This is such a fun story for me to share.
This a magical experience of how 4 people connected and made a yoga studio open in 4 months with zero obstacles to opening :
In 4 months we:
And opened with 23 people in the first class!
Bibi Lorenzetti www.bibilorenzetti.com
Austin Dubois www.duboiselderlaw.com
www.NewburghYogaShala.com
ON THIS EPISODE WE TALK ABOUT
RESOURCES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:
Care.org
Canva
Google Drive
New York Time Crossword
Referrizer
Mindbody
Walla Software
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Michael Jay - Yoga Biz Champ
Michael Jay, the Yoga Biz Champ, stands as the go-to Yoga Business Consultant, embarked on a mission to elevate yoga studios from mere survival to genuine thriving.
With a rich background as a yoga teacher, former studio owner, marketing expert, and yoga studio business coach, he possesses the insider knowledge necessary to elevate your yoga venture to new heights.
His passion for yoga, combined with a sharp business acumen and a sincere desire to see studio owners excel, encapsulates his professional ethos. Michael is not one to offer one-size-fits-all advice; instead, he's dedicated to providing tailored guidance, tangible outcomes, and supporting your studio to emerge as the next Yoga Biz Champ in your community.
FREE RESOURCES AND BOOK A CHAT LINK
https://yogabizchamp.link/podlink
________________________________
Subscribe, Rate, and Review:
Don't forget to subscribe to Yoga Biz Champ. Follow us on social media @yogabizchamp, rate, and review the podcast. Your feedback helps us grow our community and reach more yoga enthusiasts like you.
FREE RESOURCES AND BOOK A CHAT LINK
https://yogabizchamp.link/podlink
This is such a fun story for me to share.
This a magical experience of how 4 people connected and made a yoga studio open in 4 months with zero obstacles to opening :
In 4 months we:
And opened with 23 people in the first class!
Bibi Lorenzetti www.bibilorenzetti.com
Austin Dubois www.duboiselderlaw.com
www.NewburghYogaShala.com
ON THIS EPISODE WE TALK ABOUT
RESOURCES DISCUSSED IN THIS EPISODE:
Care.org
Canva
Google Drive
New York Time Crossword
Referrizer
Mindbody
Walla Software
______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Michael Jay - Yoga Biz Champ
Michael Jay, the Yoga Biz Champ, stands as the go-to Yoga Business Consultant, embarked on a mission to elevate yoga studios from mere survival to genuine thriving.
With a rich background as a yoga teacher, former studio owner, marketing expert, and yoga studio business coach, he possesses the insider knowledge necessary to elevate your yoga venture to new heights.
His passion for yoga, combined with a sharp business acumen and a sincere desire to see studio owners excel, encapsulates his professional ethos. Michael is not one to offer one-size-fits-all advice; instead, he's dedicated to providing tailored guidance, tangible outcomes, and supporting your studio to emerge as the next Yoga Biz Champ in your community.
FREE RESOURCES AND BOOK A CHAT LINK
https://yogabizchamp.link/podlink
________________________________
Subscribe, Rate, and Review:
Don't forget to subscribe to Yoga Biz Champ. Follow us on social media @yogabizchamp, rate, and review the podcast. Your feedback helps us grow our community and reach more yoga enthusiasts like you.
FREE RESOURCES AND BOOK A CHAT LINK
https://yogabizchamp.link/podlink
Michael Jay
Welcome to Yoga Biz camp. This is a little bit of a different take today, because we've got a little bit of a journey and a story to share today. Today, I have two very special people that I my clients, but I feel very invested in them. I'm very invested in their business. And it's just been an amazing journey from not wanting to open a studio to opening a studio in four months. This is such a good story. I want to welcome Bibi Lorenzetti and Austin DuBois. Hi, guys,
Bibi Lorenzetti
thank you. So happy to
Michael Jay
go. It is so good to have you guys. So we're gonna go a little bit in chronological order of how this happened. And then you guys can fill the gaps in where I wasn't around. So first of all, I'm in Canada, Vancouver. You guys are in Newburgh, a suburb of New York. And Bibi. So it all started with my podcast?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah. Oh, absolutely did.
