Is Yoga Business Different? Integrity and Ethics

Integrity and Business

I’m jumping on here to talk and ask- what’s the deal with business and yoga? In light of recent articles in Elephant Journal (check it out here) regarding Kino, Cody, Alo and all one word named businesses I want to have a dialogue about WHY when it comes to yoga business tends to shift into irregular practices.

15 years. I’ve been in this business first of all as a student, then a teacher and now a mentor and leader. I own a HUGE yoga festival called The Yoga Expo, run an international business consulting company and well delve into all things yoga industry related. In the past weeks, I have seen the beautiful and ugly head of yoga and business rear its head.

“I think you trying to make money off a sacred science is appalling and if you truly understood the teachings the last thing you would be doing is sending out a dumb ass email commercializing a sacred science that was meant to be passed down teacher to students…you need Togo back to school”
I posted this as a copy paste to also highlight his grammar… you all know I am a stickler for spelling. Anyways, that got in my inbox a few days ago. But also this:

“I was on a journey of spirit to unearth those of authentic purpose whose actions spark the divine when I discovered your meaningful Essence. You are doing work you should be very proud of. You are having a profoundly positive effect on people.”

Yoga business is the same as all other businesses by the way, the only difference is who’s behind the business that makes the world of difference.

What’s going on?

Opinions will always create a ripple effect. The opinions in the article referenced above are really interesting because I am a businesswoman. Cody and Alo are businesses. Kino is also a savvy businesswoman. When values and integrity are so deeply ingrained in how you operate your business it’s an interesting play on how kind you are and how much of a stickler for contracts and rules as well. Why do I say this… because I have seen it first hand.

Several times when I operated my business from a place of generosity and kindness, whether it was offering discounts, extra flexible payment plans, I have gotten burnt. People never paid, didn’t show up or decided that it wasn’t in their best interest to continue paying.

What happens here is the ripple effect. And the same thing Cody’s co-founder speaks of. For a customer it is very easy to say I no longer wish to pay. What about the people on the other side? The employees of Cody are affected by 1 decision. My family is affected by 1 decision. Yoga business practices are truly the BEST in the world. As long as us, the leaders continue to make an effort to hold highest levels of integrity – on both sides of the coin.

The Yoga business isn’t different than other businesses. If you develop and establish your value, your non-negotiables from the beginning, guess what… you don’t get burned. I take every client that stops paying, that wants to change agreements to what works for them as a lesson. It makes me more organized, it makes my contracts tighter and payment plans also more on point.

The main point behind this post.

I want to shed light on many sides of the coin. Our society is so easy to point a finger. We take the moral high ground on issues that we really don’t even know anything about. When I read Kino’s first article I was totally like “WTF!” how dare these large companies do whatever they want! Shortly after I caught myself and said, wait, my business is growing and I would like to avoid these types of situations. And then today I read the reply and I also attest to several things he mentioned.

How do I prepare my business so from the beginning there are non-negotiable value systems in place of trust, honor, commitment, fun, exceptional quality and passion?

Is yoga business the anti-business?

Learn about foundations of your business. Set yourself up to always see things as a learning experience will help avoid massive issues in the future. It’s how you operate, how you treat others that will always leave a good mark on your side. I wrote this article on analysis paralysis a few months ago that reminded me of how it was like setting up my business – but guess what – nothing is perfect and things will always come up that make you re-work and re-do and re-word. Nothing is perfect and as long as you are open to the flow, your business will improve daily.

Leave me a note as I’m interested to hear your side and how you operate your yoga business. 

Split personality (brand) syndorme?

Do you have this too?

I don’t have a split personality really, I have (had) a split brand problem. Let me tell you the story…

It was one of those days, on a warm winter day (I’m based in Miami) where I had a massive realization. I had been living a double life, with 2 brands (really 3 but will get into that).

