Iyengar yoga studio software case study: modernising 25 years of operations while preserving community values
In the leafy suburb of Shenton Park, Perth, there's a studio that's been shaping the city's wellness scene for over 25 years. Yoga West, Perth's largest Iyengar yoga studio, has long been a sanctuary for alignment, calm, and connection.
Offering classes seven days a week, Yoga West welcomes a multigenerational community of students aged 14 to 85, many of whom have practiced there for decades.
Behind that enduring success lies a remarkable transformation story: from a fully manual operation with paper class cards to a cloud-based, data-driven system powered by StudioGrowth's yoga studio management software.
When Yoga West became a not-for-profit association in 2023, a small committee took charge, and quickly realized something had to change.
"The previous owner ran nearly everything manually. People had paper class cards; teachers ticked them off. Most payments came through bank transfers, and someone had to manually check and record every one. It was an enormous job."
— Carolyn Oldham, Committee Member and Administrator
While the studio thrived on community spirit, its operations were a labour of love.
The transition to a not-for-profit model in 2023 marked a new chapter for Yoga West. With a small committee now at the helm, the challenge was clear: how to honor 25 years of tradition while embracing the tools needed to sustain and serve the community into the future.
"We wanted to preserve the studio's soul, but it was time to bring Yoga West into the digital world."
When the new committee took over, they began researching cloud-based studio management platforms to replace MindBody, which had been used nominally but never truly adopted by students or teachers.
"We looked at MindBody again, but it felt clunky, like software that hadn't been updated in years. To get the features we needed, we'd have had to pay for three extra tiers. For a not-for-profit, that just didn't make sense."
The team needed an all-in-one, cloud-based system that could handle scheduling, payments, teacher substitutions, and communication, without requiring an on-site admin.
"StudioGrowth stood out right away. It was intuitive, affordable for a non-profit, and the support team was just brilliant. From the first demo, it was clear they cared about building something modern and evolving."
Within weeks, Yoga West had gone from piles of notebooks to a fully digital system. And eliminated daily admin hours entirely.
"Now everything can be done remotely. That's an incredible change from before, when someone had to be in the studio every day to keep things running."
For the first time in 25 years, Yoga West could truly see how its community operated.
"We actually have data now. We can see attendance trends, peak times, popular classes—things we never knew before."
Those insights have helped the committee structure the schedule and allocate teachers more effectively, aligning operations with what students genuinely want. "It's not just about efficiency," Carolyn adds. "It helps us serve our community better."
What stood out most to Carolyn was StudioGrowth's customer support and responsiveness.
"Their support is excellent: fast, clear, and genuinely helpful. We've made suggestions for features, and they've actually added them. That's rare. You feel like you're developing together."
"I love the new system. Previously I was never quite sure how many classes I had left and wasn't sure of the best way to pay, so ended up being anxious that I'd get to the studio and not have time to purchase a new card. Now it's perfectly clear as I've got the class pass on my phone. I've certainly found it much easier to pay and book into a class."
— Nic, Yoga West Student
Today, Yoga West runs smoothly, blending tradition with modern systems.
"Now it's super quick and easy to check all students have booked and paid. I hardly ever need to take payments as students mostly sort themselves out online. I can focus on class preparation instead of admin tasks."
— Kim, Yoga West Teacher
"I recommend StudioGrowth whenever I can. For a community studio like ours, it's been transformative. We've modernized operations, empowered our teachers, and given students a better experience, all while staying true to our not-for-profit mission."
— Carolyn Oldham, Committee Member and Administrator
For Yoga West, the harmony between old and new comes from practice—organized and powered by StudioGrowth.
Case study conducted and written by Valentyna Makarevych
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