The Ultimate Dance Business Podcast

Organising a dance school show can mean months of spreadsheets, costume lists, parent questions and last-minute changes. For many dance school owners, showtime takes over everything else in the business.In this episode of the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, Deborah Laws speaks to Alice Burren, a dance school owner who turned her own frustration with show planning into Palm Backstage, software designed to bring the whole process together in one place.Alice explains how she developed the software while preparing for her own school's show, using her experience of years of performances to identify what dance teachers and school owners really need. From managing costumes, music and running orders to sharing information with parents and backstage teams, Palm Backstage aims to reduce the admin and make shows easier to organise.Alice also shares how she used the software to manage an entire show by herself while developing it, why she designed it to be as self-explanatory as possible, and what it takes to move from running a dance school to becoming an entrepreneur.If show season regularly takes over your life, this conversation offers a different perspective on how technology and better systems could change the experience.Find Palm Backstage via the link in the episode show notes.Subscribe to the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast for more conversations and practical ideas to help you run your dance business.Find out more about Palm Backstage at Ready to take the next step in your dance business?Book a Turning Point Call with Deborah using this link https://interview.dancebusinesslab.com/Discover Dance Business Solutions at https://dancebusinesssolutions.comJoin the Dance Business Lab Community on Facebook and follow @dancebusinesslab on Instagram.Book an evolution call with Deborah⁠⁠ ⁠https://go.dancebusinesslab.com/dance-school-success-planTo find out more about Dance Business Lab and work with Deborah head to ⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com⁠To find out more about working with Deborah through her exclusive Dance Business Lab membership programs follow the links below.Sparks membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/sparks⁠ Ignite membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/ignite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Illuminate membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/illuminate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you love the show and you would like to support then why not buy Deborah a coffee simply head to ⁠http://buymeacoffee.com/DeborahL⁠This episode is sponsored by Dance Studio Marketing.You can find out more about Dance Studio Marketing and how you can work with Sally to supercharge your dance business at ⁠https://dancebusinesssolutions.com/social-media-for-dance-businesses/⁠This podcast is produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Content StudioIf you enjoy the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, subscribe, leave a review and share the episode with another dance school owner.

Are you building a team that helps your dance school grow, or simply hiring people to take tasks off your to-do list?In this episode of the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, Deborah Laws explores the difference between hiring doers and hiring thinkers, and why understanding that difference can make a real impact on your dance business.A doer completes the tasks you delegate. A thinker looks for opportunities to improve the business, support students, strengthen relationships with parents and identify ways to generate more income.Deborah explains how a teacher can do more than deliver a great class, from recognising when a student might benefit from an additional class to having conversations with parents that help students develop and become more involved in your school. She also explores how your admin and marketing team can take greater initiative, find ways to save time and create systems that make your business more efficient.But there's another important question to consider: are your team members really just doers, or have you unintentionally stopped them from thinking for themselves?If you're ready to stop being responsible for every decision, build a more proactive team and create space to work on the growth of your dance school, this episode is for you.Deborah also shares why training, coaching, trust and giving your team the right level of autonomy are essential to developing people who can contribute more than simply completing a checklist.Ready to take the next step in your dance business?Book an Evolution Call with Deborah using the link in the show notes to discuss your business, identify opportunities for improvement and explore how you can move forwards.Discover Dance Business Solutions at https://dancebusinesssolutions.comJoin the Dance Business Lab Community on Facebook and follow @dancebusinesslab on Instagram.Book an evolution call with Deborah⁠⁠ ⁠https://go.dancebusinesslab.com/dance-school-success-planTo find out more about Dance Business Lab and work with Deborah head to ⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com⁠To find out more about working with Deborah through her exclusive Dance Business Lab membership programs follow the links below.Sparks membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/sparks⁠ Ignite membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/ignite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Illuminate membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/illuminate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you love the show and you would like to support then why not buy Deborah a coffee simply head to ⁠http://buymeacoffee.com/DeborahL⁠This episode is sponsored by Dance Studio Marketing.You can find out more about Dance Studio Marketing and how you can work with Sally to supercharge your dance business at ⁠https://dancebusinesssolutions.com/social-media-for-dance-businesses/⁠This podcast is produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Content StudioIf you enjoy the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, subscribe, leave a review and share the episode with another dance school owner.

