Yoga North

What Yoga North does

Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute (ISYI) is a private yoga education and therapy school founded in 1995 in Duluth, Minnesota, and co-owned since December 2001 by Ann Maxwell and Molly McManus. It operates a flagship yoga studio, hosts international retreats, runs teacher training and certification programs, and delivers corporate and community yoga sessions. Its underlying curriculum is built on a proprietary SomaYoga methodology taught consistently across locations, and the business is small by employee count (firmographic data lists 1–10 employees) while engaging a broader instructor network of more than a dozen teachers.

The school holds three stacked credentials: Yoga Alliance accreditation (since 2004), Minnesota private career school licensure (since 2009), and International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) accreditation (since 2014) — making it one of approximately 35 IAYT-accredited programs worldwide and the only one in the U.S. Midwest. Core offerings include group classes, private sessions, Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT200, RYT500) certifications, the Certified IAYT Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT) program, the recently launched TT1000 Yoga Therapy Certification, and international retreats operated with One Yoga Global across the Swiss Alps, Mexico, and Scotland. The April 2023 Duluth studio relocation added an on-site teaching kitchen, enabling a broader wellness/retreat layer atop the core yoga business, and the school extends delivery into partner-studio locations across St. Paul (MN), Des Moines (IA), and Wisconsin.

Revenue is generated through a mix of consumer and enterprise channels: drop-in classes, private sessions priced at $90–$130, multi-week teacher training tuition (e.g., $3,100–$3,400 for the TT200), international retreat fees, online content, and corporate contracts. Named enterprise customers include the University of Minnesota Duluth, Essentia Health, Maurices, Minnesota Power, and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, indicating diversification across healthcare, retail, utilities, higher education, and nonprofit end markets.

Name

Yoga North

Legal name

Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute

Website

https://yoganorthduluth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute is a Duluth, MN-based yoga therapy and teacher-training school founded in 1995, serving consumers and corporate clients with classes, multi-tier certifications, retreats, and IAYT-accredited yoga therapy programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Yoga Studio and Teacher Training Services

NAICS

All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Other Schools and Instruction (6116), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

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

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSADACAL

Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) & Pilates Instructor Training

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Yoga & Pilates Instruction

SECONDARYHSADACAA

General Yoga Instruction (Hatha/Vinyasa/Flow)

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Yoga & Pilates Instruction

SECONDARYHSADAJAA

Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group)

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Meditation, Mindfulness & Breathwork

SECONDARYHSADACAF

Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga & Yoga Nidra

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Yoga & Pilates Instruction

SECONDARYHSADAJAE

Yoga Nidra & Deep Relaxation Practices

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Meditation, Mindfulness & Breathwork

Keywords

• Yoga therapy services
• Yoga teacher training
• Somatic yoga practice
• Professional yoga certification
• Yoga wellness retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Duluth

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Studio Classes: Open yoga classes offered in-person and online, including SomaYoga, Somatics, Therapeutic yoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin, and specialized workshops. Priced via multi-class passes or per-class rates.
2. Private Sessions: One-on-one yoga therapy sessions available in-person at Duluth/Des Moines studios or via Zoom. Includes 90-minute, 75-minute, and 60-minute formats with wellness packages for multiple sessions.
3. Teacher Training Programs: Professional certification programs including TT200 ($3,100-$3,400), TT500 ($4,600-$4,900), and TT1000 Yoga Therapy ($9,150-$9,750). Includes application fees, mentor fees, and payment plan options.
4. Retreats: International retreats to destinations including Swiss Alps, Mexico, and Scottish Highlands organized through One Yoga Global
5. Retail Store: Sale of yoga props, books, and resources through Square storefront, including therapeutic spinal strips, yoga blocks, TheraBands, and required program materials
6. Corporate/Workplace Yoga: Off-site yoga classes and workshops provided to businesses including University of Minnesota Duluth, Essentia, Cirrus, and other organizations

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute delivers in-person and online SomaYoga group classes, one-on-one yoga therapy private sessions, and a three-tier professional teacher training program (RYT200, +350/500 hour, and IAYT-accredited 1000-hour Yoga Therapy). The institute also offers yoga immersions, specialized workshops, international retreats, on-demand online library access, and a small retail storefront for props and educational materials.

Product overview

Yoga North International SomaYoga Institute is a yoga studio and educational institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of in-person and online services. The core offering includes yoga classes (SomaYoga, therapeutic, Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin), private yoga therapy sessions, and a multi-level professional certification ladder: 200 Hour RYT200, +350/500 Hour/Level I Yoga Therapy, and 1000 Hour Yoga Therapy Certification. The institute specializes in its proprietary SomaYoga Methodology—a therapeutic blend of Somatics, traditional therapeutic yoga, and classic asana rooted in the Himalayan Tradition. Supporting offerings include yoga immersions, specialized workshops, an online class library (SomaYoga Anytime), yoga retreats, and the Embodied Living personal development path. All programs are accredited through Yoga Alliance and the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), with locations in Duluth, St. Paul, and Des Moines, plus online offerings.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SomaYoga: A unique therapeutic methodology developed at Yoga North ISYI, blending Somatics, therapeutic yoga, and classic asana

