From hatha to hot, yoga is a booming business in B.C. thanks to hundreds of studios offering thousands of classes, plus homegrown companies hocking everything from stretchy pants to eco-friendly mats.
Recently, shares of Lululemon Athletica Inc., a prominent player in the local yoga game, jumped 5% after its pants were featured on Oprah Winfrey’s annual “Favorite Things” program. But had it not been for Vancouverites’ appetite for triangle pose when most Westerners still preferred the treadmill – not to mention the yoga studios willing to cater to them – Lululemon might never have achieved such lofty heights.
Lara Kozan agrees: there’s something Om-inducing about the West Coast. Having successfully built multiple Lower Mainland yoga centres, the YYoga co-founder is eyeing expansion to Toronto – a city where the yoga scene, despite access to a population twice the size of Vancouver’s, lags several years behind.
“The more people that do yoga, the better the world will be; that’s the legacy I want to leave,” she said at a recent Association for Corporate Growth luncheon. “But to bring yoga to as many people as possible, you need the business to back that up.”
In 2006, when Kozan and business partner Terry McBride started thinking of opening their own studio, Vancouver’s yoga scene was a much different beast.
“The market was fragmented; a lot of small, single-discipline studios,” she recalled. “To us, the heart of yoga is the connection not only to self but also to others. That led to this idea of a network of studios that do for yoga what Whole Foods did for the organic food industry: consolidate and connect.”
Today all seven YYoga centres – in Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond and Whistler – aim to “provide a social centre where all are welcome and inspired to practise yoga, engage in wellness and … build relationships and community.”
To draw clients to their community, Kozan and McBride developed a business strategy based on multiple customer service “sticking points.” Beyond a generous offering of yoga classes that draw from various styles to suit all levels, each multi-studio YYoga centre embraces a guest-focused approach, providing such spa-like amenities as:
- mat and towel service;
- complimentary toxin-free shower products and organic teas;
- infrared sauna;
- social space with free wireless Internet; and
- wellness services like massage, acupuncture and reflexology.
“Everything that goes along with great service,” Kozan explained, adding that some YYoga studios even feature elements that reflect the surrounding community: the “yoga wall” at the Northshore Elements centre, for example, suits North Vancouver’s outdoor appeal. “The balance of yoga and business is something I’m constantly striving to achieve. As our business grows we have to stay rooted and connected to yoga, but we also want to continue to expand and be innovative.”
So far the strategy’s been successful.
Averaging 1,333 visits a day, YYoga’s revenue grew 54% in 2010’s first quarter and its newest centre in South Granville turned a profit in its second month.
Unlike Kozan, Bikram Yoga Vancouver (BYV) owners Lisa Pelzer and Danny Dworkis offer just one type of yoga at their studios, but have experienced similar growth.
Pelzer discovered Bikram yoga – a favourite among celebrities like David Beckham and Lady Gaga – in Hawaii and decided to bring it to Vancouver. In 1999 she rented space from a dance studio in Dunbar, plugged in a heater and opened for business.
Today she and Dworkis run two busy studios in Kitsilano and the West End, offering nearly 95 classes a week. They stay open on holidays, including Christmas, and even offered 11 p.m. classes for a time. Demand for Bikram yoga – practised in 40 C heat – is so high, the duo is opening a third location on Cambie Street in fall 2011.
While celebrity endorsement might bring first-timers through BYV’s door, Dworkis said the secret to getting them to return is simple: Bikram yoga works.
“The thing that gets people coming back is they can see and feel the positive changes this yoga has on their bodies and minds.”
Dworkis, who lists weight loss, increased energy and relaxation among Bikram yoga’s benefits, says despite a yoga studio on seemingly every Vancouver street, there’s plenty of room left to grow his business.
“The market’s not saturated yet, not even close – there are many people we’re still trying to reach and encourage to come to yoga,” he said.
Pelzer, who also designs her own LP Studio Line of yogawear, agrees. “It’s a really interesting time for yoga. It may seem like something that’s gone mainstream or that’s only going to be trendy for a while, but … it’s just starting to pick up steam.”
Gloria Latham, who co-founded Semperviva Yoga with husband Scott in 1995, operates one of her five studios across the street from BYV’s Kitsilano location. Not only is she sure there’s plenty of space left in the market, she says that if yoga’s just a trend, it’s “the longest-lasting trend in history, well over 5,000 years.”
Given the stress of modern-day life, Latham believes yoga’s “the right thing for the times,” and expects its popularity to continue to rise – in Vancouver and beyond.
In fact, keeping up with the demand seems the biggest challenge faced by most business yogis today.
“Our classes are always full,” Latham confirmed. “In response, we keep adding more.”