What does it take to build a successful performing arts school in another country?Cameron Hall is the founder of Baila con Cameron, a performing arts school based in Valencia, Spain. What started with an adult jazz class attended by 35 people has grown into a community of almost 400 students from 25 different countries.In this episode of the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, Cameron talks to Deborah Laws about his journey from performer and West End choreographer to running his own performing arts school and entertainment production company in Spain.He shares how Baila con Cameron grew during lockdown, why outdoor classes became an important part of the school's identity, and how he went from renting a small studio to creating a much larger space with multiple studios, a theatre space, music rooms and more.Cameron also talks about bringing British-style pantomime to Valencia. Now in its fifth year, his productions have sold out every year and attract audiences from across the region, including people travelling more than two hours to attend.But perhaps the biggest lesson from Cameron's approach is his philosophy towards running a dance school.“I don’t run a performing arts school. I run a community.”For Cameron, Baila con Cameron is about creating somewhere people can make friends, build confidence, achieve things and feel that they belong. He explains why he thinks about what students can do together rather than simply focusing on retention, and why the experience someone takes away from a class can be more important than technical perfection.There is also plenty to take from Cameron's approach to social media. He talks about why dance schools need to stop making social media for themselves, why perfect photos and graphics aren't necessarily what people care about, and why showing more of the real person behind the school can make such a difference.Cameron Hall is the founder of Baila con Cameron and also works as a performer, choreographer and entertainment producer in Valencia. Alongside his work with the school, he performs as Dame Dolly.Find out more about Baila con Cameron at https://bailaconcameron.comFind Baila con Cameron on social media at: https://www.instagram.com/bailaconcameronhttps://www.facebook.com/bailaconcameron/Book an evolution call with Deborah⁠⁠ ⁠https://go.dancebusinesslab.com/dance-school-success-planTo find out more about Dance Business Lab and work with Deborah head to ⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com⁠To find out more about working with Deborah through her exclusive Dance Business Lab membership programs follow the links below.Sparks membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/sparks⁠ Ignite membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/ignite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Illuminate membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/illuminate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you love the show and you would like to support then why not buy Deborah a coffee simply head to ⁠http://buymeacoffee.com/DeborahL⁠This episode is sponsored by Dance Studio Marketing.You can find out more about Dance Studio Marketing and how you can work with Sally to supercharge your dance business at ⁠https://dancebusinesssolutions.com/social-media-for-dance-businesses/⁠This podcast is produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Content Studio

Does your dance studio seem to take over more and more of your life as your business grows?In this episode of the Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, Deborah Laws talks about how dance studio owners can start taking back control of their time and create a better work-life balance.As your dance school grows, it can be incredibly easy for the business to become the priority for everything. Family time, time with friends, self-care and even the things you personally want to achieve can end up being squeezed around the studio.Deborah explains how to reverse that pattern by deciding what you actually want your life to look like and then using future blocking to make it happen.You'll discover:• Why your dance studio can gradually start running your life• How to decide what time you feel you deserve for yourself, your family and your relationships• What future blocking is and how to use it• Why blocking out time months in advance can make it much easier to protect• How Deborah managed to find around 10 hours a week for 18 months while running five dance schools, with more than 900 students and 24 team members• Why delegating and reorganising your business can create the space you need• How protecting your time can actually make you more organised and productive• Why the time you create for yourself can disappear again if you don't continue to protect itIf you run a dance school or performing arts business and feel like you're constantly fitting your life around your studio, this episode is about changing that.The goal isn't simply to find more hours in the day. It's about deciding what matters to you and building your business around the life you want to have.Book an evolution call with Deborah⁠⁠ ⁠https://go.dancebusinesslab.com/dance-school-success-planTo find out more about Dance Business Lab and work with Deborah head to ⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com⁠To find out more about working with Deborah through her exclusive Dance Business Lab membership programs follow the links below.Sparks membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/sparks⁠ Ignite membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/ignite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Illuminate membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/illuminate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you love the show and you would like to support then why not buy Deborah a coffee simply head to ⁠http://buymeacoffee.com/DeborahL⁠This episode is sponsored by Dance Studio Marketing.You can find out more about Dance Studio Marketing and how you can work with Sally to supercharge your dance business at ⁠https://dancebusinesssolutions.com/social-media-for-dance-businesses/⁠This podcast is produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Content Studio

In this episode of The Ultimate Dance Business Podcast, Deborah Laws interviews Gary Edwards, CEO and partner of Arthur Murray International, to discuss building a successful dance business while staying true to your passion for dance.Gary shares his journey from starting dance at seven in Romford, Essex, to leading a major dance organisation.Deborah and Gary explore why dance studio owners should embrace their business identity, how partner dancing skills translate to business, and the importance of marketing, networking, and community for all dance schools.Gary explains why he considers the studio owner the first ‘product’ of a dance business, the significance of creating a welcoming environment, and how successful studios can become destinations.They also discuss the broader impact of dance studios on people’s lives, from fostering community and improving well-being to supporting individuals through challenging times.Gary shares his efforts to create better career pathways for dancers, including a partnership with the University of North Florida offering a health, wellness, dance, and business degree.Gary’s message is clear: don’t underestimate the impact you can have as a dance business owner. Dance businesses aren’t just selling lessons; they’re creating experiences, community, confidence, connection, and happiness.Find out more about Arthur Murray International at https://www.arthurmurray.comBook an evolution call with Deborah⁠⁠ ⁠https://go.dancebusinesslab.com/dance-school-success-planTo find out more about Dance Business Lab and work with Deborah head to ⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com⁠To find out more about working with Deborah through her exclusive Dance Business Lab membership programs follow the links below.Sparks membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/sparks⁠ Ignite membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/ignite⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Illuminate membership - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://dancebusinesslab.com/memberships/illuminate⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If you love the show and you would like to support then why not buy Deborah a coffee simply head to ⁠http://buymeacoffee.com/DeborahL⁠This episode is sponsored by Dance Studio Marketing.You can find out more about Dance Studio Marketing and how you can work with Sally to supercharge your dance business at ⁠https://dancebusinesssolutions.com/social-media-for-dance-businesses/⁠This podcast is produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Creative Content Studio