Victoria Bremner’s Guide to Achieving Success as a Dance Studio Owner and Parent - Ep. 79

Victoria Bremner’s Guide to Achieving Success as a Dance Studio Owner and Parent - Ep. 79.

Welcome back to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast, where we help performers navigate their next act beyond the spotlight. In this episode, we’re joined by Victoria Bremner, an expert in supporting dance teachers and studio owners in building thriving, sustainable dance businesses, without burning out. Victoria brings two decades of experience as the owner of a successful dance school and a deep understanding of the unique challenges dance professionals face, especially when life and career intersect with parenthood.

Victoria and Speaker A dive into essential strategies for balancing passion with wellbeing, exploring how planning, leadership systems, delegation and personal development are key to staying energised while your business and family grow. Whether you’re teaching in the studio, running a school, or considering a pivot in your career, this conversation delivers practical and uplifting advice on building a business that supports both your ambitions and your life.

Get ready to explore the realities and possibilities of running a dance business alongside parenthood, and learn how you can keep your passion alive—on your terms.

Chapters

00:00 Starting a dance school business

04:16 Finding balance in daily life

07:08 Balancing work and starting a family

11:35 Importance of having a detailed plan

15:05 Planning and learning from experience

20:24 Facing burnout and seeking balance

22:11 Identifying and addressing stress factors

28:07 Exploring new career paths

32:50 Choosing the right support network

36:39 Managing time and staying focused

38:21 Helping kids overcome stage anxiety

41:33 Connecting with Victoria and Q&A

📕  Buy The Showbiz Side Hustle Handbook: https://ln-k.me/clGQ

🎭 Join our community: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Performerpreneur

📕  Download our free guide - The Dream Big Workbook!: https://ln-k.me/GKCR

🎙️ Listen to the podcast: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/2386041.rss

Connect with Nicole:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Performerpreneur

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/performerpreneur

Website: https://performerpreneur.co.uk/

#ShowbizSideHustle #PerformerBusiness #CreativeEntrepreneur #performerpreneur

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

We're back with the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast and another fabulous guest expert interview with one of the hand-picked associates, your pivot support crew. Today I'm joined by Victoria Bremner, who works with dance teachers and studio owners to build thriving, sustainable dance businesses without the burnout. Many performers successfully transition into teaching, but what happens when you want to start a family? Running a dance school can be awe-consuming and involves far more than just break classes. Victoria helps dance professionals juggle both roles, business owner and parent, without having to sacrifice either. Planning is a huge part of the process, along with understanding leadership systems available to you, delegation and personal well-being, and the confidence to navigate it all. In this episode, we're exploring the realities of running a dance business alongside or preparing for parenthood and how it is absolutely possible for teachers and studio owners to continue pursuing their passion alongside parenthood just without the burnout. You are listening to the Showbiz Side Hustle Podcast, powered by Performa Prena. Welcome to the podcast today, Victoria. Hi Nicole, thank you for having me. Always a pleasure, always a pleasure. This will be um the third time you're on the podcast, which really shows how much I trust and believe in everything that you teach and support and do. And it's a privilege to have you as part of the Associate Network and um lovingly call loving lovingly call the Pivot Support Crew because um I just want perform repreneurs to reach out and get the support they need in whatever niche and area they need it. And so, with that in mind, over to you. Tell us, tell us what your main passion is about supporting others in the industry.

SPEAKER_01 1:47

Okay, so um where do I start? So um, as you know, um I've just well, I'm in my 20th year of business now with my own dance school creepy dance, which is very exciting and sometimes quite overwhelming. I'm not really sure where that time has gone, but obviously a lot has happened over those 20 years in terms of building that business, starting from a very, you know, very small startup as a you know, small after school dance club into what it is today, sort of 500 student strong uh dance school and a team of amazing teachers working behind me. Um so I it's what I do is I support dance teachers and dance school owners, and whatever stage of business they're at with their dance schools, lots of start-up um and some sort of you know going through various you know phases of growth within their businesses, but we sort of look at where we can really optimise what they're doing in their dance schools to help them work as efficiently as possible, um, and ultimately so that they can have a business and a dance school that works for them rather than against them, because I'm sure you'll have lots of dance school donors listening. Um, you know, we put our heart and souls into these businesses, um, and if we're not careful, it can become awe-consuming. Um, I've been there myself, um, and so it is my mission to support others in building these businesses in a way that um you know is fulfilling for them but allows them to sort of lead the life that they that they wish to lead.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

