Yoga Culture by Sonia Ghazali

An Analysis of the Yoga Culture in Privately Owned Studios IDUS 711 | Prof. Siniscarco | Winter 2013 Sonia Ghazali, Susan Bernard, Anna Calderon, and Daniel Regan

Overview

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The Team

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Project Overview

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Research and Methodology

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Fieldwork

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Analysis

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Insights and Opportunities

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Opportunity Map

The Team

ANNA CALDERON Washington, DC

SUSAN BERNARD Kingston, Jamaica

SONIA GHAZALI Valdosta, GA

DANIEL REGAN Richmond, Virginia

Project Overview

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Study yoga in privately owned studios

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Develop a deep understanding of the yoga culture

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Maximize the yoga experience (physical and spiritual)

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Value proposition

Research and Methodology

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Questions to guide our research

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Scope

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Methodologies 

Observation

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Interview

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Wall of Thoughts

Fieldwork – Studios Studied

Rivers Edge Yoga Studio - Alexandria, VA

Yoga Angels Jamaica - Kingston, Jamaica

Solid Ground Yoga Studio - Richmond, VA

Sutherland Yoga Studio – Valdosta, GA

Fieldwork - Observation

Fieldwork - Interviews

“Yoga is the space and time when my breath leads, my body follows and see my soul.” - Instructor

Fieldwork â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Walls of Thoughts

Fieldwork â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Working Walls

Analysis

Models - Anna Spider Map: Suggestions to improve the Yoga experience

Personas Personas at Rivers Edge Yoga Studio

More class times Student 1

Student 2

“Teacher that cares for your well being”, personal attention

Student 3

Discoveries

Heather “the athlete”

The space itself

Discoveries

1. Having a teacher who cares for your well being is one of the top suggestions to improve the yoga experience.

Better Storage

2. Better class pricing is another top suggestiosn to improve the yoga experience. 3. Better storage is a not a top issue to improve the yoga experience. 4. The space itself is also important in improving the yoga experience.

Sarah “therapy”

Heather is 26 years old. She has been doing yoga for a few years now and is really into breathing and meditating through the moves. She is very flexible and muscular, she is an athlete all around and also likes running. She is very dedicated. She works full time and does yoga at least 1x/week. She wears a leotard under her stretch pants for class. Her number one thing to maximize the yoga experience is that “having a teacher (like Margaret) who cares for your well being, makes it more than just exercise.”

Sarah is 36 years old and has a 15 year old daughter. Sarah had breast cancer and had a mastectomy. Since her operation she began taking yoga clases as a form of therapy to help even out her body, and she has seen a major change. Because of her surgery she cannot do all of the poses and need block and towels and adjustments in order to do poses. She would like to bring her daughter to class one day. Sarah attends class 1x/week.

Better Pricing

Journey Map: The steps to taking yoga classes at Rivers Edge Yoga Studio Continues

Progress

Student calls yoga studio and leaves a message. Owner calls you back and you register by level of experience.

Groupon

Student sees deal on Groupon and buys a class pack of either 10 or 20 classes at a very big discount. This is enough to progress through 2-4 levels.

Student likes classes and decides to stay and pay full price for more classes or

student moves on to next level for another five weeks. continue this cycle until class pack is used up (10 20 classes).

Start

Start taking classes 1x/week for five weeks.

Wait

You wait a few weeks until the new session begins (usually 2-3 weeks).

Finish level Finish your level in 5 weeks.

Discoveries

Leaves

Student likes or dislikes classes but does not want to pay full price ($15/class) for more classes and drops out.

Done

Student has completed the 10 - 20 class packs.

1. Most students are purchasing classes through Groupon which shows regular class price is too high for this studio. Groupon price works well for this audience. 2. Waiting period of 2-3 weeks before being able to start a class is too long. 3. The progression of levels works well, student feels they are accomplishing something in a short period of time. 4. Most students leave classes once their groupon deal class pack has expired.

