10 Tips for Yoga, Movement & Wellness Studio Owners to Grow Profitably in 2025

by Shelby Herber

Yoga, movement, and wellness studio owners are among the most visionary, heart-led leaders in the holistic healing space. Whether they’re guiding classes, managing teams, curating workshops, or cultivating community, they create ripple effects of transformation every day.

Yet, behind the scenes, it’s not uncommon for these devoted leaders to wrestle with financial uncertainty, burnout, or doubts about long-term sustainability.

Building a sustainable and profitable business that supports both your purpose and well-being takes more than passion. It requires a holistic ecosystem—where your business model, values, energy, and long‑term vision all work together. When your offerings, systems, pricing, cash‑flow strategies, and brand align with your unique spark and vision for joy, success, and meaningful impact, your business naturally supports the life you desire to live. 

To gather the most relevant and soul-led guidance for 2025, I interviewed eight inspiring women from across the yoga, movement, and wellness studio space. Their insights are practical, heartfelt, and rooted in lived experience—offering grounded support & strategies for building a profitable and aligned business in the year ahead.

May these tips serve as a breath of clarity, inspiration, and encouragement—no matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey.

Let’s get into it!

Tip #1: Build a Business Around Mastery, Integrity & Exceptional Service ~Ashley Mazurek

After two decades in holistic wellness, Ashley Mazurek knows surface-level tactics don’t sustain. What does? Mastery. Integrity. Exceptional service.

“It comes down to service—and not just regular service. It’s exceptional service that creates an empathic understanding and rapport with people…It’s about becoming the expert.”

As the founder of Balanced Body in Tampa, Florida she emphasizes embodied expertise—leading with lived experience, presence, and heart—not chasing fleeting trends. She adds:

“Be the best at what you do, and be in it for the long game.”

When you commit to continual growth & evolution—expanding your skills to holistically to support the clients who walk through your door—that level of devotion, discipline, and care does more than meet needs: it builds trust, fosters deep connection and inspires clients to return. 

“If you want to be good at something, your education will never end…become fluid with your education as to what you witness people need.”

In her view, depth of care and emotional presence is essential to the future of wellness. She reminds us that while social media might bring clients through the door, it’s the quality of connection and exceptional human service that fuels a thriving practice. And as AI continues to expand its reach, influencing the world around us, it can’t ever replace the emotional presence and empathy of true human service. 

“AI can’t service people, it can’t have emotions towards empathy, support or curiosity in guiding people to empowering themselves to their new belief systems…we need more people like that.”

✔ Build from the inside out—mastery, integrity, and exceptional service are the foundation for lasting success.

Ashley Mazurek – CHEK Holistic Health Practitioner & Founder of Balanced Body
Website | Instagram | Email

Tip #2: Create Sacred Space for Belonging—That’s Where Retention Begins ~Sasha Bahador

At Kula Yoga and Sacred Space in Kimberley, BC, Sasha Bahador sees her studio not just as a business—but as a sacred business.

“It’s a spiritual business…where we tend to people’s hearts and bodies.”

“Kula” means community or family—the place where we hang our hearts—a space of belonging and refuge we need to thrive. From Sasha’s perspective, yoga studios are a delicate space—people are coming to heal, whether they’re conscious of it or not. That’s what the yoga practice calls people to itself for: healing on some level.

“Your space is like a second home…If they feel safe and nourished, they’ll keep returning—not just as clients, but as community members.”

She reminds us that this is truly a take-care-of-the-people business—one rooted in connection and community. The more care and presence you bring, the more people feel they belong.

“Yoga studio owners who really have a good pulse on what’s happening with the people who walk through their doors create retention.”

New students bring vital energy—they’re the blood, the fresh circulation that keeps things moving. But it’s the returning students who become the heartbeat of the studio—and the weight behind long-term profitability.

“Retention really is the secret sauce of a yoga studio being profitable.”

When students feel a sense of care and belonging, they don’t just show up—they stay. And that’s what sustains a thriving studio.

✔ Belonging grows in sacred space. Let that guide your strategy.

