The Studio CEO: Business Coaching For Yoga & Pilates Teachers & Studio Owners

Jackie Murphy
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  • Marketing
  • Updated Weekly

Welcome to The Studio CEO, the only podcast that empowers yoga and Pilates teachers and studio owners to step confidently into their roles as CEOs. If you're ready to take your business seriously, show up with passion, and scale your studio to new heights without burning out, you're in the right place. I’m your host, Jackie Murphy, an award-winning, certified business coach with 12+ years in the yoga industry I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to turn your passion into a powerful, scalable business. Join me as we dive into strategies, insights, and real-world advice to help you grow your revenue, build a thriving team, and create a business that serves you as much as you serve your clients. It's time to embrace your CEO mindset and make more money without working more.

  1. 1d ago

    Are you overpaying or mispaying?

    Send Jackie A Message! Most studio owners think overpaying is a money problem. It isn't. This week I had the same conversation with four different studio owners. Different people, different numbers, but the same thing underneath every time. And not one of them was actually dealing with a pricing issue. They were mispaying, paying for a title when they were getting a task, paying for a role they weren't using yet, paying for a feeling instead of a result. In this episode, I walk you through it the way I would on a coaching call. We start with the circumstance, get honest about the thought creating it, and look at what it's actually costing you to keep operating that way. In this episode: Why the dollar amount can never tell you if you're overpaying, and what actually does. The five feelings that quietly drive every overpaying decision, and how to spot which one is running the show for you. Why hiring a "savior" sets you and your new team member up to fail. How you can end up overpaying and under-delegating at the same time. The difference between full-time and committed, and why buying one to feel the other keeps you stuck. The one question to ask yourself the next time you reach for your wallet that gets your money back on the spot. Here's the truth underneath all of it: overpaying was never a money problem. It's a leadership-avoidance problem wearing a really kind face. And the fix isn't to go be stingy. It's to stop using money to buy your way out of leading. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    19 min

  2. Jun 2

    My Client Made More Money Last July Than in January. Here's How.

    Send Jackie A Message! Every summer, studio owners brace for the same thing: attendance drops, members travel, energy shifts. So you white-knuckle through it and wait for September. Here's the problem—summer isn't your slow season. It's your setup quarter. What you do in your yoga or Pilates studio in June determines whether your fall is full of momentum or a slow climb back from a standstill. In this solo episode, Jackie Murphy breaks down the misconception costing studio owners money: that when attendance drops, revenue has to drop too. It doesn't. She explains how a premium value offer can make summer one of your highest-revenue months, the schedule analysis every owner should run before the season, and the pause policy that keeps members coming back. If you've been treating summer as something to survive, this will change how you run your studio this quarter—and set up your strongest January yet. TIMESTAMPED OUTLINE [00:00] Why we're talking about summer now[03:00] Summer is your setup quarter: June 2026 decides January 2027[05:00] The misconception: attendance drops, so revenue must too[07:00] The Premium Value Offer (PVO) and why summer is the time to sell it[09:30] Divorcing attendance from revenue in your head[11:00] Move #1: Run a schedule analysis on your real data[13:30] Knowing your break-even number for every class[16:00] Move #2: Tighten your pause policy[17:30] Pick one move and actually implement itKEY TAKEAWAYS ✓ Summer is your setup quarter—June 2026 determines January 2027. ✓ Attendance and revenue are not the same thing. Attendance can drop while revenue grows. ✓ A premium value offer (four figures+) grows summer revenue even when class numbers dip. ✓ Don't wait for attendance to drop and react—run a schedule analysis on your own data now. ✓ Booking software isn't always accurate. You usually have to collect the data yourself. ✓ A leaner, fuller schedule beats a robust, half-empty one—for your bottom line and your students. ✓ Lock in every pause with a start, end, and restart date from day one so members come right back. ✓ Pick one move and implement it. If you listen and don't take action, what's the point? QUOTES "Summer is actually your setup quarter."  "What you're doing in June of 2026 determines what your January of 2027 looks like."  "Attendance and revenue are not the same thing. Summer is when that distinction matters most."  "Just because attendance drops doesn't mean your revenue has to."  "It can be your highest month of the whole year, and attendance could be the lowest."  "If you just listen to this and don't take action, what's the point, my friend?" FAQ Can my studio revenue grow even if summer attendance drops? Yes. Attendance and revenue are two different numbers. With the right offer in place, summer can be one of your highest-revenue months even while attendance is at its lowest. What is a premium value offer for a yoga or Pilates studio? A PVO is something outside your normal membership, typically four figures or higher, designed to help members reach a new result—often a teacher training, but not always. Why is summer a good time to sell a high-ticket offer? Members often have more time and headspace in summer. If they're sticking with you through the season, that's when you have the capacity to extend a bigger offer. Should I change my class schedule for the summer? Be proactive, not reactive. Review your schedule at the start of summer using the last six months of data, then make strategic adjustments instead of scrambling later. How should a studio handle membership pauses over summer? Set a clear start, end, and restart date the moment a member requests a pause. Booking the restart from day one removes the "should I come back?" decision. When should I start planning my summer strategy? Now. Your schedule, offers, and pause policy heading into summer determine your fall momentum and your following January. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    24 min