I love that, and it's so true. Um, many of the things that we all pursue can become all-consuming because we're passionate individuals, right? From the performing arts. Um, I've not met a performer, whatever stage of their industry career, in or out of that spotlight, that is not a passionate person. And so when you're so passionate, you just give your heart and soul to everything you do, um, and that can, like you're saying, in the future become the issue that you haven't got a lot left of you. Um, and I love that you have acknowledged that in your own journey and have used those experiences to now shine a light on the fact that dance school owners, but everybody from the performing arts industry probably needs to take a step back, review, and build a more balanced approach to business life and studio ownership. Um and when I use the word balance, what do you think that looks like? What is balance to you?

SPEAKER_01 4:16

So I think balance, I mean, balance is you know, in an ideal world, that that's what we're aiming for. But in reality, I think a lot of the time there can be the juggle as well. And I think it's about finding what you feel at ease with um in terms of how your you know your day-to-day life is going. So for me, as you know, I'm a mum to two young boys, um, my youngest is very full-on, all the best ways, but I have to have lots of energy for him. But I also have to have lots of energy for my dance school as well. So, balance for me is about being able to, when I'm working, to feel calm and at ease with my work and be able to do the best job that I can do. But also when I'm with my children, I want to be able to be the best that I can be as their parent. So I think for balance, it it's about um finding, yeah, finding a way that both of those can work for you, but it's different for everybody. And so I think you sort of have to yeah, figure out what what it is that you enjoy, what it is that that is working for you, and then also what isn't working for you and that needs to change. And that's where I help dance school owners of unpick, you know, what what is the friction, whether it's within the business or is it personal life, and how how are we going to figure it out?

SPEAKER_00 5:32

Because it's individual, you're absolutely right. And I bet you have seen such a variety of challenges um coming from a variety of different um dance school owners at different stages of their lives. Which stage do you feel needs attention, you know, pre-reaching that point in your career or your life? Um is there a standout moment that you think actually anyone that's listening, you will get to this point in your life, presumably, and if you can plan it earlier, you'll you'll successfully navigate that.

SPEAKER_01 6:07

Yeah, I love this question. This is a really, really good question. So I think that um for a lot of dance school learners, we were talking about passion and passion being that driver, and that's what makes us so good at what what we what we do. Um and if you're building your business and it's growing, sometimes that growth can suddenly sort of accelerate, and sometimes we're not quite ready for that transition where suddenly maybe you're getting more inquiries, you need more classes, the students are thriving, and we need to work on levels and abilities, and sometimes we don't feel like we have um the capacity to you know fulfill that. So it's suddenly we're juggling timetables and student numbers and class pricing, and oh my gosh, I need to be in 10 places at once, and I wish I could just teach all these children at once, but I you know I need help. Um, so I think that in terms of your business, sometimes it can come when that growth happens really fast and we're not quite ready to to receive it and know what to do with it. Um, alongside that, um, again, for me, I think in terms of when I was starting my family, um I think it's about sort of figuring out what what is going to work for you. And sometimes for me, I sort of I was at absolute capacity and almost at breaking point when I sort of realised that I can't continue like this, where I was trying to do all the classes, do all the admin, and still be there for newborns, and it was just too much for me. Um, so that's when we then sort of, you know, I had to sort of strip things back and reassess. Um, so I think that if you can sort of foresee where um there might be issues for you, so especially you know, if you are teaching a lot of classes but you know you're going to need to step out of the studio for a while in an ideal world, really thinking about that recruitment sooner rather than later. Or, for example, if you feel that you need more support, you know, in the office on the admin side, making sure that you've got that lined up and sorted way before you need to step away because the last thing you want to be doing is trying to train up a new member of staff while you're, for example, juggling a newborn or you know, whatever, whatever, what whatever it is that's going on in your life, um, you know, at that time. Um, so I think that they're they are sort of key points, you know, that I see um where that support is needed. Um, and I think it's sort of about being able and feeling ready to receive, you know, that change as well in your business.

