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Young
Entrepreneurs
Edited by
Nancy Wozny
 The pros and cons of opening a dance studio before age 30
Young people today have many
options when it comes to entrepreneurial careers, and owning a
dance studio is a popular one. Considering its physicality and
long hours, it's a career that seems to suit the young quite
well. Fearlessness and technical savvy come into play as well.
The following people contributed their stories, expertise, and
wisdom.
Amanda Armetta-Gring,
21 (school owner at 19), Armetta's Grand Jet�
Studio of Dance, Macungie, PA
Nadia Avigliano,
30 (school owner at 25), Nadia's Performing Arts Centre,
Whitestone, NY
Melanie Brooke Campbell,
26 (school owner at 21), Orangecrest Dance Academy, Riverside,
CA
Amy Leigh Hall,
28 (school owner at 21), Rhythms Dance Academy, Point
Pleasant, NJ
Amber Hemmer,
28 (school owner at 25), AHA! Amber
Hemmer's Academy of Dance, Cedar Grove, NJ
Tanya Neary,
25 (school owner at 19), Stars of Tomorrow Dance Academy,
Huntington, NY
Will Shover,
28 (school owner at 26), Dance
Upstairs, Elkin, NC
Alicia Smith,
21 (school owner at 21), Patricia Krus School of Dance,
Garrett, ID
Jaclyn Augustyn Smith,
30 (school owner at 27), CORE Academy of Movement, Mt. Laurel,
NJ
DeAnna Stojan,
24 (school owner at 18), Jubilee
Dance School, Wake Forest, NC
Tammy Wills,
42, and Debbie Thiel, 38 (school owners at 18 and 14,
respectively), Dancin On Broadway, Brooklyn Park, MN
What are
some of the advantages of being a young dance studio owner?
Amanda Armetta-Gring:
I am much further in my career than
the people I graduated with. I am young, upbeat, and I can
relate to my students very well.
Melanie Brooke Campbell:
Having a fresh take on
things--more of a fire to inspire students.
Amy Leigh Hall:
You begin fresh, with an open mind and the ability to take
more in and learn from others. You can make and fix your
mistakes earlier than others and give them time to work
themselves out. The older kids feel comfortable with me
because I'm not a "mom" figure.
Amber Hemmer:
It enables me to relate directly
with my students. I am very aware of current music, movies,
and TV shows.
Tanya Neary:
Having large amounts of energy and
time to put into growing a studio. At 19 I was not worried
about sharing my time with a husband or children. As the time
nears when I will want to have a family, my studio is well on
its way to being established and has the potential to be run
without my daily presence.
Will Shover:
At 26 I was
passionate and motivated. I think I brought a new and
innovative approach as well as excitement and energy to taking
dance in a community that needed it. Plus I am still OK with
Pasta Roni for dinner when money is tight.
Alicia Smith:
I have the energy, passion, and excitement to stay encouraged
when things get stressful. I also don't have a family that has
to make sacrifices because of my schedule. I am not set in my
own ways yet; I try to remain open-minded, especially with my
instructors.
DeAnna Stojan:
When I was younger I had fewer responsibilities. I was able to
attend college classes in the mornings, teach/work at the
studio, and also work an additional part-time job. If I had
had a husband and/or children, I would not have been able to
do it all.
Tammy Wills/Debbie Thiel:
The biggest advantage was that
we were naive. We didn't know what we would have to give up to
make our dance studios successful.
What are
some of the challenges that come with owning a school at a
young age?
Nadia Avigliano:
Having the parents see me as a professional, not one of the
kids. I tried very hard to stick to my policies and be
organized to prove that I was in control. Now I have the
respect of the parents that have been with me for five years.
Amy Leigh Hall:
People didn't think I could run a
good school at such a young age. I knew what I was doing and
needed to stick to my guns to get where I am today.
Amber Hemmer:
Drawing a distinct line between
being a teacher and being a friend [to the students].
