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MEET MEGAN!
Megan Spears is an experienced Yoga teacher at the 500 hour level with a passionate, unique approach to teaching. She has studied and mentored with yoga, movement, and meditation teachers with roots in Vinyasa and Anusara as well as other movement modalities including Functional Range Conditioning, Yoga Detour, and Exercise Science studies. She has additional training in teaching Private Yoga, Trauma-Informed Teaching, Prenatal, and Radiance Sutras Meditation. She teaches locally in Tulsa as a private yoga teacher and specializes in teaching couples. She is a total nerd and will geek out with you as you learn about your movement patterns and gather your favorite meditation practices. More than anything, she loves to help clients move well, breathe with intention, and have more fun in their yoga practice. The goal is not to fit her clients into a yoga practice, but to co-create a yoga practice that fits her clients life, creates balance, and fills them with joy.
When she’s not teaching group classes or private sessions, she’s likely studying or eating one of her 3 favorite meals. Her favorite days involve a great cup of coffee, a good movement practice, and time with her family. Connect with her on Facebook & Instagram!
Now let's get to chatting (click video below to watch).
**I had a technology issue in this interview so instead of seeing both our faces side by side as we talked, the video switches back and forth based on who is talking. Thank you for your understanding and know that you can always listen instead of watching the interview if the switching bothers you.
Amanda: Thanks so much, Megan for letting me interview today! Let's start by hearing how you got into yoga!
Megan: I started watching yoga classes and practicing along with yoga classes on a TV show when I was a teengaer. I was a cheerleader at the time and already working on conditioning during the summer so when I would visit my dad I would watch yoga and practice along.
After I finished school, I started taking classes around Tulsa and eventually found a mentor who invited me attend a yoga teacher training.
Amanda: Well I can say on behalf of your students, because I am one of them, I am so glad you went to yoga teacher training!
Megan: I didn't expect to actually do this. I had no idea this was something I could do. I had a stutter and would stutter a lot and was socially nervous. Speaking in front of a group of people wasn't something I was used to or comfortable with. Knowing where I am now, teaching multiple times a day, it's been so fun cheering myself on and moving past social stuttering.
My teachers really believed in me and really saw something in me and mentored me into this career of a professional yoga teacher so I have them to thank.
Amanda: I never knew that you had a stutter! That could have stopped you from doing something you're passionate about and you didn't! I also love how you threw the word "professional" in there.
There are so many yoga teachers that don't consider themselves a professional. I hear it all the time - "I don't want to feel salsey in marketing." Because I do know you and we've worked together for several years, I've thought about how at the very beginning you knew you had questions but didn't know what they were. You've come so far - you call yourself a yoga professional! You really do have a personal brand that's really strong and I've seen that confidence grow so I'd love to hear your side of what that journey has been,
Megan: I have been teaching for 5 years. In those 5 years I have co-managed a yoga studio, have helped teach and host yoga teacher training. I say that because all those have required different types of marketing and not necessarily for myself.
I'll take you a little further back to when I first started teaching. I marketed my classes the same way my mentors marketed their classes. As they changed their marketing and as I continued my education, what I was sharing changed as well.
When I changed, my engagement dropped on socials and I had less people in my classes. I wasn't expecting and so my confidence went way down. I felt really vulnerable - I didn't know who I was talking to. I didn't know what to post for marketing so I just started posting whatever I wanted, with no rhyme or reason. But I did have fun.
Even through marketing and not marketing, it's always been - I'm sharing what I want to share. Even now, I have a better idea of what I'm sharing.
Amanda: What it really comes down to is: if it's fun, it's what I want you to do! When you feel resistance to anything, it's probably time to take a break or reevaluate what's going on. I love that you did that naturally and I didn't have to share that with you.
You've never walked away from that. Even when I told you to post so many times or post about certain things. You still allow it to be fun and you have fun with your marketing even if it's marketing about a workshop or talking about your breakfast.
Megan: Your support with "here's how you can schedule it" and other specific things. And me saying, "Well I don't really want to do any of that." I really love how you let me have my process.
