Yoga to the People - Parsons Project

YOGA TO THE PEOPLE WORKPLACE YOGA SESSIONS

& SUPPORTING MARKETING CAMPAIGN MANAGING CREATIVE PROJECTS AND TEAMS, FALL 2015

COLIN REN, GAYATRI MOHAN, NISHITA SOOD, SMEDES SCOVIL

CONTENTS 1. OUR BRAND 2. BRAINSTORMING 3. PROJECT BRIEF 4. MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 1 5. VALUE PROPOSITION 6. JOURNEY MAP 7. VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS 8. MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 2 9. PROTOTYPING 10. MARKETING 11. LEARNING LAUNCH 12. CONCLUSION

OUR BRAND

We decided to focus on Yoga to the People because of their unique donation-based business model. YTTP asks:

“Can a yoga studio maintain itself as a business while keeping the focus of its intention on providing yoga as a service first and foremost?�

This became the guiding question of our project as we began our research and ideation phase.

BRAINSTORMING SUSTAINABILITY We initially struggled with the sustainability aspect of YTTP. We could follow one of two paths.

Cultural Environmental Build a community around at-home classes for up to six people per session.

Redesign YTTP’s currently chaotic payment process at the end of class.

Create a program for YTTP customers to donate lightly used yoga mats and accessories to YTTP.

Design yoga and meditation programs for offsite corporate events.

Design a more eco-friendly, YTTP-branded yoga mat for sale/rent to customers.

Design a more eco-friendly water bottle so YTTP doesn’t have to sell plastic water bottles.

BRAINSTORMING SUSTAINABILITY We narrowed down our focus to designing yoga and meditation programs for offsite corporate events.

Cultural

To move forward, we set up an initial conversation with an instructor at YTTP. This conversation immediately revealed a set of key problems with YTTP’s current operations from the organizational, intructor and end-user (YTTP customer) perspectives.

Design yoga and meditation programs for offsite corporate events.

PROJECT BRIEF PROBLEMS IDENTIFIED Instructors must go through a 200-hour training session before they can teach at YTTP studios.

They receive their weekly teaching schedule only one week in advance.

They may have to teach at a different studio each time, further complicating their weekly schedule.

Those who don’t have another job suffer from excessive downtime in their teaching schedule.

YTTP has minimal marketing & outreach.

YTTP trains 200 instructors annually, without enough employment opportunities for them within YTTP.

Upon identifying problems from the organizational, instructor and end-user perspectives, we decided to focus on two distinct questions.

How can YTTP better leverage their trained instructors, and avoid wasting the resources invested into their 200hour training sessions?

How can YTTP bolster their marketing and outreach efforts to reach a wider audience with greater ease?

MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 1 Large Client Orgs.

Integral Yoga Institute Yoga At Work Program Nava Yoga Work From Om

Minimal Services

Daisy Office Yoga

We propose that YTTP offer their simple Vinyasa yoga classes to smaller organizations with a similar community-building sensibility.

YTTP

Small Client Orgs.

Full Suite of Services

MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 1 CHALLENGES Connecting with reliable sources (studio/office managers) at YTTP Getting timely and relevant responses from the one contact we did find at YTTP How many instructors work full time? Part time?

How many instructors leave YTTP after training?

How many classes does each instructor teach?

Fully understanding YTTP’s business model and operating structure Finding accurate information about competing workplace yoga services

VALUE PROPOSITION After completing our first phase of market research focused on YTTP and its competitive landscape, we arrived at the following value proposition to help them better leverage their trained instructors, while also improving their marketing and outreach efforts:

We propose affordable workplace yoga at a price point of $100/60 min for intimate environments like coworking spaces to: Provide additional teaching opportunities for trained instructors Expand YTTP’s brand outreach and spread their practice Attract more members to the YTTP community (studio classes) Offer culture-building and stress-relieving practices for offices

JOURNEY MAP We identified two instructor types: stable and unstable.