Sasha Bahador– Founder of KULA Yoga and Sacred Space, Yoga Instructor, Retreat Leader & Shamanic Practitioner
Website | Instagram

Tip #3: Profit Isn’t Linear—Grow Through Collaboration & Cycles ~Brietta Leader

After nearly 25 years in business, Brietta Leader understands that profitability isn’t linear—it’s a spiral. A longtime dance teacher, healing artist, and creator of WildCore®, she’s built a business rooted in rhythm with her body, creativity, and life seasons.

“What worked in my 20s or early 30s doesn’t work now in my late 40s…and the way you relate to people evolves. So having a business that can spiral with you—that’s the dream, right?”

From owning Embody—a vibrant movement and healing studio in Sandpoint, Idaho—to leading WildCore® teacher trainings, hosting a global membership, and guiding both in-person and virtual classes, her model honors personal evolution. While weekly classes have offered a funnel for community outreach, deeperer sustainability and profit have come through collaboration.

She’s partnered with naturopaths, somatic educators, and healing arts facilitators to co-create trainings, retreats, and seasonal programs that expand both reach and impact. She also opens her studio to guest teachers and events, welcoming fresh energy without increasing her own output. When schedules overlap, she shifts classes to the yurt on her land—a cozy extension of Embody.

“It’s not always about big money. Sometimes the best collaborations bring richness in other ways—energy, support, momentum.”

Brietta values consistency—like having solid substitutes—while also releasing attachment to offering outcomes. As she shared, you win some, you lose some. You can’t stop, but you can pause. For her, momentum is sustained by honoring the cycle she’s in and balancing aligned action with intentional rest.

“Your business is not a reflection of your medicine. It’s a container for sharing it—not a measure of your worth.”

❀ Bonus Tip ❀: Beauty matters, too. From décor to interior design, Brietta crafts spaces with care & intention—because people don’t just see beauty, they feel it.

A business attuned to its natural rhythm becomes a vessel for your mission and sustainable profit. Trust your spiral.

✔ Honor your cycles. Create beauty. Collaborate boldly. Let your studio be shaped by the natural rhythm of your life.

Brietta Leader – Creator of WildCore®, Owner of Embody and author of Wild Core: 12 Keys to Unlock Your Untamed Expression
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Tip #4: Invest in Community, Not Just a Client Base ~Rachel Lea

Rachel Lea is the CEO and co-founder of Arketa, an all-in-one business platform built to help wellness professionals streamline their operations and scale sustainably. She and her team have supported thousands of wellness business owners around the world in building more profitable, values-aligned businesses. And the ones that thrive, she’s found, have one thing in common: they prioritize community over transactions.

“The wellness businesses that are seeing continued growth are those that foster genuine connections among members”

Instead of chasing new leads or relying solely on paid marketing, she recommends using your studio management software—or existing tools like email lists, booking platforms, or membership features—to intentionally build community. This might look like:

• Hosting quarterly or seasonal community events
• Creating member spotlights in your newsletter or social media
• Sending personal messages to your clients celebrating milestones like anniversaries or birthdays

These small touches build loyalty. When clients feel seen and included, they’re more likely to return and spark word-of-mouth growth.

Rachel shares that studios implementing consistent community-building initiatives have seen retention increase by as much as 35%. Beyond just numbers, this strategy creates a culture of belonging. People aren’t just attending class—they feel part of something bigger. 

This is the kind of energy that strengthens a business through shifting seasons and markets—turning casual visitors into devoted advocates.

✔ Focus on connection. Belonging builds loyalty and lasting profitability.

Tip #5: Streamline Your Tech to Free Time & Boost Profitability ~Rachel Lea

Many studio owners unintentionally lose time—and money—through inefficient processes and disconnected systems. Rachel Lea, CEO and co-founder of Arketa, recommends simplifying your tech stack as a key move toward profitability.

“The math is simple: Every hour spent reconciling different systems or manually handling tasks that could be automated is an hour not spent on growing your business.”

Scheduling software, payment processors, email tools, and marketing platforms often live in separate places—creating operational friction and lost hours to unnecessary administration each week. Rachel and her team have seen firsthand the power of a streamlined, well-integrated platform. 

“We’ve found that studio owners save an average of 10 hours per week after consolidating their tech stack—that’s more than a full day that you can redirect toward instructor development, client relationships, or strategic planning.”

