We feel extremely fortunate to know Anne and Brandon, aka The Yoga Nomads. We have been friends thru the Yoga Trade community for several years now. This inspiring couple left their successful jobs in Corporate America to follow their passions for yoga and travel. Following their hearts has allowed them to live their truth and create an incredible yoga business resource that helps yoga teachers build fulfilling careers. It has been amazing to learn, grow, and explore while on parallel tracks. The number one question many of us on this ‘yoga traveler’ path receive is, “How do you do it?” It often takes a lot more than just showing up to teach a yoga class to make this kind of lifestyle work. We recently caught up with Anne and Brandon to share some of their wisdom, real life experiences, and insights on how to create sustainable success as a roaming yoga teacher or wellness professional.
Tell us a bit about how you are able to sustain your flow of yoga and travel…
Very carefully…!
Mentally & Physically:
Healthy daily routines: This is the foundation of everything we do. Without these practices, it can throw our lives off balance, especially while traveling. These include:
Daily meditation, eating nourishing food, staying hydrated, practicing yoga, being physically active, reading, podcasting and in general: learning! (Travel helps us learn so much about the world and ourselves, which influences everything we do!).
Financially:
Teaching yoga & The Yoga Nomads biz
In 2013 we made a decision to leave the corporate world for a more fulfilling work/life balance, seeking out meaningful work while getting to explore the world. We worked hard for a combined 10 years in corporate america so had a cushion to work with as we started The Yoga Nomads. Originally a blog showing yoga teachers how to travel + teach, we started making a name for ourselves in the market as this idea was just starting to become popular (traveling and teaching). Since then, our focus has shifted a bit to help yoga teachers create websites and build sustainable businesses. We earn the majority of our income on The Yoga Nomads through 1:1 yoga business coaching and we have an online course about how to build a website.
What is the number one piece of advice you like to pass along to aspiring traveling yoga teachers?
Build a website! This will help you stand out in a saturated market, get better teaching gigs abroad, and help you network while you build a business that sustains you as you travel.
How do you build community as a nomad?
We are both extroverted people so building community wherever we go comes naturally. One way we do this in the yoga space is by seeking out all the studios in the area we are traveling to and getting to know the owners, teachers and staff. We attend their classes, share with them our mission at The Yoga Nomads and ensure we leave connected online by exchanging emails, websites, social media, etc.
But because we live in a digital world, building community online is also important. We build community online by staying active on social media (actually genuinely engaging in FB groups, etc.), sending out a weekly newsletter to our email subscribers, and initiating and participating in challenges on social media.
Why are the qualities of; open to learn new skills, diversification, and commitment to mindful business responsibilities important for yoga teachers?
Because these are all qualities of successful entrepreneurs! And if you want to make it as a financially independent yoga teacher, it’s imperative you start thinking like an entrepreneur. Yoga teachers are entrepreneurs too!
Becoming ‘location independent’ is so hot right now. Can you share some knowledge on how someone interested in this kind of lifestyle can get started working toward this?
It is absolutely #trending right now! This makes things easier for those looking to make a change as there are plentiful resources on how to do it.
Before considering plunging into a location independent lifestyle, we recommend considering what your strengths are and what you are really good at doing/producing. Then begin to consider if these things are something you can take with you on the road or online.
Also, be sure to test the idea out at home first. Make sure you’re able to acquire clients and earn and income before you leave. Although traveling and working sounds amazing, it is actually quite difficult to balance travel and working full-time online. This is also why we highly recommend traveling SLOW. Slow travel fosters quicker growth for your business, as you’re not constantly moving around and changing work environments.
What trends and changes do you foresee within the yoga and wellness industry within the next 5-10 years?
As more people are getting curious and serious about their health, the industry for yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs is going to grow exponentially.
To continue to remain successful in your niche, yoga teachers and wellness entrepreneurs will need to take control over their own brand. This means building a website and creating a strong online presence. Having a website as your backbone will allow you to take full ownership over your current or future products and services and will act as your 24/7 marketing machine.
Furthermore, the crossover appeal is going to rise as well. With creating a healthy lifestyle becoming more popular (yay), yoga teachers with additional trades (nutritionist, chiropractor, bodyworker, etc.), will be servicing the same people with multiple offerings. The question is how can you be a part of that change as the world gets healthier?
What locations are on your current yoga travel bucket list?
Colombia, Switzerland, Australia…and more islands…!
Anything else you would like to share…..
If you don’t already have a yoga website and are curious about what it takes to create one, we put together a beginner’s guide for you, for free!
Anne and Brandon are a nomadic yogi couple from Minnesota. After a successful stint in Corporate America, they teach yoga instructors how to create their own website & build a fulfilling yoga career. Co-Founders of The Yoga Nomads and CreateBeautifulYogaWebsites.com
Download our FREE Beginners Guide: How to Create a Yoga Website you LOVE (7 steps).
