When the Teacher is Ready, the Niche will Appear

I began teaching yoga classes part-time in January of 2009 and then full-time in June after obtaining health insurance as a "domestic partner." Now in October, I'm finally feeling myself drop down from my head into my heart, providing classes that honestly share my truth. When I sit in front of my students at the start of each class, I'm no longer concerned that my words don't sound authentic or that I'm not offering the type of class my students are looking for. It feels wonderful to simply stand strong in my yoga knowing that I can only share my truth, leaving class attendance up to the universe. At the same time, getting over the butterflies in my stomach has allowed me to consider the long-term financial outlook for a career as a yoga instructor and how I might expand my offerings and increase my income.

In her previous comment, yoga teacher Laurel (A.K.A. "Lola") shared how she maintains a stable income by bringing yoga to seniors and children. Finding a niche is an oft-discussed topic amongst instructors as it's purported to bring greater financial prosperity and as I continue to grow as a teacher, I am open to and excited about developing a yoga specialty. Of course, the real challenge comes in deciding which group to target. Some popular niche markets include: corporate yoga; yoga for inflexible guys, kids, seniors and women; strongly spiritual yoga; and pre-/post-natal yoga.

When I consider popular and less-popular niches, I just can't imagine choosing one when they all sound great. I believe that the yoga I share as a teacher has to be in line with my truth and choosing a niche simply for financial gain won't yield the results I seek. Still, I need to start paying the bills and my current class income doesn't afford my modest urban lifestyle. For now, I'm going to continue meditating on my classes, which range from from gentle to strong vinyasa, hoping to find a little clarity about what yoga I'm meant to share.

Hopefully, when the teacher is ready, the niche will appear!

QUESTIONS

• What's your niche?
• How did you decide to focus on that specialty? Did it manifest organically from your teaching?
• Have you found specializing to be financially fruitful?