Those reclaimed hours can then be reinvested into what really matters: serving your clients and focusing on the initiatives that will impact your bottom line.

A smoother backend benefits your clients, too—and they notice. From seamless booking to clear, consistent communication, the experience you create digitally becomes part of your brand and builds lasting trust.

“In 2025, the most profitable studios will be those where technology enhances the human experience rather than complicating it.”

It’s not just about working smarter—it’s about implementing systems that support both your purpose and your people. 

✔ Let tech work for you—so you can stay centered in connection, service and impact: the heart of your business.

Rachel Lea – CEO of Arketa
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Tip #6: Use Daily Classes to Build Toward High-Margin Offerings ~Kelly Thielbahr

Daily classes and memberships keep your community engaged—but long-term profitability often comes from building and facilitating deeper offerings. That’s what Kelly Thielbahr, co-creator of WE Yoga in Sandpoint, Idaho, has discovered after years of guiding students through classes, workshops, retreats, and teacher trainings.

“A lot of the people who come into the studio and take classes regularly become your members. They become your community.”

Kelly encourages studio owners to view their weekly classes as a powerful foundation—not the final destination. These consistent touchpoints build trust and confidence, naturally guiding students toward higher-value programs like retreats, workshops, or teacher trainings.

While creating a teacher training requires upfront work—curriculum, manuals, credentialing—the payoff is significant:

“The cost of what you can charge people to get certified…is a lot more profitable than the day-to-day drop-in classes and memberships.”

Over the past five years, Kelly and her team have graduated four teacher training cohorts, with the next planned for Fall 2025. A common misconception she hears is: “Why keep certifying more yoga teachers when there’s already a plethora of them?” However, many students initially join these trainings to deepen their own personal practice and immerse themselves in the full scope of yoga—not necessarily teach. Although, through the process, a genuine passion often emerges—leading some students who had no intention of teaching to naturally become teachers. 

“When you love something, you can’t help but want to share it.”

And that sharing doesn’t always look like a traditional studio class. 

“Yoga can be shared in so many ways—including schools, jails and prisons, community centers, hospitals, retirement homes, and preschools.” 

Teacher trainings don’t just expand your income—they expand the reach of your mission.

❀ Bonus Tip ❀: Beyond programs and trainings, Kelly suggests exploring another high-margin opportunity: retail. Expanding into apparel or equipment sales—and wholesaling your product line—can create a steady revenue stream that complements your service-based offerings.

✔ Daily classes build trust. High-margin offerings build sustainability & grow profitability.

Kelly Thielbahr – Co-Creator of WE Yoga,Yoga Instructor & Certified Health Coach
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Tip #7: Diversify Revenue by Sharing Your Space & Thinking Beyond the Mat ~Lauren Chaitoff

In today’s economy, sustainable wellness businesses need to be both creative and collaborative. Lauren Chaitoff, co-founder of Yogi Beans—a New York–based kids yoga & wellness company—has learned that profitability isn’t always about doing more. Often, it’s about working smarter: using what you already have more intentionally. 

“There’s so much unused potential in the times your studio isn’t running classes.”

In Manhattan, Lauren rented her studio during downtime to aligned professionals—like childbirth educators and childcare programs—which generated steady income and brought new people through her door, organically.

She also acknowledges today’s evolving landscape: neighborhood studios now compete with corporate big-box yoga chains and digital yoga platforms. And while physical space comes with overhead, it remains sacred in yoga—cultivating the principle of Sangha, the Sanskrit word for assembly or community. 

“There are more corporate, big yoga studios now… So you have to find the people who are looking for more of that neighborhood feel. It’s so special when you find it.”

Think beyond the map & explore how your space and staff can be leveraged:

• Host teacher trainings, workshops, or school-based classes
• Rent to aligned businesses or practitioners in off-hours
• Offer on-site pop-ups for local businesses, corporations or community groups

These initiatives empower your team, bring new energy in, and deepen community impact—without adding strain to your schedule or resources.

“A lot of places want yoga outside of a studio, and that can benefit the studio too.”

Profitability doesn’t have to mean complexity—often, it comes from making smarter use of your existing resources. By maximizing your space and team—through rentals, outreach partnerships or empowering instructors to teach offsite—you can expand both revenue and impact while staying rooted in alignment. 