  3. May 26

    The 3 Things Your Teachers Tell Me When You're Not in the Room

    Send Jackie A Message! Before every onsite VIP day, I send an anonymous upward feedback survey to my client's team. It's the fastest way to read the real culture of a studio, the stuff owners can't see because they're too close to it. And after running this survey at studio after studio, the same three things come up every single time. In this episode, I'm pulling back the curtain on exactly what your teachers say when no name is attached to their answer. Not to make you nervous, but to give you a head start, because there's a very good chance your teachers are feeling the same way right now. TIMESTAMPS [00:00] Welcome [02:15] What a VIP day is, and the anonymous upward feedback survey explained [04:30] Why this survey matters: leading a mostly part-time, passion-driven team [06:10] #1 Teachers want more feedback on their teaching [08:00] The 3-to-1 feedback ratio and the one-thing-only rule [10:15] #2 Teachers want more continuing education [12:30] How to build a CE budget and quarterly cadence without losing time or profit [14:20] #3 The one that surprises owners: teachers want more business communication [17:00] What teachers actually want to know about the numbers [18:30] The fear of transparency, and the question to sit with if it feels loud [20:40] The simplest move of all: just ask KEY TAKEAWAYS An upward feedback survey is the fastest way to read the real culture of your studio, because owners are usually too close to see it themselves. When you give a teacher feedback, name three specific things you loved for every one thing to work on. Give just one thing, then follow up in two weeks. Set a continuing education budget at the start of the year and aim for one event per quarter. Who shows up tells you who your all-in teachers are. You cannot over-communicate with your team, but you can communicate badly. Streamlined beats scattered group texts every time. Sharing your membership goal and progress rarely leads to raise requests. It usually makes teachers more bought in and more willing to help you grow. PULL QUOTES "Your teachers are hungry to grow. They are just waiting for someone to help them." "Give one clear thing to work on. If you overwhelm them with too much, nothing gets integrated." "I have never walked into a VIP day and heard that an owner over-communicates. Only the opposite." "If you want to know what your teachers want, ask them." FAQ Q: What is an upward feedback survey? A: An anonymous survey that lets your team give honest feedback to the person who leads them. It surfaces what it is really like to teach at your studio. Q: How often should I give teachers feedback on their classes? A: You do not need to be in every class every week. Aim for intentional, specific feedback with a two-week follow-up so teachers can actually improve. Q: Will sharing business numbers make my teachers ask for raises? A: Rarely. Teachers do not see your full P&L, so they lack the whole picture. You decide what to share. Most teachers just want to help you hit the goal. Q: How much continuing education should I offer? A: One event per quarter is plenty. Use the feedback patterns you notice across your team to choose what to teach. Have a topic you want covered on the podcast? DM Jackie on Instagram @studioceoofficial or email the support team. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    23 min

