YogaStage is a global website that offers marketing tools to instructors. We conducted a survey before we began developing our online presence. We asked teachers what they really wanted from their careers. Very few were unsatisfied with their regular weekly classes and pay rate. It seemed that things at home were pretty good. But, the vast majority was itching to travel…and teach on the road. Quite a good number of them also wanted to try their hand at leading a class at a festival or conference. An overwhelming number of teachers said they’d like to be sponsored by a yoga brand or film and release a yoga dvd. It seems that the desire to grow a teaching career beyond the borders of their local studio struck a chord with a significant number of instructors.
So what did YogaStage come up with based on that information? And how is it going to help teachers? Enter the YPK™, or Yoga Press Kit. It’s at the heart of YogaStage’s offering to help teachers expand their careers. Press kits are nothing new in other industries. Jessica Ewart, one of the founding partners, has a back ground in the music business. As a promoter in the mid to late nineties, she was very familiar with the large packets that bands mailed out. In them was a bio, printed photographs, a demo tape or cd, some Xeroxed copies of local press, a set list, a list of gear that the band had and a list of gear they required, a rider (with a wish list of amenities) and a gig calendar to show the band had experience. These press kits were time consuming to create and expensive to mail out to venues and promoters but it was the way things were done. The digital age finally hit even the most remote garage bands. They wised up and started creating digital press kits and booking online. It was less expensive and more efficient.
Jessica Ewart
Ewart is now a yoga teacher in Chattanooga, TN. She used her background in marketing and promotion to try to build a name for herself locally and it worked pretty well. But it still wasn’t easy to translate local success to touring the country leading workshops and guest teaching. The problem was the leg work involved in acquiring contacts at other studios, and then showing or telling them why she was a good candidate to teach there. Out of frustration, rose inspiration. While teaching yoga, Ewart was still tied to the world of music as a band manager. She was familiar with the various websites that hosted press kits for bands and helped them build tours with venues all over the world. She began searching for a site that offered something similar for yoga teachers, and came up empty handed. Ewart decided to fill the void herself and pitched the website to fellow yogi, Jeff Krupcale. After two meetings, they had outlined their vision and began developing the website as partners.
Jeff Krupcale and his son
Jeff has an extensive business background working with multibillion dollar international businesses. He has managed various divisions that he led in innovative growth. He has been active in fitness while running, mountain biking, road biking, snow skiing and as an avid hiker. His ex-wife finally convinced him to attend his first yoga class and he was hooked. Jeff now attends various yoga classes up to 5 times a week where ever he is the country. His love of yoga and business acumen created the perfect partnership with Jessica to launch YogaStage.
Our good friends Brantley and Kendall Beene-Crowder had a very successful yoga blog focused on yoga in the Southern US. We discussed partnering as YogaStage was launched but the busy lifestyle of the Beene-Crowder family had made it difficult for them to focus on the blog. Brantley and Kendall sold the Namaste Y’all blog to YogaStage and we continue the blog as part of the YogaStage family. It remains separate as it will continue to focus on yoga in the Southern US. It is a great fit with YogaStage and our global reach!