Manhattan studio | Yoga Journal | California | San Francisco

“Within four months, the place was packed,” he says. “We expanded and opened up another floor.”

Now, he has three studios in the building and more than 15 instructors who together teach 20 classes a day. Last year, he sent two of his teachers to Berkeley, California, to open a studio, and it has thrived in that yoga-saturated city; this past May, he opened another one in San Francisco. He is now looking to expand again, this time to Chicago, Austin, and Brooklyn, New York.

The concept of offering donation-based yoga has been tried several times since the 1980s, according to Andrea Ferretti, deputy editor of Yoga Journal. While many have failed, Gumucio seems to have found a thriving business model in an economic climate that has caused many to cut back on luxuries like gym memberships.

The term donation based may conjure up images of elementary school basements and the local YMCA, but walking into a YTTP studio is more like entering an opulent retreat. The walls are beautiful exposed brick, polished hardwood floors and recessed lighting set a relaxing mood, and stereo speakers hum calming music.

In addition to creating luxurious surroundings, Gumucio has been able to negotiate favorable leases in some of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. When he first signed the contract for his Manhattan studio, he was able to instill in the landlord his enthusiasm -- to the point that the landlord not only rented the space for less than he was asking, but he also gave Gumucio an unheard-of four-month lease with a five-year option.