Time for change? Ready or not here it comes.

The local fitness center where I've rented for 11  years is under financial duress.   They want to move to a smaller space...so I'm being forced to smush into a smaller area or find a new home for my growing dance studio.  It's such a wierd feeling being pushed into a new plan, versus planning to do it yourself.   I just had it all figured out. We are coming off of an awesome recital in May, have a great group of teachers coming in for the Fall, and then the floor litterally drops out from under us!   Uhmmumf....

So, now looking at new options.  Which are limited in our small town... I just have to keep reminding myself of why I do what I do.  Why we all do what we do...why we teach dance --- it's so these kids can dance. 

I know I should be excited about the possibilities, but I'm just not ready for a big change in my dance life right now.   My regular work life is crazy and I sort of liked the way my dance life (business) was going.  Well, time to "go on with the show" I guess.   I'll let you know how it turns out.  If you have any advice I'd love to hear it! 

Dancingly Yours,
Ms. DeAnne

SCORE a business plan for your school

Do you have a working business plan for your dance school or retail shop? If you are like most small business people the answer is yes and no. Yes- I have one (or should we say HAD one), when we started, but we haven't looked at it in a while. If it has dust on it you really can't say you have a business plan now can you?

The Small Business Administration has a very helpful website at www.sba.gov on it you can spend hours finding resources you may have never known you had available. One I'm excited about is SCORE. It's a group of retired, executives that will sit with you and build a business plan, or simply just talk through your most recent trials and tribulations. And I know as independent-minded dance teachers we often feel we are alone or maybe afraid to ask for help. Well, here's help and it's FREE. Recently, I visited our local SCORE office in Wisconsin to talk about my Releve' Dance Poster business and they were very helpful, so tomorrow I'm going back to talk about my dance academy.

You'd be shocked at how quick they can get to the root of your problem. Business is business and these people know the business of it all. I go tomorrow to review my "old" plan and make a new financial plan with a specialist in that area. Did I mention this service is FREE! If you are thinking of expanding, contracting or even selling your business I think they are worth a step on your to do list before the dance season goes back into full swing.

Another option is to certify your business as a women owned business, check for that on the SBA site too. Find your state's resources and use them, that's what your tax dollars have been funding you may as well get your money's worth.