Michael Jay
So baby was gobbling up my podcast for some reason. You can tell me why in a moment. And then she for some reason, she reached out to me to have a chat. Bibi has home based studio. And she reached out to me. So Bibi just before we kind of go on, I'd like to, can you just sort of fill in your journey, a short sort of journey of your yoga trip in your, you know, sort of your journey from whatever to you know how we met.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Okay, I'll try to make it short. And so your energy? Yes. Well, I've been practicing for 12 years, 14 years, I started teaching very young, I was 24. And I was slapped into reality of what yoga really is. Soon after I started I thought I had it all figured out. And then I was very lucky to run into the Shala yoga house, which has been a main inspiration for our studio. And they they really guided me to what yoga is in essence, and and really supported me and inspired me to go to India and start making it a regular thing to study Ashtanga at the Ashtanga Research Institute in Mysore. And so I spent eight years doing that yearly, about two, three months when I could a year. And I started teaching Mysore Ashtanga when I was 2008. And I soon realized that it was a really big responsibility. And I basically became became a yoga nun. And then fast forward a few years later, I was slightly burned out from a very busy teaching career which I'm very grateful for. It took me to meet very amazing people, and celebrities of sorts, and I with my partner, we decided to move upstate and we we found Newberg and I opened a little yoga Shala in my garage. I had this idea living in New York City and like doing the the subway all day long, I was like I just want to wake up and like put my slippers on and walk across the yard with a coffee in my Hand and teach people. And so that's what I did until the pandemic hit. And I had a baby at the beginning of the pandemic. And I truly dislike teaching virtually. I'm a I'm a people person. And so that did not go well. So I decided to become a doula. And I threw myself into that during the pandemic. And then I, I was in contact with the, with the owners of the Shala yoga house, and they wanted a space upstate. So one day I came out of my postpartum stupor and stroll down Broadway, and realize that there were a lot more spaces opening up and that Newberg felt different, in some way or form. And so I told them, do you want me to see some spaces for you? And they were like, Sure. And I thought I was going to go see a space on this main road. But I ended up on this street called Liberty Street, which is kind of like the main event of Newburgh, I would say, I don't know if Austin agrees that probably. Yeah, and I walked into this beautiful space that I had never seen. And it's something about the space, there's these big, beautiful arched windows and the wood framing of it. And the the door itself was this turquoise. It like just brought me back to my source something about like the decadent and the like falling apart. And yeah, I really, I was like, whoa. And so I left there being like, I really don't want to be a studio owner. But I can't let someone else do this. So I called my astrologer and she was like, today's a good day for that kind of feeling. And you should definitely think about it. And so then, shortly after that, I don't remember exactly how it happened. But I found your podcast, my goal? And I was like, Okay, how can I do this without going totally bankrupt? And my astrologer said to meditate on the frequency of number 21. And so I did and then Austin appeared. Feared probably like one day before I met you, Michael. So when I reached out to you, I was like, I need help, because I don't want to open a yoga studio, but I have to open a yoga studio. And I need help with that. And then a communal friend introduced us and Austin can fill in about that. But we ended up meeting the day before I met you, Michael and we connected and Austin. I know I was looking at another space and I saw it and I was like, Don't do that.
Michael Jay
See my space? Yeah, so let's so so at this point, I'd spoken to Bibi I had no clue really about Austin because Bibi you and I were actually were talking a little bit about your home studio a little bit on the first call. And then you were like, I don't want to be a studio owner. And then the next thing I know, you're telling it was like a day late. And you're like, Well, I've met this guy who's wants to open a yoga studio. I'm like what we were just talking about your home studio. And I remember distinctly because from my meeting with you, baby, I connected with you like it was just like I cared about you. And I remember saying baby, I want to have another chat with you free call like another free call. I want to protect you in this because partnerships are not always the best way to go. Austin to Austin, can you tell me a little bit about you. You're a lawyer and a lover of Newberg and you have an office there and so can you kind of tell me about your little journey and how you came to me.
Austin Dubois
Again, I'll keep it short, but I was born and raised in New York's Hudson Valley right around here, about 20 miles west of Newberg. I did manage to leave for 10 years, but then I came back about 10 years ago. And you know, I love the countryside, but I wanted to live in a city and Newberg is a beautiful, small city on the Hudson River with just incredible views of the river and the mountains on the east side of the river. So I've lived here for about nine years. And I had been dabbling in yoga for a number of years probably starting about 15 years ago I think I did my first like yoga class I was on a rowing team and we did like yoga for rowers or something but I liked it I've never been much of a sports competitive guy you know like that but I really liked the the physical and mental and focus and, and the whole holistic aspect of it. And I'd had stints of doing it for a couple years kind of falling off and this and that And for a few years now, even a little baby pre pandemic but definitely during it. Newberg has seen a lot of people moving here and especially during the pandemic, a lot of people leaving New York City and coming up here and I you know, I was going to yoga classes I would have to drive you know, we have this great downtown is Liberty Street BB mentioned that it's totally walkable, there are shops and restaurants and and all sorts of different cool things. But there's no yoga studios. And it would really grind my gear is that I had to get in my car and drive 15 minutes to, you know, the surrounding town to go to a yoga class, instead of kind of like Bibi mentioned, like just I want to, I live right downtown next to Liberty Street, I want to walk out my front door, walk five minutes down the block, or even 10 minutes, whatever, and then go to class and come home and shower or whatever. I had seen a space open. And I've been talking about it for a