Reika Shucart - "Full-Time Yoga Teacher"

·1 hr 25 min·5 clips

Reika was fired after voicing complaints about a teacher's behavior, exposing the risky politics of studio loyalty.

This episode features host J. Brown interviewing Reika Shucart, host of the "Full-Time Yoga Teacher" podcast, about the realities of building a sustainable career in modern yoga. Reika's perspective is grounded in her own experience as a working teacher navigating the industry's shifts. She grew up as a "third culture child," born in Nepal and raised in Japan before moving to the United States at age 13. Her academic background includes a sociology degree and a master's in international development from the University of Cape Town, which led her to work in volunteer tourism. Reika discovered yoga through a Bikram studio in South Africa and later completed her foundational teacher training with YogaWorks in Santa Monica. Before the pandemic, she was teaching 28 to 30 yoga classes weekly to make ends meet in Los Angeles. The conversation explores how the yoga studio landscape has changed, with many independent studios being replaced by boutique fitness and wellness centers. Reika discusses a pivotal moment when she lost a major teaching role after voicing ethical concerns about another teacher's behavior to a studio owner. She notes the pandemic was a turning point, as many teachers realized they could earn more by offering their own Zoom classes instead of relying on studio gigs. Online platforms also made advanced trainings with senior teachers like Annie Carpenter more accessible. Reika now focuses on higher-paying opportunities like corporate yoga and private sessions while maintaining some studio classes for community connection. She emphasizes the financial necessity for many teachers to diversify their income streams and avoid relying on a single studio. The interview reveals the behind-the-scenes challenges of studio management, including the high turnover in studio work-trade programs. Reika's thesis research concluded that the primary beneficiaries of volunteer tourism are the volunteers, not the local communities. The tone is conversational and reflective, blending personal narrative with practical industry analysis. This episode would appeal to current or aspiring yoga teachers seeking candid insights about the business side of teaching. Listeners looking for a purely philosophical or practice-focused discussion might find it less relevant.

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