  4. May 12

    How Talia Increased Revenue By 108% in 6 Months

    Send Jackie A Message! You opened your studio with a vision, and somewhere along the way, you started throwing offer after offer at the wall out of pure desperation. New class pack. New workshop. New retreat. Sound familiar? In this episode, Jackie sits down with Grow Mastermind client Talia Blackburn, owner of Refuge Healing Studio in Greensboro, NC, who doubled her monthly recurring revenue from $3,500 to $7,500 in six months — a 108% increase. She didn't add ten new offers. She got clear on the one thing she was selling, restructured her pricing, and started using email like a real CEO.  If you're a studio owner doing everything and still not seeing the numbers move, this one's for you. Timestamped Outline [00:00] Introduction [02:30] How Yoga with Adriene started everything [09:00] The music teacher backstory [15:30] The grandmother who pushed her to finally open [19:30] Funding Refuge without investors [26:30] Joining the Grow Mastermind & the first pricing changes [33:00] From monthly newsletter to strategic email [36:30] Tagging warm leads [39:00] The CEO mindset shift that ended panic-marketing Key Takeaways ✓ Doubling MRR doesn't require ten new offers. One clear offer sold the right way does. ✓ A $20 drop-in isn't a deal. It's an invitation to never become a member. ✓ Pricing based on the studio across town isn't strategy. You don't have their P&L. ✓ Cold, warm, and hot leads need three different email conversations. ✓ The CEO mindset is getting brutally clear on what matters most right now. ✓ Your team can only sell what they understand. Share the numbers and watch them step up. Quotes "I was throwing out offer after offer out of desperation, out of panic." — Talia "If this is between my fear and the work, I can deal with the fear." — Talia "You don't want them to afford a drop-in. You want membership to make sense." — Jackie "You don't know their P&L. You could be copying a business in the red every month." — Jackie "My churn — I haven't seen churn at all." — Talia FAQs Is $20 too low for a yoga drop-in? For most boutique studios in 2026, yes. A drop-in isn't supposed to be a deal — it's supposed to make membership the obvious move. Should I price based on competitor studios? No. You don't have their P&L. They could be operating in the red. Price based on your own expenses and revenue goals. How do I double my studio's monthly recurring revenue? Restructure your pricing so membership is the obvious choice, then nurture your existing leads through segmented email. New offers are rarely the answer. How often should I email my studio list? A monthly newsletter is not a strategy. Segment by lead temperature and email weekly at minimum. How do I stop members from canceling? Stay in consistent communication. Nurture members through email and create an experience worth staying for. Should I add multiple offers to my studio? Eventually, yes — but not all at once. Get one offer (usually membership) humming first, then layer. What's the biggest mindset shift for studio owners? Stopping the panic-marketing cycle. Focused execution beats scattered effort every single time. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    38 min

  5. May 5

    5 Things That Will Change How You Run Your Studio This Week

    Send Jackie A Message! I just wrapped Day 1 of the new Grow Mastermind cohort. Full day. Marketing and sales in the morning. Leadership and team in the afternoon. Every person in that room is smart. Works hard. Loves what they do. But they were all stuck on the same five things. In this episode, I'm breaking down the five shifts that came up again and again. If you feel like you're working way too hard for the results you're getting, at least one of these is the reason. In this episode: Why you're chasing tactics when you should be choosing identityHow to stop trying to fix everything and find the one broken link in your businessThe mistake that's losing you 38% of your leads before you even talk to themWhy you feel busy all the time but nothing's moving (and what to do about it)The conversation you haven't had with your team that's keeping them stuckResources mentioned: The Growth Formula (inside the Grow Mastermind portal)The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni9-12 email nurture sequence framework (inside the Grow Mastermind portal)Links: Join the Grow Mastermind waitlist: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/mastermindThe Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceoFollow me on Instagram: @studioceoofficialAbout Coach Jackie: Jackie Murphy is a certified business coach and ERYT 500 who built a multi-seven-figure coaching business after driving 40,000 miles teaching yoga in one year. She's the founder of the Studio CEO Program and the Grow Mastermind, helping yoga and Pilates studio owners become the CEO of their business instead of the employee of it. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    28 min

