The Studio CEO: Business Coaching For Yoga & Pilates Teachers & Studio Owners
Welcome to The Studio CEO, the only podcast that empowers yoga and Pilates teachers and studio owners to step confidently into their roles as CEOs. If you're ready to take your business seriously, show up with passion, and scale your studio to new heights without burning out, you're in the right place.
I’m your host, Jackie Murphy, an award-winning, certified business coach with 12+ years in the yoga industry I’ve seen firsthand what it takes to turn your passion into a powerful, scalable business.
Join me as we dive into strategies, insights, and real-world advice to help you grow your revenue, build a thriving team, and create a business that serves you as much as you serve your clients. It's time to embrace your CEO mindset and make more money without working more.
The Studio CEO: Business Coaching For Yoga & Pilates Teachers & Studio Owners
10X Growth & Expansion with The Leader of Island Movement
What if the biggest obstacle to your studio’s growth wasn’t the market—but your own doubts? For Mariesa, leader of Island Movement, achieving her vision meant shifting her mindset, letting go of doubts, and stepping into leadership. Now, she’s built a thriving community, scaled her revenue 10x, and continues to break records in 2025.
In this episode Mariesa shares:
- Her journey from physical therapist with a small yoga room to the leader and co-owner of a three-floor wellness center.
- The creation of her own training program: The Movement Method
- What it took to build a vibrant 200+ member community in a transient Caribbean market—in spite of doubts.
- Learning to use data to back business decisions rather than relying on opinions or listening to internal fears
- The shift from feeling scared about a $2,000 investment to confidently investing $100,000.
- How the right support makes all the difference in knowing what to let go and what to pursue.
If you're ready to think bigger and build a sustainable, high-impact studio, this episode is for you. Tune in now!
Connect with Marisa:
Instagram: @its.mariesa + @islandmovement
Website: Island Movement
Work with Jackie Murphy
Say Hi on Instagram @thebusinessofyoga
Learn about The Business of Yoga Program
Apply for the Mastermind
Sometimes, when you set a goal for your business, that goal doesn't even come close to what is actually possible for you and what is meant for you. In today's episode, I interview my client, marisa, who has experienced 10X growth in her business and every single month of 2025 achieved her highest revenue month to date. Tune into this episode to learn how she has experienced so much growth and what she is focused on as she continues to expand her dream in 2025. Welcome to the Studio CEO, the only podcast that empowers yoga and Pilates teachers and studio owners to step confidently into their role as CEO. If you are ready to show up with passion, take your business seriously and scale to new heights without burning out, you are in the right place.
Speaker 1:I'm your host, jackie Murphy, an award-winning certified business coach with over 12 years of experience inside the yoga industry. I have seen firsthand what it takes to build a profitable and scalable business. Join me as we dive into strategies, insights and real world advice that will help you grow your revenue, build a thriving team and create a business that serves you as much as you serve your students. It's time to embrace your inner CEO and make more money without working more. This is just the beginning. All right, my friends, welcome back to the Studio CEO podcast. I have a very exciting guest for you today. Some of you might have heard her story on the podcast back in 2023, but my client Marisa is back. She is the owner of Island Movement and she's here to share an update about what has happened since we've talked to her last. So welcome Marisa. Hi Hi, thanks for coming back and talking to us.
Speaker 2:Yes, thanks for having me. I'm so excited to be here.
Speaker 1:Thank you so let's do for people who haven't maybe they're new to the podcast, they don't know who you are. Let's do like a quick introduction, your journey with yoga, your story, and then we will dive into what has happened since then.
Speaker 2:Yeah, sounds good. So I'm from New Orleans, louisiana, originally, and I went to physical therapy school in St Augustine, florida, and that's where I found Bikram yoga. So I was like kind of obsessed with it and just that feeling of it being such a hard practice and I either thought yoga was like Bikram, so hard and intense and so kind of in your face, or, to be honest, like older women rolling around stretching. So then I finished PT school, I moved to Arizona for a while and that's where I found vinyasa flow and then became like a true student of the yoga practice and learning yoga philosophy and things like that.
Speaker 2:And as I was specializing in physical therapy, I started to work with a lot of women and I specialized in pelvic floor rehabilitation and then from there I even like kind of niched down even harder and really focused on women with pelvic pain Specifically. Or a lot of these women have had past traumas in their life and things like that, and I was trying to be more of service for them and figured out was thinking like I feel so good in my body after yoga or during yoga and I was like okay, if I could put these two together because I could just tell that my patients kind of like needed something more, needed like the next level, not just like musculoskeletal, focus on like this muscle is tight, let's stretch it. They needed the mind-body connection, the energetic work, the like moving through their emotions in their body. So that's when I started originally trying to kind of like meld together my physical therapy practice and yoga.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Now okay. Well, thinking about where you are now, do you feel like that physical therapy practice is still a part of what you do?
