Gift-Led: Sustainable Careers. Meaningful Lives.

Tara Alperin
  • 5.0 (7)
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Updated Weekly

In this show we unpack how our unique gifts are the key to a financially sustainable, fulfilling yoga career and a meaningful life.

  1. 5d ago

    How to Use Music in Your Yoga Class (And Why It Matters So Much)

    This is a sneak peek into the Yoga Teacher Launchpad Method our program that guides yoga teachers to become a more skilled, confident yoga teacher and ultimately build a sustainable, well-paid career around the work you’re passionate about. One of the concepts out of the Launchpad is: Music is your co-teacher. Sound, or the intentional lack of it, is one of the most powerful tools you have to guide students into a deeper, richer experience. The music you choose can help you facilitate exactly what you’re aiming to create in the room. CHAPTERS IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 The Importance of Sound in Yoga 02:50 Music as a Co-Teacher in Yoga 06:13 Creating the Right Atmosphere with Music If you want more of this work, we’re opening up a November 2026 Live Cohort of Yoga Teacher Launchpad for $397 (normally $997). Yoga Teacher Launchpad is designed to help you become a more skilled, confident yoga teacher and build a sustainable, well-paid career around the work you’re passionate about. You’ll get the full Yoga Teacher Launchpad course plus 4 live group coaching calls, personalized feedback, and support from a small community of yoga teachers, so that you can actively strengthen your teaching, build your confidence, and take action from that confidence. Calls will be scheduled around the group’s availability. If you can’t make one of the scheduled calls, there will be options to make it up 1:1. → Apply HERE.  If you have any questions about the program, the live cohort, or whether it’s a good fit for where you are in your teaching career, you’re always welcome to reach out at tara@tesniyoga.com

  2. Sep 29

    New to Teaching Yoga, Already Rethinking the Yoga Industry | A Conversation with Dani Roma

    Dani Roma is a brand new yoga teacher and already SUCH a mover and shaker. In this episode of Gift Led, we talk about starting a yoga career, creating your own path, and Dani’s fresh perspective on the yoga industry, including what needs to change to create better careers and a stronger industry for yoga teachers. Dani is creating events, finding her way, asking big questions, and bringing so much energy to what’s possible in a yoga career. Chapters:02:16 Danny's Journey into Yoga04:02 Breaking Barriers to Yoga10:23 The Depth of Yoga Philosophy16:14 Navigating Personal Transitions22:28 The Transformative Power of Teacher Training35:45 The Art of Being a Yoga Teacher41:51 The Power of Teaching48:12 Building Community and Connection56:10 Integrating Music and Yoga01:00:00 Future Aspirations and Non-Traditional Yoga01:10:27 Revolutionizing the Yoga Industry You can find Dani on Instagram and TikTok: @daniromayoga ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇Join the free Yoga Teacher Circle HERE  🌞Connect with Tara on Instagram: @taratesniyoga

  3. Sep 22

    The Best Business Strategy in 2026? Be More Yourself | A Conversation with Jen Fish

    In this episode of Gift-Led, I’m joined by web designer Jen Fish to talk about why being yourself is good for business. Jen shares her journey from the corporate world to yoga, coaching, and eventually web design, and we talk about what happens when you build a career around the work that actually fits who you are. We get into personal branding, creating a website that feels like you, why vague wellness marketing is losing its effectiveness, and the importance of making it incredibly clear what you do and how you help people. We also talk about pricing transparency, websites that actually convert, building a business around your season of life, and why yoga teachers and wellness professionals don’t need to fit a particular mold to be successful. You can find Jen: Website: thefreespiritedwoman.com Instagram: @theejenfish ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇Join the free Teacher Circle HERE    🪷Looking to build a financially sustainable and meaningful yoga career? 👇Book a Discovery Call with Tara HERE

  4. Sep 15

    Why Yoga Teachers Struggle to Make Money in a $138 Billion Industry

    Yoga is a $138.7 billion industry, so why do so many yoga teachers struggle to make a living? In this episode, I break down three major differences I see between yoga teachers frustrated with their pay and those building meaningful, sustainable yoga careers. ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇Join the free Teacher Circle HERE    🪷Looking to build a financially sustainable and meaningful yoga career? 👇Book a Discovery Call with Tara HERE   ✅ Follow Along on IG: @tesniyoga

  5. Sep 8

    How to Build a Sustainable Yoga Career That Lights You Up | A Conversation with Cody Schmidt

    Cody Schmidt has built a career around the parts of yoga and Ayurveda that most energize him, from intimate classes to deeper one-on-one client work. In this conversation, we talk about the small studio he runs with his mom, why they intentionally keep classes small, and how multi-week programs allow them to take students deeper than a typical drop-in class. We also get into something I think more yoga teachers need to consider: you can create incredibly valuable experiences for clients without being in the room with them. Cody shares why some of his online clients actually progress faster than his in-person clients, and what changes when you have the opportunity to work with someone more closely. We talk about teaching, confidence, one-on-one work, building a client base, and the business skills it takes to turn yoga into a career you can actually sustain.  Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Cody Schmidt and his journey 02:16 How Cody found yoga and his early influences 04:10 Starting yoga with his mother and early practice 07:47 Immersive yoga teacher training in Florida 09:10 Confidence and fundamentals in teaching yoga 11:03 Overcoming imposter syndrome and cultural respect 13:19 Transition from restaurant management to full-time yoga 15:42 Living at the ashram and deepening practice 17:03 Balancing restaurant work and yoga career 20:24 Designing small series for targeted transformation 26:01 Introduction to Ayurveda and its integration into practice 28:23 Personalized support and client relationships in Ayurveda 32:16 The individualization of Ayurveda and client care 37:58 Impact of vulnerability and space in healing 39:47 Curiosity, research, and continuous learning in Ayurveda 45:46 Physical and psychological benefits of movement and yoga 49:44 The energizing effect of teaching and the importance of independence 54:47 Online teaching, accountability, and deep connection 58:02 The power of cueing, props, and embodiment in practice 01:02:23 The journey of learning and mastery in yoga and Ayurveda 01:08:29 Living in alignment and the importance of routines 01:12:16 How to connect and work with Cody Schmidt Connect With Cody: Website: theyogacode.co Instagram/TikTok: @theyogacode YouTube: The Yoga Code Studio   ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇 Join the free Teacher Circle HERE 🪷Looking to build a financially sustainable and meaningful yoga career? 👇Book a Discovery Call with Tara HERE ✅ Follow Along on IG: @tesniyoga

