Lyra Aerial Ring Classes Break Even At About $22K Monthly Revenue

Fixed costs $18.7K/mo Launch overhead

Contribution margin 83.5% After variable costs

Break-even revenue $22.4K/mo Monthly target

Break-even timing Month 1 Launch month

Break-even calculator

This calculator tests monthly revenue, variable expenses, and fixed costs to see when an aerial ring studio clears break-even.

Lean Base Full

Monthly revenue Revenue sets the pool that covers class costs and overhead. $ Small class load Busy studio Variable expenses Use direct costs that rise with class volume, like booking fees and supplies. $ Tight direct costs Higher direct costs

Money available to cover fixed costs $425,333 $483,333 revenue - $58,000 variable expenses

Margin ratio

88%

Covers fixed costs

Yes

Fixed monthly costs Use rent, payroll, insurance, and other monthly overhead. $ Lean overhead Larger overhead

Break-even chart Revenue Total costs

Which aerial studio expenses stay fixed, and which move with class volume?

Cost classification

Break-even is only useful if fixed overhead is separated from class-linked spending. Rent and base software must be covered every month, while transaction fees, supplies, and marketing rise as bookings grow.

Expense	Cost	Break-Even Treatment	Common Mistake
Studio Rent, $4,500 monthly	Fixed	Cover before profit; it does not fall in slow months.	Spreading rent across classes and missing idle capacity risk.
Professional Liability Insurance, $450 monthly	Fixed	Treat as required monthly overhead for safe operations.	Removing it from break-even when enrollment is low.
Utilities and Internet, $350 monthly	Semi-fixed	Model as mostly stable, with step-ups as studio hours expand.	Making the full bill variable with every booking.
Cleaning Services, $600 monthly	Semi-fixed	Hold flat at base volume, then raise when class schedules grow.	Keeping cleaning flat after adding more daily sessions.
Lead Instructor, $48,000 annual salary	Semi-fixed	Add in staffing steps as class capacity expands.	Treating instructor coverage as one flat overhead line forever.
Junior Instructor, $38,000 annual salary	Semi-variable	Scale with class load as staffing increases from 0.5 to 2.5 FTE.	Ignoring instructor ramp-up when occupancy improves.
Booking Software Transaction Fees	Variable	Apply as a revenue-linked fee on paid bookings.	Putting all software spend into fixed overhead.
Marketing and Lead Generation	Variable	Model as sales-linked spend needed to fill classes.	Treating launch marketing as a fixed monthly admin line.

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

Scenario table

Lean only needs about $22.4k a month to cover fixed costs at an 83.5% margin. The Year 1 plan already runs at $86.5k, and the fuller schedule climbs past $483.3k, so break-even risk drops as revenue spreads rent and payroll.

Planning-only figures; actual results will move with class fill, staffing, and marketing spend.

Scenario	Monthly Revenue	Variable Costs	Fixed Costs	CM Ratio	Operating Profit	Break-Even Signal
Lean shared-space floor	$22.4k	$3.7k	$18.7k	83.5%	$0	This is the minimum monthly run rate before losses start.
Base Year 1 plan	$86.5k	$14.3k	$18.7k	83.5%	$53.5k	Year 1 clears break-even with a solid cushion.
Full Year 3 schedule	$483.3k	$58.0k	$23.2k	88.0%	$402.1k	The fuller schedule covers fixed cost easily and widens the cushion.

What breaks the break-even plan for this aerial ring studio?

Stress test

Base monthly revenue is about $86,500, with fixed costs near $18,733 and contribution margin around 83.5%. Even after a 25% revenue drop, the model still covers fixed costs, but higher rent, staffing, insurance, or cancellations can erase the cushion fast.

Stress Case	Changed Assumption	Break-Even Revenue	Revenue Gap	Risk Signal
Current plan	No change.	$22,435	$64,065 cushion	Beginner fill has to track plan.
Revenue shortfall	Monthly revenue falls 25% to about $64,875.	$22,435	$42,440 cushion	Sales can dip a lot before break-even breaks.
Fixed-cost increase	Fixed costs rise 20% to about $22,480 a month.	$26,922	$59,578 cushion	Rent, payroll, or insurance hikes move break-even up.
Margin pressure	Variable expenses rise from 16.5% to 25.0% of revenue.	$24,977	$61,523 cushion	Fees, cancellations, and equipment wear squeeze margin.
Combined pressure	Revenue falls 25%, fixed costs rise 20%, and variable expenses reach 25.0%.	$29,973	$34,902 cushion	Cash cushion falls to about $26,176, so extra misses matter.

What should you verify before signing the lease and buying the rigging for aerial ring classes?

Founder checklist

Don't sign the lease or buy major gear until you can support 45% Year 1 occupancy, keep the fee stack inside the model, and fund the Month 1 build. The plan needs about $18.7K a month in fixed cost and $892K of minimum cash, so break-even only works if demand is real.

1Rigging fit$18.0K

Confirm ceiling height and structural load before lease price matters, because the $18,000 rigging install only works in a building that can safely hold it.

2Demand proof45% occupancy

Run a waitlist or presale test until 45% Year 1 occupancy looks real, because the studio needs paying students before full payroll starts.

3Payroll load$18.7K/mo

Keep Year 1 staffing and overhead near $18.7K a month, because the Studio Director, Lead Instructor, Junior Instructor, and Front Desk coverage must fit the break-even floor.

4Fee stack83.5% CM

Keep beginner, intermediate, and advanced rates at $160, $180, and $210, with 4% booking fees and 8% marketing, because Year 1 needs about 83.5% contribution margin.

5Safety stack$25.5K

Buy the hoops, crash mats, and sprung flooring only after emergency steps are written and professional liability insurance is bound at $450 a month, because the safety build has to protect students and uptime.

6Cash reserve$892K

Hold the opening cash reserve before you sign, because the model shows a $892,000 minimum cash need even with a Month 1 breakeven.