SPEAKER_00 8:38

I guess we'd all love a crystal ball, right? And it's easy for you and I to sit here and be like, oh, you know, when we did this and when we did that. Um, and people listening might be thinking, well, I don't know exactly when that will be. And I guess my advice would be to seek that support from people like yourselves because you have that lived experience, and it's very difficult to foresee the future, but it's really easy to look back in hindsight. And so I find that marrying those two things together is what really works, which is why somebody like yourself and why your business and coaching for dance teachers is thriving, because as soon as people accept support and help, they have got, for want of a better analogy, a bit of a crystal ball.

SPEAKER_01 9:25

Yeah, yeah. And also what I would say, and and some sometimes I say this, I think, oh my gosh, I can't, I never thought I would be saying this sort of you know, where I am now, but I would actually say once I had started handing over more of my business and delegating um to my now like amazing team. I'll talk to you more about them in a moment. Um, but actually I experienced more growth and faster growth once I'd done that. Um, so I think it's sort of taking that leap of faith um to sort of step into that next you know realm of your you know of your business and also of your personal life as well.

SPEAKER_00 10:02

So we've got in the Performapreneur um vault a dream big workbook. So I'm just gonna stop there for a quick ad because I think the Dream Big Work Dream Big Workbook would really suit this conversation in terms of what you think or what you would like your future to look like. So we'll just do a quick ad about that and then we'll pop back to our conversation. If you're feeling stuck and unsure what your next spotlight could be, start with my dream big workbook. It's completely free and designed to get you excited about your next act. Simply follow the prompts, get curious, and start gaining clarity. Because right now, you don't need a five-year plan. You just need to take that very first step. You can download the Dream Big Workbook for free by the link in the show notes below. Go on, go get started on your next big dream. And here we are back. So hopefully, some people will download that dream big workbook and have a little think about what they want their future to look like. Um, and that would act as a little bit of a crystal ball, and but equally somebody like yourself to say, look, this is what will happen because you are passionate and you are doing all the right things and you are, you know, happily married. Like there's there's there's things that will occur in the future for you, and let's just try and navigate them as soon as possible and build the foundations and the platforms and the strategies to get you through that juggle. Um, and so strategies is there some kind of key things that you think people can do alone with you, without you, um, things that they should be thinking about and putting into practice?

SPEAKER_01 11:35

Definitely. I think that um time and time again, the thing that comes up on calls with clients is whatever topic we're exploring a lot of the time, it's about having the plan and a plan you know that is well in advance of when an event is going to happen or um new classes are going to start or a new term. It's really, really important to have a plan and really break it down because also then um that then helps when we are experiencing those periods of overwhelm or feeling really overloaded with work or things are going on at home and I can't, you know, I can't cope. If you if you have that plan in place, you know when that work is going to get done, and I think that that can a lot of the time just help calm calm you when you're sort of feeling like things aren't you know are out of control, and that that can have that that can um you know work, you know, let's say within our marketing um and our attraction strategies, you know, if we're trying to book say consistent enrolments, it could it can work with you know these big productions that we all run um in terms of getting our students on board and our families ready and you know, yeah, let's do a show, um even things like fee increases, um you know, I know a lot of dance school owners really dread that topic, um, but it's you know it is something that does need to be done, you know, on a on a regular basis. So, but again, having a plan for things like that really, really helps. Um, and you just feel more um in control, you can see where your business is going, it's easier for you to project, and it's also easier then you know when you when you have your strategy in place to see if things aren't going to plan, what are we going to do about it? We know in advance rather than oh my gosh, you know, right at the last minute, oh my gosh, there's not enough, you know, not enough money coming in to pay the bills, or you know, I haven't got enough teachers, or numbers are uh are low on on certain classes. It just helps us sort of um I guess uh triage what we're going to do next.

