You're listening to the yoga teacher resource podcast; knowledge, techniques, and inspiration for your teaching and your practice. I'm your host Mado Hesselink. If you're a yoga teacher who loves learning, is passionate about spreading the benefits of yoga, and desires more resources to support your teaching, you're in the right place. Let's get started with today's episode. Hey, Mado this is Iya. I'm currently part of your flight school cohort.
And my question for you is how many hours do you typically work in a day? And so I also know that you have hired an assistant and comparing to when you didn't have one before, how much time do you devote now to your yoga business and how much of it have you delegated? And also what are the things you've delegated your assistant? I know that's a lot of questions, but I hope you pick my question. Thank you. Hi, IA. And thanks for your question. So right now I pretty much work full time.
.224063015 I basically work 40 hours a week, but that has been really up and down, especially since the pandemic, before the pandemic. 13 00:01:14,229.224063015 --> 00:01:18,424.224063015 I was working 40 hours a week and I did not have much help. 14 00:01:18,424.224063015 --> 00:01:19,624.224063015 I had a little bit of help. 15 00:01:19,624.224063015 --> 00:01:25,844.224063015 Specifically with the podcast and uploading and creating graphics and stuff for the podcast. 16 00:01:26,672.738413479 --> 00:01:38,331.649010491 But once the pandemic hit, I was suddenly down to like 15 or 20 hours a week that I could work because I have a young child and I also have a teenager. 17 00:01:39,386.649010491 --> 00:01:43,136.64901049 and they both required a lot of attention and were home all the time. 18 00:01:43,796.64901049 --> 00:01:55,375.8814719 So once I was able to get some childcare, a little bit into the pandemic, and then also when school started back up, I was able to work about 30 hours a week. 19 00:01:55,825.8814719 --> 00:02:00,185.8814719 And now that my daughter has aftercare, I'm probably back up to about. 20 00:02:01,150.8814719 --> 00:02:05,590.8814719 However, it definitely was not always this way, because I started my business. 21 00:02:05,980.8814719 --> 00:02:12,230.33222998 When my daughter, my youngest daughter was really young and I basically just worked during her nap times. 22 00:02:12,530.33222998 --> 00:02:16,40.33222998 Now she did take long naps about three hours a day. 23 00:02:16,430.33222998 --> 00:02:22,280.33222998 So I had about, 10 to 15 hours a week to work just depending on what else I had going on. 24 00:02:22,580.33222998 --> 00:02:23,750.33222998 So that was the beginning. 25 00:02:23,910.64125816 --> 00:02:28,680.64125816 And I imagine that part of why you're asking this question is I know that you work full-time. 26 00:02:28,860.64125816 --> 00:02:40,810.64125816 And so you're probably wondering, like, how can you build a business while working full-time now, I don't know if you also have children, but having children is very similar to having a full-time job. 27 00:02:41,545.64125816 --> 00:02:50,338.97459149 Even if you have a decent amount of childcare, the responsibility of being a mother always comes first before anything else. 28 00:02:50,465.64125816 --> 00:02:53,135.64125816 So that was a significant challenge for me. 29 00:02:53,164.93454794 --> 00:02:56,765.64193153 And I just had to work as much as I could. 30 00:02:57,525.64193153 --> 00:03:09,885.64193153 And get as much as I could get done in the little spots of time that I had now, it's not the ideal, but you know, we don't always have ideal circumstances. 31 00:03:10,455.64193153 --> 00:03:16,545.64193153 In the beginning of starting a business, we are often working under less than ideal circumstances. 32 00:03:17,145.64193153 --> 00:03:20,205.64193153 For example, I strongly encourage. 33 00:03:20,520.64193153 --> 00:03:32,160.64193153 All yoga teachers who want to work independently to take at least one full day where they're not teaching and that they can really focus on their business, but it's not possible for. 34 00:03:32,880.64193153 --> 00:03:40,170.64193153 And if you have a full-time job, you might be working before you go to work, you might get up really early to work on your business. 