while thinking about it. You know, I do have my own law firm. The kind of law I practice, it's trusts and estates and elder law. So it's very financial in nature. So I, you know, I have that background. I saw a space that was open. And I had a very sort of, admittedly sort of shallow thought, as far as like, look, it's a it's sort of a white box space, it can be built out. I could maybe hire teachers, and at least we would have a studio down here. But it was really kind of as simple as that. And frankly, in retrospect, kind of a silly idea to think first of all, I could do it on my own. But also not nearly with the the depth and thoroughness and beauty of vision that Bibi has. We, and I've been telling friends about it. I had actually negotiated a lease and the space. And then a friend shared the post the Bibi made in Facebook about like, if there's anybody interested in a studio on Liberty Street, and I would have known about Ed hates Facebook, by the way, right? So apparently. You know, a mutual friend of ours had practices with her. And I had actually emailed her briefly at the beginning of 2020. Because in the beginning of 2020, I was like gonna get back into yoga, and of course, the pandemic. Right, right. So, I think I reached out to her initially, and we were gonna like schedule a time to talk, but Bibi didn't want to wait. And she was like asking me what the deal was with this other space. And I showed her pictures. And she's like, can I call you? I said, Yeah, sure. And I remember I was sitting actually, right here in my office where I am now. And she calls me and she's like, can I just be honest with you? I'm like, I would love it. If you'd be honest with me. This is, you know, we had never spoken be honest. Yeah, exactly. She's like, that doesn't look like a yoga studio. I was like, yeah, like, I see what you're saying. She goes, it looks like an office. I'm like, Okay, that's fair. You know, I get it. But, you know, I kind of have like, decided to go forward with this. So it took me a minute to sort of get out of the rut. But you know, I met Bibi in person, we went and got coffee at this great local coffee shop, which is right down the street from the studio. I mean, went to the space. And, I mean, obviously she was right, you know that the space was just gorgeous. And it lent itself perfectly, to having a really beautiful, and you know, studio and in the best possible way.
Michael Jay
And folks that it's a special building is beautiful, wants to
Bibi Lorenzetti
be a yoga studio, why this space has everything, like it came with everything it wanted. I'm just we're just listening to it.
Michael Jay
Yeah, I love that. We'll talk about that. Because I mean, the windows alone, you know, have inspired so many things, your yoga, your logo, your website, your post, you know, everything about that building in the arches of that window, you know, just speak to it's a very special brick building on a corner to beautiful windows. And it was in rough raw kind of state when you saw it like it was just, you know, not not much to it. So, so I just want to recap here. Within about a week. We have a very experienced yoga teacher not wanting a yoga studio, percolating. We've got an investor, lawyer business guy, we've got a business coach in the yoga world and we've got a building
Austin Dubois
all within it really was and
Bibi Lorenzetti
then in the center of it a very, very wisdom for astrologer, astrologist so all together well,
Michael Jay
and I do feel there are you know, they're all these meant to BS and you know, like, I do feel that everything about this path and that the fact that there's been pretty much no roadblocks, you know, any other The building and studio that I'm working with, you know, it's like, we're waiting for an electrician approval or waiting for, you know, we haven't gone through any of those kinds of things, right?
Austin Dubois
Not like waiting for things to happen. That's, that's for sure.
Bibi Lorenzetti
I think we share that.
Austin Dubois
And we share it. I have to say, right off the bat, like I'm, you know, sometimes to a fault, very action oriented guy. But Bibi has such a clear vision. Yeah, that it's perfect. Because she knows what she wants, and she knows what it is. And I buy into it fully. So it's great, because it's with that clarity. And then with our mutual just sort of desire to Yeah, it's, it's great. You know,
Michael Jay
I yeah, maybe I am actually curious, personally, having known you for the last few months, like, you're very, like, when you do a project, you take it on, and you see it through like, I mean, it's like, it's amazing, you know, everything that you've done, you just take it on and use you do it to the utmost. But where do you get that from?
Bibi Lorenzetti
I don't know. But if you were my non business partner would not like me, it's not making me in trouble this kind of behavior. I don't know. I I'm very passionate about what I like. And I'm very, like, all or nothing. I don't I don't know, the middle. That's probably why I need to do yoga so much. So if I really like something and really, like, feel connected to something I just go for it. I don't I don't do half.
Michael Jay
Yeah, I mean, Austin, you gotta it's pretty amazing the amount that she can accomplish in a short amount of time. You guys, it is and you know, we'll get into this but I mean, baby has, you know, okay, we started with a, we've got a beginner course. And baby has written an entire sequence of emails that coincide with videos, and
Bibi Lorenzetti
well, that was your like your thing. Well, thank
Michael Jay
you. Thank you. I mean, honestly, this is a dream project for me, because pretty much things most things I suggest you guys do. And so for me, it's super fun because I get to see things that I know work in action. But I also Bibi let's get back to you with your clarity because you are very clear. And I love that. And so, folks, Bibi is I came in through the Ashtanga door and I will say that I was years and Ashtanga that's the door I came through. And I will say that I soft softened when Donna Farhi came to town and then Shiva Ray changed things up. And you know, that's kind of what happened here. But you really pure in your vision of Ashtanga, you're, you're very clear about who you're still students are and who they're not. And you're very clear on what you like and what you don't like. And I love it when you challenge me because I'll be like, alright, she because I'll go alright, baby. Well, yeah, I like that poster. It's really good. But the QR code is round. You know, most people don't really see that as an obvious thing. And then she'll come back next day, and you'll be I hear you, but I like the round. Right? I'd like all right, it's been sold about it's been, you know, it's not a reaction, but it's like, no, I'm very clear. And you know, folks, right on her front door is around QR code. Grace,
Bibi Lorenzetti
I don't know. Well, I say that. Yeah, go ahead.
