Testimonials


Management

Being a yoga teacher in Trinidad has its limitations with regards to exposure. I was hesitant to reach out to YAMA Talent as I wasn’t sure I would be taken seriously. Immediately I felt that I was given the opportunity to be seen and heard. I was NOT handed a freight train ticket to super stardom as a successful international yoga teacher as one might have hoped. What Ava Taylor did do is light a fire under my ass and wake me up to all the opportunities that were sitting right there in front of me, along with what was holding me back. YAMA gave me the tools and insight I needed to take my ‘business of yoga’ to the next level. Ava had my back from the beginning and her confidence gave me the push I needed to jump. I look forward to what we create next.

                                                                                               Troy Hadeed

Do you see any difference between managing an artist or an athlete and managing the career of a yoga teacher? — I believe that there is a difference. Yoga teachers are very mindful of what they do. To yoga teachers every step they take professionally means something on a spiritual context. They make decisions based on slightly different criteria than actors or athletes. This is not to say that we are not ambitious or that we don’t want to be financially successful, but we’re not making decisions simply based on money.

Ava Taylor in Freja Daily

Ava Taylor pretty much created the field of yoga talent management, and continues to lead the way. Through collaborating with Ava and her amazing team at YAMA Talent, I have been able to extend my work into every corner of the globe, and bring a high level of professionalism to all phases of my live event teaching, and strategic career planning.

Leslie Kaminoff

When I had the opportunity to pitch a TV show Ava really helped shape my concept and content and was with me throughout the whole process. 52 episodes of Yogapalooza later, I still greatly appreciate and value her razor sharp focus to help my dream become a reality. And in the face of another great but overwhelming new opportunity to launch Yogapalooza Liv, Ava was there building up the brand, expanding my network and contacts and lining me up with sponsors like Gaiam who brought so much to the event. Whether in the air coming up with the big ideas or on the ground seeing them through, I am grateful for the impact Ava has had with shaping my brand and helping me discover what I uniquely offer to the world.

Bari Koral

Working with YAMA Talent has been one of the highlights of my career. Ava has, amazingly, integrated her living yoga practice with the delicate work of negotiating business within the wellness industry. In so doing, together we have taken my teaching trajectory far beyond my expectations while maintaining the utmost integrity. YAMA Talent has been instrumental to my continuing success on the national stage. I highly recommend them for anyone seeking organization, management and career direction while upholding the yogic ideals.

Sadie Nardini – Ultimate Wellness Expert and Founder of Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga
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Strategic Advising

Working with YAMA Talent was truly an honor and a joy. I chose the Kickstarter package, specifically because I knew that I was going to be transitioning from my full-time day job to being a yoga teacher in the wellness space full-time. Jessica and Ava helped me tremendously with putting pen to paper on what steps to take to achieve my goals. I came away from my sessions with them on clear work that I could do to get to the next level in moving forward toward my vision. Jessica and Ava were fun, smart and wonderful listeners. They both had insightful feedback and were truly invested in helping me. YAMA talent helped me get to where I am today by working alongside me and constructively challenging me to continue to move forward.                                                         

                                                                                                                Anonymous

 

I think it’s really important to carve time to think about what you want your career to look like. There are so many different ways to be successful. Everybody’s path is different, there is no cookie-cutter mold.

Ava Taylor in Freja Daily
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Building a team is wildly important to be successful. As an entrepreneur I have to admit that getting help was one of the best things that I did for myself and it’s exactly what my business is all about.

Ava Taylor in Freja Daily
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While not new to a yoga mat, I was new to the business. I could not have asked for a better guide into the business of yoga than Ava Taylor and the YAMA Talent team.  Any yoga teacher or yoga business in need of help will greatly benefit from collab­o­rat­ing with YAMA.  They are amazing to work with.  The “homework” suggestions are always on target and have resulted in impactful changes to our website, marketing and social media. Ava has often surprised me with her level of insight into Audible Yoga subscribers and teachers. Our sessions allow me to brainstorm and evaluate new ideas, and then create practical strategies and plans for their execution.  Ava and the entire YAMA Team work in a positive, refreshing and inspiring manner.

Maureen Troy, Co-Founder Audible Yoga
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I appreciate the help and direction YAMA has given me. It’s very energizing to have someone “get” what you’re doing and see value in it.

Kim Shand

Ava gave Laughing Lotus her wings, and turned us from a caterpillar into a ButterFLY! She has the wisdom, keen eye, brilliant team, and follow through that delivered us to where we are today.

Dana Trixie Flynn ~ Laughing Lotus NYC
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I got more value out of 1 session than I have in years of self help or therapy.

Anna Kauppila, The Impeccable Man
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Six months ago I began working with a new agent and business coach and went through a pretty tough self-examination to explore what my vision was for the studio. Today I can say that I am most assuredly not running Real Pilates alone anymore. The studio has been literally transformed this year, and I am as inspired as I have ever been.