✔ Think beyond the class schedule. Your space & team hold more potential than you realize.

Lauren Chaitoff – Co-Founder & Chief Visionary of Yogi Beans, Yoga Instructor & Author of 108 Awesome Yoga Poses for Kids
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Tip #8: Build a Business Model Aligned With Your Energy & Who You Serve ~Sarah Rusnak

For Sarah Rusnak, profitability isn’t one-size-fits-all—it grows from a sustainable business model rooted in your energy, capacity, and awareness of your community’s needs. As a longtime yoga and wellness facilitator and creator of Wellness Rituals for Women—a virtual membership and online studio—Sarah has taught in small towns, big cities, and online spaces. She encourages studio owners to look beyond trends and ask: what’s truly sustainable?

“If you want to make a living as a yoga studio owner, explore what business models are actually out there—and look at things from a business perspective.”

In rural or small-town areas, “just come do yoga with us” often isn’t enough. Sarah advises: understand your local market and offer something specific that meets a real need. Many people are curious about yoga but feel intimidated—make it easy and approachable.

While living in Sandpoint, Idaho, Sarah initially envisioned teaching peers—but the students most drawn to her work were older women seeking a compassionate & caring approach to accessible movement. Though she resisted at first, these were the women who were truly ready to work on their bodies.

“Pay attention to who you’re naturally attracting…that really opens the door.”

In response, she created offerings like Yoga for Everyday Women, designed for balance, mobility, and graceful aging—and her people showed up.

“It can be hard to choose a niche, but you can see it working out in the world all the time.”

Sarah also urges more transparency in the yoga industry, especially around sustainability. She recommends studio owners get clear on the fundamentals: 

• How much revenue do I need? 
• What business model and offerings will get me there? 
• And can my energy, schedule and team realistically support this?

Without that clarity, burnout is almost inevitable.

In a shifting industry, alignment is essential. What works in a big city might not work in a rural town. Build something that supports the life you want—and attracts the people you’re meant to serve.

✔ Profitability grows where energy, audience, and business model align.

Sarah Rusnak – Forrest & Mindful Movement Yoga Teacher, Habit & Yoga Health Coach & Creator of Wellness Rituals for Women
Website | Mighty Networks | Instagram | Facebook

Tip #9: Be Present, Root in Intention—Create Community Through Meaningful & Nourishing Experiences ~Veronica Pereira

Veronica Pereira believes truly sustainable businesses aren’t built on urgency—but on intention and presence. A former corporate professional turned integrative nutrition coach, Reiki Master, sound therapist, and founder of Rising with V, she answered an inner call to hold transformational spaces for healing, connection, and community.

“When you create from a place of deep presence, you’re not just selling a class—you’re offering an experience that changes people.”

Her path began with yoga and pranayama as a teen, planting seeds for a lifelong healing journey. One day in meditation, ‘sound healing’ just came through—it felt deeply aligned, and with her eyes closed, she left her corporate job and jumped in. She began offering sound baths from her garage, staying committed through quiet beginnings and uncertainty.

“…Even when nobody showed up…I still showed up for myself. I took pictures. I created content…The time wasn’t wasted.”

That consistency and positive mindset laid the foundation for something deeper—and eventually, a thriving studio. Now, as her family prepares to relocate, she’s returned to her garage, transitioning her business and practice more online while continuing to serve her local community.

“People are no longer spending their money just anywhere, they’re really being careful where they invest their time…They don’t want just any sound bath or yoga class anymore.”

Veronica sees a new era emerging—a reclamation of collective energy and empowerment, an invitation to hold space differently. She seeks to cultivate simple yet profound community experiences where people feel safe, seen, and connected. Her approach? Designing offerings intentionally & intuitively—attuned to seasonal energies, planetary rhythms, and her community’s evolving needs. 

Rather than packing rooms with impersonal events, she advocates for smaller, more mindful gatherings that prioritize relationships and belonging. Presence and intention—she believes—aren’t just tactics. They’re energetic currencies. When you give back intentionally, that energy boomerangs back to you, strengthening both your community and your business.

✔ Lead with presence. Create with care. When your work is rooted in real intention, people return—not just for what you offer, but for how you make them feel.