35 00:03:40,440.64193153 --> 00:03:41,850.64193153 You might work over lunch. 36 00:03:42,0.64193153 --> 00:03:47,7.3085982 You might work after work late at night, kind of depending on how your brain works. 37 00:03:47,12.3085982 --> 00:03:57,658.71504178 Best I, at this stage of my life, I would much rather get up early and do work before other responsibilities because my brain kind of shuts off after a certain time. 38 00:03:58,438.71504178 --> 00:03:59,608.71504178 But that wasn't always the case. 39 00:03:59,608.71504178 --> 00:04:06,238.71504178 And I know that when I was younger, I probably would have chosen to stay up late and work instead of get up early. 40 00:04:06,898.71504178 --> 00:04:16,708.71504178 So while I do work pretty much full time at this stage, that's not totally accurate because I get to take a lot more time off than most Americans do. 41 00:04:16,738.71504178 --> 00:04:17,368.71504178 Anyway. 42 00:04:17,818.71504178 --> 00:04:22,258.71504178 the time off that I took last year was more on par with what Europeans do. 43 00:04:22,258.71504178 --> 00:04:27,765.16544176 I think I took about six weeks off total having that kind of time off is a really important value for me. 44 00:04:28,215.16544176 --> 00:04:28,725.16544176 It's part. 45 00:04:29,25.16544176 --> 00:04:36,375.16544176 Why I'm, self-employed, it's part of the benefits of having more control over how I spend my time. 46 00:04:37,365.16544176 --> 00:04:43,627.00022859 And I put a lot of investment into this business in order to get to this place. 47 00:04:43,717.00022859 --> 00:04:53,467.00022859 So I think it's really important when you're just starting out, not to compare where you are now to people who've been working at it a lot longer. 48 00:04:53,827.00022859 --> 00:04:55,177.00022859 I think it's great to. 49 00:04:55,837.00022859 --> 00:05:04,837.00022859 Find out and know what's possible for the future so that you can have goals and things to work towards. 50 00:05:05,777.00022859 --> 00:05:21,157.00022859 But I think a big mistake that is really hard to avoid is looking at people who are further along than you and comparing your current situation to what they have built over a long period of time. 51 00:05:21,892.00022859 --> 00:05:25,822.00022859 Even though I've only had the podcast for about four years. 52 00:05:26,302.00022859 --> 00:05:38,985.46626715 I am absolutely sure that if I hadn't already had about 14 years of teaching experience, when I first started it, that I wouldn't have been able to grow as quickly as I did. 53 00:05:39,435.46626715 --> 00:05:47,839.05287355 And four years might not sound super fast because when you're first getting started, That would sound like a really long time. 54 00:05:48,56.54123478 --> 00:05:54,64.18717023 However, I feel really proud and happy for what I've created over the past four years. 55 00:05:54,357.49563457 --> 00:05:58,155.84587965 but I don't even consider it as having been created over four years. 56 00:05:58,155.84587965 --> 00:06:00,165.84587965 It's really been created over 18 years. 57 00:06:00,165.84587965 --> 00:06:06,562.35572089 And, when I look at it that way, it doesn't feel quite as impressive, but it's my path, my journey. 58 00:06:06,832.35572089 --> 00:06:14,722.35572089 I absolutely believe that many of you can create a sustainable business much more quickly than I did. 59 00:06:14,722.35572089 --> 00:06:19,222.35572089 And you have much more information available to you than I had in the. 60 00:06:20,377.35572089 --> 00:06:22,987.35572089 The second part of your question was about delegating. 61 00:06:22,987.35572089 --> 00:06:33,497.35572089 You mentioned that I do have help and support in my business, and I'm so grateful to have that that really became a necessity during the pandemic. 62 00:06:33,967.35572089 --> 00:06:38,887.35572089 When all of a sudden I had much less childcare than I was used to. 63 00:06:39,7.35572089 --> 00:06:45,127.35572089 I had a little bit of help, a few hours a week of help before that, but I was doing most of it myself. 