Alycea Ungaro, Founder of Real Pilates
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Each of my teachers and administration are a vital part of this studio each day. Working with them isn't just rewarding, it's invigorating. And finally, to my dear friend and coach Ava Taylor, I say thank you again and again. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Alycea Ungaro, Founder of Real Pilates
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Ava, I want to say this to you with all my heart: You played a major part in supporting me as my journey toward this moment. Your enthusiastic, supportive words have echoed in my mind and in my heart since our work together ... and your belief in my unique approach to yoga ... your belief in me ... have had a lot to do with my comfort level and confidence as I approached this project. I've lost about 25 lbs since we last met, and am on my way to losing more but most importantly as I promised you months ago, I decided that I would not let this hold me back any longer! The time to give was now, and I embraced it. And I'm so glad I did!

Charlotte Chandler Stone - Stone Center for Yoga and Health
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After teaching Yoga for 19 years, it was time to become more visible and I couldn’t have found a better guide for the journey…. I bless the day I met Ava Taylor at YAMA Talent! She’s actually an angel disguised as a multi-talented coach, mentor, and marketing whiz. Her ability to see the bigger picture, and break it down to fun, manageable tasks is truly remarkable. But most of all, for all of her business expertise and smarts, she’s got one of the most beautiful hearts around. And it shows in the team she has surrounded herself with at YAMA Talent!

Patty Holmes, The Yoga Garden, White Plains, NY
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Founder

Ava is awesome! She's more than an agent, she's a friend, confidant and cheerleader. She knows the business of yoga but most importantly the human community aspect.

Kristin McGee
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For today’s yogis who count on teaching as a career, Taylor is more of a yogi’s advocate than an agent.

Well & Good NYC
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I hope that as we change the paradigm of what agents and managers can mean in a more conscious world driven by ethics instead of ego, that people who have the old idea about things can move into the new as we are, with integrity and grace.

Sadie Nardini in YogaDork
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Yoga today is where the Food Network was 15 years ago, says Ava Taylor, whose Brooklyn-based YAMA Talent manages the careers of 41 ambitious yogis. Many of these teachers will cross over into the mass market.

Bloomberg Business Week
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Ava Taylor is a positive force in this world, bringing all those around her to a higher level. Within YAMA  she hones her skills by catapulting yoga, health and fitness professionals to a new level of success. An articulate, charming, intelligent team with high ideals and a pension for not taking no for an answer, YAMA talent knows business and knows people. With YAMA in my corner, I am confident in every new business opportunity that arises knowing all parties involved will thrive.

Angie Stewart, MPH, CSCS, NASM-CPT, Runner’s Yoga 90210™, 2011
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YAMA has made my life so much easier. I was trying to run a business doing what I love, by myself. Now I love the team behind me, beside me and for me… simply a pleasure to work with, professional, articulate, great sales skills - all that with consciousness. Thanks YAMA  for truly supporting my career. In my eyes, at least one of the 'A's' in YAMA stands for angels.

Hemalayaa, HEMA Wellness Programs. Yoga. Dance. Beauty.
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MAJOR-LEAGUE athletes have agents who negotiate multimillion-dollar contracts with provisions like private planes and Rolexes. Hollywood actors have agents who scout for their scripts. Now comes Ava Taylor, whom one blogger has called “the Ari Gold of yoga,” trying to make a business out of managing the careers of yoga teachers. Yes, yoga teachers have careers.

The New York Times
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Taylor could take Gold to the (yoga) mat.

Well & Good NYC
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MAJOR-LEAGUE athletes have agents who negotiate multimillion-dollar contracts with provisions like private planes and Rolexes. Hollywood actors have agents who scout for their scripts. Now comes Ava Taylor, whom one blogger has called “the Ari Gold of yoga,” trying to make a business out of managing the careers of yoga teachers. Yes, yoga teachers have careers.

The New York Times 2011
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His [Raghunath's] yoga career is being helped by YAMA Talent (Yoga Artists Management Agency), which is like the Creative Artists Agency for yoga stars. The concept may be anathema to yoga-world purists, but on deck is an embryonic clothing line starting with T-shirts. Next year, there will be two pilgrimages to India, an upstate retreat and continued training of teachers.

The New York Times 2012
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Ava has created something very special in YAMA Talent. She brings oodles of experience to a hot and rapidly expanding industry and her innovative and entrepreneurial flair has helped her capture a market. It is a pleasure to work with Ava and we look forward to seeing her business go from strength to strength.

Daniel Fisher, COO, Viral Spiral
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Innovative, connected, cool ... doing big things for yoga in America.

Sam Chase, Yogi & Author
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Lovely and brilliant.

