Part 3: From Corporate to Kula.
By: Hana Sykorova
[Find part 1 of this series & part 2 here]
I moved to Mexico, South of Cancun and North of Playa del Carmen and Tulum, with my boyfriend in December where we had bought a rental property on the beach. My idea was to start teaching yoga at a studio in Playa del Carmen. When I approached a couple of gyms, I was told there was an oversupply of yoga teachers and there is a waiting list of teachers waiting for a teaching slot. Rather discouraged, I realized I had to develop my own studio.
I designed a yoga platform to be able to teach in front of the ocean. I also developed the concept of a Yoga Bed & Breakfast, a relaxing vacation in a private setting (three king size bedrooms and one single being rented at a time), offering one private class per stay, focusing on connecting with the atmosphere/ elements of the place and each other, and providing access to group classes being taught twice a day. I also designed a healthy, mostly vegetarian menu with superfood smoothies, utilizing my certificate from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. We now offer breakfast and lunch, which I prepare with the aid of our Mayan home staff, whom I love and learn from every day.
So far I’ve advertised the B&B on Airbnb and have started my business.
Our first guests were wonderful. Although they have not practiced much in the past, and were apprehensive about spending any time away from the sun to do yoga, they fell in love with it, told me I was great at what I did, and would continue to practice when they came home. Moments like these is what makes all hard work worthwhile and any insecurity over what I am doing with my life go away.
As any beginning entrepreneur, I feel one cannot do enough marketing and there is just not enough time in the day for growing the business. As our yoga platform is now ready, I started to teach group classes in front of the ocean. I had 6 clients from nearby condos on my first day just from putting up a blackboard in front of the house. Tuesday’s class is by donation, in line with the karma yoga path which is fulfilling one’s dharma with selfless service. I also had a day when no one showed up. Understandable. People go in excursions from here to Chichen Itza or cenotes or Tulum. Regardless, that time is dedicated to yoga, whether my own practice, with my boyfriend or clients. I feel much more fulfilled since I started the regular schedule.
I am also organizing a biking/ yoga camp in the South of France during the first week of May. As I will be biking, I am partnering with another yoga teacher as well as a massage therapist, in addition to two bike coaches. It is not easy to get clients in your first year with little credibility, but I do know it's just the beginning as I am on the right path, fulfilling my dharma, calling.
I regularly take classes in Playa del Carmen also to keep up my own practice, continue to develop and hear how things are being said in Spanish. This week I spoke with one of the yoga teachers to see if she would be interested to teach on our platform when we are not here. I also offered to teach her a private yin yoga class, as she has never done it before. She asked me to offer to teach yin yoga at one studio in Playa del Carmen that used to offer this type of yoga, but after the yin yoga teacher left, there is not a single studio offering it anymore. This is my next project. I started taking yin yoga classes in San Francisco when we lived there for a brief moment with my boyfriend and then started self-study online. I fell in love it. Now I understand it's good to have a niche and offer something unique.
I am grateful I am on a yoga path after my Kula Collective training and although it's not always easy, I believe one just has to go with it if you feel it in your heart. Keep developing, find a niche, work with partners, meditate to connect with what your intuition is telling you and let go of fear.