64 00:06:45,127.35572089 --> 00:06:48,397.35572089 I was doing a lot by myself and when my. 65 00:06:49,282.35572089 --> 00:06:55,492.35572089 Ability to work in a focused way was kind of pulled out from under me when the school's closed. 66 00:06:56,572.35572089 --> 00:06:59,602.35572089 It became very stressful for a few months. 67 00:07:00,142.35572089 --> 00:07:08,355.68905423 Actually it took me about six months really, to hire somebody because at first there was this hope, you know, that it was gonna be temporary. 68 00:07:08,865.68905423 --> 00:07:15,405.68905423 And then it just took me way longer to find the right person than I thought it would. 69 00:07:15,750.68905423 --> 00:07:23,10.68905423 So there were about six months that were extremely stressful and I was just barely treading water, trying to keep up. 70 00:07:23,70.68905423 --> 00:07:26,220.68905423 And it wasn't until I did hire that help. 71 00:07:26,220.68905423 --> 00:07:33,644.02238756 And that help got a bit trained to be able to take some things off my plate that I finally realized how much I was doing on my own. 72 00:07:34,214.02238756 --> 00:07:40,604.02238756 So I'm really glad that I got help when I did, but it was also scary. 73 00:07:40,634.02238756 --> 00:07:44,4.02238756 It was also a stretch for me to pay somebody. 74 00:07:45,119.02238756 --> 00:07:52,529.02238756 Because I didn't really have the consistent revenue that I would've liked to have to pay them. 75 00:07:52,889.02238756 --> 00:08:07,709.02238756 What I ended up doing was I actually didn't pay myself for a few months and I saved that money in my business bank account so that I had enough that I felt like I could feel confident that I could pay the person that I hired for at least a few months. 76 00:08:08,99.02238756 --> 00:08:11,39.02238756 And that would give us enough time to see if it was gonna work. 77 00:08:11,419.28434656 --> 00:08:15,829.28434656 Fortunately right around the same time that I hired this person. 78 00:08:16,249.28434656 --> 00:08:21,349.28434656 I also created a new program that helped bridge that gap financially. 79 00:08:21,559.28434656 --> 00:08:27,559.28434656 So it worked out, there are three main things that I have my admin assistant help me with. 80 00:08:28,99.28434656 --> 00:08:30,79.28434656 One is customer service and communication. 81 00:08:31,534.28434656 --> 00:08:33,904.28434656 and this was a really big thing for me. 82 00:08:34,414.28434656 --> 00:08:43,654.28434656 I am not sure if it's just me, but it felt very personal and very stressful to have to respond to every single email. 83 00:08:44,194.28434656 --> 00:08:53,464.28434656 The second category is things like uploading and formatting and all of the little behind the scenes tech things. 84 00:08:54,409.28434656 --> 00:08:58,699.28434656 That are pretty repetitive and need to be done consistently in an online business. 85 00:08:59,179.28434656 --> 00:09:00,769.28434656 So I get a lot of help with that. 86 00:09:00,769.28434656 --> 00:09:05,509.28434656 I still do a good amount of it myself, but I get to share the burden of that. 87 00:09:05,514.28434656 --> 00:09:08,209.28434656 And that feels really helpful as well. 88 00:09:08,839.28434656 --> 00:09:20,59.28434656 And the third thing that my admin assistant helps me with is writing first drafts of any kind of communication that isn't really creative. 89 00:09:20,59.28434656 --> 00:09:20,599.28434656 So something. 90 00:09:21,394.28434656 --> 00:09:29,74.28434656 Needs to be communicated, but doesn't necessarily reflect intellectual content. 91 00:09:29,764.28434656 --> 00:09:33,94.28434656 Sometimes it's based on content I've already created. 92 00:09:33,184.28434656 --> 00:09:35,614.28434656 For example, show notes from the podcast. 93 00:09:36,394.28434656 --> 00:09:43,294.28434656 My assistant will listen to the podcast and take notes and then create the first draft for the show notes. 94 00:09:43,294.28434656 --> 00:09:47,884.28434656 And also for the email that goes out, then I will edit it. 95 00:09:48,244.28434656 --> 00:09:48,844.28434656 And. 96 00:09:49,234.28434656 --> 00:09:54,424.28434656 Make it sound more like me make it feel more like me now, sometimes the edits are significant. 