Michael Jay
Yeah, I just but you know, you just have a thoroughness to everything you do. And I also love that you are. I love the fact and when we talk about niching, but it's not, it's really just you're very clear about who you are, who you're not and who you don't want to be. And so when we've had group things, and I'm talking about some promotions, and bingo promotions in the summer, I'm in my head, I'm just going that is not Bibi and then I find out that Bibi text in Austin going we're not doing bingo cards while we're talking. That literally happened. Yeah. I agree. Yeah. Yeah. But there's a pureness to it, which I think will be massive. So let's talk about some of the steps that we've had to go through. So Austin, I want to talk a little bit to you about we pricing. It was working with you guys. It's very It has been a very different and really wonderful experience when we've talked about the conversations around pricing. Because what I you know, in my training and what I did in my studio, and what I've done with other studios didn't necessarily work for you when I suggested certain things. And one of the things Is that your area? Is seeing a renewal? Sure I am. So you're and so it's kind of in an in between stage right now of it being renewed. And you know, I don't want to throw this word around lightly, but gentrification people use that word and right. And you have very, very conscious about not wanting to out price and not wanting to offend people, but still wanting to make a business profit model. Can you tell me what you went through through that process? And also, why do you care so much? The new big thing like you, you guys really care about that? Well,
Austin Dubois
I mean, without, you know, boring everybody too much. But, you know, I grew up in a small town, my, my grandfather was like, the building inspector, you know, my, my dad was very involved in, in the community. My other grandfather has it, you know, I just come from a background personally anyway, where, like, community is very important, and your neighbors and the people around you are, you know, we all exist together. And, you know, the reason especially when you're in a dense area, like a city or a small village or something like that. It's, it's this can be this wonderful reciprocal thing where everybody's sort of looking out for each other. So that's just sort of like, been ingrained in me. And Newberg is, yeah, it's a it's a post industrial slump city, where after, you know, the 50s and 60s, and then I'm not going to go down the whole rabbit hole with it. But there's this concept called urban renewal in the 70s, where, you know, governmental entities essentially just, you know, knock down neighborhoods of buildings and displaced tons of people. And it was, you know, it was basically racist. There was you know, there's there's no getting around it at the time, and Newberg has suffered for probably 40 years. Because of a variety of factors. People are moving, people are coming back into Newberg, but of course, that creates the tensions between people that have been here for those 40 years, or people that were born here 20 years ago, or whatever it is, it's been generations who have not had really any economic opportunity at all, because Newburgh just hasn't had an economy to speak of, they haven't had a lot of businesses downtown, they haven't had mid, or large sized businesses that employ large numbers of people to give people opportunity. They've had a dysfunctional government for a long time. And that persists to this day. And opening a business opening a yoga studio, you know, in a downtown and a lot of different things are happening. We want to be sure that we are not operating in a bubble because we don't live in a bubble, we don't exist in a bubble, we want to be cognizant of that I think a lot of people can sort of pay what are called short shrift to, to that they'll just sort of put their blinders on and, and laser focus on the revenue or the bottom line or whatever. And look, I'm we are a business, we are a for profit business, and we have to make money. But I'm firm, firm believer that if you're intentional and authentic about things and really thinking outside the box, and being creative, and talking to people and bringing other people into the fold and getting their ideas, talking to community groups, talking to people that do community work, that can connect, you know, our business with people that might not traditionally attend a yoga class or really understand what it is or even be able to afford the prices we have now, even though we are doing our best not to make them inaccessible. There's a way where we can integrate fully, you know, and we have I mean, I don't know how far, you know, into this we already get but we have a community class every Sunday, where it's all donation based, where if you can donate great if you can't No big deal. And we provide a number of different ways. So people somebody doesn't have to come in and be like, Well, I don't have anything. They can just come in and be like, Oh, no, you are whatever the you know, I want people to feel like they're put on the spot. Just want people to be able to come in and enjoy yoga. All those donations, by the way, go to a local nonprofit on top of that, so we're not even looking to make money off.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Can I add something to that? I think an interesting process, which might be interesting for other studios has been like, how do you make? Well, first of all, making clear that the community class is led by a solid teacher not by, you know, TTS, or teachers that are kind of figuring out how to teach, but also this is this something that I've been really struggling with figuring out how to message or how to make clear is that yes, it is for everybody, but there needs to be the seed of, like wanting to learn. So it's not like, come in. And it's like a yoga zoo in terms of like, there's people coming just to kind of see, do I like yoga or not, but there is this intention of like, I really want to work on my mental health and my physical health I want like there's a wanting to learn. And I think that's been really tricky for me, at least to, to figure out how to message it to where yes, it is free, if you don't have the resources. And that is true for all of our classes, you can always reach out and we'll find a way to integrate you. But there has to be a shared understanding that we're coming here to, to be serious about about the practice. So that if there are members that are, you know, paying for the class and using it as a regular class, but to do something good, they're still going to have this experience of like, a good class where it's not just like there's a lot going on, and no one's focus, which can happen. I've taught many community classes along my journey. And it's always been a little bit of a nightmare, like you have the regulars that are wanting to do something good. And then you have like, the person that comes in and it's like, what are we doing? What are the you know, like yelling or like, so there is I'm trying to figure out how to make it clear, like what it is that we're doing with this class and why it's open to everybody, not just to people that can donate, because then if you can't, there is no donate. If it's just free, then there's no donation, and we're not doing good to a car. So it's like, it's a very kind of many parts coming together. Which I never thought of to that extent. Sorry.
