How much does a studio really earn?
To know how much a studio earns, looking at incoming money is not enough. If you collect payment for packs and cycles in advance, some of it belongs to classes you still owe. Start by separating cash collected from the value of classes already taught.
Mesana · Published on · Updated on
How much does a studio earn? Collected is not earned
Collected is the money you have received. Earned, in this guide, is the value of classes already taught. A pack sold today may include classes next month: you collect payment now, but earn its value as you teach those classes.
To calculate each class’s value, divide the pack or cycle price by the number of included classes. Multiply that value by the classes taught in the period. Include classes from packs sold earlier; do not limit the count to this month’s sales.
Put costs in the same period
Fixed costs: rent, insurance and other expenses you pay even when attendance is low. Variable costs: materials and other expenses that change with the classes taught. Include teacher pay and pay for your own work; do not count the same expense twice.
If you pay an annual expense, spread its cost over the months it covers to compare it with classes in that period. Keep this calculation separate from when the money left your bank.
Fictional example: from cash to margin
Example of one month, not customer data: you sell 10 packs of 8 classes at €120 each. You collect €1,200. Each class is worth €15. You teach 40 classes from those packs: the value earned is €600; the other €600 belongs to 40 pending classes. There are no other classes in this example.
| Item | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Classes sold | 10 packs × 8 classes | 80 classes |
| Cash collected | 10 packs × € 120 | € 1,200 |
| Value per class | € 120 ÷ 8 classes | € 15 |
| Value of classes taught | 40 classes × € 15 | € 600 |
| Value of pending classes | 40 classes × € 15 | € 600 |
| Costs for the same month | € 300 fixed + € 100 variable | € 400 |
| Margin on classes taught | € 600 − € 400 | € 200 |
| Margin as a share of value earned | € 200 ÷ € 600 × 100 | 33.3 % |
These figures are an editorial example, not customer data or a benchmark margin. Only the stated classes and costs are counted. This management calculation is not the same as available cash or final profit after all expenses and taxes.
How to tell whether my studio is profitable
Repeat the calculation each month: value of classes taught minus costs for the same period. A positive margin in this calculation means those classes cover the included costs; one month is not enough to decide whether the whole studio is profitable.
Check for missing costs, including your own work. This margin is a calculation for running your studio; it does not replace final profit after all expenses and taxes or your tax accounts.
Your accounts without rebuilding them every month
You know what you have collected. Mesana tells you what you have earned. It shows cash collected alongside the value of classes already taught; you add costs, and margin starts from classes taught, not pending packs.
Try it with your studio’s accounts: 14 days, no card. Signup may require an invitation.
Frequently asked questions
Does a sold pack count as fully earned?
Not in this calculation. It counts as collected; you earn its value as you teach the included classes.
Do I count classes from packs sold last month?
Yes. If you taught them in the period you are measuring, their value is earned in that period, even if payment came earlier.
Should I include what I pay myself for working?
Yes. Include pay for your work in the costs. Without it, margin can hide the fact that the studio depends on your unpaid work.
Does a positive margin mean cash is available?
Not necessarily. Margin compares classes taught and costs; available cash also depends on when you collect and pay and on the pending classes you still owe.