Elaine “for fun” Elaine is 25 years old. She does yoga on and off when she finds good groupon deals for yoga near her surroundings. She enjoys the relaxing nature of yoga and it helps her clear her mind. She works full time (sometimes night shifts) but tries to go to class at least 1x/week. She is building her savings account to buy a house and get married, so she is very tight with her budget.

1. Having a teacher who cares for your well being is one of the top priorities to maximize the yoga experience. 2. Yoga as a form of therapy is a great opportunity that could be maximized. 3. Pricing is an issue for this basic studio, again the groupon pricing is much better and attracts and retains students vs the regular pricing.

Models - Susan

Models - Sonia

Model - Daniel

USER PERSONAS THE MOM AGE: FAMILY:

44 2 teenage children, husband

EDUCATION: Bachelors Degree OCCUPATION: Stay-at-home Mom INCOME: $75,000

NOTES HAS FLEXIBLE HOURS IN THE AFTERNOON HAS DISPOSABLE INCOME RISES AT 6:30AM ENJOYS RUNNING AS WELL AS YOGA SEES YOGA CLASSES AS A BREAK FROM THE GRIND/ROUTINE APPROACHES YOGA BOTH FROM A FITNESS PERSPECTIVE AND MEDITATIVE

Insights and Opportunities - Anna

Insights and Opportunities, Cont.

Insights and Opportunities

Insights and Opportunities - Susan Strategic Marketing There is an opportunity to increase revenue

How might we Build upon the current successful method of marketing ? Grow without loosing our identity ?

Educate the general Jamaican public about Yoga and it’s health benefits through offices, clinics, private doctors and other community methods Encourage educators to incorporate Yoga into their school programs as an extra curricular activity

Reduce the cost of the class without loosing profits ?

“clean mats”

Introduce more classes on peak days such as Thursday, Saturday and Sunday

Wall of Thoughts

“better time band” Wall of Thoughts

“consistency” Wall of Thoughts

“ a place for fresh food” Wall of Thoughts

Offer more specialized classes

Introduce international retreats for Yogis Introduce additional retail items such as mats, bags, props etc that are marked with studio branding Introduce MindBody Yoga Software for purchase of passes on line, scheduling etc Introduce a health bar

Insights and Opportunities Personal Space Because there isn’t enough storage for Yogis in peak hour classes, they tend to carry their personal belongings into the studio while practicing which creates unnecessary

Provide locker area/room

clutter. There is an opportunity to increase the personal space

Provide change areas with shower and toilet facilities for males and females

How might we Introduce additional storage for the Yogis ? Introduce a way for Yogi’s to prepare for class when arriving directly from work or other?

“having the time and space to breathe and experience each pose” Wall of Thoughts

Insights and Opportunities Effective entry The entrance to the Studio is not immediately evident to newcomers or visitors. The spa area could also be relocated based upon it’s present position which is at the Exiting location of Spa

entry to the studio.

How might we Highlight the entrance to the building ? Create more privacy for the Spa area ?

Path to the studio and retail entrance

Exiting entrance of the Yoga Studio and Retail

Relocate the entrance to the lower level (directly from the parking lot) Place a Yoga Angels receptionist, Yoga angels and retail area

“a sacred space” Wall of Thoughts

Have the spa area open out to the rear Verandah (the existing entry enclosed by Private fencing

Insights and Opportunities Affinity Diagram Yoga Angels Jamaica

Venn diagram reflecting information on the Affinity diagram

Personal definitions of Yoga from Yogis interviewed

Spiritual benefits

Common themes

Physical Benefits

Emotional benefits

Insights: The majority of the people at the studio felt that there was a combination of spiritual and physical, a couple more physical than spiritual Many illnesses are improved through Yoga both Physically and Emotionally which enhance spiritual development Churches, community centers, Private doctors, Hospitals, Schools, Offices would benefit by incorporating Yoga into Their daily routine

Key words taken from interviews

Insights and Opportunities - Sonia

Insights and Opportunities

Insights and Opportunities - Daniel

Insights and Opportunities

Opportunity Map

Namaste and Thank You