When running a business, they say it takes a village, but we see so many studio owner’s running their business on their own, and wearing ALL the hats; trust us- you want a village too.
I have found that the more we ask for help, and the more we collaborate, the more prosperous we all are. So where do you start? What are the tools you, as as studio owner, need in order to run your business smoothly and efficiently, while growing it at the same time? We had a conversation with Tracey of Beyond Dance Consulting to learn the in’s and out’s of timing, asking for help and tools.
FINDING MORE TIME.
I don’t think any of us are short on the need for time. More time for work, for family, for self. The days are long but the hours are short, and in order to accomplish all that needs to be done in a day, we need to PRIORITIZE. But first, as Tracey tells us we have to find out what it is we need to prioritize:
“The first step is to assess where your time is being spent. Once you see this you can then look into which areas you can streamline, delegate to other staff members or outsource.”
Once you have assessed and prioritized your tasks, you can get down to business and ask for help where needed. I have found that many studios are halted due to the time of year or the number of operating years they are in; however, it is best to implement change and improvement now, rather than continually push it off.
It will always feel like better timing awaits. But the time is now.
“It is more damaging to wait for a season to be over than to address any situation straight away. This will show your families that you are quick to take action and able to adapt, therefore increasing your retention rate whilst increasing efficiency at your studio. No matter how long you’ve had your studio from 1 yr to 10 yrs, you need to measure your business and adjust it. Being able to listen to the needs of the families will extend the life of a studio. Take any constructive criticism as an opportunity to learn and grow.”
Tracey urges us to use this guide of questions to identity our weaknesses and know when it’s time to ask for help:
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- I Have No Idea What I’m Doing.
- I Have Too Much on my Plate.
- I Made a Mistake.
- I Need Additional Expertise or Insight
ASKING FOR HELP aka out-sourcing.
‘As a studio owner, the main role is to grow the business. Other tasks can be either automated, given to another staff member or outsourced. I see so many studio owners getting lost in permission forms, entering registrations and parent accounts whereas they should be focusing on how to improve their business and attracting new students.’
Tracey is BEYOND right (get it?). Even I get caught up in the tasks that really shouldn’t be my priority and the magic happens when that task gets delegated appropriately.
What do you find yourself working on that you know needs to be given to someone else?
- social media + marketing strategy ?
- administration + accounting ?
- costume design + ordering ?
- makeup design + product purchasing ?
All of these areas need your check of quality and approval, but they do not need to be done by you, just by someone you trust. You need to focus your (limited) time on what you LOVE + growing your business to meet your VISION.
IMAGINE, that you ran a studio, taught all of the classes and choreographed all of the routines. Would your clients be getting the best possible experience you could offer? No. That’s why you hire an amazing team to make your vision a reality. Now, do that same thing to the other aspects of your business, it’s well worth it!
So, Tracey, what are the three MAIN benefits of outsourcing, delegating + collaborating:
ONE. The biggest benefit studio owners gain is increased revenue! (I like the sound of that!)
TWO. Getting others to support and organize your studio will help grow your business. (Yes, please!)
THREE. Working with the right people can bring the vision of your dance studio to life. (Dreams = Reality)
TOOL TIME.
One of the most amazing insights I’ve gained since running my own business, is just how much support, help and tools are available to me, and to everyone.
You need to build your tool belt; be it, with hiring experts, utilizing online resources and strengthening your delegation ability.
A strong tool belt will allow you to achieve your business goals and allow your vision to unfold!
Being a Canadian company, we support local as often as we can.
Here are some experts we recommend:
- Costume Design {Silver Lining Costume Design, Glitter Parlour Costumes, My Own Design}
- In-Studio Team Wear {Tendu Active}
- Makeup Design + Custom Kits {Us, of course!}
- Any + All Studio Retail Needs {Dancewear Centre}
- Studio Management + Operations {Beyond Dance Consulting}
Here are Tracey’s (mostly free) Online Resource recommendations:
- An online registration system: these have many tools included that help organize, analyze and report. You are able to keep families informed and decrease the office questions by 50%.
- For social media, HootSuite and Social Booster are great tools as they allow you to schedule your posts ahead of time. (My personal favourite is PLANOLY and they recently released a free version!)
- When looking for feedback from your families Survey Monkey offers 10 questions for free.
- Need designs for posts, newsletters, invitations, and more? Canva has 1000’s of templates you can customize for your studio.
It’s ALL about test and change. You are unique with unique needs but turning your business dreams to reality is so possible, and it is definitely never too late in a season to start implementing and improving.
Have questions about improving your time management or looking for a specific resource? Send us an email, I would love to hear from you and to help!
As for your team makeup, you can hire us as the expert to help build a strong team identity and improve uniformity for your team. Plus lots more- kickbacks, convenience, innovation. We are here to help. Click the link below to book a consultation! xx
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