  6. Apr 21

    What Happens When You Sell Memberships Before You Have a Lease with Heather Dana

    Send Jackie A Message! Heather spent 15 years in a public school classroom before walking away to open Lila Within Hot Yoga in Cortlandt Manor, New York. She sold founding memberships before she signed her lease, ran meta ads on $5 a day, and opened with 60 members and enough monthly recurring revenue to cover rent, her loan, and coaching. By month three, she was at $13,100. This isn't a "she got lucky" story—it's a strategy story. TIMESTAMPS  [00:11] Welcome & intro [02:45] Heather's yoga journey [06:30] Why marketing to every type of student matters [08:00] Moment Heather decided to leave teaching [12:18] Finding her studio space [16:00] Selling founding memberships before signing the lease [18:30] Running meta ads [21:04] Founding membership pricing and urgency strategy [29:00] Building an automated intro offer email funnel [33:43] Why she re-enrolled in the Grow Mastermind [36:38] Revenue milestone KEY TAKEAWAYS ✓ You don't need a signed lease to sell. Heather sold 13 founding memberships before signing—and opened with 60. ✓ $5/day meta ads work. She spent ~$300 and brought in 151 new accounts in March alone. ✓ Tier your founding pricing to build urgency. Heather went $99 → $109 → $129, locked for life. ✓ Warm people up before asking them to buy. Her 2-week email funnel moved leads from logistics to membership offer. ✓ Stay focused on memberships—even when it feels boring. That discipline is what builds real MRR. ✓ Coaching changes the math on scary decisions. Heather can't imagine opening without the Mastermind. PULL QUOTES "I opened with enough MRR to pay for my rent, my loan repayment, and my coaching." "I was pushed to not operate from fear—to operate from: what is going to solve the problem of not having money?" "I wasn't expecting to be able to work hard and not feel so depleted." "151 new accounts in March. At $35 a pop—that's thousands of dollars right there." FAQ Can I sell studio memberships before I open? Yes. Heather sold 13 before signing her lease. Worst case: you refund the money. Best case: you cover overhead before day one. How much should I spend on meta ads? Start at $5/day. A simple graphic and landing page is enough. Heather generated 151 new accounts in one month on ~$300 total. How do I convert intro offer buyers into members? Build a warm-up email sequence—start with logistics and storytelling, then move to the membership ask over 10-12 emails. Is studio business coaching worth it when money is tight? Heather's answer: she can't imagine opening without it. The strategy and community changed every decision she made. How do I negotiate a good lease for my yoga studio? Talk to other business owners in the area to get a sense of the landlord and market before committing. Bring a real estate agent and a lawyer to negotiations, and don't be afraid to ask for things—free months of rent, HVAC upgrades, tenant improvements. What's the biggest mistake new studio owners make before opening? Waiting too long to sell. The fear of selling before you're "ready"—before the lease is signed, before the walls are painted, before everything is perfect. Heather wanted to throw up when Jackie told her to sell memberships before signing her lease. She did it anyway. That decision is what gave her a financially stable opening. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    40 min

  7. Apr 14

    Studio Success in a Small Town with Rachel Eidson

    Send Jackie A Message! You've been running your studio for years. You survived the startup phase, you survived COVID, and now a competitor just opened down the street. You're still teaching most of the classes. And that teacher training you've been meaning to launch? Still sitting on the back burner. In this episode, Jackie sits down with Rachel, owner of Elevate Coleman—a barre, yoga, and Buti yoga studio in a small Southern town. Rachel found Jackie during COVID recovery, went through the Studio CEO Program, joined the Grow Mastermind, and now works with Jackie one-on-one. She's nearly a decade into her business and still growing. Timestamps: [03:30] From show choir and gymnastics to barre [07:00] Proof of concept before signing a lease [11:20] Opening with a 6-month-old [14:00] The 3 phases of running a studio [20:00] How Rachel found Jackie and decided to invest [27:00] The VIP on-site visit experience [34:00] How Rachel talent-scouts and develops teachers [43:30] The CEO mindset shift — working on the business, not just in it Key Takeaways: ✔️ You don't need a perfect manual to launch a teacher training. Version one is the goal. ✔️ Proof of concept can start with a notebook, 50 names, and basic math. ✔️ Every studio goes through three phases: startup, survival, and stable growth in competition. ✔️ Operating in your strengths and hiring for the rest is a CEO-level decision. ✔️ Being around other scaling studio owners shows you what's possible—and what's next. Pull Quotes: "If they were playing baseball, I've been in T-ball." "There's no such thing as a perfect manual. Can you get version one out there now?" "My job is CEO first. Teaching supports that." "Steer yourself and your team toward what's going right. Do more of that." FAQ: How do I know if my town is big enough for a boutique fitness studio? It's math, not population. Figure out how many members at what price point covers your rent, then work backwards. Rachel opened in a town with zero boutique fitness and built a nine-year business doing exactly that. Studio CEO Program vs. Grow Mastermind — what's the difference? The Studio CEO Program is where you start—auditing your business and building core systems. The Mastermind is for owners who are already running and ready to focus on leadership, paid ads, and scaling alongside other growth-minded studio owners. Should I launch a teacher training before it's perfect? Yes. There is no perfect manual. What you know from years of teaching is the curriculum. Get version one out, then refine. Waiting means another year of being short-staffed. How do I find good teachers for my studio? Watch your students. Look for people who absorb instruction as a teacher would. Rachel identified one of her best teachers just by observing how she moved through class—then asked her to lunch. What does the CEO mindset shift actually look like for studio owners? It means recognizing that your primary job is to grow the business—and teaching supports that, not the other way around. When teaching starts competing with strategic work, something needs to restructure. How do studios survive when competition moves in? Get specific about who you're for and what result they get. The studios that thrive are the ones that stop trying to be everything to everybody and get clear on their differentiation. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    48 min