97 00:09:54,484.28434656 --> 00:10:06,874.28434656 Sometimes I think of a story and I completely rewrite the whole thing, but having the structure and the framework in place is really helpful and supportive and sometimes it only needs minor edits. 98 00:10:06,874.28434656 --> 00:10:11,614.28434656 Sometimes I just switch a little bit of phrasing here and there and keep the basic structure. 99 00:10:11,614.28434656 --> 00:10:11,734.28434656 The. 100 00:10:12,469.28434656 --> 00:10:15,709.28434656 So those are the main things that I get help with in my business. 101 00:10:16,39.28434656 --> 00:10:18,409.28434656 And it ends up being a significant amount of help. 102 00:10:18,799.28434656 --> 00:10:32,409.28434656 However, I also know that if I had to, I could do all that work myself in less time, but by having that help, it takes more than just time off my plate. 103 00:10:32,414.28434656 --> 00:10:34,249.28434656 It takes mental load off my plate. 104 00:10:34,639.28434656 --> 00:10:37,89.28434656 That's the biggest shift that I noticed. 105 00:10:37,999.28434656 --> 00:10:51,319.28434656 During the pandemic when I had very little time to work and I was doing everything myself, the mental pressure started to get really intense and it was such a relief to get that support. 106 00:10:52,69.28434656 --> 00:11:01,639.28434656 The other thing that I find to be super, super helpful, and this is something that really evolved as my assistant. 107 00:11:02,164.28434656 --> 00:11:26,404.28434656 Started to learn more about my business and take on more hours and take on more responsibility was just having a thought partner, just having somebody to talk things through with that understood sort of the different dynamics I was dealing with, felt like a huge relief felt like a lot of weight off my shoulders that I wasn't doing it alone, or trying to explain it to somebody who couldn't really understand. 108 00:11:26,824.28434656 --> 00:11:28,954.28434656 So in the beginning, you're not gonna have that. 109 00:11:29,404.28434656 --> 00:11:47,434.28434656 And when you first start handing things off to somebody else, be aware that there's gonna be a transition period where you question whether or not it's worth it, meaning that for most people, when you hand them something that you've been doing, you're good at it. 110 00:11:47,644.28434656 --> 00:11:48,394.28434656 And they're new to. 111 00:11:48,779.28434656 --> 00:11:56,609.28434656 So then describing it and training them feels like more work than just doing it yourself. 112 00:11:56,885.95101322 --> 00:12:19,919.28434656 But in the long run, if you have chosen somebody who is interested and thoughtful and considerate, Basically somebody who cares about their work, then it ends up being so, so worth it in the long run, the investment that you make in training somebody and letting go of a bit of control. 113 00:12:20,189.28434656 --> 00:12:23,699.28434656 It can turn into a really beautiful and mutually supportive relationship. 114 00:12:23,939.28434656 --> 00:12:34,463.05683457 If you are considering hiring somebody, hiring some help on the number one thing I would look for is shared values, communication and consistency. 115 00:12:34,752.70381615 --> 00:12:37,62.70381615 because skills are learnable. 116 00:12:37,301.39106573 --> 00:12:48,461.39106573 But the biggest challenge that I have had with some of the people that I've hired in the past is not being able to rely on them, to do what they said they're gonna do. 117 00:12:49,211.39106573 --> 00:12:51,101.39106573 Now, my current assistant Haley. 118 00:12:51,836.39106573 --> 00:12:55,256.39106573 Something that I love about her is she will say no to me. 119 00:12:56,6.39106573 --> 00:13:05,766.39106573 if she's not sure that she can deliver, and then she, and I will work together to figure out, well, what can she say yes to what can she feel confident that she can do. 120 00:13:06,536.39106573 --> 00:13:19,616.39106573 And she actually showed this side of herself to me the very first time I started to hire her, I hired her for a sample project and I asked her if she could get it done by a certain deadline. 121 00:13:19,616.39106573 --> 00:13:23,546.39106573 And she said that she wasn't sure, but that she could get it done by a later deadline. 