  6. Sep 4

    Are We Teaching Yoga Teachers the Wrong Marketing Strategies?

    Are we teaching yoga teachers marketing strategies that are already becoming obsolete? As AI changes the way we create and consume content, many of us are seeing how we’re entering a trust recession. Information is everywhere, polished content is easier than ever to create, and it’s becoming harder to know what was actually created by a real human. This quick onset of AI is quickly changing how we should be marketing effectively, making strategies that worked great even four months ago obsolete. In this short episode, I share 3 marketing strategies I still see being taught to yoga teachers that I don’t think will withstand the test of AI: • Linear email funnels designed to create passive income • Low-ticket offers that primarily sell information • Highly polished, overly produced social media content I also share what I see becoming MORE valuable: real human connection, trust, transformational experiences, and creating an organic “playground” where people can discover your work and get to know you over time. ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇Join the free Yoga Teacher Circle HERE  🪷Looking to build a financially sustainable and meaningful yoga career? 👇Book a Call with Tara HERE ✅ Follow Along on IG: @tesniyoga

  7. Sep 1

    From Crime Reporter to Yoga Teacher- Rethinking the Career Ladder | A Conversation with Sonia Azad

    Sonia Azad did what a lot of people here dream about doing: she left a successful career to teach yoga full time. After more than 20 years as a TV journalist and crime reporter, Sonia made the leap into becoming a full-time yoga teacher. In this episode of Gift-Led, we talk about what it actually takes to make a leap like this, the fears and practical realities of leaving an established career, and Sonia’s advice for anyone considering doing the same. We also explore one of my favorite ideas from the conversation: what if we stopped thinking about our careers as ladders and started thinking about them as lattices? After climbing the corporate ladder herself, Sonia realized there was “nothing up there” for her. If you’re considering leaving a career that no longer aligns with your purpose to build one around yoga, I hope this conversation inspires you. Chapters: 00:00 From TV journalist to yoga teacher 03:06 Sonia’s roots in dance and teaching 07:09 Why we’re taught to choose a “real” career 10:30 When traditional success stops feeling like enough 12:22 Sonia didn’t leave journalism to get rich from yoga 13:37 Your career is a lattice, not a ladder 16:00 Rethinking what a successful career looks like 20:31 Sonia’s 20+ year career in journalism and crime reporting 22:19 When her dream career stopped working 25:40 Choosing time, sleep, and freedom 27:55 Wanting to “let myself out of a cage” 30:58 The moment Sonia knew it was time to leave 33:45 Life after leaving TV 35:13 The financial reality of making the leap 37:29 Building a career without giving up your freedom 41:40 Creating your own version of work 43:19 Health insurance, money, and the “golden handcuffs” 52:58 What Sonia’s yoga career looks like today 57:12 Letting go of the perfect long-term plan 59:54 Building a life around your values 1:03:38 Do you need a big audience to succeed? 1:03:48 Building trust instead of chasing followers 1:08:00 You don’t need to build a yoga empire 1:10:13 Advice for anyone considering leaving their career 1:13:12 “Not right now” doesn’t mean “not forever” Find Sonia: https://www.sonia-azad.com/ @soniaazadtv   ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇Join the free Teacher Circle here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-sust...   Learning & Discussion topic for August 2026: How to Build a Yoga Career Without Burning Yourself Out   🪷Looking to build a financially sustainable and meaningful yoga career? 👇Book a Discovery Call with Tara Here https://calendly.com/tesniyoga/new-me...   ✅ Follow Along on IG: @tesniyoga

  8. Aug 24

    How to Grow Your Yoga Business in the Age of AI

    What if doing less is the key to success in an AI world? In this episode, I explore an idea I heard in a really top-notch yoga class: life happens in the margins. Yoga teaching is creative work. And as AI makes it easier to create more and more, our humanity, creativity, lived experience, and unique perspective are becoming even more important. I talk about why creating space to think, wander, daydream, and do very little at all might actually be essential to building a sustainable yoga career that can withstand the onslaught of AI. In this episode: * Why yoga teachers are artists * Creating space for better ideas * Standing out in the age of AI * Getting out of comparison * Building a sustainable career around what’s uniquely yours   ✨Connection elevates us! Connect with other yoga teachers and get support as you build your yoga career. 👇Join the free Teacher Circle here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-sustainable-yoga-teacher-circle-virtual-tickets-1983696008160?aff=oddtdtcreator&keep_tld=true  🪷Looking to build a financially sustainable and meaningful yoga career? 👇Book a Discovery Call with Tara Here https://calendly.com/tesniyoga/new-meeting-1 ✅ Follow Along on IG: @tesniyoga

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In this show we unpack how our unique gifts are the key to a financially sustainable, fulfilling yoga career and a meaningful life.

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