PranaShanti is a yoga and wellness centre in Ottawa, Canada, that has embraced a hybrid business model to respond to evolving customer expectations, external pressures, and rapid technological change. By combining digital scheduling, online service delivery, and AI-assisted marketing with in-person classes and workshops, it has modernised operations while maintaining a strong sense of community. Support from federal and regional programmes, ranging from advisory services and digital adoption grants to wage subsidies and relief funds, enabled the centre to sustain operations during the pandemic and invest in long-term digital growth. Today, it leverages technology to improve efficiency, expand its reach, and stay competitive against larger fitness chains.
Beyond the studio, a wellness SME’s hybrid approach to digitalisation
Abstract
PranaShanti, established in 2008, is a yoga and wellness centre in Ottawa, Canada, offering classes, workshops, teacher training, and holistic health services both in-person and online. Operating in the health/wellness and recreation/fitness sector, the business employs 10 staff members and works with around 45 contractors. Its activities blend traditional in-studio experiences with a growing suite of digital services, enabling it to cater to a broad and diverse clientele. The firm’s success lies in balancing personalised, high-quality instruction with flexible, tech-enabled delivery models. Its dual focus on community building and digital service innovation has positioned it to adapt quickly to external shocks while maintaining a strong reputation in the wellness sector.
Like many SMEs in the health and fitness industry, the centre has had to navigate a series of operational and external pressures. The COVID-19 pandemic was a turning point, forcing a rapid pivot to online service delivery to maintain customer access and engagement. More recently, rising operational costs, inflation, and staffing shortages have created further strain.
At the same time, the firm faces intensifying competition from larger chain gyms and fitness platforms, which benefit from economies of scale and stronger brand recognition. Differentiating itself through tailored offerings, traditional instruction, and high-quality service has therefore been essential to remaining competitive.
Accessing government support also posed challenges. While multiple programmes were available, identifying those most relevant to the business was not straightforward. Much of the information was fragmented and difficult to track down, requiring repeated online searches, outreach to local organisations such as the Wellington West Business Improvement Area1, and reliance on word of mouth. This aligns with findings from recent D4SME surveys, which showed that surveyed businesses often were unaware of the existence of government support programmes for digitalisation in their respective countries and encountered difficulties in applying (OECD, 2024[1]; Bianchini and Lasheras Sancho, 2025[2]).
PranaShanti’s experience reflects these challenges: even after identifying relevant programmes, the application process was lengthy and demanding, often requiring late nights and long hours to complete. The owner acknowledged that rigorous application requirements are necessary to ensure accountability and sound use of public funds but also noted that the burden can be daunting for small firms. From the SME perspective, she considered a more centralised and user-friendly entry point, such as a single online portal consolidating information across federal and regional initiatives, would simplify navigation, reduce administrative barriers, and allow businesses to focus more of their resources on digital transformation itself.
The centre’s digital journey began in earnest in 2020 when it shifted to online classes during the pandemic. Since then, digitalisation has become a core part of its operating model. The business now uses:
Mindbody for scheduling and client management
FitGrid as a third-party tool for sending class links and managing online interactions
Zoom for live-streamed classes and teacher trainings
WordPress, Constant Contact, Facebook, and Instagram for marketing and customer outreach
Generative AI tools such as ChatGPT for drafting class descriptions, email templates, and social media posts
Most digital tools were adopted during the pandemic, requiring rapid decision-making and the swift launch of new services to keep operations running. Devinder, the business owner, drew on her IT background to guide this transition, but both staff and customers still faced a learning curve as they adapted to new systems.
Over time, digitalisation has moved well beyond crisis management to become a core part of the centre’s operations. The adoption of digital tools has streamlined scheduling and payments, reduced administrative workload, and improved the reliability of client communication, freeing staff to focus more on service quality. Marketing has also become more effective, with better targeting, consistent content, and stronger performance metrics: shifting from impressions and clicks to measurable customer actions. Analytics now provide insights into which posts perform best, when audiences are most active, and where they are located, enabling more personalised outreach and fine-tuned engagement strategies.
These changes have produced tangible results, even after the pandemic. Between 2023 and 2025, class attendance rose by around 20%, supported by the continued use of hybrid formats that allow participants to join both in-studio and remotely. Online delivery has also extended the centre’s reach beyond its local community, with clients now joining from abroad, even while on vacation abroad. As a result, customer engagement has increased both online and offline, reinforcing the centre’s community-oriented approach while expanding its visibility to new audiences.