Tanya Neary:
It was hard for some people to take
me seriously. I had to have my mom present at meetings with
potential landlords so that they would be comfortable knowing
I had support, even though financially my parents had no
involvement. Gaining trust took time--clients who had jobs in
the business world tried to teach me how to do business, even
though they knew nothing about dance. Also, it took time to
assert myself as their equal in conflicts over billing or
policies.
Will Shover:
Being a male
and owning a dance school in a small town was the first
obstacle. Also, I do not look like a typical dance teacher; I
look more like a football player.
Tammy Wills/Debbie Thiel:
Being taken seriously by the
business world. Every once in a while a family might question
our ages, but once they saw us in class they became some of
our biggest supporters.
Did you
seek mentorship or training that helped you establish your
business?
Nadia Avigliano:
I started assisting and teaching at
an early age. While obtaining my undergraduate degree in
dance, I sought out my first teaching job, where I realized I
had a knack for working with children. I walked into a
wonderful environment with a studio owner who became a dear
friend and mentor. I learned so much by watching her: how she
handled stressful situations, spoke to parents, gave
corrections to students. When a problem arises, I ask myself
how she would handle it. When I decided to open my business,
she helped me figure out what I would need to start. She also
told me things like how high my barres should be mounted, that
I had to pay music licensing fees, and all those things that
you don't think about when you're about to jump into the water
without testing it first. I am grateful every day for all that
I learned from her.
Melanie Brooke Campbell:
I have met many wonderful
studio owners in many different settings, like Rhee Gold's
Mini-Project Motivate, Sam Beckford's Successful Studio
Strategies seminars, and Tremaine Dance Conventions. I have
had many questions answered by owners who were my age or
slightly older and seasoned vets.
Amber Hemming:
Roseanna Brogan-Smith, my teacher
and former boss who still owns and runs her studio (she
started at 16 and is now in her 70s), is still my mentor. I
participated in an apprentice program at her studio where I
was trained in jazz, tumbling, lyrical, tap, and ballet. I
believe an important asset as an owner is my ability to teach
multiple disciplines to all age groups and ability levels. My
business training was through Miss Roseanna, watching the
daily operations of the studio and taking on more
responsibilities as I grew older. The Small Business
Administration also proved a valuable resource.
Do you
feel more technically savvy because of your age?
Amanda Armetta-Gring:
Yes, in high school I took all the
computer and business classes. I designed my own web page,
ads, brochures, business cards, and show tickets and I do all
of my accounting on the computer.
Amy Leigh Hall:
Some parents are still not on my
e-mailing lists and it drives me crazy. Some schools don't
have any online information at all, and I think those of us
who do are better off. Parents like to look at things on their
own time.
Alicia Smith:
Computer and technical knowledge is an advantage I have over
my school's previous owner. I can do a lot of things that she
had to pay someone to do.
DeAnna Stojan: We have had a website for six years. We
can register students online and offer the option of receiving
email newsletters and reminders. However, a dance studio needs
to be only as techy as the parents are. This is the first year
that we have been able to go completely online for all our
communication. We have had these things available for years,
but the concept has just caught on. Now parents say how great
it is to get newsletters via email rather than digging through
dance bags.
It takes
a lot of energy to run a dance studio--is it a job for the
young?
Amanda Armetta-Gring:
It is a lot of work, but when I'm
teaching I forget about the crazy business side of it. When it
gets tough I think about how I am affecting these kids' lives
and helping them grow into tomorrow's leaders.
Nadia Avigliano:
Having energy is a definite
advantage. Living with my parents and not having the
responsibility of a husband or family, I could put all of my
energy into the business. I didn't feel guilty about late
nights and weekends at competitions.
Melanie Brooke Campbell:
Yes, but the dating department
goes on a slight hiatus during the months of September to
June! Having a social life is a juggle. My friends help out
with shows and performances. They see how much I do, and their
way of reaching out is to do the little things.
Jaclyn Augustyn Smith:
Yes, I can still get down on my
hands and knees for "Animal Action" and keep up with the
6-year-olds for "Skip to My Lou." But I am also mature and
confident enough to discipline and deal with the hard part of
being cool enough for the tweens and teens.
Do
parents ever have issues with you because of your age?
