181: Introducing The American Yoga Council with Andrew Tanner

In this episode of The Mentor Sessions, Francesca talks with Andrew Tanner, founder and CEO of the American Yoga Council (AYC), about his vision for creating a healthier, more sustainable yoga ecosystem.

Andrew brings more than 20 years of experience as a yoga teacher, studio owner, business consultant, technology leader, and former Yoga Alliance executive. His career has taken him from teaching and owning multiple yoga studios to working at Kripalu and Yoga Alliance, co-founding the Berkshire Yoga Festival, and now building a new credentialing and professional organization for yoga teachers.

The conversation goes far beyond the American Yoga Council itself. Francesca and Andrew explore the problems with the current yoga teacher credentialing system, why yoga teachers need better business education, how mentorship can transform professional development, and why Andrew believes the yoga industry needs to "grow up."

They also have an unusually candid conversation about Andrew's experience leaving a high-demand spiritual organization, the power dynamics that can exist within yoga communities, institutional resistance to change, and why transparency is one of AYC's core values.

In this episode, you'll hear:

The challenges of power, money, loyalty, and authority within spiritual communities

About Andrew's work at Kripalu and his belief that institutions heal by creating something new rather than remaining stuck in the past

Andrew's work at Yoga Alliance and the Standards Review Project

Why he became disillusioned with the existing credentialing and accreditation model

The creation and mission of the American Yoga Council

Why AYC operates as a public benefit corporation rather than a nonprofit

Why Andrew believes yoga studios should be viewed as "third places" and hospitality businesses