Speaker 2:It's not right now to be honest, but everything. But it is like I think, maybe subliminally in my marketing and majority of our students are women and I think because the like depth of yoga that we teach at Island Movement, I think that what I've learned and how I've incorporated that into my like public yoga classes, then definitely think it's part of it that way. Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think it's really cool to see that you have shifted so much and given yourself the permission to be like this is what I'm doing now and I'm going to incorporate it with this. And now it's shifted again for the current moment and it's not the main focus, and I say that to say, like anyone listening to the podcast, I want you to give yourself permission at all points of your business, to align with what is going to work for you in that moment in terms of your life and make a business around that, but also, like what you are feeling called to deliver or serve to people in that moment. And it's okay if the thing that you thought it was always going to be changes, like I think that needs to be granted, permission granted to many people that, like you, don't always have to do the thing that you maybe once thought you were going to do and you can always come back to it.
Speaker 2:Yes, yes, Like I plan to come back to it and have women's retreats or things like that or maybe start a women's group or different things like that in the future. So it's always.
Speaker 1:I think that's really cool and we talk about this a lot in with clients, but like you need to have a nightstand next to your business where you can just kind of table things, where like okay, it's not right now, something else has our focus right now, but like we're not getting rid of this, it's just not the time to focus on it. So catch us up. Like from 2023, you had just moved into your new studio location. It's now March of 2025. Talk to us about the last like year and a half.
Speaker 2:Talk to us about the last year and a half. Yeah, so a lot has happened with expanding and with creating new offerings. While we're on that topic too, or in 2023, I 10 X my, my gross sales, and then in 2024,. Last year is when I did the mastermind and I almost grossed almost 500 K in 2024.
Speaker 1:And then this year year, every month has been the highest grossing month that we've had. That's amazing. You just keep hitting a new highest every month. Okay, so people listening to this are like whoa, like that is the kind of success that I want to have, like a 500k year, 500k cash year, right, like that was cash in the door and 10x the year before hitting these revenue goals in 2025. The people who are listening who want that level of success. This is going to be such a big question. But like what's the thing? Looking back there, like I'm so glad I did that, learned this new skill, had this new character trait. Like what did you really dial into to get that success?
Speaker 2:Yes, that's. I love the question, even though it's a very hard question. It's I love it because I said this at our retreat that business is the biggest self-development process that you will ever go through. And there's a theory about measuring your growth backwards, not forwards. And I forgot about this.
Speaker 2:And last year, or at the end of no, in the beginning of this year, when I wasn't in the mastermind, I'm like listening to self-help books and things like that, like I didn't have the support of the group and I was like, oh, I really want a 10 X. We're like about to expand again. And I was. I was like, okay, if we use our past not as something that defines our future but as a reference for growth. Then I looked back and I was like, wait, I've already 10 X. My business and I at in that moment when you're, you know, in those feelings of like being stuck and not knowing what to do next and just feeling like you're trying everything and nothing, sticking to be like, okay, this is where I came from. And now I'm here, and in the mastermind and in Jackie's coaching we always start with a celebration, and I hadn't been in a mastermind and it was only like three months and I'm like how quickly we forget to celebrate where we came from.
Speaker 1:So, after figuring that out, so you didn't know that you had 10 X? I didn't even know. Yeah, that sounds about right, though, cause, like, when are we going to slow down and celebrate on our own? It's not something that people most people do. That's crazy.
Speaker 2:And then and so stepping into that person who was like, oh, I already 10X, like I can already do this. Jackie coaches a lot on stepping into your highest self and like tuning into your unique abilities in order to be the leader that you need to be for yourself, for your community, for your business, for your team. And that's the growth that I saw in last year when I rejoined the mastermind and really focused on myself as the leader, creating systems, creating teams and developing the whole business together, but still prioritizing my own self-development at the top of that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, from the outside, looking in, if I were to say what has shifted for you in the past year and a half, it's your level of confidence in yourself as a leader, like that's the one thing that it's so evident. It's so clear to me that I always go back to like this image of you. It might've been our first console call, but, but who you were in that moment is so different. That's probably not the right way to say that who you were in that moment was like a smaller version of who you're expanding into be now, and it feels like over the last year and a half, you've really just like, let yourself shine, like you just seem big. Yes, totally agree, which is so cool, and I think a lot of that is like stepping into what you're saying, of like, oh, I already am a success, I can just own that and I can lead other people to also be a success, and that you just have this ecosystem of like leadership around you, of success around you.
