This is just the way we do things…
I’ve been an owner of Udara (and before that Mana) since 2019.
I came in as more of the ‘business back end’ because I ran other businesses, had my legal academic career, loved the practice of yoga, at that stage wasn’t a trained teacher, and had amazing co-owners who were very much experienced in the art and practice of yoga (and later, reformer) teaching.
In January of this year, I became the sole owner of our sacred space, and in doing so, came face to face with all of the stories and beliefs that I’ve held around having ‘what it takes’ to run a beautiful, well established yoga and reformer Pilates studio in the heart of Hobart - without having been a senior teacher myself, and after a very tumultuous and challenging year for our studio.
In a way, this last year of change has been a baptism of fire… one that has and continues to require tenacity, love, and patience as I step into helping us recover from some decisions that were not good ones. Decisions that were out of alignment personally, and for the studio, but from a place of how the ‘industry’ operates.
What I’ve come to realise is that despite not being a teacher of either yoga or reformer Pilates prior to becoming part owner of Udara (I later did my 200HR in 2020), I am in a unique position to question why things are done the way that they are in this industry. I have that separation that many don’t. Perhaps I don’t have what I call the ‘closeness’ problem to some of the challenges presented by being in the industry for a long time (though I would never say that I do not have the closeness problem in other areas… after all, I am the owner of the business and I’m in the deep end of this day to day, so I always work with coaches and other professionals to help give me some perspective). Not having that deep knowledge of teaching certainly means I have to get support in the business from those who do, and it would absolutely come in handy a lot of the time… but there are always opportunities amongst those limitations.
I wish I’d asked more questions in recent times.
Pushed a little harder in places for our ownership team to choose differently in some studio decisions.
Because sometimes, when decisions are made on the basis of ‘that’s how it works in this industry and in businesses like these’, they’re not always the right ones.
If studios made decisions based truly on how the industry operates in many places, then let’s actually talk about what I’ve come to learn that involves, and see if we really want to follow what others do. The reality, really, is that a lot of businesses in this space are burning out, business owners are working for free for years or are struggling to stay afloat. Many studios do not insure themselves properly, they do not have contracts for their teaching staff, they do not pay music licensing fees when music is, in fact, played in most, if not every class. Studios tell their teachers they can’t work at other studios (despite only giving them casual or very part time classes), not realising, or perhaps not caring, that this is illegal and not in the true spirit of employing casual staff. Many yoga studios still use karma yogi programs where people clean or tidy studio spaces for free, or in exchange for membership, which is also illegal in Australia under Fair Work legislation. Many studios don’t know what they don’t know, but many don’t challenge the norm when in fact, we need to, in order to make sure people are being treated not only fairly, but legally. The ‘way the industry does things’, in many cases, does not give us the most reliable OR sustainable business foundation on which to grow a movement studio.
One of the greatest permission slips for me, came from author and restauranteur Will Guidara in his book, Unreasonable Hospitality, when he said that coming in ‘from the outside’ of an industry can be one of the greatest gifts for creating change, because you see things with fresh eyes and challenge what others do not.
I didn’t always ask questions when I should have, and I can only commit to asking them more now.
With all that in mind, I shall be stepping more deeply into enquiry with how we choose to do things around here at Udara. Whatever the industry may say. We live on an island at the very bottom of the world, in a place that is as beautiful as it is unique, and that alone means we may choose a different course to bigger city studios. The done thing, if it doesn’t work here, won’t become part of our decision making, or our studio. Not anymore.
From now on, my decisions will come down to two core things:
Our values — we’ll be working hard on these this year, and everything will be created from a place of community, belonging, embodiment, inspiration and respect. We have some work to do, and everything that we offer will be coming back to these values in action- operationally and strategically. But also because it just feels better to do business this way.
Sustainable business practices — this is making sure I am a good steward of this studio, and custodian for many years to come. Good financial decisions, legally sound (at the very minimum!) decision-making, not cutting corners, and fairness and respect to all members by respectfully having business boundaries is IN, and not having terms and conditions, insurances, contracts and sticking to them is OUT.
As studio owners we need to ask better questions, make better choices and create what feels right for us - not just the industry as a whole.
At Udara I vow to make decisions based on heart AND the numbers.
One can’t exist without the other if we’re serious about creating a truly sustainable business in this industry — not just a beautiful place to move your body, but a studio that lasts for many, many years to come.
My inner voice still yells at me sometimes about not being in the industry for long enough and not having trained or taught at a high enough level to be the person at the helm here at Udara, but I have a deep love of people (and I do so love having had so many more conversations with our amazing members lately), a bold, curious desire to ask questions, and I bring a love and lifetime of movement with business experience and a love for sustainability with me.
I’m not a senior teacher, but I’m a professional with a deep love of people and a bold, curious desire to ask, “Why not do it differently?”
After some very solid bumps in the road in 2024, I’m so very grateful for our community as we continue to grow and re-shape ourselves into 2025.
I deeply believe that this industry — the whole wellness space — is ready for this shift.
I can’t wait to share more of that journey with you.
With love,
Kate