Products and services

• Yoga Classes In-studio and live online group yoga classes (SomaYoga, Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin) plus on-demand SomaYoga Anytime content; weekly scheduled sessions including live online Tuesday AM, Wednesday PM, and Thursday AM.
• Private Yoga Therapy Sessions One-on-one customized yoga therapy and personal instruction sessions available in-studio in Duluth and Des Moines or online via Zoom, with 60-, 75-, and 90-minute formats and bundled wellness packages.
• 200-Hour Teacher Training (RYT200) Foundational 200-hour Yoga Alliance-registered yoga teacher training program with therapeutic focus, covering SomaYoga, Somatics, Therapeutic Yoga, Hatha, anatomy, philosophy, and teaching methodology; includes an optional SomaYoga Certification Track for already-certified teachers.
• +350/500-Hour Teacher Training and Level I Yoga Therapy Advanced 350/500-hour training combining Yoga Alliance RYT500 certification with Level I Yoga Therapy training, including SomaYoga Therapy, Somatics, therapeutic asana, Ayurveda, anatomy for specific body regions, and mentorship; provides partial credit toward C-IAYT certification.
• 1000-Hour Yoga Therapy Certification (C-IAYT) Two-year, IAYT-accredited comprehensive yoga therapist certification spanning eight intensive modules, including biomedical and psychological foundations, therapeutic skills, professional practice, mentorship, and 150 hours of one-on-one practicum; one of approximately 35 IAYT-accredited programs worldwide.
• Yoga Immersions Multi-day intensive programs covering SomaYoga Therapy and Somatics, Classic Asana, Nourish Ayurveda, and specialized topics including Pelvic Floor and Core.
• Workshops Specialized single-topic workshops on yogic thought, eastern philosophy, Ayurveda self-care practices, breath work, pain resolution, mental health and stress management, and trauma-conscious yoga practice.
• SomaYoga Anytime Online Library On-demand library of recorded SomaYoga classes and content, included as a one-year subscription benefit within the teacher training student benefits package.
• International Yoga Retreats Yoga retreats to international destinations including Swiss Alps (September 2026), Mexico (March 2027), and Scottish Highlands (2027), organized in partnership with One Yoga Global and featuring Yoga North faculty Ann Maxwell and Molly McManus.
• Embodied Living with SomaYoga Program Personal development program ('Live Your Life Awake' path) for those seeking deeper yoga study without pursuing professional teacher certification, with all coursework and optional homework.
• Bridge Program Prerequisite program for applicants without prior SomaYoga training who wish to enroll in the +350/500-Hour or 1000-Hour Yoga Therapy programs, including SomaYoga Therapy and Somatics Immersion, Classic Asana I and II, Therapeutic Spinal Strip Course, and required philosophy readings.
• Corporate and Workplace Yoga Programs Off-site yoga classes and wellness programs delivered at client workplaces for employee wellness, including engagements with University of Minnesota Duluth, Essentia, Maurices, Minnesota Power, MS Society, Duluth Playhouse, and resort properties.
• Yoga Props and Educational Materials Retail Retail sale of yoga props, books, therapeutic spinal strips, yoga blocks, TheraBands, and required program materials through the Square online storefront.

Quantifiable outcome

• RYT200, RYT500, C-IAYT certification upon program completion
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tula Yoga & WellnesscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSister studio in St. Paul, MN offering 200-hour and +350/500-hour Yoga Teacher Training, workshops and intensives. Many teachers trained and certified in SomaYoga Therapy through Yoga North programs.
• Atha SomaYogacoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDes Moines, Iowa partner location for teacher training programs, operated by Pam.
• Main Street Yoga & Wellness (Oregon, WI)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner location for Fall 2026 +350/500 Hour Teacher Training, part of Greater Madison, WI area session.
• Wild Ivy StudiominorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDes Moines, IA location for teacher training programs, listed as Yoga North's Wild Ivy Studio.
• One Yoga GlobalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of international yoga retreats to Swiss Alps, Mexico, and Scottish Highlands featuring Yoga North faculty Ann and Molly.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• CorePower Yoga: CorePower Yoga operates a national chain of heated yoga studios with teacher training programs and a subscription-based class model. It competes for the same consumer yoga audience as Yoga North and pressures pricing on multi-class packs and teacher training enrollment.
• YogaWorks: YogaWorks is a multi-location yoga studio chain offering classes, teacher training, and workshops. While broader and more commercial than Yoga North, it overlaps on the teacher training and class-pass business model and represents scaled incumbent competition for the same consumer segment.

Direct peers

• Himalayan Institute: The Himalayan Institute offers accredited yoga teacher training (RYT200/500), therapeutic yoga programs, and retreats rooted in the Himalayan Tradition. Yoga North explicitly anchors SomaYoga in this same tradition, making Himalayan Institute a direct peer on lineage, credentialing, and retreat programming.
• 8 Limbs Yoga: 8 Limbs Yoga is a Seattle-based studio and teacher training school offering 200/500-hour RYS-accredited programs and therapeutic-focused classes. Comparable to Yoga North as a regional, methodology-driven yoga school with multi-tier professional certification.
• Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health: Kripalu is a yoga teacher training and yoga therapy institution offering RYT and IAYT-aligned programs, retreats, and wellness programming. Like Yoga North, it monetizes a proprietary methodology, multi-tier certifications, and on-site retreats; it operates at much larger scale and is the most directly comparable peer for the training/retreat model.
• Prajna Yoga (Tias Little): Prajna Yoga runs multi-level teacher training programs, retreats, and therapeutic-focused workshops built around a founder-led proprietary methodology. Comparable to Yoga North's SomaYoga model in combining small-cohort certifications, therapeutic specialization, and founder-led intensives.

Emerging players

• Alo Moves: Alo Moves is a digital yoga and wellness platform offering on-demand classes and instructor-led programs for a monthly subscription. It is an emerging competitor to Yoga North's studio classes and SomaYoga Anytime library, particularly for the national/global consumer segment outside the Midwest catchment.
• Glo (Yoga, Pilates, Fitness): Glo is an online yoga and meditation platform with thousands of on-demand classes from marquee teachers. It competes for the same consumer wellness spend as Yoga North's drop-in and multi-class pass revenue, especially for users outside Duluth/St. Paul/Des Moines.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yoga-north

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 North