Yoga Kula

What Yoga Kula does

Yoga Kula is a privately held, founder-led yoga and wellness studio founded in 2000 by Saraswati Clere in Berkeley, California. Operating under the Sanskrit-rooted concept of "kula" (community of the heart), the business delivers alignment-based, integrative yoga drawing from Anusara, Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti lineages to individual practitioners across all experience levels, with the primary physical studio on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley's "Gourmet Ghetto," supplemented by outdoor classes at Live Oak Park and livestream delivery via Zoom.

The company's core product portfolio spans in-studio and online classes, multi-tier teacher training (100, 200, and 300-hour programs eligible for Yoga Alliance registration and Anusara certification), meditation teacher training, single and series workshops (typically $25-$200), international retreats across India, Europe, and Oceania, a wellness spa with independent practitioners, corporate wellness programs (UC Berkeley, Kahilla), space rental at $75/hour, and an on-demand course catalog on Teachable alongside the Wisdom of Yoga Podcast. Supporting technology is built entirely on commodity SaaS — Mindbody for scheduling/booking/payments, Eventbrite for event ticketing, Zoom for livestream, PayPal for secondary payment, and Squarespace for the public website — with no proprietary platform or AI components.

Revenue is generated through a diversified mix of recurring subscriptions (memberships and unlimited passes with 3-month minimums), unit-priced class packages with tiered expirations (30 days to 12 months), non-recurring tuition for teacher trainings and workshops, transaction-based space rental, custom-priced corporate wellness contracts, and retreat fees. Yoga Alliance YACEP accreditation allows workshops to issue continuing education credits, reinforcing the credentialing moat. Customer acquisition is primarily community-led and event-driven, leveraging 20+ years of word-of-mouth reputation, the annual Yoga Conference SF (launched 2026), the podcast, and selective corporate partnerships. The company is sole-proprietor/founder-owned with no disclosed external investors, no subsidiaries, and no public financial reporting.

Name

Yoga Kula

Legal name

Yoga Kula

Website

https://yogakula.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Yoga Kula is a privately held, founder-led Berkeley yoga studio offering in-studio, outdoor, and livestream yoga classes, Yoga Alliance-certified teacher trainings, workshops, retreats, corporate wellness, space rental, and an online course catalog. It serves individual practitioners, aspiring yoga teachers, and corporate clients primarily in the Bay Area with global reach via online channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yoga and Wellness Studio Services

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (71394), Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Yoga Instruction (Hatha/Vinyasa/Flow) (HSADACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) & Pilates Instructor Training (HSADACAL), Corporate/Workplace Yoga & Pilates (HSADACAJ)

Keywords

• Yoga classes
• Yoga teacher training
• Meditation instruction
• Corporate wellness programs
• Yoga retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Berkeley

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Studio Classes: Drop-in classes, class packages (5, 10, 20 classes), monthly/unlimited passes, and membership subscriptions for in-studio, outdoor, and livestream yoga classes
2. Workshops and Events: Single workshops and series courses covering yoga philosophy, anatomy, and meditation taught by visiting faculty. Prices range from $25-$200 for workshops.
3. Teacher Training Programs: 100-Hour, 200-Hour, and 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs with Yoga Alliance certification pathways. Tuition paid in full or via payment plans.
4. Corporate Wellness Services: Corporate yoga and wellness programs offered to businesses including on-site classes, virtual sessions, and team building events.
5. Space Rental: Rental of studio space and practitioner rooms to healing professionals, yoga teachers, and event organizers. Studio space at $75/hour with 3-hour minimum.
6. Online Courses: On-demand courses and video tutorials available through Teachable platform, featuring world-class teachers covering yoga, meditation, anatomy, and philosophy.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Yoga Kula is a Berkeley-based yoga studio and wellness center offering alignment-based yoga classes in-studio, outdoors, and via livestream, plus Yoga Alliance-certified teacher training programs (100hr, 200hr, 300hr), meditation teacher training, workshops, retreats, corporate wellness programs, and on-demand online courses. The studio serves individual practitioners, aspiring yoga teachers, and corporate clients with an integrative approach drawing from multiple yoga lineages.

Product overview

Yoga Kula is a yoga studio and wellness center offering a multi-platform wellness ecosystem. The core offering consists of alignment-based yoga classes (in-studio, outdoor, and livestream) and Yoga Alliance-certified teacher training programs (100hr, 200hr, 300hr) with an Anusara Yoga focus. These are complemented by a diverse portfolio including Meditation Teacher Training, workshops and events (many offering CEUs), on-demand courses via Teachable, a podcast (Wisdom of Yoga), wellness spa services, corporate wellness programs, space rental, and international yoga retreats. The company also hosts the annual Yoga Conference San Francisco. All offerings are interconnected through shared faculty (e.g., Carlos Pomeda, Deane Juhan, Saraswati Clere) and the Yoga Alliance certification pathway.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Wisdom of Yoga Podcast: A podcast hosted by Saraswati Clere featuring interviews with yoga experts and wellness practitioners.

