Not very yogic... when it comes to money

I just discovered that Google allows patrons to post reviews of businesses and services. I “googled” the yoga studio I teach at and found a handful of reviews. Mostly positive. Some complaints of it being too hot or too incense smelling, ironically.

Then there were a few who used the phrase “not very yogic” to describe the managements business ethics regarding payments or as one said “when it comes to money.”

We have strict but clearly presented policies about not refunding for package purchases, adhering to expiration dates on packages, and insisting that every student pay before taking class. This, apparently, is “not very yogic.”

Do these same students go into their health club and ask for their money back on that year long contract they bought in January when, come April, they’ve only gone four times? Maybe. But does the health club comply? Highly improbable.

Do we ask for our money back if our doctor fails to heal that nagging ache in our lower back? Never.

So why do these individuals expect yoga studios to be “above” these standards?

Before we had a front desk staff, I was responsible for checking in students and handling payments. Admittedly, I would allow students who forgot their wallet to return and pay later. They rarely did. I allowed latecomers to enter class, and pay after class. They rarely did. Not very yogic of them.

I calculated that, on average, I was losing about $3 per class on these students. Big deal. A latte. But it adds. In fact, it adds up to over $1,000 per year. That is a non-deductible donation I was making every year to the greater yoga community. Over the five years I was lax on these rules, I lost $5,000. My IRA could certainly use that boost!

Now we have a front desk staff. More than ever I love teaching at this studio because I am completely removed from the business of charging for yoga. This studio allows me to simply arrive and teach.

Students have a separate set of business standards for a yoga studio, than for their health club. And in some domains, they should. But not when it comes to paying your bills. I teach solely for this studio mostly because of the “not very yogic” management. A number of previous employers were regularly late with wages, and often paid me the wrong amount. My mortgage company doesn’t understand that working for a yoga studio may mean being “yogic” about waiting for pay day.