Austin Dubois
No, we do have a preliminary solution to that. But we're still only a month old. So we're right on it. But that is essentially to if we're being intentional about connecting with community groups that have their own leadership. And, you know, I'm lucky to have a few friends that are involved in that sort of thing. And we can say, Listen, let's, let's get together, you know, you guys will be the the nonprofit for the month. And why don't you you bring some people along with you that might be interested in learning and we can, and they, you know, have membership or people they're connected to that they will be able to help us help us do that.
Michael Jay
And then also you're I mean, we've had a soft opening. And what did you do on that day for the community? We cleaned up on cleanup. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, that was such a great way to introduce yourself to the community. And we're still we still got the grand opening to go. Yeah, it was a really nice way to soft opening. Bibi Can we switch back to building a team? So I mean, you've gone from, you know, teaching in other studios, having your own having your own classes, and a very specific way and expectations of you're very clear about how you want your teachers to be And can you talk about the the, because you built a pretty great team really quickly? Yeah,
Bibi Lorenzetti
lucky. Yeah. Well, we both did, I feel like well, it took so I always tell everybody, I'm, I consider myself a bit of a yoga snob because I'm very perfect. I think once you're in Ashtanga and like you practice in a certain way, you're very particular about how you want your space to be in like, what it is that? Like, I feel like for me, the most important thing
Michael Jay
is a better word than snobs.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Okay, particularly, is just like, what are we what are we trying to do when we're teaching, right? And so, you know, having taught in places like wanderlust where they're doing wonderful things, but there's so much diversity and having been the person that brings like, the one thing that's boring and like, doesn't have anything fun and fluffy, and like, it's just what it is. For me, it was, it was very important that I know that I have a conversation with whoever I hire about, like what it is that we're trying to do. And we're really trying to offer a space where people can come in and build inner steadiness and have everything that is around them be an invitation to go inwards and to build that steadiness. So that threads into the space itself. The way that a teacher speaks, how much she speaks, how much focus there is she or he I guess, how much focus there is on the breath. Because again, to me, like the breath is the central piece of the practice because that's how you get to the nervous system. And that's how you get to create heat to like, you know, all the things. And so that and then also to like how you set up, like, learn teaching your students like how do you set up when you come into a space? How do you behave in a space How do you and I feel like a big part of that was having your support in like figuring out how to put all those ideas into a piece of paper and and make it like a journey like this is what we want each person that comes in to experience from the moment they walk in? Where do they put their things? Same thing is like, when you're guiding them into practice, where do you want them to put their body, their eyes, their breath, like, so I feel like, we're like taking I have a lot of like motherly energy when I teaching. So it's this idea of like, we're like holding you, and we're taking you through practice. And not so much about how nice of a playlist you have, or you know, how many fancy words can you spin into your thing, but like, just clean basic. And so it took a little time to find, to find the people, but one, the ones that we did find are have been so receptive to all my feedback, and all my emails and all my craziness, we were very lucky to we open virtually first. So we were very lucky to I was able to take all of their classes, and I would send them notes afterwards. And luckily, Austin is a very good translator of my emails, and I will usually email him first and he will like, put it into a better shape, and then it'll go out. So it's, it's definitely been an intimidating job for me to do to like, Well, my view of yoga into onto others, but I've gotten really good feedback from the teachers have been very receptive to it. And it's helped me to, you know, continue to step into that.
Michael Jay
Yeah. And so I think that was, I mean, we kind of went through a process with that, too, right? I mean, even just even just going back to kind of mission, vision values kind of stuff and what you are, and then and then just really making sure that those people that you're hiring sort of fit into that those values. And I
Bibi Lorenzetti
think and also being mindful of like everybody, you know, everyone comes from a different lineage and they might not be you know, they they're all very solid teachers, but like, they might have different ways of teaching and so also just for me, it was very hard to be like, yes, but this is like that was such good guidance that you gave me of like mission vision just stick to that and like it's about that not about what I think is this this is what we are.