I noticed not a lot was moving forward and I was working my ass of. It was really frustrating and at the end of the day, counterproductive. I had this ideal of who I was and how I could serve. So of course, being the creative yogini that I am, created 2 brands, 2 websites, 2 newsletters, 2 business cards (and the list goes on). If you want to read more about me, check this page.

Now, was this serving me? NO! It was driving me crazy, but since I had a belief that why would any of my business students want to hear me talk about ROI and email marketing and why would any of my business clients and audience hear about my events and classes. Mind you, these are all perceptions, not truths.

So how can this serve you? It goes back to energy and where you are putting it. Are you living a double life in any aspects. Maybe have 2 jobs very disconnected from each other? I have friends that are bartenders at night and yoga teachers by day. Some client who take care of their bodies at the gym and yoga class, yet, have really negative feelings about themselves and their bodies.

Where is there the limiting belief that is stopping you from being successful, productive and happy? Where is the opportunity to expand your reach into what would serve you best? As you know, by serving yourself in the highest way you can serve and be the most amazing person for others.

brand union

Split Personality Syndrome IS OVER!

So here is the big question? What are you gonna do about it?

I’m re-launching my brand and I hope you keep loving what I send and the messages I share. But most of all, I want to know what you want to connect and feel whole with. What are your issues, disconnects that prevent you from your greatness.

Manifesting your inner magic is one decision away.

Namaste!

AriOm, The Bizzy Yogi.

Growing your business. Let’s play a disappearing act said no one but me.

Growing your business. What does it mean?

This is where we all what to be… in the growing your business mode. I feel like I am there constantly and this is a great thing but sometimes it doesn’t go the way we envision it. Remember one of my last posts Analysis Paralysis?  You would think I am a freaking activating, mind moving, business savvy business mentor and I don’t fall prey to that kind of stuff. Well, HELLO to my disappearing act because that exact thing I wrote about happened to me. I’m in growing my business mode, so why did I disappear?

For the last few weeks, all that I have been doing is discerning what I want to tackle and not. Looking at the bigger picture, listening to what I want and do not want. I’ve been meditating, connecting with my desires, listening to webinars… and… and… wait where are my clients? Where are my webinars I had scheduled? Where are the Facebook ads I had started?

What really happened…

Ok so here is the truth. I took on more than I could handle. My business actually grew by a MASSIVE leap when I said YES to becoming the new owner of The Yoga Expo. The Bizzy Yogi just got bizzier. First of all, let me be super grateful about this new venture and to the opportunity, I am now presented with. I am so incredibly freaking proud of myself for taking on such a huge venture that totally has changed my life. So this is me reconnecting to my initial intention to create a tribe of amazing yogi hearted, business savvy entrepreneurs who want to change the world one OM at a time. The disconnection actually allowed my business to not just grow, but to bloom.

Because of the time I took to stop, breathe, manifest, I allowed this massive opportunity to enter my life, and yours also. What’s so cool is that now I will share what it’s like to put on a 3000 person event. This is also an opportunity for you to grow your business also by stepping up into areas unknown and having the support to just do it.

Growing your business painsSometimes in order to grow your business, you have to disappear

What are the bigger lessons here? There are several:

  1. Taking on a new responsibility doesn’t mean letting go of everything else
  2. Having a mentor to grow your business helps (will talk about this more)
  3. It’s OK to disappear as long as you do it for a bigger reason and not because of fear
  4. Seeing opportunities in life as your teachers and making you step out of your comfort zone only come once in a while
  5. Be proud of yourself no matter what!!!

The result

Now that I am fully in the flow and see my business in momentum, I am here for you once again! I know everything happens for a reason and I want to tell you how growing a business can be some strange happenings that sometimes we think are not good for us, then low and behold, they are!

How does this impact you? Let’s find out!! Schedule a call with me and see how you can see your business grow. I love hearing about why you do what you do, where you are in the process, where you are in your vision and what the plan is to get there. It’s about being in flow and listening and processing. All part of this beautiful journey.

