Get your business to serve you
You started teaching Pilates because you wanted people to feel the same amazing benefits you felt when you started taking Pilates. You may have even opened a studio, purchased lots of equipment, hired teachers and a team. And all of sudden you find yourself spending so much time in your business you are not getting Pilates in. And, you're wondering who the boss of your business really is?
If you're feeling like you work for your team, your clients, or your business... you are not alone!
Most teacher training programs do not have the time or ability to also teach you how to run a business. So, you do the best you can. You say yes to every client you can. You also start wearing a marketing hat, bookkeeping hat, scheduling hat, housekeeping hat…
You are wearing so many hats in your business that you need another hat stand. Or head to wear them!
Of course, this busyness doesn't happen all at once. It starts off with joy and excitement for your new business. And you don't mind ‘just this once’ moving a client to your day off.
But then you go from having a day off to maybe not having any days off. There is so much to do daily to run your business you find yourself doing less Pilates for yourself. And this little resentment feeling begins.
You also have big ideas for things you could be doing next. But you don't have any time to work on them. And so the goal of adding a new workshop, retreat etc gets pushed to ‘tomorrow’. Until you realise that its been 6 month of ‘tomorrows’.
You're not alone!
Please read that again. You're not alone.
You didn't get into teaching to run yourself ragged. It happened slowly over time, little by little of your boundaries being pushed this way and that. Until you get to where you are now (or close to it) burnt out and wondering if you'll ever have a business that is profitable and gives you time away.
Well, the good news there is a way to ensure your business works for you instead of the other way around.
It takes a little time to get set up. And a bit of strength to uphold your boundaries once you get set up. But, once you start using this model you will see how much time you can get back into your business, make the money you want to make and have time to enjoy the fruits of your labour.
You absolutely need to know your numbers. This is key! If you want to confidently say ‘no’ to a client trying to move a session, you need to know if you have taught enough that week/month to make the money you want. Please do not wait until the end of the year to see how much money you made. Instead use my free Magic Calculator to get your Magic number. This will help you with the next step
Grab a blank 7-day calendar. We are going to draw out your dream schedule. The first things that go into your calendar are your rocks. Your priorities.
The second set of time blocks are the things that propel your business forward. I call these your gemstones.
The third thing is your glitter. The stuff you can do anytime and pretty much anywhere.
Examples of rocks: what time you go to bed and wake up? Prioritising your own Pilates practice or time with your partner.
Teaching hours are rocks but they are a lower priority. And, you only need to put in the number of hours you said you would teach on average in a week from the Magic Calculator.
Examples of gemstones: marketing, reaching out to potential collaborations, writing a blog or newsletter.
Examples of glitter: email, text, and scrolling on social.
Once you have put your rocks in, then blocks for gemstones, you'll see that there is plenty of time for glitter. More than enough time.
Add this dream calendar to your google/apple calendar and see what you need to move in order to have these time blocks. I like to put my gemstone blocks in so that I don't accidentally book something that would keep me from working on a new project.
When someone asks to move a session to a gemstone time I often say "I'm sorry that time is not available. But I have this time or this time for you."
You are the only person who can do what you do the way that you do it. If you burn out your clients and future clients lose out on you!
If an idea you have doesn't get to come to fruition again more people don't get helped by you.
This step-by-step strategy for how to design your schedule works if you work it. I use it whenever I am feeling like my business is trying to control me. And, every quarter I review it. Sometimes we think we like to teach 4-6 pm but really we prefer 3-5pm. Its your business. Its your schedule.
Finally, I know this sounds scary, you might have some big changes to make. But please remember, the world needs you. You are the only person who can do what you do the way that you do it.
If you want to dive in deeper to how to use Rocks, Gems and Glitter to ensure your business is serving you take my free webinar where I dive in even deeper on rocks, gemstones and glitter and how to uphold it in your schedule here.
Lesley Logan, a 2nd generation certified Pilates teacher, breathwork, habits and mindset coach, is the founder of OnlinePilatesClasses.com, the first free online catalogue of Pilates exercise tutorials, where you can also find weekly Pilates classes and workshops. Teaching Pilates since 2008, she has run multiple studios, has trained hundreds of people to become teachers themselves and has taught thousands of students around the world. When not teaching from her studio in Las Vegas, Lesley she’s hosting her podcast Be It Till You See it or traveling the world leading Pilates retreats.