You’ve completed your 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training… congratulations!
After months of learning, practising, teaching your peers and stepping outside your comfort zone, you’ve finally received your certificate. It’s an incredible achievement, and one that deserves celebrating.
But for many new yoga teachers, once the excitement settles, another feeling begins to creep in…
“Now What?”
Perhaps you’re wondering:
- How do I actually start teaching yoga?
- Where do I find my first students?
- Should I teach in a studio or start my own classes?
- What do I need before I can teach?
- How do I become a confident yoga teacher?
If any of these questions sound familiar, you’re not alone.
Every experienced yoga teacher has stood exactly where you are now. The beginning can feel exciting, inspiring and, at times, overwhelming. There are so many possibilities that it’s easy to wonder which direction to take first.
The good news?
You don’t need to have everything figured out today.
Your yoga teaching journey unfolds one class, one conversation and one student at a time.
Watch the Video
In this video, I walk you through the practical first steps to help you begin your teaching journey with confidence.
Whether your dream is to teach in yoga studios, run community classes, teach online or build your own thriving yoga business, these tips will help you move forward with clarity.
1. Get Your Yoga Teacher Insurance
Before teaching your first class, it’s important to arrange professional yoga teacher insurance.
Insurance protects both you and your students and is an essential part of teaching professionally.
You’ll also want to have a few important documents ready before welcoming students into your classes, including:
- A PAR-Q (Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire)
- Health questionnaires
- Consent forms
- Liability waivers or disclaimers where appropriate
- Emergency contact details
Having these systems in place helps your students feel safe and demonstrates your professionalism from day one.
My favourite insurers are Balens.
2. Create a Professional Yoga Teaching CV
Even though you’ve only recently qualified, your Yoga Teacher Training has given you valuable skills and knowledge.
Create a simple CV that highlights:
- Your 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training
- Additional qualifications or workshops
- Your teaching style
- Previous experience (even if it’s teaching friends or during training)
- Why you love sharing yoga
When approaching studios or gyms, personalise your cover letter rather than sending the same email to everyone.
People connect with authenticity.
3. Build Relationships Before Looking for Work
This is one of the biggest pieces of advice I can give.
Many new teachers immediately begin emailing every yoga studio asking if they’re hiring.
Instead…
Become part of your local yoga community first.
Attend classes regularly.
Introduce yourself to the teachers.
Get to know the studio owners.
Stay after class for a chat.
Support workshops and events.
The yoga world is built on relationships.
Often, opportunities arise because people know you, trust you and have experienced your energy—not because you sent the perfect CV.
Lead with genuine connection rather than asking for something straight away.
4. Explore Different Places to Teach
When people imagine teaching yoga, they often picture beautiful boutique yoga studios.
But there are many wonderful places to begin teaching.
You could teach in:
- Yoga studios
- Gyms and health clubs
- Community centres
- Church halls
- Village halls
- Corporate workplaces
- Schools and colleges
- Retreat centres
- One-to-one private sessions
Each environment offers different experiences and helps you develop your teaching skills.
Don’t wait for the “perfect” opportunity.
Every class you teach builds confidence and experience.
5. Consider Running Your Own Yoga Classes
If you’re dreaming of creating your own yoga community, hiring a local venue can be a brilliant place to begin.
When looking at venues, ask yourself:
- How many students can the room comfortably hold?
- Is there parking nearby?
- Is it accessible?
- Does it feel warm and welcoming?
- Does the venue align with the experience you want to create?
Starting with six students is just as valuable as teaching thirty.
Many successful yoga businesses began with only a handful of students who told their friends, came back week after week and slowly helped grow a thriving community.
Never underestimate the power of consistency.
6. Join Yoga Teacher Cover Lists
One of the easiest ways to gain experience is by becoming a cover teacher.
Studios often need teachers to cover holidays, sickness or last-minute emergencies.
Although cover teaching can feel unpredictable, it gives you the opportunity to:
- Teach different groups of students.
- Experience different studios.
- Meet studio owners.
- Improve your confidence.
- Build your reputation.
Many regular teaching opportunities begin as cover classes.
7. Build Your Online Presence
Even if your focus is teaching locally, your online presence matters.
Most people will search for you online before booking a class.
Start creating your digital home by setting up:
- An Instagram account
- A Facebook Business Page
- A simple website
- A Google Business Profile
You don’t need thousands of followers.
You simply need somewhere that allows future students to discover you, understand your teaching style and connect with your journey.
Your online presence will grow alongside your teaching career.
8. Understand How Teaching Opportunities Are Usually Found
Many new teachers believe they simply need to apply for jobs.
In reality, yoga teaching often grows through community.
Some opportunities come because another teacher recommends you.
Some happen because you’ve been attending classes regularly.
Others arise because you’ve built trust with a studio owner over time.
Relationships matter.
Support other teachers.
Celebrate their successes.
Recommend their classes.
Be generous.
The yoga community becomes stronger when we lift one another up.
9. Stop Waiting Until You Feel Confident
Perhaps the biggest myth I hear is:
*”I’ll start teaching once I feel confident.”*
The truth is…
Confidence isn’t something you magically wake up with one morning.
Confidence is built through experience.
Every class teaches you something.
Every student asks a question you’ve never considered.
Every challenge helps you become a better teacher.
You don’t become confident before teaching.
You become confident because you keep teaching.
Start before you feel completely ready.
10. Remember That Teaching Yoga Is a Lifelong Journey
Receiving your certificate isn’t the finish line.
It’s the beginning.
Your teaching will continue to evolve.
Your sequencing will become more intuitive.
Your language will become clearer.
Your confidence will grow.
Your understanding of yoga will deepen.
Every teacher you admire today once taught their very first class.
Every experienced yoga teacher once worried about forgetting their sequence, saying the wrong thing or wondering whether they were “good enough.”
Keep showing up.
Keep learning.
Keep practising.
And most importantly, keep sharing what you love.
Your students don’t need perfection.
They need a teacher who is present, compassionate and willing to guide them with authenticity.
Final Thoughts
One of the greatest gifts yoga teaches us is that growth doesn’t happen all at once.
It happens through practice.
Teaching is no different.
You don’t need to know everything before you begin.
You simply need the courage to teach your first class, then your second, then your third.
Every class becomes another step along your path.
Be patient with yourself.
Celebrate every milestone.
Trust your journey.
Because somewhere, someone is waiting for the unique way that you teach yoga.
Ready to Build a Thriving Yoga Business?
If your dream is not only to teach yoga but to build a sustainable, fulfilling and soul-aligned yoga business, I’d love to support you.
Explore my free resources, YouTube videos and mentoring programmes designed to help yoga teachers grow their confidence, attract students and create a business that’s aligned with their values.
Remember—you don’t have to figure it all out alone.