Michael Jay
Yeah, and so what is your I don't have it in front of me but your your tagline? Do we have that hand? It's a quiz.
Austin Dubois
We are in Newberg are your yoga oasis? Yoga, we are your yoga Oasis bringing traditional Indian practices to Newburgh in the Hudson Valley. Yeah. Something like that. The main
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah, to me, tradition is the main thing, like anything you're gonna do, can we can we route it back and find the way back to like, Hatha Yoga, Pradipika Yoga, you know, like, can you tell me what, why, why are we doing this? How does this fit into that? And how is that leading to me feeling like my brain is more centered when I walk out or I'm not. When I walk out?
Michael Jay
Well, and the thing with the build out, you know, what I really like about the way that you've done your build out? And you've actually inspired some of my other clients with this. Yeah. So Kathy, and Jack that you met on the call. Because you didn't have a finished studio when you opened? Right? It's, it's not complete. Like it's not every piece is not there. And so you said, Yeah, I kind of want to live in it. Can you talk about that baby a little bit about how that kind of
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah, that was not me. That was? Yeah, this is the studio owners that I worked for for many years in the city, Kristin lay and Barbara Rokia Shala yoga house, they, they are very, like they've had their studio for 15 years in Union Square. And like, they're, they've moved spaces. And in the midst of that, and it's just always been like I was, you know, I was assisting them for many years. And I was very closely working with them. And it was just so beautiful to like, you know, as a 20 year old coming in, and they're 10 plus years older than me, I would have like all these ideas, and they would be like, Yeah, okay, let's, let's think about this. And then they would like, you know, we would talk about it and then they would ask me why and like, and so whether it was like new classes or workshops, or retreats or whatever it was, or like a plant or an image, whatever it was, it was always this process of like, okay, yeah, great. Let's, let's, let's all sit with it. And so I love that I love that like they really are, like, honored the process, right? Like, just like the practice is a process. It's not an overnight thing. It's, I feel, I feel like the space is very much a process to and I think it's been very nice for us to like to have that, to have taken that and to have really seen, you know, even though there was a general idea to have really taken the time to, to to navigate that. And I think even just with the front desk, probably half of our students think that that's our front desk.
Austin Dubois
Everybody says, Oh, wait, that's not the full thing.
Michael Jay
Yeah, so it's not finished yet. Right? Yeah, it asked him, was that a different approach to you? Like, I would imagine for you, you probably thought let's finish this? You know?
Austin Dubois
Maybe? That's a good question. Um, I think that when we were in the beginning, you know, our focus, were definitely the floors, right? I mean, the floors are sort of like the floor is, I mean, it's yoga, you're doing it on the floor. And Bibi had the great idea to number one use use bamboo for the flooring, and number two to have a heated floor. And in my mind, I said to myself, you know, as long as we have that, we're in good shape, and you just need a space. Yeah, and especially because, and this actually goes back to the beauty of the space itself. Like it was already a gorgeous space, you just can't do yoga, or you don't want to do yoga and cold concrete that's unfinished, you know, the space already had so much character that as long as the floors were done, in my mind, for sure, and I'm nobody agrees, because we were there together. But like, if we were good to go, and then we, you know, we are sort of trickling in the other elements. And I don't think I ever was really intentionally going about it that way. But I remember be very remember, like it kind of that that idea being clear to me, when our friends that did our signage, you know, came in and said, Oh, well, you know, you got this great wall here, we could like paint like a phrase or a saying or something. And Bibi was like we're gonna hold off. We're not, we're not doing that we'll sit with it and see how it is. And that was sort of my like, lights on moment rom like, that's, that's the idea. That's the, that's the process is sitting with it. And being you know, slow and steady wins the race, kind
Michael Jay
of your space doesn't need much your space doesn't need much. It really doesn't. And I think the I think that the highlight, you know, is your windows, you know, it's you know,
Bibi Lorenzetti
it's crazy about all this and I might sound crazy, but I feel like this is for Yogi's that most people will probably understand. I truly didn't have to think like, when I met Austin, the vision came to me like I walked into the space and the space that night, like, the space as it is now just downloaded into my brain. And like, it was like probably like three months of waking up at 3am because I had to write down what like came to me. And so I didn't do it. It's the space and I've told my teachers, I'm like, I'm gonna sound crazy. But if ever you feel in doubt about something you're doing in that space, just sit quietly for a little while in the space and the space will tell you. It's and it's really like that space wanted to be a yoga studio.
Michael Jay
Truly.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Like, yeah, I just happen to show up for it. And thank God to the yoga gods. I guess I've been doing enough yoga that like, they're just speaking through me and like, I mean, I could not have found Austin and I looked.
