Making your community stronger

Many times we as small business people get so caught up in running our own businesses that we forget to step back and remember to work more for the community live in. I'm currently working within my community of Brodhead Wisc. leading a group called Forward Brodhead. We are working to make sure our community is strong for the future of our kids and our businesses. Are you living in a community that's struggling to push ahead and provide a unique, branded experience? A book called 90 days to a winning community inspired our group you should check it out. The author is James Dittoe. We as dance teachers can bring our creativity to the cities we live in by organizing and leading in addition to supporting and growing the Arts in our communities.

You have many gifts as a dancer. Make the community your stage and choreograph your business' future by creating a strong community. It may take more than 90 days, but it will be a great investment in your business future. If the community stays strong, so will your business.

To build or not to build that is the question

Our school is bursting at the seams! We added 35 new students putting our total to 190. For a small town this is a big school and we just keep growing! Problem is we need a new space, or at least I feel like I need my own space. We've been renting now for 7 years. I wish I had all that money invested in a place of my own looking back. The question is now with this down turn in the economy where does Dance fit in? Are there teachers out there that have weathered economic downturns in the past? What did you do to make it through? Is now the time to build, when I can get a better deal on the real estate? Or is it best to wait it out?

I would love to hear from Teachers with experience in this topic, I'm sure I'm not alone in this problem. To build or not to build that is the question!