122 00:13:23,546.39106573 --> 00:13:24,146.39106573 For sure. 123 00:13:24,317.30046272 --> 00:13:33,197.30046272 And that I think was a really good indication to me, an early indication of her character that she wasn't gonna promise me something that she didn't believe. 124 00:13:33,558.74761459 --> 00:13:35,448.74761459 Very strongly she could deliver. 125 00:13:36,138.74761459 --> 00:13:49,153.74894928 I think a lot of people when they're interviewing for a job or they're first starting a job, they're so eager to please, and to appear like the right fit that they don't take the time to check in about what they feel. 126 00:13:49,158.74894928 --> 00:14:00,679.04106294 They can commit to 100% and in a situation where you're a business owner and you're the solo business owner and everything really rests on your shoulders. 127 00:14:00,863.13834518 --> 00:14:06,440.34956826 The number one thing you need in support and help is the ability to rely on them. 128 00:14:07,130.34956826 --> 00:14:09,980.34956826 So I hope that this has been helpful for you, IA. 129 00:14:10,400.34956826 --> 00:14:20,0.34956826 I hope it's given you a bit of insight into the progression of how my business has developed and grown into where it is. 130 00:14:20,759.39958357 --> 00:14:25,259.39958357 And I hope that that feels exciting and hopeful for you. 131 00:14:25,619.39958357 --> 00:14:31,289.39958357 I hope that you're able to find your own way into figuring out what's sustainable for you. 132 00:14:31,289.39958357 --> 00:14:31,969.39958357 What kind of. 133 00:14:32,414.39958357 --> 00:14:33,734.39958357 Sustainable growth. 134 00:14:33,764.39958357 --> 00:14:46,304.39958357 You can create given your specific circumstances, because as much as it's helpful to hear about what other people do the truth is that none of us have the same circumstances. 135 00:14:46,304.39958357 --> 00:14:47,564.39958357 We don't have the same genetics. 136 00:14:47,569.39958357 --> 00:14:49,754.39958357 We don't have the same environment. 137 00:14:49,784.39958357 --> 00:14:51,204.39958357 We don't have the same resources. 138 00:14:51,879.39958357 --> 00:15:10,569.39958357 So while there's a lot to learn from looking at somebody else's situation, it's important not to then extrapolate too much to our own situation, that we really look at what we've been given, what we have, the circumstances we have and our specific goals and our willingness to show up. 139 00:15:10,809.39958357 --> 00:15:14,19.39958357 There's definitely a period of sacrifice. 140 00:15:14,19.39958357 --> 00:15:17,919.39958357 And there's times where you don't have balance in your. 141 00:15:18,809.39958357 --> 00:15:36,389.39958357 If you are a business owner, even though I support yoga teachers to create sustainable businesses and to create businesses that do allow for balance, most of us are gonna have to go through some period of time, some period of development, where we go out of balance. 142 00:15:37,49.39958357 --> 00:15:47,819.39958357 And it's by doing that, that we learn where our edges are, learn what we're capable of and learn what matters most to us. 143 00:15:48,719.39958357 --> 00:15:52,679.39958357 So thank you for asking the question and thank you for caring enough to teach yoga. 144 00:15:53,249.39958357 --> 00:16:01,169.39958357 If anyone listening has an idea for a question you'd like me to answer on the podcast, you can go to my website, teaching yoga.net. 145 00:16:01,229.39958357 --> 00:16:05,909.39958357 And on the side, there is a button that will say record a question for the podcast. 146 00:16:06,419.39958357 --> 00:16:15,427.73363886 I love hearing your questions and just know that if you have a question, chances are good that a lot of other people have the same question. 147 00:16:15,817.73363886 --> 00:16:20,977.73363886 And sometimes they have the question in the back of their mind, but it hasn't been fully articulated. 148 00:16:21,277.73363886 --> 00:16:32,857.73363886 So it's really an act of service to articulate the questions that you are able to articulate and put 'em out there because sometimes, honestly, the questions are more important than the answers.