Michael Jay
Yeah, so I mean, I mean, he's, I mean, you guys four months ago, whatever, four or five months ago? Yeah. Um, no, no clue about wanting to you know, it really wasn't a vision clear then at that time. But it's just incredible that we have gone through setting up computer software, setting up a schedule, hiring teachers having onboarding manuals, mission vision values, you have written out a sequence of emails for an intro offer touchpoints you've written a sequence of emails out for a yoga course, you've created a yoga course you're working on teacher trainings like in four months. This is a live full on full fledged business. I mean, it's, I have never it's been so exciting that I feel like I am obsessed with you guys. Like it's like every single post you do. First of all, you're rocking Instagram. I mean, you're just given In the fields behind the space and the people and the great teachers, and so if anybody's not following them yet, Newberg, yoga Sharla. But you just do an All right. And for me, it's super exciting to when I speak about things in your life yet, and babies doing it like, before I'm finished. Like, it's just, it's just,
Bibi Lorenzetti
there's a downside to that I have to, like, warn people out there like, I've, you know, I've told I've warned Austin, I'm like, I tend to do things, and sometimes not think it through very thoroughly. So it's been nice to have, like, you know, a business partner to like, do it. And then before putting it live being like, is this, should we do this? Because otherwise, it can get me in trouble.
Austin Dubois
We do have a great like, like, how to put it like we we think synergize together, but we also like, check. Yeah, there as well, like, in just a very, like, organic way, you know, and
Michael Jay
because you kind of leave BB to do the teacher thing the students? Absolutely. Right. And then she's like, I don't want to do that mind body stuff in the back end. And I don't want to do all set up. And, you know, so that the, you know, the fact that you're, you know, you're doing payroll, and so the balance of you, too. I actually think I'm going to include myself in that too. Because,
Bibi Lorenzetti
yes, I think you should just gonna say something,
Austin Dubois
I believe I did send you an email to that effect that you have.
Michael Jay
You sent me a really important. Yeah, you've sent me a beautiful email. And actually, we've had lots of lots of love fess up between three of us. And also, we've had we've also celebrations too, but I want to I mean, I can't, this has been a really fantastic journey for me. And it's like, you know, I almost feel like I want to do it. I could do it for free. Because it's so fun. Right? But But can you talk a little bit and the decision to make you know, to hire a business coach? It's not always an easy decision. I don't think BB you probably had it in your until your astrologer maybe so do but can you talk about that decision? And what I consider as a partnership with somebody in your business?
Bibi Lorenzetti
Yeah, I will before it, can I say something before we dive into that, I just wanted to say that a lot of it has been. And that was thanks to my astrologer reminding me that but this idea of like receiving instead of like, and that's where also you fell into place my goal of like, instead of like, forceful energy of like, I want to do this, and I like, you know, this more fiery, like, trying to push things out, be more of this kind of step back and just receive and I feel like with a lot of the stuff that's been that we've been doing, it's been like receiving your guidance or receiving, you know, the when I first heard your podcast being like, Oh, well, maybe I could do this if I if I invested in getting a business coach who can give me ideas, and even though it's an initial investment, if I'm open to to receive, I can, you know, it could go the other route, even though I start with very little and so it's just yeah, I think it's important, when you own a business like this, to really to listen and to and to practice yoga, you know, the meaning like to listen and to receive and to be humble, and to just it's a process and, and I think that you know, with with you, for example, Michael, it was just, it's been so essential for us to have, you know, we both come with our knowledges Austin with business and me with yoga, but, you know, with you being specifically yoga business expert, it's been so essential to route my ideas and Austin's background into, like, how do we really make it work for this niche, you know, like, having courses, you know, all that kind of stuff. Whereas for me in the experience I had, it was like, oh, yeah, you just do a workshop where you it's so it's
Austin Dubois
Michael's like, he's like our corpus callosum he's like the connective tissue between the two sides of the brain.
Michael Jay
I love it. And actually on my screen right now I have you on both sides of me.
Austin Dubois
Baby BB said exactly what I was gonna say essentially, like we both have pretty solid background in our on our respective skill sets. And we're great communicators with each other, but there's just intricacies and nuances of the yoga business specifically. Yeah, neither of us have had to deal with before. And yeah, I have to like wait and figure that out after 10 years is a silly idea. Why don't we get the benefit of your attention? You know, yours. Yeah.
Michael Jay
And I love that. Sometimes it's been as simple as just a quick email about this idea. It's a good idea. are not a good email and we can just kind of move on from that. And, and I just I, you know, I'm so obsessed with you guys. And I feel like I wish I invested in your company, you got to come. Oh, it's on my, on my it is on my radar. And I also want to the pics people listening to this podcast, I also do a video version and I put it out. And these guys gave me a studio tour a couple of weeks ago, and it was all on Zoom. And so I have the video of that. So on the video version of this podcast, and I'll put I'll put that in the show notes. I will add that studio tour into that because I just think it's a beautiful space I up. Alright, let's just kind of wrap it up here. But let's moving forward. So we're kind of where we're, we're open. We what we didn't say was we opened with the first class with correct me if I'm wrong, BB 22 people
Bibi Lorenzetti
23 people. I think it was 23. Cuz I remember saying twit it was 21 I was like, Oh, wow. Like, energetic. And then it was 23
Michael Jay
Yeah, so I pasady for US base. Yeah, 23 people very, very first class. Let's also be realistic here. This is also you know, towards the end of a pandemic too.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Well, that's the other thing that I was gonna say like, that was probably the biggest the hardest business decision we've had to make. Yeah.