Get Your FREE Discovery Session Here >>> http://bit.ly/BizzyYogi

Namaste!

Arianne

Forgiveness To My Inner Child

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It’s OK to be an adult I said at age 3

Forgiveness is a quality that is hard to connect with sometimes and that can leave a stain on the soul. After an amazing weekend on a much needed retreat, all I can say is I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve neglected you, put you last and made you feel unimportant. My inner me, I call her mini me, got stuck in layers of responsibility and hustle. She got lost in my constant correctness to be better daily and to achieve bigger and better.

My story

Mini Ari got her responsible pants on at age 2.5 when my mom took me to my first day of school and instead of crying and not wanting to leave her side, mini me turned around when my mom said, “Ari do you want me to come in with you?” and with my little palm tree hair do, said “Mom, this is my school…” turned around and walked away.

Let’s just say (in Spanish the word is antipatica) and in English it’s kinda like unfriendly.

I learned to read and speak English and Spanish by myself at age 3, was singing in Japanese and French at 4 (I have a tape and it’s freaking adorable) and was top of my class most of the time. This is not a bragging post. It’s the I grew up too quickly in my head post.

What do I mean by all this, and why forgiveness? Well because I have taken these achievements on me til now and I have let the fun I had cartwheeling, jumping rope, playing in the water go to the side because I am on a mission. I am an entrepreneur and this is how it has to be… work work work, and when all is done, play, but I’m so tired!

Keep going like this and a. I won’t like my business anymore b. I’m gonna look 50 before I even turn 38!

 

free

How it all changed

After having the right conversations, the experiences with SRI (somato respiratory integration) practices, I realize asking for forgiveness from my inner mini me and tell her to make a play date! I told mini Ari that it wasn’t fair I made myself grow up so quick, to be over responsible and to be so determined.

Now since I got back, I dance in the morning, I let my guard down and realize the MOST important and valuable things in life are those hidden moments.

Why do we put up these walls? I know they don’t work! My wall was preventing me to move closer to the real me… and the real me smiles a LOT and dances to Shakira when cleaning my house in my underwear. I forgot about that. The real me goes to the beach A LOT MORE!

It’s never to late to be 4 again. It’s never too late to ask for forgiveness to that little kid inside of you and tell her you are doing it ALL so she can be safe and secure.

How to reconnect to your inner child

  1. Do a cartwheel (and if you can’t do one pretend and do the best you can)
  2. Roll down a hill (I found a golf course and rolled down laughing histerically)
  3. Wear your favorite outfit that makes you feel young and free!
  4. Laugh for the sake of laughing and smile when you talk.
  5. Ask questions that you normally wouldn’t because you feel weird.
  6. Stop judging yourself!!!
  7. Find a playground and go down a slide or climb the monkey bars
  8. Eat your favorite thing as a child even if it’s not “good for you” us super healthy peeps (you know who you are!)
  9. Sing in the shower
  10. Dance in the rain & make a mud pie!

I know you might be wondering WHY you would want to do this and my answer is WHY NOT.

Sometimes logic can take a back seat and feelings take over. Trust me, now I am more excited and motivated than ever to work on my business because I have fresh eyes… child like mentality where anything is possible, and you know what? Already it is working!!! I am in flow and just this week some incredible opportunities came up that will dictate my future!

Forgiveness as a tool for growth

To end this blog post, I ask you who haven’t you forgiven? Is there time? Heal old wounds that prevent you from moving forward to the authentic and highest aspect of yourself. Take the time not only to forgive yourself but also anyone else who is stuck inside your heart, mind and spirit. Once we set this free… the world is ours!

I would love to hear from you (in vulnerability and total support) so please write me back or schedule a call with me and let’s talk! You know I am all about finding the you and seeing that move through your business. It’s the inner kid in me who wants to investigate and play with ideas.

Running my business from new eyes, from my mini me self is going to look a lot more fun and exciting! Stay tuned!

Love and cartwheels,

Arianne Traverso[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]