Business case study of Ann Marie Johnston, a marketing professional and yoga teacher who engaged me as her business coach while in the start-up phase of YogaMate, a new digital resource (website and app) for yoga professionals and their students.
“As a sole entrepreneur working from home, I wanted another person to bounce ideas off. I really needed someone who would be engaged, provide insight, and perhaps make me consider new ideas that I hadn’t encountered on my own,” says Ann Marie.
“I’d been on Brook’s email list following her E-News for some time and at the end of 2014, I’d finishing scoping the website and app and was ready for outside assistance.”
Ann Marie had a huge task ahead of her: to create adequate wireframes so that developers could easily understand her requirements; to put the app out for tender to app developers in Australia and overseas; to choose the best developer for the job; to continue with market research into what features should be included, which needed to be refined and which could be dropped; and to kick-start the marketing campaign.
Ann Marie had already done considerable research and competitor analysis before we commenced coaching. She had a good idea where her app might fit in the market and where potential opportunities lay. While many apps provide instructional video, not many cater to yoga professionals to better manage their business, create plans for clients, and use technology to promote their services and grow their reputation.
Together, we discussed how to use a survey to gather more information from yoga teachers who may not necessarily be well-versed in technology, or interested in using apps.
“Brook pushed me to do more research into my target market and share my idea with key stakeholders in the yoga and yoga therapy world far earlier than I was planning. My original plan was to just create the software, reach out to the various yoga associations, and go from there,” says Ann Marie.
Ann Marie created an extensive survey and set up a Facebook page to help promote it, effectively commencing her launch. An idea of engaging others in the industry led to the idea of featuring yoga for its therapeutic health benefits. Working together with senior yoga teachers lifts the quality of YogaMate’s information as well as the credibility of the entire yoga sector.
Call-out for senior yoga teachers
Ann Marie is currently calling for yoga professionals with senior qualifications, most notably yoga therapists, who are actively engaged in researching their area of expertise. These yoga teachers will become YogaMate’s featured professionals – one per health benefit– to help ensure the quality of YogaMate’s sequences and to increase their professional profile and reach more students.
“Perhaps the biggest benefit of engaging Brook was her idea of having a panel of advisors. This Panel of Advisors not only lifts the quality of the information YogaMate provides, but they serve as my guide post to help me achieve the high objectives I’ve set for the business. Further, they lend the business credibility,” says Ann Marie.
The YogaMate panel of advisors includes renowned teacher (and very nice guy) Leigh Blashki, PhD candidate Michael de Manincor, Australian yoga legend Eve Grzybowski, renowned yoga therapist and teacher trainer Robin Rothenberg, and acclaimed International Mindfulness researcher, Dr Craig Hassed.
“The panel of advisors play a key role in YogaMate’s direction, resulting in a far better product. I’m very excited to launch late 2015,” says Ann Marie.
Creating something new, particularly a solution as high-tech as an app with accompanying website, it’s easy to get lost in the creation process, swamped with all you have to do, and postpone growing your community. Building an email list, keeping key industry stakeholders informed, and developing your social media communities can get lost in the momentum of creation. By involving your community earlier in the process, you’re setting your project up for far greater success when launch time finally arrives. People are invested in your project, they’re collaborating in its creation and want it to succeed.