This experience aligns with findings from the 2023 D4SME survey, which highlighted the growing importance of hybrid models for SMEs: combining digital and in-person channels not only helps firms remain resilient in times of disruption but also opens new opportunities to expand markets, strengthen customer relationships, and contribute more broadly to local economic vitality (OECD, 2023[3]). At the same time, the use of generative AI has sparked new ideas for programme development and supported more engaging outreach, further strengthening the centre’s ability to reach and retain clients.
At the same time, the firm has invested in safeguarding its growing digital infrastructure. Measures such as two-factor authentication, regular software updates, cloud backups, and staff training on phishing and data protection have been introduced. While no major cybersecurity issues have occurred to date, these proactive steps are essential for ensuring resilience and maintaining customer trust.
Looking ahead, the business aims to deepen its use of digital tools, including generative AI. Potential applications include running training manuals through AI to identify areas for improvement and using AI-driven audits to refine the website. However, time, resource constraints, and the cost of new tools remain barriers to broader adoption. Another priority is to transition towards local or Canadian providers, prompted by both rising costs and service limitations.
PranaShanti has benefited from several government programmes that were instrumental in enabling its digitalisation journey. These supports helped the business upgrade infrastructure, manage staffing costs, and develop long-term digital strategies. Below are some of the key programmes and what they provided:
The Canada Digital Adoption Program (CDAP) provided grants and advisory services to SMEs to adopt digital technologies. For example, grants for advisory services (up to 90% of cost, maximum CAD 15 000) plus in some cases interest-free loans up to CAD 100 000 for implementation (Government of Canada, 2022[4]). With CDAP’s advisory grants, the business was able to plan its digital adoption with expert support, setting out a roadmap for technology, content creation, and online presence.
The Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) helped support wage costs of employees during downturns (Government of Canada, 2025[5]).
Digital Main Street and other regional/local relief or recovery funds, which were used for equipment purchases, digital transformation, and the production of marketing materials such as brochures and flyers (Digital Main Street, 2025[6]).
These supports helped maintain operations during critical periods, allowed investing in digital infrastructure, and facilitated long-term planning (e.g. future revenue streams, sustaining digital arms even after pandemic pressures eased).
References
[2] Bianchini, M. and M. Lasheras Sancho (2025), “SME digitalisation for competitiveness: The 2025 OECD D4SME Survey”, OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Papers, No. 68, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/197e3077-en.
[6] Digital Main Street (2025), Programmes for Ontario Businesses, https://digitalmainstreet.ca/ontario/.
[5] Government of Canada (2025), Compliance snapshot — Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy for businesses, https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/programs/about-canada-revenue-agency-cra/compliance/compliance-snapshot-cews-for-businesses.html.
[4] Government of Canada (2022), Backgrounder - The Canada Digital Adoption Program, https://www.canada.ca/en/innovation-science-economic-development/news/2022/03/backgrounder--the-canada-digital-adoption-program.html?utm.
[1] OECD (2024), “SME Digitalisation to manage shocks and transitions: 2024 OECD D4SME survey”, OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Papers, No. 62, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/eb4ec9ac-en.
[3] OECD (2023), “SMEs in the era of hybrid retail: Evidence from an OECD D4SME survey”, OECD SME and Entrepreneurship Papers, No. 41, OECD Publishing, Paris, https://doi.org/10.1787/882f30b0-en.
[7] Wellington West Business Improvement Area (2025), About us, https://www.wellingtonwest.ca/.
OECD (2021), The Digital Transformation of SMEs, OECD Studies on SMEs and Entrepreneurship, https://dx.doi.org/10.1787/bdb9256a-en.
OECD (2021), SME Digitalisation to Build Back Better, https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/docserver/50193089-en.pdf?expires=1650895216&id=id&accname=ocid84004878&checksum=53749B8E6D032F7C164B559578354381
← 1. Business Improvement Areas are local associations that support small businesses in a defined neighbourhood by providing marketing, advocacy, networking, and information-sharing. In this case, the Wellington West BIA covers the Hintonburg and Wellington Village areas in Ottawa (Wellington West Business Improvement Area, 2025[7]).