Melanie Brooke Campbell:
Parents are very understanding.
If they have never met me, they are shocked to see me. They
always ask who the owner is or how old I am. When I tell them
and give a little background about my training, they are so
impressed. I present myself and dress appropriately, and I've
never had anyone say anything negative or question my reasons.
Amy Leigh Hall:
They were wary of me at first, but
some of the parents who gave me a shot that first year are
still with me today. It took time to become a local figure of
dance arts that people were willing to take a chance on.
Amber Hemmer:
I have not yet experienced a lack
of trust with parents due to my age. In fact, parents question
me about how to discipline their children at home because they
see them respond so well in class. It's important to be
specific about expectations with both parents and students; it
results in respect and order in the studio. I usually allow
parents to view their student's first class so that any doubts
about my competence can be erased.
Alicia Smith:
I felt my lack of experience when
planning communication with the parents. I thought I could
place some responsibility in their hands, but they don't read
the paperwork and need to be constantly reminded of and
provided with everything.
Jaclyn Augustyn Smith:
I am 100 percent honest with them.
I have a strict dress code because I don't think certain
styles are appropriate. Telling parents why their little ones
can't wear the hip, belly-baring style is the reason they
trust me to choose costumes for them. Being honest with them
leaves me no reason to back-peddle.
What
advice do you have for young people who are considering
opening a studio?
Amber Hemming:
Do your homework about all aspects
of your venture, especially finances. Have money saved and
keep your credit clean. One of the major challenges is
financing a startup; it is not always easy get a loan or
mortgage when you don't yet own property or have collateral,
or when you have never owned a business. You may need help
from family members in cosigning on a loan or mortgage, so
make sure you have their support. There is so much you don't
know when starting out that any feedback or information can be
beneficial. I found others especially helpful in ironing out
my business plan. Have others review your plan, especially an
accountant. If seeking a location, be aware of other studios
in the area; rather than competing with them, offer something
unique or find a unique location.
Tanya Neary:
Be prepared to give up Friday
nights out because you have to open the studio at 9:00 on
Saturday morning, spend your weekends sewing rhinestones on
costumes, clean up "accidents" and bloody noses and other
injuries, deal with unreliable faculty and with angry parents
who take out their stresses on you. And be prepared for the
fact that for some time, you're going to have to do everything
yourself.
Alicia Smith:
Be prepared to feel like you work
80 hours a week and get paid for 15. Figure out quickly what
you are willing to delegate and what you need to do yourself.
Have someone who is willing to listen to you vent. Be sure
that you have stability in your personal life and that you are
over that young adult need to feel irresponsible and just have
fun. Be sure you have a passion for the students, a love for
dance, and a mind for business. Know that unfortunately your
work will become about 80 percent business and 20 percent
dance.
How do
you think owning a studio rates as a career choice?
Nadia Avigliano:
It opens a door for young people to make their own hours and
make business decisions that one would have to have years of
experience in other fields to do. However, when the business
is yours, especially when you are young and trying to
establish yourself, you have to oversee everything. I work
more than my friends in the corporate world in Manhattan. I
don't get to take vacation days; I work almost every weekend
of the year. I don't get to sit down to dinner with my husband
during the week, and I take a lot of my work home with me. And
I wouldn't change it for the world. Very few people can say
they are truly passionate about their career choice; very few
people younger than 30 can see their biggest dream realized.
Melanie Brooke Campbell:
I originally wanted to be a
registered nurse. I fell in love with teaching and my father
told me to get "this dance thing" out of my system so I could
pursue nursing full-time. Well, I never looked back. I feel
like I am a confident and successful person. It can be
intimidating to say I am a business owner, but then I look at
everyone I graduated high school with and I feel better.
Tanya Neary:
I can't imagine anything else that
could make me this happy and allow me the freedom of being my
own boss and the pleasure of working with children and
teaching something I love. I can't think of another career
that could afford me the same opportunities at this or any
other point in my life.
Jacyln Augustyn Smith:
You are an entrepreneur; you get to
set your own hours and be in control. How many other
businesses are truly open for young people?
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