We were lucky to catch up with Kristin Lee Geiger recently and have shared our conversation below.

Kristin Lee, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today What do you think it takes to be successful?

This is a great question! I think the first thing it takes to be successful is an unequivocal understanding of what that word actually means to you. Success looks a little different on everyone! It doesn’t necessarily have to equate to an arbitrary amount of wealth and prestige or come wrapped up in the form of a shiny award. If we reduce success down to these very finite things, it’s all too easy to overlook what might turn out to be one of our greatest accomplishments. Success, at its very best, is really more of an inner experience. The rest of the world doesn’t get much say in the matter! Your challenges are your own. Your choices are your own. Your achievements belong ONLY to you. So, in my mind, authentic success ultimately comes down to three simple things: truth, perseverance, and attentiveness. What do you ultimately want? What unit of measure defines your growth? Will achieving that thing scratch the right itch and bring you the satisfaction you’ve always hoped for? These are all decently hard questions to answer – believe me! That’s why the truth part is so important. Then comes the perseverance. As much as we all love instant gratification, real success rarely happens overnight. It takes A LOT of baby steps…and a lot of wrong steps, too. You’re going to mess up at some point. There’s just no way around it! It’s part of being human. The trick is to not let those lows deter you too much. In fact, it’s getting past those lows and learning how to turn them into opportunities that ultimately makes your achievements feel meaningful. This is where attentiveness kicks in! Part of being successful is being able to recognize when you do something great. It might not look like much from the outside, but every time you master a new skill, conquer a fear, set a boundary, or raise your own bar in pursuit of your mission…that’s a BIG deal! That’s success in real time. The more you can register those little wins, the more you’ll naturally embody the success you define for you.

For folks who may not have read about you before, can you please tell our readers about yourself, how you got into your industry.

Sure! I feel like every time I try to explain how I got to where I’m at today, it comes out a little bit differently. I think that’s because there’s just so many facets and compounding factors that ultimately went into my decision to take this route and pursue yoga as a profession. I started my career as a busy, stressed-out design professional. That was the standard of practice in my industry. It became clear to me pretty early on that continuing down that road was a fantastic recipe for burnout and apathy. It also became quite clear to me that the only way out of that fate was just to get out of my industry entirely and start anew. That’s where yoga came in! It was really a lifeline during that phase of my life. I had no idea that almost a decade later I’d still be teaching! I think I’m still a little surprised by that. Yoga gave me a whole new way to show up in the world. It helped me develop strengths I didn’t know I had. It’s allowed me to collaborate with both individuals and organizations in ways I had no idea were possible, while also (at least, I hope!) injecting a little positivity into this world. Really, I’m just having a lot of fun!

What I do as a teacher now is try to pay all of that forward. Yoga just happens to be my medium of choice! I love helping others develop strengths they didn’t know they had or master skills they perhaps never thought possible for themselves. I love watching the transition my clients go though as they shift from trepidation to “omg, look what I can do!”, and then from that initial surprise to confidence, and from confidence to crushing it, and from crushing it to finally raising their own bar. It doesn’t get much better than that in my book! My role is just to guide, encourage, and create an environment where each client can get there in their own time. That’s my job description in a nutshell! Well…that, and perhaps: resident devil’s advocate / shameless cheerleader. Maybe that’s really what I should have printed on my next batch of business cards ;)

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

In nine years, I’ve certainly tried a lot of things! Most marketing people will tell you to get really specific about what you offer, hewn that skill set, lean into your niche, post on social media constantly, and then test, tweak, and repeat your messaging until you’ve created a well-oiled machine that brings in clients while you’re sleeping. To be fair, there’s good reason behind all of that. It most certainly works for some people! It just never worked for me. That type of approach is very deep and narrow. It means doing the same thing, over and over, on repeat. So, if you’re the type of person that thrives in routine and consistency, it’s an excellent place to start. I had to learn the hard way, after many failed attempts, that I just don’t operate like that. In fact, that much repetition actually feels quite stifling. What I thrive in is breadth and variety.  So, if I’m in a phase where I’m looking to grow and expand, the question I have to ask myself is, “What haven’t I done yet?” Or perhaps, “Who haven’t I worked with yet?” That’s what I have to lean into! Every time I challenge myself to a new project or a new type of client, either I grow or my business grows. It’s a win-win either way! Sure, sometimes it does feel like throwing spaghetti at the wall. It takes a little more time. The gains are more organic, but it always opens some pretty cool doors. That type of approach has also allowed me to do things with yoga that are perhaps a little left of center, but things I feel really good about. 

So, if you happen to be reading this at a time when you’re trying to fine tune your own strategy or perhaps getting stuck with the one that’s been drilled into your head, all you have to do is ask yourself the following question: Do I thrive in consistency or variability? Or perhaps, “Am I a specialist or more of a Jack-Of-All-Trades?” If specificity is your jam, a well-oiled marketing machine is probably your best friend. However, if you find that variety is your spice of life, thinking outside the box and taking multiple approaches will probably serve you better! Remember: there is no right way. There’s only your way…something that applies as much to exercise as it does to growing your clientele!

How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?

Ha, well I suppose this part is a little easier for me since I see most of my clients every month or every week. The keeping in touch part is kind of built in! If there’s a reason to check in between appointments of course I’ll do that as well to make sure we stay on course. It really just comes down to basic communication and common human decency. Clients are people first and foremost! I think it’s important to remember that, and – as the golden rule says – talk to them and treat them the way you would want to be talked to and treated as a client, if the roles were reversed. I always try to come back to that by asking myself questions like, “Would I feel supported if I was on the receiving end of what just came out of my mouth?” Or, “Would I feel listened to by the approach we took in class today?” I also try to keep stock of every negative experience I’ve ever had as a patron in a fitness class, a patient in a doctor’s office, or a customer at the other end of a phone line and then aim to do the complete opposite through teaching. What did I really need in that interaction that was missing? How can I give that thing to my client so they don’t have to feel let down or dismissed? I suppose we’re veering a little more into client relations or customer service here, but regardless, all of this feeds into contentiously keeping in touch with the people you serve!

Now…when we’re talking brand loyalty, what we’re really talking about is building a mutually beneficial relationship where both your business and the clients you serve get to prosper, together. There’s a decent level of responsibility in that! It’s a balancing act where you have to both be sensitive to your own capacity and needs as a business, and at the same time, make sure your clients’ needs and expectations aren’t only met, but actually exceeded. Part of that comes down to really simple things like certifying that every person you work with feels cared for, valued, respected, and heard (as we just discussed!). In my line of work, it also means developing a partnership with each client, or, allowing them to play an active role in their own progress and make their own choices. I just help steer the boat and encourage them to keep reaching. However, I never want to be their only resource. That kind of loyalty feels a little too dogmatic. I want them to ask questions. I want them to be able to integrate different perspectives. Ultimately, I want them to feel confident enough in their own skills to grow without me someday. So, I think brand loyalty has a much to do with keeping your clients happy as it does with being loyal, as a brand, to their over-arching, best interests. The day they spread their wings is a huge success. When that level of integrity shines through your brand, it speaks volumes for your business and fosters loyalty on a broader scale, all by itself.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.kristinleegeiger.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kristinleegeiger/?hl=en
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristin-lee-geiger-56858131/
• Other: https://app.floficient.com

Image Credits

n/a (me)