Products and services

• Yoga Classes (In-Studio, Outdoor, Livestream) Alignment-based and integrative yoga classes for individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities, offered in-studio at the Berkeley location, outdoors at Live Oak Park, and via livestream for remote practitioners. Classes draw from Anusara, Iyengar, Hatha, Vinyasa, and Jivamukti Yoga traditions.
• Yoga Teacher Training Programs (100hr, 200hr, 300hr) Yoga Alliance-certified teacher training programs covering Anusara Yoga, meditation, yoga philosophy, Ayurveda, and subtle body practices. Eligible for Yoga Alliance registration and Anusara Yoga certification upon completion. Designed for committed yoga students, aspiring teachers, and certified teachers seeking to enhance their abilities.
• Meditation Teacher Training Specialized training program for becoming a certified meditation teacher, integrated with yoga philosophy and contemplative practices. Designed for aspiring and current meditation teachers.
• Workshops & Events Single-session and multi-session workshops covering yoga philosophy, functional anatomy, and special topics taught by internationally respected faculty such as Carlos Pomeda and Deane Juhan. Many workshops offer Yoga Alliance Continuing Education (YACEP) credits.
• Corporate Yoga & Wellness Corporate wellness offerings including yoga, meditation, breathwork, and holistic health practices delivered in-person at client locations or virtually to employee groups. Clients include UC Berkeley and Kahilla.
• Space Rental Rental of studio space and practitioner rooms for workshops, lectures, community gatherings, and healing arts practitioners. Includes practitioner registry listing and newsletter promotion. Priced at $75/hour with 3-hour minimum.
• Yoga Retreats Yoga journeys and immersions in destinations including Rishikesh India, Tiruvannamalai India, Kauai, Greece, Sicily, New Zealand, and Point Reyes CA, led by Yoga Kula teachers.
• On-Demand Online Courses (Teachable) On-demand online video courses, workshops, master classes, and lectures from world-class teachers covering yoga philosophy, anatomy, subtle body, and meditation. Accessible via the Teachable platform at yogakulaonline.teachable.com.
• Yoga Conference San Francisco Annual multi-day yoga conference bringing together internationally respected yoga teachers, scholars, and musicians. Features movement classes, workshops, panel discussions, and live music. Hosted by Yoga Kula and Anusara Yoga at Hotel Kabuki in San Francisco's Japantown.
• Wellness Spa Services Therapeutic services including massage and healing modalities offered by independent practitioners in dedicated treatment rooms at the Berkeley studio, designed to restore balance and awaken vitality.
• Mentorship Program Ongoing mentorship support for yoga teachers and students following completion of training programs, offering continued guidance and professional development.

Quantifiable outcome

• 250+ yoga teachers graduated into the workforce
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Mindbody, Inc.coreTechnology or IntegrationMindbody provides the scheduling, booking, and payment processing infrastructure for Yoga Kula's class registration and membership management. Credit card payments are processed securely through Mindbody's platform linked to the Yoga Kula website.
• UC BerkeleyminorOthersCorporate wellness partnership providing yoga and meditation classes to university employees as part of employee wellness initiatives.
• KahillaminorOthersCorporate wellness partnership providing employee wellness services including yoga classes to Kahilla employees.
• Hotel KabukicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for the annual Yoga Conference SF held in San Francisco's historic Japantown. Provides conference facilities and accommodation for attendees.
• TeachablecoreTechnology or IntegrationPlatform hosting Yoga Kula's on-demand course library including workshops, master classes, and lectures from world-class teachers. Provides course delivery, video hosting, and purchase processing.
• Yoga AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerYoga Alliance is the governing body for yoga teacher registrations. Yoga Kula's 200 and 300-Hour Training programs are eligible for Yoga Alliance registration, and the studio is a YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider) for continuing education credits.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Y7 Studio: Boutique heated yoga studio chain with strong brand identity and instructor-driven programming. Comparable alignment-focused, premium positioning in the same consumer segment as Yoga Kula.
• YogaWorks: Multi-location yoga studio operator with a strong teacher training program and diverse class offerings. Closely comparable to Yoga Kula on the multi-modality, training-anchored studio model.
• Baptiste Power Yoga: Power yoga methodology hub with teacher training programs and affiliated studios. Shares teacher-training-led business model and athletic yoga positioning with Yoga Kula.

Broad incumbents

• Alo Moves: Subscription on-demand yoga and fitness platform from activewear brand Alo Yoga, with celebrity teachers and large content library. Competes with Yoga Kula for digital yoga consumer spend.
• CorePower Yoga: Largest US yoga studio chain with hundreds of locations offering heated power yoga and teacher training. Comparable to Yoga Kula on teacher training and class instruction but operates at vastly greater scale with a national footprint.

Emerging players

• Glo: Subscription online yoga and meditation platform with thousands of classes from world-class teachers. Competes directly with Yoga Kula's Teachable on-demand library and livestream offerings.
• Wellness Corporate Solutions (corporate yoga vendors): Dedicated corporate wellness and on-site yoga vendors (e.g., YogiWell, Office Yoga) that compete with Yoga Kula's corporate wellness revenue stream for UC Berkeley, Kahilla, and similar contracts.

Regional players

• Yoga Tree: Multi-studio Bay Area yoga chain offering classes, workshops, and teacher trainings. Direct geographic competitor to Yoga Kula with overlapping student demographic.
• Bindu Yoga Studio: Bay Area yoga studio with comparable community-driven and alignment-based approach. Direct Berkeley-adjacent competitor for local students and teacher training candidates.

Others

• Anusara School of Hatha Yoga: Governing organization for the Anusara lineage, co-host of Yoga Conference SF. Strategic ecosystem partner rather than direct competitor; certification pathway is integral to Yoga Kula's teacher training offering.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubepodcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/wisdom-of-yoga-podcast/id1521723135
• Facebookfacebook.com/YogaKulaBerkeley
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yoga-kula

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Yoga Kula