Michael Jay
Yeah, for sure.
Bibi Lorenzetti
But it's given back and I, you know, I personally still feel partly bad. But I think that's it was the right. It was our duty to kind of make a decision. And I think people have appreciated that.
Michael Jay
Yeah. Also, I'm not going to tell the amounts, but that we got a celebration email from Austin saying how much we made in the first month.
Austin Dubois
That was a notable number here, which
Michael Jay
I have to have to say that's not the norm right, with a new business. So you know,
Bibi Lorenzetti
and we donated a very nice amount to care.org for women giving birth in Ukraine during this very particular terrible time. Yeah. Which was a very beautiful I mean, it was amazing to see people like that day purchase things and and then have our one of our team members match that and accompany match that and it was just Yeah,
Michael Jay
yeah, honestly, you guys your hearts are so in the right places, your studio heart, your teachers, your you're going to have tomorrow, you're going to have your first team meeting with everybody with first photo shoot with everybody. I'm coming along to talk a little bit about like, sales and communication with clients. And so I'm super excited about that. And we'll probably have another conversation because I just think this is such an exciting journey. I am again, obsessed watching you online. I'm constantly sending you messages and hiding all your posts. It's crazy. So let's just I usually ask a few fun little questions. Any favorite apps that you use in your business life now your new business life? Awesome. Austin, you go.
Austin Dubois
I mean, I, this might be a boring answer. But it's a very real one, which is just like Google drive it for for conducting business in the modern world. Like, you have to have instant shareability and like, almost like real time. Everything and you know, I'm a big you know, luckily to offset Bibi's aversion to spreadsheets. I love diving into a spreadsheet and being able to like tweak the numbers and have it be available wherever I am. So it's you know, it's pretty cool platform obviously but that's definitely my favorite general business tool for both my businesses frankly, but yeah,
Bibi Lorenzetti
I'd have to say for me it's Canva Yeah, bro Yeah, it changed my whole I mean I was like what I was like at 9pm Putting my after having putting my toddler down be like oh my god, I have to set the schedule for tomorrow for the post and it was just like yeah,
Michael Jay
so So yeah, so I don't be into go into Canva pro because the beautiful thing about that is that you can resize in a snap right so something you do for a post and then you can resize for story
Bibi Lorenzetti
ran there you have your colors your Yeah, the whole thing. Yeah,
Michael Jay
guess what, folks? She's using lots of arches in her posts that go Her logo and the beautiful windows and any fun personal kind of apps that you might use websites on a daily basis anything that makes your life fun Yeah,
Austin Dubois
I do the New York Times crossword every morning I'm a total nerd it's yeah.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Oh, which actually ties me back to the day that we was it the day that we met or the day after we met I can't remember but you're like, This is gonna sound crazy, but I do these crossword puzzle every morning and today's thing was yoga or something like that,
Austin Dubois
wasn't it? But the puzzle knows all that. I can tell I could we could have another hour long conversation about all day like not very eerie coincidences, if you want to call them coincidences of puzzle answers and life and whatever, but that's it.
Bibi Lorenzetti
But but for me, I don't know. I'm pretty anti. Yeah,
Michael Jay
I don't think this is a question for you, BB. No, but
Bibi Lorenzetti
I guess I if I had to say one, it would be podcasts. I mean, yoga based listening to Yes. Podcast. That would be my one thing.
Michael Jay
Number one. Alright guys, I want to close this off. But how do people find your studio? How that how do they look on you? What's your website?
Austin Dubois
Just Newberg yoga Shala sh a la Newberg is ne w burgh.com.com. Just search it
Michael Jay
and Neuberg Allah on Instagram and guys, if anybody's thinking about opening a studio, go what BB on Instagram because she is it's just very natural. You do it so well. You meet people want to come involved? I want to I almost forgot. You guys have had some successes in the fact that you've been in a mind body blog already. And you're going to be in a big magazine next month.
Austin Dubois
Yes, right. Yeah. Big lifestyle magazine for the Hudson Valley did a photo shoot for BB. Oh, us too, I guess for the week.
Michael Jay
That's awesome. Oh, I'm gonna add that in the edit that in a bit earlier. But anyway, I want to thank you guys, both for being here. I just love working with you. I thank you for taking the time on the podcast today. And I'm looking forward to working with you further and now it's about building and systems. All that fun.
Bibi Lorenzetti
Thank you Michael.
Austin Dubois
Thank you so much for having us. Guys. It was a blast. Yeah.
Michael Jay
Thanks. Alright, bye bye.
Transcribed by https://otter.ai