  8. Apr 7

    Wanting to Quit to Thriving in Her Studio with Nicole Byars

    Send Jackie A Message! If you've ever found yourself running your studio on fumes, resenting the business you built, and quietly googling "how do I sell a yoga studio"—this episode is for you. Nicole Byers has been in this industry for 11 years. She opened her first studio in 2015, franchised during a pandemic, dissolved the franchise, rebranded, and eventually hit a wall so hard she was ready to walk away entirely. She wasn't burned out because she was weak. She was burned out because she'd been operating in fight-or-flight for years with no systems, no support, and no off switch. If you're a yoga or Pilates studio owner who's tired, stuck, or seriously questioning whether this is still worth it—listen to this one before you make any big decisions. Timestamped Outline: [01:25] Nicole's introduction and background [05:01] Opening first studio with no business experience [09:05] The opening weekend illusion [15:46] How Live True Yoga became Honest Yoga [24:50] Hitting the wall [27:44] Joining the Grow Mastermind [35:00] What to do when you're in a dark place and considering selling Key Takeaways: ✓ Burnout isn't a character flaw—it's a systems problem. ✓ Don't make a permanent decision from a temporary emotional state. ✓ Consistency beats perfection every time. ✓ Alignment isn't just a mindset concept—it's a business strategy. Pull Quotes: "Right when you're about to get over that hump—people sell or quit. And then that hump never gets crossed." "I needed to cultivate that feeling of safety from within. You can't sell a studio and find peace if the peace isn't already in you." "I quadrupled the investment. It honestly changed my life and changed the trajectory of my business." "It's not about the business. A lot of it is mindset coaching—and that came before the business stuff could even work." FAQ Section: Can a yoga studio in a small town be successful? Yes—but it requires intentional strategy. Nicole opened her first studio in a town of 30,000 people and grew it to the point of expansion within 18 months. Location matters to some extent, but consistent marketing, a strong class schedule, and membership sales systems matter more. What are the biggest mistakes yoga studio owners make when franchising? Not vetting franchise owners carefully enough. Nicole dissolved her franchise after learning that passion for yoga and willingness to invest aren't enough—franchise owners need both business acumen and genuine knowledge of what they're selling. How do I stop feeling resentful toward my studio? Resentment in studio ownership usually signals a systems problem, not a passion problem. The answer isn't to quit. It's to build systems that let you lead instead of just survive. Is it worth joining a business mastermind as a yoga studio owner? If you're ready to actually implement what you learn—yes. Nicole tried multiple coaching programs and says the Grow Mastermind was the first one where she exceeded her investment, not just learned from it. How do I know if I should sell my yoga studio or keep going? Try this: close your eyes and envision having sold—really sit with it. Then envision a thriving version of your studio. Notice which scenario your body responds to. Many studio owners are closest to a breakthrough right when they're most tempted to quit. Get support before you make an irreversible decision. Work with Jackie Murphy Say Hi on Instagram @studioceoofficial3 Marketing Mistakes Yoga & Pilates Business Owners Make: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/evergreen-3mm-organicJoin The Studio CEO Program: https://www.jackiegmurphy.com/studioceo

    45 min
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About

Welcome to The Studio CEO, the only podcast that empowers yoga and Pilates teachers and studio owners to step confidently into their roles as CEOs. If you're ready to take your business seriously, show up with passion, and scale your studio to new heights without burning out, you're in the right place. I’m your host, Jackie Murphy, an award-winning, certified business coach with 12+ years in the yoga industry I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to turn your passion into a powerful, scalable business. Join me as we dive into strategies, insights, and real-world advice to help you grow your revenue, build a thriving team, and create a business that serves you as much as you serve your clients. It's time to embrace your CEO mindset and make more money without working more.

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