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly You're. You're able, once you step into the person you were meant to be, it's like, oh, now I see myself in everyone in order to lift them up to be the person that they were meant to be. Yeah, it's so good, the ripple effect like in its truest, most amazing form about just having the yoga studio on the corner, raising the vibration of the whole block, the whole community and, in my case, the whole island.
Speaker 1:It's so cool. It's so cool. I think what's standing out to me here is, like a lot of times people come to me and they say I do this for the impact and most often they mean the impact of their students and I think I didn't know how much me being successful would impact the people that I hired. And it's almost more impactful to hire someone and then say I see greatness in you. Like let me help you evolve and expand Whether you stay in the business or not. Like I see you as capable and strong and also let me impact your life by financially helping you out. That impact is, for me, has been one of the most surprising and rewarding things of business, which is, I'm curious for you how does that land?
Speaker 2:Yes, exactly when I think about my why to keep going. It's that I can create the life that I desire and the life that I want to build out for me. Create the life that I desire and the life that I want to build out for me. Secondly, or maybe not in this order, my community and, like I was talking about the ripple effect, and then just what you said I think about. I have one full-time employee and I have um 12 to 15, it might be up to 18 contractors, and two no I five of them do this as their full-time job. Yeah, the fact that my, what I started in a business in a 400 square foot room just in over four, four years, three, three to four years is able to allow other people to have their full time job in health and wellness, doing something that they love, is an amazing. I think about that a lot, as my wife.
Speaker 1:It's amazing anywhere. But then also add in the Caribbean and it's like wait, I'm sorry, these people have full-time job teaching and living there, like what. That's a dream. I was just talking to one of my other clients who has hired someone for her Pilates studio and the thing that the person said to her was like hey, I thought you were going to pay me 35 K a year, which I think is still a valid salary, but this person wanted to pay her way more, almost double that and I'm like I just want you to see what a gift you've given this person, like a career in something that they love, with a very solid salary. Like that. Looking at the definition of success, like that is success to be able to say I have done this for these people, my business has created this, so I see you doing that.
Speaker 2:And I love going to work every day. I love yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean that is alone, like let's just end the podcast there, Right, because that's like such a win. That's so when you feel happy and in love with your business, that matters more than anything and I think it leads to more success. So I know in the past, like a little bit of time, you have done lots of different things to 10X to grow. What would you say like, strategy wise, was the most impactful? Yeah, and your growth, yeah.
Speaker 2:I know that honing in on one offer and figuring out which offer that is, that is um my main like bread and butter.
Speaker 1:What do we call it?
Speaker 2:Why am I blanking, not premium value offer? Most valuable, yeah, my MBO. So, like honing in on that, creating and branding around that. So changing our yoga classes to be more cohesive and to be more of a brand, more of a structure that we're delivering. The clients know their expectations are going to be met every time they come to class. So, membership, creating that membership, the new member offer, and then creating classes that I know my students want to attend.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, and you did that with your teacher training. Mia just reminded me of that coaching call. She was like remember when you helped Marisa outline her like four-step method for her training? Do you know what I'm talking about? Yes, yes, yeah, like you also took something that was within you and marketed it. Marketed it, is that a word? You marketed it and you sold it in a way that was really easy for people to understand. So talk to us about your teacher training methodology, how you brought that program forward.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's called the movement method and like that alone that is such a great one.
Speaker 2:There's four modules. It's root, rise, release and radiate. Really at the heart of the movement method is an accessible practice for the student and for the teacher and it involves a fiery vinyasa flow that intelligently opens up all the systems in the body, all the energy channels. And then really, what I love most is that it gives the student awareness. So time to notice, time to feel their breath in their body, feel the expansion of their body, their mind, and kind of integrate that all together with intentional, like active rest throughout the class that the teacher will guide you through a sense of awareness, deeper awareness in the body and feeling these amazing, um, yeah, like the expansion in the body. Like I said, it's, it's a really, it's a depth of yoga that, um, that I'm really excited to, to share.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a depth of yoga and I also hear a little bit of your PT background coming in as you talk about that. So, like that depth is there as well and the way that you have put it together is easy for people to understand and it's unique, right? It's different to say like come be a yoga teacher, versus like hey, the movement method training has been designed for you as a teacher to do for these four things in your classes and like this is what you'll have as a teacher. And that is when I think about scaling a business 10Xing. From here it's really starting to turn into an enterprise.
Speaker 1:Where can we have someone else deliver the movement method? Can we take that to different locations? And I don't know what your long-term plan is, but that is the work that you've put in this year and it's not easy work to put in branded elements, processes, repeatable systems, and I know it takes time and effort and energy. So what would you say to the person that's like I don't have any of that. I don't have branded classes. My teacher training just says 200 hour teacher training. What would you tell them? Like where they should start, maybe the most challenging thing that they can look out for?