MARIA

stable, 22 dancer, full-time consultant at Ernst & Young Think & Feel Connects with others quickly Happy, excited to share Desire to teach Weekly schedule

YTTP manifesto

Beautiful studios

Environmental focus

Passionate students

No reporting to manager

Effective business model Refers to YTTP as “we�

Smiles, explains highlights in detail

Say & Do Pain

Gain

Lack of teaching opps

Enjoys teaching, income

Paid for teacher training

Believes in YTTP values

See

Hear

NYU endorsement

JOURNEY MAP We identified two instructor types: stable and unstable.

ANDREW

unstable, 34, cyclist, part-time retail worker, experienced yogi Think & Feel Loves yoga Needs income

Other studios offer better pay, reliable schedules

Downtime Conflicting work schedules

High demand for yoga

Full classes

Tries to refrain from blaming YTTP

Say & Do Pain

Gain

Ability to supplement income

Location close to home

Need schedule in advance

Income

See

Hear

Frustrated

JOURNEY MAP Activity Joining YTTP

Class

Training

Schedule

Downtime

Forced to attend a class by NYU friend

Starts regular classes at St. Marks studio

Registered for 200h teacher training

Erratic schedule, clashes with work

Does not rely heavily on yoga for income

Walked in to learn about teacher training

Tried a class in Brooklyn studio

Registered for 200h teacher training

Erratic schedule, difficult to set a routine

Cannot afford downtime

Teaching Flexible and can teach at any studio

Loves yoga but teaches for money

Payment Fine with pay

Fine with pay

Emotions Uninformed

Inspired

Satisfied

Optimistic

Hopeful

Thrilled

Content

Curious

Impressed

Satisfied

Unhappy

Disappointed

Thrilled

Content

Maria Andrew

VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS R&D

Current Proposed

Equipment

Mats, bands, Establishing core values, practice, blocks, blankets, towels, water teaching styles

R&D

Equipment

Space

Instructors

Pre-Session

Promotion via website, social, college partners (NYU)

YTTP studios 200-hour training Coworking spaces

Space

Session

No follow up with customers 60-min Vinyasa

Promotion via website, social, coworking space

Instructors

Post-Session

Pre-Session

Points of Intervention

Follow up with coworking space to host again

Session

Post-Session

VALUE CHAIN ANALYSIS SKILLS & PROCESSES

VULNERABILITIES

YTTP brand awareness and reputation

At least 5-7 interested instructors needed

Skilled instructors

At least 3-4 interested coworking spaces needed

Spacious and attractive locations for sessions

Strong marketing needed to promote attendance

CHALLENGES How many instructors work full time? Part time?

How many instructors leave YTTP after training?

How many classes does each instructor teach?

Finding accurate information about competing workplace yoga services

MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 2 Large Coworking Spaces Wework

Weleet Center for Social Innovation Spark Labs Fueled Collective Yoga Unfriendly

General Assembly

Projective Space Studiomates

Impact Hub AlleyNYC Purehouse

Yoga Friendly

We chose to work with Impact Hub because of their mid-sized working community and their existing inclination towards offering yoga and meditation classes.

Croissant Small Coworking Spaces

MARKET RESEARCH | PHASE 2 CHALLENGES Connecting with reliable sources at Impact Hub Getting timely and relevant responses from our contacts at Impact Hub How many members do they have?

How have previous yoga classes been received?

What would they pay for yoga classes?

Finding accurate information about competing coworking spaces

PROTOTYPING | v1 SERVICE PROVIDER (YTTP) Sign up sheet emailed to teach offsite

Monthly offsite schedule sent out

Instructor (Maria) coordinates with contact at cowork space (Marissa)

Maria transports equipment to coworking space

Maria and Marissa set up

Session starts right on Maria clears out space after class time

Pain points highlighted in grey

PROTOTYPING | v1 CUSTOMER (IMPACT HUB) Impact Hub YTTP sends pricing surveys members and schedule for preferences

Marissa coordinates with Maria

Session starts right on time

Marissa books a space in the office

Marissa helps Maria clear up

Marissa and Maria set up

Impact Hub does a follow up survey with members

Pain points highlighted in grey

PROTOTYPING | v1 END USER (EMPLOYEES) Impact Hub member (Melanie) receives survey about yoga classes and signs up