Amanda: You've done it - and it's all you! I love that we're talking that because I think your success in marketing yourself is because you allowed yourself to do what feels right.
Megan: If I do too much for someone else, it won't really come from my heart. I also know that I have support. You've been great support, you're a great cheerleader and you always have been throughout my process.
It's all a process! Adding on, layering on..
Amanda: That's something I have witnessed in your business so much lately is figuring out what you want to follow and do more of and letting go.
Megan: This year you decided you weren't going to assume - right?
Amanda: Right.
Megan: I have taken a similar practice. You put the words to it but it's something I've been thinking about as well - if I can respond directly to my clients or students in my group classes, that means I am niching down. I am speaking directly to them and not to someone else.
Instead of making this grand statement for myself that feels really scary by only saying "I only work with couples" (which I'm moving toward). Instead, I'm just choosing to speak directly to the people I'm working with and I'm creating content directly for them and posting it bit by bit.
As I'm doing that and seeing them responding to it, then I can more directly say out loud "this is who I work with". I'm letting it be a process.
Amanda: How you've created a process has been really interesting to me in that you just started creating the content for your clients, which reminds me of the day you said out loud "All I have to do is create content for my clients!". That's what it boils down to - creating content for your client.
Megan: It's so fun for me because then I can respond directly to them. Instead of making assumptions of what I think someone may want. The deeper I get into my practices and trainings, the less I'm able to see from a student's prospective. I have to ask them, I have to really utilize what we're doing in our sessions and then go from there. What's making them engage, what's helping them have more fun and balance in their sessions....and how can I put that somewhere they can come back to on social media? It's a constant reminder for them...like a positive feedback loop.
Amanda: I love thinking of content like that! It's just a place for your clients to go back and have that information. I'm glad we've been on this journey of the same time of not making any assumptions. It's amazing the moment we stopped, slowed down and actively listened. It's so hard to do that! It seems so simple but it's incredibly difficult.
Megan: I want to be surprised. I let myself be surprised by what someone needs or what will help them.
Amanda: There are so many people watching this who are where you were a few years ago. What advice would you give someone that's feeling overwhelmed with the idea of marketing themselves as a yoga teacher. For those that are feeling a little uncomfortable or that marketing feels icky for them - what would you say to them?
Megan: I would say, go at your own pace and do a little bit often. It's mental conditioning and a habit to cultivate but do a little - and ask more questions of your clients.
Amanda: I love that advice - do a little bit, often!
Megan: I'll say one more thing - pick your brand colors. Because it's so fun! Pick your colors and then decide what those colors mean to you and let that meaning be the theme to your online presence.
Amanda: It is a lot of fun! It makes a lot of things easier - like taking pictures for Instagram or design something when using Canva.
Megan: I've also seen you do this - ask your followers what three words you'd use to describe me. Notice the words used more consistently and see what colors you associate with those words. Playing with it in that way has been helpful with me.
Like my color is deep purple, so I also love to wear it...like when I'm doing an interview! Marketing is fun for me, I have fun with marketing!
Amanda: Its' so fun...especially when you push past the "eh, it's not comfortable".
Megan: I would push it further and ask yourself: what is the source of the discomfort?
You've mentioned before, it's like inviting people to a party. They won't know they're invited until there's an invitation!
Amanda: I know so many yoga teachers with an amazing class, amazing students and they create incredible private classes or workshops and they don't invite people to the party!
Marketing and the party are the same thing - you have to invite people!
Megan: I agree - and making it as fun as possible.
I also think that hearing the marketing words often, having a coach or listening to marketing podcasts. Letting it be a normal part of my vernacular and letting it be easy. It takes away any of the possible "ickiness". It doesn't have to be there!
Amanda: All of that is such great advice for the yoga teachers that aren't where you are right now but want to be where you are. Thank you so much!
Your Next Best Step
“Go at your own pace and do a little bit, often.” - Megan
Pick one thing that you want to work on when it comes to marketing and commit to doing something little each day.
Then pick your brand colors! Ask your audience what 3 words that best describe you, then pick a color (or two) that align with those colors.
Don't forget - have fun with marketing!
