Don’t forget the “business” part of the dance business. This is the dance business, but most people don’t look at it as a business.
Studio owners often run a studio for the dance side of things. They might not be mindful or skilled in the business side of running a studio – but it’s essential!
To succeed and be sustainable, you need a bit of business know-how beyond just the love of dance.
That’s the part I get involved with and excited about. I help other studios become a viable business vs. just something they’re doing to pay their bills.
So many dance studios go through that process, where they try to wear all the hats and not run it as a business, not understanding the costs involved, what to charge for lessons, how to market, how to get new people in, how to manage instructors, how to expand. They just start teaching.
But just because you love to do something, or perhaps do it well, does not mean you can run a business and manage others. It doesn’t mean you can grow exponentially.
For me, running and building a business is the exciting part. A lot of FADS owners call me because I’m one of the studio trainers for Fred Astaire. They want to understand the business side.
Some people would rather dance; they like the craft part of the dance business. A lot of times they end up working for themselves, by themselves, because they don’t know how to keep employees and build the business so it becomes sustainable.
That’s the difference between working in a business rather than working ON it. Fred Astaire Dance Studios provide this guidance and knowledge.
Entrepreneurs in a variety of industries fall prey to this. They start out doing something well and decide to go out on their own. But without training and guidance, you can’t make the leap from dancer or dance instructor to dance studio owner.
It’s a big leap but not one that is impossible to make. You just need to learn the art of business and pair that with the art of the dance. I can help.