Speaker 2:Okay, this might be an unsexy answer right now, but to me, the most important thing that you taught me is to get in the conversation with your community right away.
Speaker 2:So I I always had the thought that, like, I need to create this amazing thing that people want to come to, when really, like you start with what you know and then, as you're after class talking to people, like oh, this was amazing, this, like I'm really looking for this, and just asking curious questions, you'll really get to know, like, what your community is looking for.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's not saying that you need to change everything based on what one person told you, but it's more like a collective energy of, like what's going on right now and then creating the systems. Or what I think you're referring to is like new member specials that automatically go into membership. Like that, at its core, is really in service to the student right. Like you get your first month half off or whatever your new member special is, but mine directly rolls into membership, so that they already feel like they're part of the community. Like that's your first month half off, but like you're already in the community once you come in and you really start to feel the changes in your body by promoting the practice as being a consistent practice that you work on, instead of just like three class pack or first class free or things like that, when people maybe are like studio hopping to our community for this month and see how you feel after.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and your community is pretty vibrant. Yeah, your current membership base is over 200 members. Yes, which was a milestone that, like we worked to.
Speaker 2:Yes, in 2023,. My goal was 50. Was that 23? My first goal in the mastermind was 15 members. No, I need to bring this back even more. My first thought in the mastermind was no, jackie, I can't have a membership. Nobody would buy that. The island is too transient. Nobody lives here or like just with other people on island telling me, other people telling me like I'd be really careful. I don't know if that would work. Yeah, and that's the the amazing part of being in a mastermind with people who are outside of your business, to kind of see in and be like what do you mean? Just try it.
Speaker 1:Let's just see. Let's just see if it'll work. But I think what you're speaking to because I think every business owner feels this like we bring our own doubt to our business. Like, no matter how confident you are, I believe there's always just a little bit of doubt there that we have to sit with and acknowledge and bring, and that's okay. But then if you go out and you start to ask your partner and your friends and this person down the street and whoever their opinions, they're going to bring their doubt too. And so all of a sudden you've gone from holding like this one cup of doubt that's manageable to holding this like big bucket of doubt.
Speaker 1:And it is so hard, in my opinion, to get out of that doubt and to be like actually I'm still going to follow what I know to be true, and it requires, when I'm in the situation, requires a really deep trust in myself, like a really deep trust in I think I know, I think I can trust what I know and I'm going to move forward anyway. And I also see that in you specifically even thinking about like when you've needed to expand, like there's this element of like that's the place we should go, here's what we should expand. Here's what we should do next, so you have that trust there. How did you navigate people's doubt about membership and get to the place where you have 200 members?
Speaker 2:Yeah, this kind of ties in with the previous question and and I'll finish that thought about maybe as like, if your classes are not all over the place, but kind of like different names, different times, things like that, just try maybe three classes, classes, a consistent class name in a consistent time and see and then use the data to be like, okay, that's the class I'm gonna hone in on and maybe start to brand around or maybe start to develop things in my business off of that class. Yeah, yeah, and the the doubt around the membership was was just a thought, was really just a thought I had to, I had to let go of, I had to. It really was just other other people telling me to be honest. And and people wanted like to bring it back to the consistency. People wanted to come every day. So people want to come practice every day. They want to be a member, they want to be a part of the community.
Speaker 2:Like even in my studios that didn't have a front desk or a little lobby or anything, people would hang out after class, people would hang out before class. People like wanted that community. People would hang out after class, people would hang out before class. People like wanted that community. So the membership was really also in service to the student, to be like, yes, we're cultivating this community, this cohort. This one of our teachers actually told me she's like a conversation that I had after class helped me move through a situation in my life more than my dentist or any other, like any other self-help work that I've been going through right now. Wow, yeah, it's community. It's such, it's such a big part, it's such the heart of a yoga studio.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So what I hear from you, like when it comes to doubt number one test something right, like what you've already mentioned, like test it and see what happens. Test the class format, test membership and see what happens and then evaluate based on data. And then number two the other thing that I really hear you talk about is like letting go of the thought of like, oh, that it's either like that doubt isn't mine I can recognize that like that came from somewhere else and I'm not going to pick that doubt up or, if the doubt is yours, I do think it's a process of like continually letting it go and letting yourself be in an environment where, like someone is helping you continually let that go.
Speaker 1:I remember you came I don't know when this was, but you came and you were like Jackie, selling just membership is working, and I was like, yes, yes, it is. But you had to have that, that realization yourself and it was my job just to hold that confidence of like this is an option, this could be a thing, this could work for you. My job is to hold that confidence of like this is an option, this could be a thing, this could work for you. Um, that I just like laugh at that moment because so many people struggle with really just narrowing down on one offer and selling that one offer.
