Aerial Yoga Studio Break-Even Analysis: $37K Monthly Revenue Target

Fixed costs $20.2K Monthly base overhead

Contribution margin 82.5% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $24.5K Monthly target

Break-even timing Month 1 Launch month

Break-even calculator

Use this to test monthly revenue, variable expenses, and fixed costs against break-even for an aerial yoga studio.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue Revenue is the cash engine that has to cover monthly fixed costs. $ Low sales High sales Variable expenses Use direct costs that rise with sales, like processing, instructor pay, marketing, and consumables. $ Tighter cost Higher cost

Money available to cover fixed costs $44,701 $52,160 revenue - $7,459 variable expenses

Margin ratio

86%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs This is the cost base the studio must cover each month before profit starts. $ Lower overhead Higher overhead

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which aerial yoga studio expenses are fixed, variable, or step up with capacity?

Cost classification

Break-even is only reliable when rent, payroll, fees, and upkeep follow the right behavior. If demand-linked items are treated as fixed, Month 1 break-even can look safer than it is.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Commercial Lease Rent	Fixed	Hold at $8,000 per month across the planning range.	Linking rent to occupancy instead of treating it as a monthly hurdle.
Studio Manager	Fixed	Model at about $4,583 per month from the $55,000 annual salary.	Flexing the manager role down when class sales dip.
Lead Aerial Instructor	Fixed	Model at $5,000 per month from the $60,000 annual salary.	Mixing salaried instruction coverage with per-class instructor pay.
Instructor Class Pay Variable	Variable	Apply as a revenue-linked expense: 5.0% in the first year, falling to 4.0% by the mature year.	Burying session-linked instructor pay inside fixed payroll.
Payment Processing Fees	Variable	Apply to sales volume: 2.5% in the first year, falling to 2.0% by the mature year.	Ignoring card fees on memberships, drop-ins, class packs, and private sessions.
Marketing & Advertising	Variable	Model as revenue-linked demand spend: 8.0% in the first year, easing to 5.0% by the mature year.	Freezing marketing while assuming membership and drop-in growth.
Utilities and Equipment Maintenance	Semi-fixed	Start with $800 utilities and $250 equipment maintenance per month, then step up when capacity or usage rises.	Treating hammock replacement or rigging upkeep as generic supplies.
Professional Cleaning Services	Semi-fixed	Start at $600 per month and increase in steps as class volume and studio traffic grow.	Letting cleaning scale too smoothly with revenue instead of in service-level jumps.

How does break-even change from a lean studio to a full studio?

Scenario table

Lean fill leaves the studio below break-even, while base usage covers fixed costs with only a small cushion. Full utilization creates a clear profit buffer, but the result still depends on class fill, membership retention, and private group demand.

Planning assumptions only; actual results will move with class fill, retention, pricing, and payroll mix.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean opening studio	$23,810	$4,167	$30,650	82.5%	-$11,007	Still below break-even, so fill has to rise fast.
Base studio case	$52,160	$7,459	$39,192	85.7%	$5,509	Covers fixed costs, but a small dip in occupancy can erase profit.
Full studio case	$84,850	$10,606	$44,400	87.5%	$29,844	Generates a strong cushion if membership and private demand hold.

What pushes this aerial yoga studio off break-even?

Stress test

The plan clears break-even now, but the cushion is thin. A 15% revenue dip, 10% fixed-cost rise, or 5-point drop in contribution margin, meaning sales left after direct costs, moves the studio from manageable to tight fast.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$37,152	$13,342 gap	There is little cushion before rent and payroll bite.
Revenue shortfall	Monthly revenue falls 15% to $20,239.	$37,152	$16,913 gap	A modest sales dip creates an immediate monthly hole.
Fixed-cost pressure	Fixed costs rise 10% to $33,715.	$40,867	$17,057 gap	Payroll or rent creep pushes the target up fast.
Margin pressure	Variable expenses rise 5 points, cutting contribution margin to 77.5%.	$39,548	$15,738 gap	Small fee or pay pressure adds up across every class.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 15%, fixed costs rise 10%, and margin drops to 77.5%.	$43,503	$23,264 gap	Weak fill, higher payroll, and rent pressure stack into a wide gap.

What should you verify before signing the lease and buying the aerial rig?

Founder checklist

Do not sign the lease or buy the rig until you’ve checked room height, load-bearing support, and whether early demand can fill 24 billable days at 45% occupancy. The model also needs an 82.5% contribution margin and enough cash to absorb the Month 2 low point after the $105K launch setup.

1Ceiling LoadPre-lease

Check the room height and anchor points before you sign, because suspended classes only work if the space can safely hold the rig.

2Fixed Load$30.7K/mo

Confirm rent, utilities, software, cleaning, maintenance, and Year 1 wages stay near this monthly burn, or break-even gets much harder.

3Margin Mix82.5% CM

Verify the blend of memberships, class packs, drop-ins, and private sessions still leaves about 17.5% for variable costs before fixed overhead.

4Staffing Ramp$20K/mo

Lock the hiring plan before payroll starts, since Year 1 staffing already lands near $20K a month with the current instructor and front desk setup.

5Cash Buffer$864K, Month 2

Keep enough reserve for the Month 2 trough, because capex lands early and cash needs to cover the opening gap before volume builds.

6Launch Demand256/mo

Prove paid interest across 60 unlimited, 40 limited, 50 class packs, 100 drop-ins, and 6 private sessions per month before opening.