Tips from the experts to help you grow the yoga business of your dreams
This month’s mentor:
Rachael Field, 39, of Eva & Alma (evaandalma.com) in Stourbridge, West Midlands
YOUR NICHE
My niche is empowering and encouraging people to be brave enough to slow down and deeply connect with themselves to find inner peace in the modern world. I didn’t choose this niche – it found me. I was into high-impact sports, classes and swimming and was very fit. Slowing down didn’t cross my radar but then I had major spinal surgery in 2011. I was always told to avoid yoga due to the amount of forward bending involved. I — and my medical team — were under the impression that the traditional Hatha-style yoga was the only option, so I avoided it.
I then discovered I have an invisible neurological disability that means my body is stuck in ‘fight’ mode. My whole life is now spent managing my symptoms so I can live with purpose. Around three years ago, I accidentally discovered that yoga was more than what we see on Instagram when I stumbled upon a Restorative Class. I became hooked as it was a great way to calm my nervous system in a way I wasn’t used to. So my yoga journey began.
The owner of my local studio approached me and said she could see potential in me to teach Restorative Yoga and bring more people into the practice. She helped me find training that fitted around my health challenges and then hired me to start teaching at the studio. I love teaching yoga and find my niche is attracting people who wouldn’t have been able to take part in the more physically challenging classes, or physically fit and strong people who need to rest and restore the body and quieten the mind.
SOCIAL MEDIA
I am very active on Instagram and Facebook, using these platforms to not only create a ‘tribe’, but to share inspiration, self-care wisdom, connect people with each other and simply send as much love and empowerment out as I can. If you’re spending too long on social media because you feel pressured to be ‘seen’, or you are on the comparison trail, then I would suggest you limit how you use it. You don’t have to be on social media to be successful. If you enjoy sharing that way then go for it; if it’s a chore, the energy from your writing will come across that way and you won’t have an engaged audience. The importance of social is just that – to be social. Â
SELF-CARE
I am a self-proclaimed Self-Care Queen! Not only is self-care a huge part of my own healthcare, I’m an advocate for bringing it more into our daily lives. Self-care is a hidden super power. Taking care of myself always comes first. I’m a yoga student first, teacher second. Why? Because yoga, especially Yin and Restorative, is a big part of my own self-care and if I neglect my own regime, I can’t support others through my work. No self-care for me means no teaching. My selfcare practices encompass a balance of mind, body and soul health. I check in with myself regularly and ask myself what I need. I am not afraid of my emotions so will regularly work with and release any emotions when they arise. I’m also a qualified Soul Midwife (end-of-life therapist) and it is very deep work. You cannot do this work if self-care isn’t a big part of your own life. This is another motivation to put taking care of myself on the top of the agenda and teaching others how powerful that can be.
Written and compiled by Claudia Brown (yogabyclaudia.com)
ClaudiaBrown
Claudia Brown. Yoga Teacher. Writer. Cumbrian. Runner of amazing events and retreats.
