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One of the major challenges that many studios face is dealing with finances. This doesnt necessarily mean just paying the bills, but knowing exactly how much money you made each month. Not just that you have money in the bank, but knowing what your expenses were and how much profit you made.

Perhaps you do this already, using QuickBooks (or something like it), and every transaction is entered, categorized and reconciled. At the end of the month you generate a profit and loss statement and examine your expenses and revenue to determine where you made money and where you lost money.

If you dont do this, you might wonder, Why should I care, as long as Im making money? Good question.

The goal is to determine where you really make money, and where you dont. Then, do more of whatever you do that makes money, as well as change or eliminate the things that dont make money.

For example, do you know exactly how much you made from classes this month as opposed to last month? Maybe youve done some advertising these numbers will tell you if it was worth it or not.

For example, suppose you find that for the past 6 months, you average of $5,000 from selling memberships per month, after paying instructors. Then, one month you spend $1,000 to do some radio advertising. At the end of this month, you again look at your profit and loss statement and see that you made $7,500. You made an extra $2,500, but the advertising cost $1,000, so in reality, your increase in profit from radio advertising was only $1,500. This tells you that it is worthwhile to use radio ads.

On the other hand, lets say you only made $5,800 on memberships that month. On the surface it appears you made and extra $800, but after taking into account that you spent an extra $1,000 on the radio ad, you really made $200 less than you had previously averaged.

Your conclusion would be that this type of radio advertising was not a good way to make more money. Yes, you did get more students from the radio ad, but not enough to offset the cost of the ad.

Think of it like a runner timing herself each time she practices the 100-yard dash. The stopwatch will tell her exactly how she did today compared to yesterday or last week. Maybe shes trying to decide if eating before running makes her faster, slower or has no effect. Without the stopwatch, she could feel like she was faster or slower, but not really know for sure.

The same is true for business. When we dont accurately measure profits and expenses, we end up like the runner who says Boy, I felt fast today! Sure, you probably have a good intuitive sense of how the studio is doing. And knowing the exact numbers will allow you to take your studio to a new level.

Doing this kind of analysis of profits can help you earn more and stress less. So often a studio will try the Advertising strategy of the month, randomly trying things to bring in more business, but never really knowing if they earned more money from it.

As you get more experienced with doing this (its actually not hard once you get used to it), youll be able to focus on those things that make money, and change or eliminate those that dont. And remember, as the one who is in charge of running the studio, no one cares more about the bottom line than you do.

I work with many people on this very idea: How to figure out where you are making money and losing money so that you can make your studio more profitable. If you have a questions you would like me to address about this, please email me at coach@CenteredBusiness.com, and I will try to address it in a future newsletter.

Coach Al Lipper
Business Coach for Yoga Studios
Destiny: Success
Website: http://www.CenteredBusiness.com
Email: coach@centeredbusiness.com
Telephone: (805) 544-3938

Coach Al Lipper of 'Destiny: Success' helps Yoga studio business owners smoothly run and grow their yoga studio. He helps stressed and overwhelmed yoga studio business owners who spend most their time wrapped up in daily business tasks, who can't handle any more clients, or who can't make any more money out of the business. Coach Al helps clients find new yoga business strategies which result in generating more clients, increased profits, and more free time for the yoga studio owner. The amount invested was small compared to the results. Contact him today to discuss your yoga studio challenges at (805) 544-3938 or visit http://www.CenteredBusiness.com

Yoga clothes should be comfortable and functional. They should allow you to move freely and not distract you from your practice. They should feel good against your skin so they dont cause any irritation.

Ideally, the clothing should be absorbent so that it wicks sweat away from your body. There are few things that feel as uncomfortable as a sticky, clammy body that is moist from perspiration.

I also think they should be attractive and fun to wear. When I do yoga alone in my home, I am willing to wear an old tee shirt and sweats or baggy shorts. When I practice in a class, I am more discriminating in what I choose to wear.

I admit it. I work very hard to keep my body in shape, and when I am with others, I want to show off the efforts of my hard work. I usually choose form fitting pants and a fitted tee shirt. This allows me to see the outline of my body in the mirror so I can maintain good form, and it lets me move without having to fuss with my clothes. They are also flattering to my body, so when I wear them I feel good.

Here are some of the things that you should look for in yoga clothing so that they work well for you and make you feel good about yourself and your practice.

Yoga Pants
There are many types of yoga pants. Some are long and go down to your ankles; others stop just below your knees. Often they are relatively form fitting. These types of pants have the benefit of allowing your instructor to see your alignment so she can make any necessary adjustments to your form.

If you arent comfortable in pants that are so revealing, you might enjoy wearing loose, cotton trousers. They offer freedom of movement without being too tight.

Whatever pants you choose, make sure that you can bend and move freely in them. Also be sure that there are no bulky ties at the waist that might be uncomfortable when you are lying in a prone position.

Yoga Shorts
Yoga shorts are a very good choice if you practice Bikram or hot yoga, because the room is heated to such a high temperature. They are a good bet in the warm summer months when long pants might be too warm. They also help you more easily check the proper alignment of your lower body because you can see your knees and ankles.

The yoga shorts should be long enough to cover your derriere and they should not ride up. Form fitting shorts usually dont move too much, so they may be just right for you.

Yoga Tops
Yoga tops should allow you to move freely without having them fall in your face. Tee shirts should be short enough so that your lower body is not hidden, so you can more easily check your alignment. Some women like to wear sports bras (especially those who practice Bikram yoga). If you choose to wear one, make sure that it holds you securely and that nothing falls out when you are bending or stretching. You dont want to wear something that is going to cause you to worry about what you might be showing to the rest of the class.

Yoga tops come in many bright and attractive colors. You might also have fun wearing shirts with characters such as Yoga girl on them.

Yoga Shoes
Most people do not wear shoes during their practice. However, they might be useful if you practice outside in a park, on a beach, or some place where you would not want to take off your shoes and socks. Yoga shoes look very similar to other athletic footwear, except that the soles allow for considerable flexibility in your foot and the tops of the shoes are very lightweight. Some popular brands include Puma yoga shoes and Adidas shoes for yoga.

Jacket
Many people might not think that a jacket is an important part of yoga clothing, but I beg to disagree. I think it is absolutely critical to take a jacket with you to your yoga class. I have been in many classes where the temperature has been quite cool (some are downright freezing). While the temperature often doesnt matter too much while I am moving during the poses, it becomes quite a different story when the time comes to meditate.

I dont know about you, but I find it difficult if not impossible, to relax when I am cold. Bringing a jacket with you gives you an option of covering up during the relaxation period if you are feeling chilly. Feeling warm and comfortable allows you the pleasure of letting your body relax fully.

So yoga clothes should be functional, comfortable, and give you the freedom to totally enjoy your practice. have fun with them and enjoy wearing the ones that make you feel good!

Della Menechella is a yoga and fitness enthusiast who has been involved in fitness for over thirty years. Her website http://www.beauty-fitness-yoga-source.com/ is filled with practical information about how you can make yoga and fitness a positive part of your life. Visit the site and get your free meditation e-book.