries, be strategic, and show up consistently.
That can feel like:
stepping into a different identity
highlighting yourself in a way that feels uncomfortable
pushing against cultural messages that say “yoga shouldn’t be commercial”
moving into a skillset you weren’t trained in
being public about something deeply personal
On top of that, teachers also told us they feel pressure to “show up” online.
In the benchmark (due to be released this month), 52 percent said they feel pressure to be active on social media — even if they don’t want to be. No wonder teachers feel pulled in two directions:
share authentically… but also be visible enough to get bookings.
It’s a lot.
Where teacher training fits and why this is more complex than it looks
It is easy to assume that teacher training should prepare teachers for every aspect of business. But the reality is far more nuanced. I want to make it clear, I think Yoga Teacher Trainers do a fantastic job, this is not a criticism. It’s an observation that we have a skills gap with many teachers.
People train for many different reasons
Not everyone intends to become a teacher. Many join a training for personal growth or deepening their own practice. A full business module would not serve everyone in the room. And it could detract from the experience of those looking for that depth.
Teacher trainers are not necessarily business experts
This is important and worth saying clearly, though respectfully. Many teacher trainers have built successful teaching careers or run successful studios. It’s wonderful to see. That gives them valuable empathy and lived experience. But being successful at one type of yoga business does not automatically equip someone to teach all business models.
Running a studio helps someone understand teachers. And I say this as someone who has managed the behind the scenes of a yoga studio for 9 years!
What equips someone to guide you in business is training in business, years working with different models and the ability to apply theory and practice across hundreds of scenarios.
This distinction matters. Being good at yoga does not mean you can teach yoga without training. And being good at running your own business does not mean you can teach business without training either.
Cultural context matters
What is expected of a yoga teacher varies across countries. The commercial landscape is different in India, the UK and the US. There is no single global standard for business education in yoga.
Training hours are already full
Philosophy, sequencing, ethics, anatomy, practice teaching and assessment already stretch a 200 hour programme, which most of us agree usually never feels like enough. Something would have to be removed to create space for more thorough business education.
So instead of expecting teacher training to carry the full responsibility, the real question is more useful.
What teachers said about their training
I am including loads of these because they are honestly so interesting.
“My training changed my life, but it didn’t teach me anything practical about actually setting up classes. I left feeling inspired, but not sure how to turn that inspiration into a teaching career.”
“I knew how to sequence and hold a room, but I had no idea how to find students, price my classes or communicate what I was offering.”
“There was so much depth in the philosophy and practice, but the moment I graduated I realised I didn’t know where to begin with the business side.”
“We touched on business for maybe an hour, but I had no idea how much I’d need those skills later. At the time I didn’t realise how important it was.”
“It gave me confidence to teach, but not enough confidence to set up a business.”
“My trainers were incredible teachers, but they weren’t business specialists. They shared what worked for them, but it didn’t really translate to what I’m trying to build.”
“The people teaching my course had successful teaching careers, but that didn’t mean they could guide me on every business model. They were honest about that, which I appreciated.”
“I don’t blame my teacher training. It just wasn’t designed to teach business. I don’t think any 200-hour could do that properly.”
“I left training thinking more yoga knowledge was the answer, so I kept doing more CPD and trainings. It took me a while to realise I actually needed business skills, not more yoga qualifications.”
“Business felt uncomfortable at first because I didn’t see myself as a business owner. I thought teaching would be enough. I wish someone had helped me prepare for the reality.”
“I’d already spent so much on my teacher training that the idea of investing more in business support felt scary. But not having those skills held me back for years.”
“There is a message on social media that running a yoga business is easy. It isn’t. It’s a skill set like anything else, and I wish I’d understood that earlier.”
Whose responsibility is it?
Right now, no single part of the industry carries it. And teachers fall straight into that gap.
From the benchmark:
around 16 percent felt their training prepared them well
around 40 percent said it was okay but they needed more
around 28 percent said their training did not cover business at all
Teachers want support, but there is no clear structure for who should offer it.
Teacher training creates teachers.
Business skills create sustainability.
And teachers are left to join those two worlds together themselves.
The fear of investing again after an expensive training
This is one of the biggest emotional barriers I hear.
Teachers say things like:
"I have already spent so much on my teacher training. How can I justify spending more on business?"
It is a completely understandable fear. Teacher training is a significant investment. And when you finish, you discover you also need:
a website
booking systems
marketing foundations
email tools
business structure
confidence with tech
clarity around pricing
This can feel overwhelming or frightening. Many teachers respond by turning back to what feels safe. They take more yoga trainings. More CPD. More courses. More certificates.
There is comfort in deepening your practice.
There is vulnerability in learning business skills.
But without those business skills, all the beautiful yoga you are trained in never reaches the people who need it.
The myth that business is easy
Social media often suggests that building a yoga business is simple. Just post consistently, raise your prices, find a niche, believe in yourself and clients will appear. Have a viral reel and suddenly you’ll be fully booked.
If it were truly that simple, every teacher would be thriving.
Business is not easy.
It is learnable.
Just like sequencing, alignment and philosophy, business is a skill set that develops with guidance, practice and support. Struggling with this does not mean you are doing anything wrong.
It means you are learning something new.
What you deserve as a yoga teacher
You deserve:
clarity instead of confusion
support instead of guessing
tools instead of overwhelm
structure instead of burnout
marketing that feels aligned with your values
a business that supports your energy and wellbeing
Your teaching is the heart of your work.
Your business is the structure that allows it to continue.
I really try to build Santosha Marketing around principles that marketing should feel honest, kind, ethical and be sustainable. I’m not in this line of work for a hack or a quick fix. I want to help you build something that lasts.
And this is exactly why I built my marketing course
After years of supporting yoga teachers through the same challenges again and again, it became clear that there was no single place to learn the essential business skills teachers actually need.
If I were in charge of a five hour business module on a teacher training programme, this is exactly what I would teach.
The sequence and order is crucial, we build piece by piece:
understand their audience
communicate clearly and confidently
design offerings people can actually say yes to
build systems that make life easier
create sustainable, aligned income
feel less stressed and more supported
It is everything I wish teachers had access to right from the start.
And it exists because you deserve a business that supports the incredible work you do.
If you’d like to understand more, explore my Signature Marketing Course
I would love to know what you think of this topic, it’s one of the most interesting blogs I’ve done and a topic I come back to time and time again.