SPEAKER_00 13:41

Yeah, navigate that as well, like it's a bit of future focus. Um, I love a plan, and I think it's important, listeners to um, you know, Victoria and I, and many people you hear in business will will throw the word strategy in there, and strategy is just a plan, like it's not this big something special, something different. It is a plan, a strategy is a plan, and um, you can plan on a scrap bit of paper, you can plan on a computer, you can plan on Trello, you can plan with a coach, you can plan on your own, but just putting something down out of your head and and trying to follow that. And if you are unable to follow that, using that as a resource as well and be like, that's not working, that plan um isn't getting me to where I want to be. I haven't got the time, I haven't got the energy. I could talk about planning for ages. I love a plan, um, and not to do too many things at once has become really kind of integral to my own strategy year on year. Um, and again, I think when we're passionate, we're trying to let's put it into the dance school owners kind of realm. We're trying to increase class numbers whilst putting on a show, whilst you know, um creating a new syllabus, like all the things all at once. Um, and I would advise to just strip it back and do things in stages and plan, and that plan will help you to see your seasons and your reasons and how to get that to work for you.

SPEAKER_01 15:05

Yeah, I really I really agree with you on that. And I think being as specific as you can as well, um, because I think that really helps you drill down into sort of what it is you really want to do, and it sort of comes down then to intention, you know, what what is the goal, what is the end product or whatever it is that we're working on, um, and to tend to see more results from you know whatever you're doing that way as well. And I think also when we're looking at our planning, uh the more we do you know these things, the more we learn. So you then refine the plan. So, you know, uh we've just had our 20th anniversary production, um, which was just amazing, but that's been built on years of experience of doing these productions, knowing what does work, knowing what doesn't work, um, and you know, knowing what might cause confusion or what might slow things down, um, all those sorts of things. So, you know, even now, you know, I'm still learning and I'll refine it, ready for the next production. Um, but there are all these learnings that we can just keep adding just to make what we do even better, which I think is really um really exciting.

SPEAKER_00 16:15

Really exciting, and you are doing a grand job. Um, let's just talk about that for a minute. 20 years in business, um, Victoria, with your dance school that has grown and grown and grown. Um, I was cheering you on and celebrating with that 20-year anniversary show. Um, and afterwards, um, you let's be honest, you had that moment that many dance school owners will feel after a big show of like exhaustion. It's a huge feat. And add that on to 20 years, even with all of the expertise you know, you still crashed for want of a better word, afterwards, from the excitement, from the adrenaline, from the exhaustion. Um, and that was planned. You knew that was going to happen. There was nothing, no great big project starting the day after the show. Um, so just a great example, and I think it's important for the listeners to hear that even somebody as well-versed as you has moments of exhaustion too. Um, talk us through that.

SPEAKER_01 17:12

Yeah, so um I think yeah, I mean, the show I I was just so proud. I've cried so much, but in all the all the best ways, and I think um again it comes down to the passion. It was just something I was really passionate about doing. It was our biggest production we'd ever done, the biggest audience we'd ever had, the most tech we'd ever had. We went all out on the production and it was what absolutely worth it. Um, and I think that you know, some dance school owners, you know, um decided to step out of the studio completely or you know, hand over a lot of you know the the maybe artistic side to other teachers or what have you, but I still wanted to be involved because my heart is there as well. Um so I didn't want I did want to be um on the ground, and I think that something that really struck me. I mean, it it I have such a wonderful team of teachers who work for me, who've been working for me for years, and um I just kept saying, you know, in my speech at the end, and I kept saying to them and to anyone who would listen, oh you know, people would say to me, Oh, you know, Victoria, well done, it's such a good show. And I'd be like, no, we did it, this is this is us, like this isn't just me. Like, I might be steering the ship, but this is a team effort, and um, I think sort of giving my team the opportunity to you know know how invested I am in them and how valued they are, and that I trust them, um, just allowed them just to thrive in that um in that environment and just get, you know, everyone was just mucking in, getting on, and and it was just it was just fantastic. Um so I'm just so proud of them as well. And I think it just sort of shows, you know, in terms of like leadership, um, you know, you if you can spot those talents, see those talents in your team, and allowing them to grow with you, um, that gives them that sense of ownership as well. Um, and you know, hopefully they'll be with me, you know, for for many more years to come. Um and and you know, and again, I think that sort of boils down to the whole delegation topic side of things as well. So, in terms of what we were saying earlier on about you know, um maybe raising a family alongside running a business, you know, such as a dance school, you know, that delegation is key and building a team where you feel you know supported yourself. Um you know, there's such a joy to work with, um, it just you know makes it a really enjoyable experience. And and when we're saying about you know what's balance for me, well, I want to feel happy and enjoy running my business, and I can absolutely hand on heart say I do, I I love it. Um, yeah, so yeah, the show was just amazing, but the adrenaline crash was very real, um, as you know, um, but yeah, it was the other thing.