Speaker 2:Well, yeah and I, we do this in the mastermind, but I think, creating a system or figuring out that thought like, where is that thought leading you to? And if that thought is not leading you to a decision from your highest self, then let's just release that thought right now and figure out what you need to be thinking in order to get to where you want to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So it's like follow out the thought, like let it play out. Is that going to get you where you want to go, where you deeply want to go, intuitively want to go? If it's helpful, keep it. If it's not, just acknowledge that it's not helpful and shift, move, move to a different thought. Okay, so let's talk about um, where you are. Let's like speed you up, speed everyone up to 2025 March. What's about to happen? Where are you going? What's going on?
Speaker 2:Okay, so really quick, goal wise, my goal at the end of 2024, when I was finishing the mastermind and I talked to Jackie about my future goals, it was 55k months, because that was my highest grossing month in 2024. In 2025, in January we did 57K, In February we did 58. And in March we're at 33. Right now. What so, with those numbers backing my thoughts, you want me to show your brain, the data and the hard and true facts of numbers in order to make your next decisions right? Yeah, I have decided to expand again for the fourth time.
Speaker 1:It's so crazy. The fourth time in what? Two years? Three years In three years? Yeah, that's a lot of expansion. Yes.
Speaker 2:In a short amount of time?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and we're talking about it. But to let everyone else know, like expansion in one place, it's not like expansion to a new market, expansion to a different island, like building expansion.
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so expansion in the same place? Yeah, go ahead. Well, I just wanted to hear about the expansion now.
Speaker 2:Yes, so it's very serendipitous that I have this opportunity. Even so, the bottom floor we're going to expand the gym. Currently I have a small gym. We have group training, group exercise, personal training, and then it's also open to our members to use throughout the day and they have key card access. So it's 24 seven access to a gym. So not only do you get your practice, you can go use the gym. So that's um becoming so well-liked and well-used.
Speaker 2:We're expanding the gym downstairs and that's going to be a full top of the line, state-of-the-art gym, 24 seven access, and it'll have more equipment and things like that. Outside it's a beautiful courtyard and we're going to turf that and it's going to be the movement oasis. Oh my gosh what. We're going to have a custom built sauna, so that's going to be the sauna with steam and we're going to have guided breathwork practices in the custom sauna and then cold plunge so the members will be able to use, and then two other infrared saunas so members will be able to use the infrared sauna, the cold plunge and then we'll have the guided experiences as well.
Speaker 2:Wow, and third floor was available. So when I was drawing out, thinking about my vision, I'm currently hosting teacher training right in April, like we were just talking about, and really having to work around the studio schedule training right In April, like we were just talking about, and really having to work around the studio schedule. So I was like, okay, if we got third floor. Third floor will be the private training, like personal training and group training, and then there's three other rooms, so one room will be the movement Academy. That's where we'll have trainings and not only yoga teacher training. But since we are an Island in the Caribbean, we can't easily like drive to other States right, or like go to trainings around us, so I'm going to bring other trainings. Here is my um my vision.
Speaker 2:So, um, yeah, the movement Academy and then maybe expanding into some other formats of classes and offerings and things like that, and everything is so beautifully built around the yoga studio. So we still keep that like heartfelt yoga practice at the core of what we do physically in the space, like energetically, and just everything is kind of built around that. It's really cool. I guess it's like the heartbeat of the business.
Speaker 1:Oh my gosh, this is so cool. I think this is the first time I've heard you talk about it in that much detail, and I don't know if you've seen this post. It's on TikTok Instagram somewhere and it's like wellness centers like this are the new country club.
Speaker 2:Yes, Social clubs wellness.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Like that's what you're building now and it literally is going to be this wonderful oasis for your, for for people. I'm like thinking, my brain is like going straight to strategy, so let me get back in podcast mode. I think that doing some sort of like global PR we'll talk about this later can be really helpful for you.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But that's incredible. So what is the timeline? Like I know people on the podcast, you guys book your plane tickets Right.
Speaker 2:Wellness Week in St Croix. Would love to have you, that is amazing.
Speaker 1:You're going to need a hotel, you're going to need rooms. So, talking about this level of expansion and we kind of talked about this before the podcast like, obviously, building out a sauna is not a cheap thing to do, buying new equipment not a cheap thing to do, renting a third floor not a cheap thing to do. So you're pouring a significant investment into expanding and we talked about how, like, that feels different than even, like, the first investment you made in the business. So just talk a little bit about that. Like when you decided, okay, I'm going to expand, it's going to take X amount of dollars, how did that feel?
