How the Right Platform Saved a Virtual Yoga Business

Overview

Jenn has been running her yoga studio, Yoga 4 You, since 2009, first as a physical space in Savage, Minnesota with 25 instructors, then transitioning to a fully virtual model in 2022.

What started as a pandemic necessity became a strategic pivot when her landlord demanded a 30% rent increase just as her business was barely recovering from the pandemic.

Challenges

When Your Business Platform Becomes a Business Risk

After using Mindbody since opening in 2009, Jenn faced several issues that threatened to close her business for good.

Software Failures

In May of 2024, Jenn got a text from an instructor informing her that none of their classes were showing up in the Mindbody app. For her virtual-only business, this was a big issue.

Her customers couldn’t just come in and book; they had to sign up online.

Jenn reported the issue, and after a day of back and forth with customer support, she was told it was a technical “bug” and that they would look into it. The issue went unresolved for months, forcing Jenn to communicate workarounds to her community through social media and email.

Escalating Costs for Declining Service

“Their prices kept going up, and it seemed like the service level was going down,” Jenn says.

Features she’d been using for years suddenly required expensive plan upgrades, which she was not in a position to purchase. In addition, the livestream portion of the platform took too much bandwidth for the internet service available in her area, requiring her to use Zoom for all of her classes.

Without integration, she needed to manually send all of her class links.

The Breaking Point

The final straw came when Mindbody claimed that the technical “bug” was actually a known licensing issue, which they had failed to communicate properly. After months of paying for a platform she couldn’t fully use, Jenn realized she had to find a new solution.

“That’s when I decided, ‘Okay, I’ve got to figure out something else.’”

Jenn began researching alternatives, reaching out to her instructor network and conducting online searches. She nearly signed with another company before the high-pressure sales tactics and contractual inconsistencies made her walk away.

When she discovered OfferingTree through online research and recommendations from her network, the experience was refreshingly different.

Solution

Transparent Pricing and Integrated Functionality

What drew Jenn to OfferingTree wasn’t flashy features; it was the promise of stability and transparency she would need in order to grow her studio membership.

Pricing She Could Count On

With OfferingTree, “It was, ‘This is our price, and this is it. It’s not going to be changing after the first year, or by adding this feature or that feature.” Jenn explains. “That’s huge for me because financially I can’t be taking on something that is going to keep going up [in price].”

Community Over Corporate

Signing up with OfferingTree felt like joining a community of people who understood her business.

“This felt like more of a community,” she says. “It felt like we were in this together. With Mindbody, I just felt like they’re so big and they don’t really care.”

The support and feeling of community continued after starting to use the platform.

“There are some functions that I miss, but the nice thing is that the OfferingTree support team listens to their clients, and as we suggest changes or functions that we need, they try to create and incorporate them whenever possible to keep improving their service. We are growing together!”

Integrated Zoom for Virtual Classes

One of the most immediately impactful features was the automatic Zoom integration that eliminated hours of manual work.

“I love the fact that Zoom is integrated,” Jenn explained.

Prior to using OfferingTree, she was looking at her roster and sending emails 30 minutes before each class so everyone knew how to join, and checking again right before class time to send emails to any last minute additions. Now this is done automatically and saves her a lot of time.

The Results

From Survival Mode to Growth Planning

Since switching to OfferingTree in January 2024, Jenn has not only revitalized her business but positioned it for growth.

Immediate Cost Savings

The switch to OfferingTree dramatically reduced her monthly platform costs, providing immediate financial relief.

Operational Efficiency

The platform’s automation features freed up time Jenn previously spent on manual administrative tasks, allowing her to focus on teaching and business development.

Growth Strategy Enabled

With a stable, affordable platform foundation, Jenn and her team are now planning to expand from two retreats per year to six, leveraging the most profitable part of their business. This 200% increase in offsite events, a major undertaking, is easier to focus on with the right software solution running their business.

Freedom and Flexibility

OfferingTree enables Jenn’s unique virtual teaching style, allowing her to teach from anywhere while maintaining professional class management.

“It’s been lovely on nice days. I can be out and about, and lead my virtual classes wherever I happen to be.. ‘Oh, it’s almost time for class. I’m going to find a park nearby and do my class in the park.'”

Looking Forward

Building Toward Financial Independence

With OfferingTree providing the stable foundation she needed, Jenn is happy that she made the switch. Now she’s focused on growing her membership base and expanding her retreat offerings and is confident that OfferingTree will support her as she scales.