SPEAKER_00 19:53

But this time round, um, and and presumably for say the past 15 shows, you were uh you understood that adrenaline crash. Um, let's go back to you mentioned in the opening that you did face some burnout right at the beginning of the journey. Um, so we don't want to you know, we don't want the listeners to just think it's all easy because it's really not. Um how did you navigate that and what would you say to that version of yourself if you could go back and set and ask them to do something differently?

SPEAKER_01 20:24

Yeah, I think so. For me, it happened when I had my first son. Um and it was very much the pressure of me putting pressure on myself, wanting to be the best mum I could be, but also still wanting to sustain what I was doing with the dance school, um and realizing that actually, you know, I it's it's really hard, and that alongside, you know, when you know my son would be off nursery sick, or you know, things would go wrong, or a member of staff might be ill, or a venue might have closed, and just the the the juggle, but in but in a very reactive state, which just made me feel very, very anxious. Um, so I think for me it was sort of like realizing that this setup doesn't work for me now. It worked before, but it doesn't now, and then sort of having the um, I guess the confidence to face up to that um and to look at what's going on and what needs to change and then figure out how I'm going to make that happen. So, you know, reaching out for help, and that was personally, you know, obviously speaking to my husband, having a bit of a with him, but also speaking to my staff at the time, um, you know, reaching out for doing professional support as well, um, just to really sort of review where I was at and what needed to change to make me feel better, but also where I wanted to be because I still knew there was a lot I wanted to do with my. Business. Um and that was sort of where yeah, where it started. So I think that it can feel scary sometimes, but just start take a step back. What is it? What is it that is making you feel maybe uncle uncomfortable, anxious? Try and see if you can figure out what is it, you know, is it just last-minute changes that are stressing you out? Is it, do you feel like maybe you don't have boundaries anymore, or they're different to what they were before? Or do you feel like you're just too tired and you haven't got the energy to be on your emails dealing with customers because you've been on up all night with a little one who's not been sleeping very well? Um, and just looking at, you know, okay, if there they are the sorts of issues maybe that are, you know, affecting me right now. What might I be able to do in an ideal world to rectify this? And then let's see what we could try and take it from there.

SPEAKER_00 22:58

You can see that you are a fantastic coach because that's just so brilliantly explained, and I think it boils down to two things that I've heard you say there the permission and the acceptance, maybe to evolve, to to you know, open your heart and mind and be like, I'm actually I will need to evolve. This is change, but it's not a bad change, it's just evolution, it's growth. I am growing, my life is growing, my world is growing, whatever that is, the school is growing, and to grow with it. So, like we can't we can't sustain an old version of things when everything around us is changing. Um, and the other thing that I noted there was the the kind of conscious knowledge that emotions are clues. There's an anxiety feeling if you can't sleep. I mean, even on the other extreme when it's exciting, like it's all clues. If it's if it's a good feeling, acknowledge that, work out what it is that's making it work so well and feel so good. But if it's a bad feeling, again, pausing, I think that's a great word to just pause. And I think in our world, we just don't feel we can pause, like it feels scary to stop and pause. Um, but we should acknowledge those feelings, um, assess them, work out what it is. Um, every emotion is a clue, is one of my favorite sayings to myself. Like, what does that say to me? What is it telling me? What is it trying to tell me? And then accepting that evolving, evolution, growth is a fantastic stage of business. Like, if you're outgrowing the old version of your school, yourself, your life, um, it can be scary, but it's obviously opening up the next chapter for you. And we love in Performpreneur to pivot, to evolve, to talk about the next spotlight, the next chapter. Um, so yeah, I think that's very, very obvious to me and the listeners that you would guide so beautifully somebody through that process and you have lived it yourself. And I know Victoria very well for being part of the Performpreneur pivot support crew and a member and a client and a friend. And I know that she went on to have another son and a dog, and you know, her world kept growing in her personal life, and the business kept growing alongside it, so that just speaks volumes of exactly what is possible. Um, do you agree with most of that? Yeah, absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 25:22