Speaker 2:It almost felt like a natural progression, like I think you get to this point in business where, yes, you're regulated more than when you first began, because you've moved through so many different situations in your business and in life. And really when I was like, okay, 100 grand to expand into like a complete wellness center or social club, I like took a deep breath, mm-hmm, and was like, yes, we can totally do that. Like there honestly hasn't been a lot of doubt around it and um, and what the mastermind has taught me is like two main things like how to process that through your thoughts and through your body, and like somatic processing right and also using the data in your business to show yourself that it is possible and basically to like keep going.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, yeah. I mean that's how you do it right. Like you have to remind your brain that you have evidence in front of you that shows this level of investment is not a like pie in the sky idea, but it's coming from a really logical, grounded place. And I think one of the things that I see with newer business owners is they think that running and starting and growing a business will be easier than it actually is. And so like if you're thinking, oh, let me do this big investment and it'll be as easy as putting a sign out front, like that is where people get into trouble, but if you can look at the investment you want to make, back it with data, and then understand that yeah, it's going to take work, like figuring out how to operate three levels of a business is going to take some work. But you know that now, and I don't think it's coming from like, oh, this will just be super easy and let's get it done- Right, right, exactly.
Speaker 2:I started my first studio with $2,000. And that felt scary at the time and now I'm like, okay, $100,000. And it doesn't feel that scary. It's a huge jump in self-concept and trust and confidence in just so many and stepping into the person you were meant to be.
Speaker 1:It's a really great feeling it's so funny because it doesn't like like. It's like the higher up you go in business, the more that you're able to invest more, and it feels just as natural as like going to buy a coffee, like I spend this to get this.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's kind of wild to think about, but like it's possible it is possible and, like us, this conversation.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you grew up spending $100K, but I'm doubting that that was a normal thing for you to do. For most people, that's not a normal thing to do, and so this conversation is coming from like hey, we didn't have this relationship with money or investing either. It was something that actually developed over time.
Speaker 2:Yes, the fact that I'm just openly like spitting out numbers about a wellness, about a yoga business. That in itself is just so much growth. Just being open and honest about a successful woman, and especially a successful woman running a yoga business.
Speaker 1:Oh, I love that and, like, thank you for being, you know, a leader of that, at the forefront of that, because there's someone listening to this podcast who doesn't know it's possible, and there's someone listening to this podcast who, like, just needs someone else to say, hey, like you can do this, trust yourself, go for it. Here's what's possible and here's what it took, right, like, here's the other side of it, right? So, okay, we're at the point now where, like, you have rejoined the mastermind. Yes, I'm so excited. I'm so excited. I was telling my husband I was, like, the biggest win. You're not going to believe it, but we are so happy to have you back. And I think there's kind of two things here of like, what made you decide to invest in support again. We'll just start there.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I was doing pack your cup class challenge just last week and I've probably done this challenge like I don't know, jackie, like three or four times.
Speaker 1:A lot. We did a lot last year.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and it's just amazing that you learn something new every time because you're at a different time in your life, a different time in your business life, at a different time in your life, a different time in your business life, Jackie, I had a question and Jackie made a comment about that. I was like inside a peanut butter jar, right. So she was like you have all this stuff going on. It's like when you get to a bottom of the peanut butter jar you can't really tell it's empty yet and especially from the inside you can't see out. So I was just like head down, numbers, deep, figuring out membership in the expansion, with how to add on the sauna and cold plunge and things like that. And then Jackie, just so like concisely, was like we just need to focus on this for you. And I was like, oh yeah, that's exactly right. Like I am totally in the peanut butter jar right now. So after she explained that, I was like, okay, I don't want to get lost in the peanut butter jar, I want to be outside of the peanut butter jar.
Speaker 2:So I know the value of support and I've seen it work in my business and so I'm yes, it's a big investment at the same exact time as I'm putting a lot of cash in a big investment, a big expansion, and I I really I just knew that I needed that support. The other thing is just the speed in which you can reach your goals with someone, with a group support and with someone else who's objectively looking at your business. It's, it's just tenfold. So I was like, okay, if I'm investing all of this, if I want to get back, make back my investment in two to three months which is an amazing thing to that I even have the potential to do that Then the speed at which I can get there with Jackie support, with the group support, then I'm all in.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I might see if we can add that, if you don't mind, that coaching that came from the Pack your Classes Challenge to the end of this episode. Because the way that you came was like so genuine, as like I have all this stuff going on, like what do I do? And to me it was the first time I was hearing about the expansion and like all the different options, and it wasn't like I said anything that you didn't present. I just was able to be like oh, like you're not seen. When I step back and look at this from over here, it is very clear. This is the thing, and that clarity like it clicked like instantly there and I think too, like I think there's an element of as you grow in business.
Speaker 1:I have found for me, I get more and more humble as I grow and I'm like I actually know in a different way that I want the support and I don't want to be the only one looking at my business, not not in the way that I need to show anyone that I can do it on my own. And that's kind of what I hear from you is like, yeah, I could do this on my own, for sure, and why not give myself the support. Yes, yes, exactly the best place to have that support from. Okay, so let's point people to you. Where can they find you? Connect with you?