IH sends final schedule and reminder

Melanie is delayed by a call on the day

Melanie feels dirty after class but has nowhere to shower

Melanie enjoyed class despite missing the first ten minutes

She also had no time to eat lunch

Pain points highlighted in grey

PROTOTYPING | v2 SERVICE PROVIDER (YTTP) Sign up sheet emailed to teach offsite

Monthly offsite schedule sent out

Instructor (Maria) coordinates with contact at cowork space (Marissa)

Maria transports Maria and Marissa set equipment to up coworking space the first day; all subsequent classes will be BYO

Session starts right on Maria clears out space after class time

Improvements highlighted in grey

PROTOTYPING | v2 CUSTOMER (IMPACT HUB) YTTP sends schedule starting with once a week; offsite classes will remain donation based as Impact Hub won’t pay

Impact Hub sends info through newsletter and schedule through Calendly

Marissa coordinates with Maria

Session starts right on time

Marissa books a space in the office

Marissa and Maria set up

Marissa helps Maria clear up

Improvements highlighted in grey

PROTOTYPING | v2 END USER (EMPLOYEES) Impact Hub member (Melanie) receives info through newsletter

Impact Hub sends schedule through Calendly

Melanie is delayed by a Melanie enjoyed class call on the day despite missing the first ten minutes

Melanie can use Impact Hub would consider discounted Impact additional catering and is Hub rate to shower already considering a new at nearby spa cafe on premises

Improvements highlighted in grey

MARKETING

Left: Current website Below: Improved web and mobile platform

MARKETING

Above: Social media advertising Right: Postcards for promotion at coworking spaces

LEARNING LAUNCH STRATEGIC INTENT Cultivate the YTTP brand by increasing its offerings to the community through a program for YTTPtrained instructors to teach at offsite locations, such as coworking spaces. This also provides the trained instructors additional teaching opportunities when they have some downtime at YTTP studios.

Workplace classes will remain donation-based, with 100% of donations to instructor, because we discovered through prototyping that Impact Hub, the coworking space in question, would not pay for such a service despite their keen interest in YTTP as a community-oriented organization.

LEARNING LAUNCH REMAINING ASSUMPTIONS TO TEST 1.

Clear service provider interest and scalability: YTTP-trained instructors want to participate in planning and teaching donation-based classes at coworking spaces.

2.

Acceptance by customer: There is more than just one coworking space interested in YTTP’s offering.

3.

Clear end-user value: Coworking space members would be willing to pay for donation-based classes at their workplace.

LEARNING LAUNCH IN-MARKET TEST PLAN UNTESTED ASSUMPTIONS

SUCCESS METRIC FOR LAUNCH

1.

Clear service provider interest

There must be a minimum of 5-7 interested instructors within the first three months.

2.

Acceptance by customer

There must be a minimum of 3-4 interested coworking spaces within the first three months.

3.

Clear end-user value

Instructor must collect a minimum of $50/class on average within the first three months (at a standard rate of $5/person/class in a class of ten).

LEARNING LAUNCH FINANCIAL CAPITAL TO BE EXPENDED Full-time commitment of one YTTP instructor per workplace session = $35/60 min = $35 Reimbursement of instructor’s travel costs = up to $20 Production of marketing materials (website, social ads, postcards) by YTTP staff or freelance designer = $40/hour for a total of 44 hours = $1,760 Distribution of marketing materials (postcards) = digital = 0 Total financial capital to be expended = $1,815

CONCLUSION

CHALLENGES

LEARNINGS

Timeline constrained our ability to make reliable contacts at YTTP & Impact Hub

Conduct a premortem to better anticipate roadblocks

Our motivation plummeted after roadblocks in acquiring accurate information from primary sources

Leverage the project management software, Asana, to coordinate better Be more proactive in seeking out contacts and opportunities Be more persistent in following up with contacts and work more closely with them to develop the program

THANK YOU