Zev Yoga Finds Booming Success in Affordability

Since opening his second studio last year, Zev Yoga co-owner Jonas “Zev” Amberger has been witness to a recession-defying membership boom. And, as with his flagship Portsmouth space, Zev’s new Exeter digs have seen its ranks grow in part thanks to an offer that an increasingly yoga-hungry public simply can’t refuse: $25 a month for unlimited yoga.

In so doing, Zev has established a model counter not only to others in his industry – many personal trainers can charge up to $100 an hour, and it’s not uncommon for yoga studios to charge that much or more for monthly membership – but to conventional economic wisdom as well.

“Back when it was $50 a month, which is still low compared to some studios, we were struggling to get people through the door,” recalls Zev. “But as soon as we lowered it to $25, we went from 100 members to 400 in just a few months.”

Not only has the deal been boon for Zev’s bottom line; it’s helped him introduce Astanga – a branch of yoga with roots in ancient India that was revitalized in the 20th century by Sri Patabi jois – to a wider and wider audience.

In fact, business has been so good that the studio is poised to open its third location in Downtown Dover on October 1st.

His studio’s success may well prove a refreshing antidote to tales of recessionary struggles, but Zev says the strategic template is one that might surprise some people.

For decades, fitness centers and health clubs were thought to be purely the province of those with either enough time or enough money to make working out worth their while. Determined to build a fitness business that would be both effective and affordable, entrepreneur Michael Grondahl launched the first Planet Fitness gym in 1992 in Newington, New Hampshire.

An old acquaintance of Grondahls, Zev was brought aboard the Planet Fitness team early on, and even accompanied the founder on a reconnaissance mission of sorts to New York City, where the two sought ideas and inspirations to help take the business to the next level. Upon returning, Grondahl realized that the key to Planet Fitness’ success hinged on turning the entire membership model on its fiscal head, and tasked Zev with penning the company’s new mission statement.

The resulting tome – which included the now iconic “Judgment-Free Zone” – helped redefine a business that now boasts 561 locations throughout the country, all the while proving that being in good shape doesn’t have to mean having an elite bank account.

Zev may have long ago traded the weights and treadmills for mats and bolster blocks, but that doesn’t mean the lessons of Planet Fitness’ meteoric rise ring less true.

“Yoga has certainly grown in popularity, but I think the high price points have kept a lot of people out who otherwise would be interested,” he says. “We realized after lowering our prices in Portsmouth that there was merit to expanding the marketplace to be more inclusive, in that inclusiveness is a huge part of what yoga is all about.”

So far, the numbers have more than borne out Zev’s theory: It took only 18 months for his flagship Portsmouth studio to reach full capacity; Exeter, just three months. And while such rapid growth inevitably presents its fair share of challenges, Zev says his staff is more than capable of striking a balance between increased capacity and individual needs.

“Yoga has gotten very mainstream very quickly, which means you’re always going to be working with folks who are very new to the practice,” Zev notes. “But I’d rather have the challenge of making sure we’re engaging all of our new students than the challenge of actually getting people into the space.”

With over 500 students and more joining every week, that seems a reasonable sentiment. He’s even taken to offering members of Green Alliance – the Portsmouth organization representing 100 business in and around the Seacoast, and of which Zev has been a long-standing member – their first five classes for just $5.

Still, Zev is determined to prove that, when it comes to membership at his studios, quality and quantity need not be mutually exclusive – that the more people you have coming together in a shared space built on tenants of awareness and relaxation, the stronger the community becomes.

“Ultimately, that closeness and that community fosters a sustainable mind – and from that you get sustainable practices,” he says. “We want all three studios – and all the yoga studios in the area, really – to be able to cross-pollinate and reinforce those ideas of community and sustainability, to set the stage for something that goes beyond yoga.”

Thanks in part to $25-a-month rates, Zev Yoga co-owner Jonas “Zev” Amberger has been witness to a recession-defying membership boom.

Learn more about Zev Yoga at www.zevyoga.com

For more info on Green Alliance, visit www.greenalliance.biz