Speaker 2:Yes, on Instagram I am at. It's Marisa I-T-S dot. Marisa M-A-R-I-E-S-A, and then Island Movement is at Island Movement.
Speaker 1:Amazing. Okay, any final nuggets, thoughts, words of wisdom for the people listening.
Speaker 2:I have one more short story, because I was recently flying home from europe and watched a movie on the plane and it was milk.
Speaker 2:It was the first openly gay guy to run for public office and get elected and that's kind of like ties in our whole conversation and just thought about it and it took him like four to five times to get elected and after each election or after each race he lost he, him and his team would come back and he'd be like Okay, but we got 10,000 more votes this time. And then the next time, like Okay, but we got 20,000 more votes this time. So I feel like we just kind of talked about like how your past doesn't have to define what you're doing or your growth in the future. But when you look back and are like even personally, like how much you've grown, doing what you desire and what you're passionate about, then you can be like okay, if I just refine and focus instead of just keep putting more effort, then that you get to the sweet spot of like really enjoying, feeling at ease and feeling like alive in your business.
Speaker 1:If you're listening to that, you need to rewind it and take notes, because she just gave you, like literally, the how to have a successful life, and what I heard was, like one define what success means to you.
Speaker 1:What do you love doing? What do you want to grow, even if people tell you you can't or it's not been done before, like what is the thing that you feel called to do? And the thing that you feel called to do, go out and do it, and it's okay to fail. Learn from that failure and keep doing it and if you do that, you will end up at a successful life, whatever that means. Like Marisa, that was so beautiful, so well said, yeah, amazing, all right, everyone. Well, definitely connect with her. We'll link everything in the show notes and we'll talk to you in the next episode. Bye y'all, bye, all right. My friends, as you heard me mention the episode, I had the opportunity to coach Marisa in the VIP room of the Pack your Classes Challenge and she mentioned this coaching, helping her understand why it is beneficial to have someone else's eyes on your business, even when you've already been incredibly successful. The following recording is of that coaching experience and I hope that you enjoy.
Speaker 2:Okay, so I am expanding and my floor to the third floor and the first floor, my floor to the third floor and the first floor, so I'm partnering with. So there's going to be another business inside island movement that's cold plunge and sauna, amazing.
Speaker 2:And my question is with our membership? So you're coaching with the Pilates teacher and the postnatal teacher already helped me because I always want to give people so much. Um, so I'm was thinking my, okay, I'm going to get back to my original question. So, with the grand opening, what has worked in the past for me is when I did a founder's rate or when I did my one year anniversary and then we were offering gym membership included and we increased price and I was like getting at this price now. So I still want. My MVO is still my movement member, right? So I want to funnel. My confusion is how to funnel people into this membership. Oh, also, I'm expanding the gym. The gym on the first floor is now going to have much more equipment. It'll be open 24 seven and then on the third floor will be the personal training studio, so the group classes will be up there. The 24 seven access studio will be on the first floor.
Speaker 1:With the cold plunge and sauna.
Speaker 2:The cold plunge and sauna.
Speaker 1:Are those separate Like? Is it going to be where, if you're in the gym, you can hop into the cold plunge?
Speaker 2:Yes.
Speaker 1:There will be a wall. Okay, cool, so it could be. Two separate offers is essentially what I'm asking. Like you could just have the 24 seven or you could do it yes.
Speaker 2:Yes, and really that's my confusion. Like I feel like it's too many offers, but I can't include the sauna and cold plunge in any membership. It's going to have to be an add on because that's a separate business with a separate partnership structure. So I want to keep the accounting separate or we have to.
Speaker 2:So my question is how do I, with this push for grand opening? It's like, am I promoting the gym membership? Am I promoting the all inclusive movement membership? And then is my like founders rate a little like lower rate to add on the sauna and cold plunge. So that way I'm still getting people to funnel into my MVO and then, because they're a movement member, they get the sauna and cold plunge at a reduced rate.
Speaker 1:Um, people in here are stressed hearing her talk about that.
Speaker 2:I know my notebook is like arrows.
Speaker 1:And this person buys this and this person buys this. I can just feel your like. What do I do? How do I structure this? Okay, so remind me, your movement member includes the 24 seven gem or no? Yes, okay, and the movement member you had. You gave us like 10 different options. So are we marketing the 24 seven gym? Are we marketing the movement member? Are we marketing the add on for the cold plunge and sauna?
Speaker 2:Yes, that's my question.
Speaker 1:What's your goal?
Speaker 2:My goal is to get people to do the all inclusive right, the most valuable offer.