Veronica Pereira – Founder of Rising V, Certified Sound Therapist, Reiki Master, Integrative Nutrition Health Coach and Yoga & Zumba Instructor
Website | Instagram | Facebook

Tip #10: Start with Joy—Build a Business That Supports Your Life ~Shelby Herber

True profitability isn’t just about revenue goals—it’s about creating a business that supports the life you actually want to live. That’s the heart of Profit for Joy®, a framework that invites you to begin with what matters most.

Instead of chasing industry benchmarks, ask:

• What brings me joy?
• What kind of life do I truly want to live? And how do I want to feel?
• How can my business support that life—while honoring my purpose and values?

This clarity helps you reverse-engineer a financial plan that reflects both your needs and desires—creating intentional, sustainable growth. When you lead from joy, your business becomes a source of energy, not exhaustion.

“Your business is meant to support your life—not the other way around.”

Start there—and let everything else align.

✔ Let joy lead. Align your money with what truly matters.

Shelby Herber – Profit for Keeps® Certified Coach (pending graduation), Holistic Wellness Practitioner & Founder of Shelby Renae Wellness
Email | Website | Instagram

Final Thoughts: Profitability Begins with Clarity, and Flourishes with Joy, Intention & Alignment

If there’s one message these women drive home, it’s this:
Profitability isn’t random—it’s rooted in clarity. 

Clarity of purpose, clarity of process, and clarity of personal joy.

The most impactful yoga, movement & wellness studios aren’t just well-run—they’re soul-aligned. The eight women featured here are living proof, building businesses that:

• Reflect mastery and exceptional service anchored in a clear “why”
• Create spaces of belonging that foster deep community and retention
• Align their business models with their energy, values, and life seasons
• Offer deeper transformation through retreats, trainings, mentorship, and memberships
• Expand income and impact through creative collaborations and diversified offers

Clarity is powerful—and it often comes through action.
When you begin with clarity around your joy and intentionally take aligned steps that reflect what matters most, your finances shift from a source of stress to a catalyst for joy, freedom & expansion. In turn, your business becomes a living extension of your values, your rhythm, and your vision.

To each of these eight women who shared their wisdom: thank you. Together, your insights illuminate the path to building wellness businesses that are profitable, purpose-filled, and deeply aligned!

Meet Your Profit for Keeps® Certified Coach (pending graduation): Shelby Herber

Hi, I’m Shelby! I’m a Profit for Keeps® Certified Coach (pending graduation) who helps heart-led studio owners and wellness entrepreneurs align their money with what matters most—so their businesses can thrive and truly support the lives they desire.

Profit for Keeps® is an empowering financial framework that blends purpose with profit. It gives you the clarity, tools, and structure to:

• Define what brings you joy through your Profit for Joy®
• Reverse-engineer a revenue goal that supports both your life and business
• Expand on Profit First principles to intentionally allocate money with purpose 
• Manage your cash flow confidently as the leader of your life & business
• Build a business model aligned with your values, energy, and long-term vision

This work transforms your relationship with money—from stress, anxiety & overwhelm to clarity, confidence, & peace—so you can grow a prosperous business that truly supports your life.

If you’re curious how Profit for Keeps® can support your studio or wellness business, I’d love to connect!

 👉Book a Free Discovery Call Here

Shelby is the founder of Shelby Renae Wellness and holds certifications as a CHEK® Holistic Lifestyle & Exercise Coach (Level 2), Elementum® Trauma-Informed Master Life Coach, Shamanic Practitioner, and Mindful Movement Teacher.

Time to Implement!

Knowledge isn’t power—applied knowledge is! Now that you’ve explored these insights, it’s time to take inspired action (:

✨Reflect & Act:
Which tip resonated most deeply with you?
What’s one meaningful next step you can take to align your life, studio, or business with this insight?

💬Engage:
I’d love to hear your takeaways, reflections, or questions. Feel free to comment below or reach out via email—I’m truly here for the conversation!

📣Share the Wisdom:
Know a yoga, movement, or wellness studio owner who could benefit from this article? Send it their way and help spread the profitability wisdom.

May your 2025 be profitable and purposeful—rooted in clarity, and flourishing with joy, intention & alignment!