You are looking at the title thinking, “How many makeovers can one woman get?”
You’re probably remembering the time I bleached my hair blonde. Maybe the time I decided it would be fun to resemble an Easter egg. Or how awesome I looked in my Tina Turner wig.
Wrong kind of makeover.
I’m going through a studio soul makeover.
Say what now?
A studio soul makeover. Let me explain. When I first took over the studio four years ago, my main focus was change. Change the way we teach the technique, the way things are choreographed, the recital process…basically anything I could change, I did. It was a lot of experimenting and I found some of them worked and others that did not (Never again will we have dress rehearsal and recital in the same day. Never again will we try to squeeze in group photos during the rehearsal.) The second and third year became about stability – implementing the changes that were positive and proved to be successful such as online recital ticketing, the Queen B’s, and really creating unique recital choreography. However, at the end of year three I felt myself slipping away from the business and I ended up dropping the ball on my students. I admit lessons got a bit stale and even though the students continued to improve, the excitement for classes seemed to die a bit – more so for myself. I couldn’t pinpoint it. I thought it was burn out and I just kept thinking – there’s no time for this! I can’t be burned out in just a few years!
I took the summer to really “find myself” as a teacher and a studio owner, owning up to the fact that over the past few months I had let my students down by not giving them my 100% which I continually ask of them during their classes. I went to a teacher conference in Las Vegas for four days and it really seemed to change a lot and enabled me to find my “why”. Why did I take over? Why am I teaching? I realized that my priority lies within the studio. My commitment is to the dancers first and foremost. They deserve to have a teacher who is present in each class – to EVERY class. They deserve to have an owner who cares about their lives outside of the studio. They deserve to be a part of a dance family that is supportive and motivating.
In those moments, I found my fire again.
I have spent the last few weeks revamping the old. I reorganized the studio adding in a small (but growing) studio store through Curtain Call and I created a special “First Day of Class” frame for all students to get their pictures taken last week. (I swear my teenagers thought this was the BEST thing in the world!) I have changed the Queen B’s look once again continuing to make them look professional and important. I am in the process of re-doing the entire website after I had been given a 17 minute feedback video from Clint Salter, a former studio owner has helped so many studio owners grow. I have created goals for myself for the upcoming year to make it bigger and better! If you’re considering enhancing the aesthetics and functionality of your business space, explore options like aluminium windows & shopfronts for a modern and inviting atmosphere.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned change doesn’t happen easily and it takes time, but you have to MAKE the time. Bring on the change….and the coffee. This will not be easy, but I’m dedicated to the challenge.
Week two begins.
-Miss Katie