Speaker 1:So right now with the add-on? Yeah, okay so. So movement member plus add-on is the goal. Yes, and how many of those do you want to sell?
Speaker 2:A hundred.
Speaker 1:Yeah, she does?
Speaker 2:Yeah, I guess no. Even that question helped because before I was thinking my goal for a hundred was gym, but it should be the movement members should be all inclusive.
Speaker 1:So it seems like you're and I don't know.
Speaker 1:I think Mia was on this call, but this is kind of her structure when she she sells yoga, strength or combo membership and so sometimes we'll run a launch where the combo is the we're trying to sell this one and sometimes if they don't sell the combo, if they don't buy the combo, then we downsell. So to me for you and you can talk to me too of like it sounds like your main sales focus, the whole launch, the whole structure, the whole grand opening, should be around movement member plus add-on, whatever you end up that price being should be around movement member plus add-on, whatever you end up that price being. Then you can downsell to 24-7 gym access or downsell to movement member no add-on, based on their goals. So if someone is like I just want to lift weights and like pump some iron, you're like great, here's your gym access. If someone's like I just don't like cold plunge, great, here's your studio access. But overall it's the a hundred all inclusive add on membership, okay, and yeah, with that I would offer a founding member.
Speaker 1:Add on rate.
Speaker 2:Add on rate.
Speaker 1:Right, yeah, okay, so like it's cheaper for now to add this on, then it will be down the road. Right, okay, based on how much you want the other business to profit, or kind of the Pilates studio like.
Speaker 2:Based on how many add-on members you need to cover your costs yeah and get that to break even okay, perfect, because now I have a partner who I need to convince like, oh no, a founder's rate works, like let's do this push. Yeah, because it's kind of his business and I'm a partner yeah, I mean, it's my business too. Hell yeah, it is the first time having a partner, so it's kind of but it's been.
Speaker 1:Yeah, first time having a partner, so it's kind of, but it's been yeah. I would say, like you can show him the data of like here's the founding rate data I have of how much this structure and this strategy has worked. But then also for you and for him, you guys can think about this. I don't know when opening is, but you can even do like a I don't want to say this cause I don't want to add more to your plate, but I know you can handle it, you like a. I don't want to say this because I don't want to add more to your plate, but I know you can handle it you can do a tiered founding rate member launch. So like six months before it's this price, five months before it goes up a little bit, four months before it goes up a little bit, so the price keeps having a deadline and there's urgency to buy every time. That will work even better than just like one flat founding member add-on rate that goes up If you have the runway.
Speaker 2:When you have done that in the past. So they pay their founders rate and then say, let's say it opens in three months, then their membership continuation starts like the following month or whatever. Yeah, Like they pay that first month, kind of thing.
Speaker 1:Okay, okay yeah, so when you get them set up in walla or whatever you, you can do it a couple different ways, but I feel like we did it where, because we were running ads like they actually purchased on a different platform, we got them into mbo and then we zeroed out the first month. But you could just add them into Walla purchase and then first month they pay and then you zero out like however many months until their second month.
Speaker 2:Yeah that would work. They don't pay, yeah, and if I don't have an exact date, kind of like Mandy's launch, people trust me, though I think, or I, I know, yeah yeah, and just be vague like spring summer.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm saying summer 2025 yeah, summer 2025, and whenever it hits, you'll charge them their second month right after a month after opening, you would charge them okay, so the founders is the add-on and get people to just get in at the full movement member with all inclusive yeah, yeah, no, okay, of course you're expanding, of course you're taking over the whole building.
Speaker 1:So if you don't know marisa, she started with like a tiny little one room thing and now has a building. Love it.
Speaker 2:I even asked if I could buy the building.
Speaker 1:Did you? Can I just take over? Can I just be landlord and pay myself rent? Honestly genius, I know right. So good yeah.
Speaker 2:My rent.
Speaker 1:So good, amazing, okay, good, hopefully that. I think that clears it up. I feel clear, you feel clear, yes, cool, everyone else feel clear. Okay, yes, thank you. Good, that was such a beautiful example of um.
Speaker 1:Sometimes when you're in your business, you can't see outside of it because you're in it, right. So I think about like a peanut butter jar. If you're in the jar, you can't read the label and see what kind of peanut butter it is. And so Marisa was coming from in her jar, being like here's all the stuff, here's like everything that I have, and I can help her be like, well, you sort this here and put this here and then boxes over here and it makes sense and here's what you can see. Like that's the beauty of it. Island Movement is in St Croix. You can drop the link if you want to Marisa in the chat. Okay, we're about to go to the general admission. I think we're already streaming live. I would love to hear just from the VIP room, since you are here, any takeaways, whether you got coached or didn't get coached today. And then, crystal, I will make a note that you'll be.