Ann Swanson
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I hope that as we change the paradigm of what agents and managers can mean in a more conscious world driven by ethics instead of ego, that people who have the old idea about things can move into the new as we are, with integrity and grace.

Ava Taylor in Freja Daily
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I think that relationships are our biggest asset and I’ve learned time and time again that they are the foundation of everything. I’ve learned not to take the first offer. To always negotiate, life is a compromise and negotiation is simply compromising. It’s not bad nor good. The idea is to arrive at a point that make both parties happy. I have learned to enjoy it, to not take it personal and to know that there is always a solution.

Ava Taylor in Freja Daily
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I have also learned what value is. I’ve learned how to place value and create value in the yoga space. We are in the process of collecting data and we have a lot of information about who is doing what, when and with whom. It has helped us a lot in understanding the value of our skills.

Ava Taylor in Freja Daily
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I love working with Ava. She's helped me to make refinements to my products, my website, to my brand; given me ideas, and helped me to put together clear concepts about what I really want to share and offer to the world. I'd recommend it to anybody. It's really powerful to work one on one with somebody who can hold space, and who has so much knowledge about this business. I'm forever grateful.

Dagmar Spremberg, Montezuma Yoga
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YAMA was instrumental in the development of my career as it exists today.

Raghunath
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We took every one of YAMA’s suggestions to optimize our channel and the results have been phenomenal.

Lesley Fightmaster - Fightmaster YOGA
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As our channel continues to grow, we get so many wonderful comments from grateful yogis around the world. It’s also helping me to fill my yoga retreats and teacher trainings.

Lesley Fightmaster - Fightmaster YOGA
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Booking

We were so lucky to have Faith Hunter at our yoga studio in Belfast, N. Ireland. It's one thing to admire someone from the pages of a magazine, and another thing having her teach yoga in our studio with such skill, authenticity, sweetness, silliness and compassion. The perfect vibe for Belfast and the perfect vibe for our clientele. Our clients are still talking about the workshops with Faith and we cannot wait to have her back. Further, Faith, on and off the mat, was such a good energy in our studio, that it impacted our staff team in unexpected ways - she really drew out the adventurous, supportive, silly and sweet sides of us all - adding another layer to our studio culture. Thank you Faith and thank you YAMA Talent for making it all happen. May there be many more!

                        Elizabeth Welty, PhD, Founder - Owner Flow Studio Belfast

The info on the workshops is firm and your support feels soft and supportive. A nice sthira sukham approach to event organizing. It all looks excellent.

Baxter, Promoter Australia
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Working with YAMA Talent has been a huge help for finding our adidas Global Yoga Trainer for 2011. Our brief was quite specific, but YAMA's large network allowed us to scout efficiently and quickly, and find exactly the right people. We are very happy to have Ashleigh Sergeant represent adidas Yoga.

Niki Shilling, Sports Marketing Manager Training in 2011
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YAMA Talent was so easy and great to work with for our ALO Yoga photo shoots and corporate yoga classes. They helped us find the right talent in a timely fashion. Thank you YAMA Talent!

Bella PR for ALO Yoga
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When we got approval to throw Yoga at the Great Lawn, the World's Largest Yoga Class, we were just under 6 weeks away. We needed to get the word out to the yoga community - and fast! - so, we hired Ava & her team at YAMA Talent. From conceptualizing and coordinating outreach, securing partnership, distributing marketing materials, hosting planning meetings, kick-off events, and being integral in day-of logistics, YAMA's manifesting vision and focus resulted in 75 partner studios, 125 assistants, 20 elite on stage teachers and nearly 10,000 students. All this was done with strength, grace and professionalism. We certainly look forward to future collaborations with YAMA.

Sascha Lewis, Founder, Flavorpill
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YAMA Talent helped me fulfill my vision of making the Iowa City Yoga Festival a huge success in its very first year. YAMA knew exactly the presenters I needed to inspire and excite festival attendees, and they outperformed my highest expectations. I found that working with them was so much easier than coordinating with each presenter individually – YAMA did all the work! From arranging travel plans to consulting with me on press and marketing, YAMA was there. Thank you for your amazing skills and talented team – I can’t wait to do it again!

James Miller, Producer and Creator, Iowa City Yoga Festival
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We are so grateful for the opportunity to host. I have never been more impressed by the level of professionalism shown throughout the planning and execution of this weekend. Working over the last 8 years mostly directly with yoga teachers, I've gotten used to a lack of response and a lot of miscommunication. But you guys at YAMA do it right! So thanks.

Todd Vogt, Co-Founder, Yoga Union
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Working with YAMA is always a great experience! The YAMA team is incredibly organized and thoughtful throughout the planning process of all our events. The workshops we have worked on together have been a huge success, and the assistance they offer teachers makes the whole process smooth and efficient.

Lisa Greenblatt – YogaWorks, Director of Programming Management, Workshops & Retreats
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