I think it's also about don't be frightened of change. Um, change is a good thing, and growth growth doesn't sit in comfort. I always try to remind myself in those moments you know where I'm feeling a bit ugh, that normally something really great is going to be on the other side of that. Um, if we stay sort of in our comfort zone, that doesn't always serve us. Sometimes we need to be there for a while. Um, but when things are going to change um and that that that growth is coming, that excitement is there, just it's a yeah, listen, like you say, listen to your body, listen to your nervous system. It is trying to tell you things. Um, but change is a good thing. Um, and I would also say that you know, I always say this to my clients and anybody I would have, you know, conversations with you know regarding dance schools. My perspective, there is no judgment. So, you know, uh there's not a one size fits all. We are all on very different journeys, we're all, you know, we all have very different things going on in our personal lives as well. Um, and it's about making a life that works for you and your business that you know that's working for you, um, and it doesn't have to look like what everybody else is doing. Um, yeah, that's where that's how I feel about that anyway, Nicole.

SPEAKER_00 26:40

It's absolutely true, and I think when you get to I don't even think it's an age, when you get to a certain point, and I think it arrives with all of us, um, where you just think I'm gonna stop comparing, I'm gonna stop competing, I'm gonna stop all of those things, I'm gonna, you know, not show up as much potentially, because I'm just want to be in my own lane, in my own world, doing my own thing happily. And that word is on this podcast series all three seasons, happy joy. Um, it gets used so much because it's so true for everybody that has reached that point and pivoted into their next spotlight, into their next evolution, into their next chapter, and they're just doing it with joy. And you're absolutely right. Um, to to pause and change and grow is a beautiful place to be, but it's it can feel scary. And on that note of feeling scary, um, what would be the first steps that you would tell any performer? We're taking them right back, um, before they pivot, before they grow, before they change direction, um, because we are often caught in comfort. Um, and we've just discussed how stepping past that and into that next chapter can feel scary. What are the first maybe mindset things or or or people they should surround themselves? I don't know, I don't want to put words in your mouth. What should that performer that's on that verge of pivoting be doing or thinking?

SPEAKER_01 28:07

Yeah, I think if you feel like there is that desire to move into you know a slightly different area of whatever is that you might be interested in, you owe it to yourself to explore what that might be. Um, because you don't want to regret not, you know, investigating whatever it might be that you, you know, you want to do. Um, and alongside that, I think, you know, collaboration is always so, you know, so valuable. And we talk about this all the time, don't we, Nicole? You know, it's so, so valuable. So I think, you know, surrounding yourself, you know, being in a community with other um like-minded, you know, um individuals is always brilliant. Um and also it's nice to be amongst people who maybe have transitioned, maybe out of performance into something else, um, to sort of see, you know, what they're doing, where they're going, how they're feeling, it's reassuring as well, I think, to know that you're not on your own. Because I think that you can feel quite isolated sometimes in our industry. Um, but I think sort of once you find, you know, your people and you feel that that support and you have people cheering you on and you know, sharing knowledge, um, experience, um, it it will definitely make things a lot easier. So I think for anybody who is thinking, oh, you know, let's say move into teaching, since that's my my world, you know, explore that desire a bit more. Um, you know, even though do your your online searches, you know, check out some magazines, you know, look at the you know, teaching faculties, etc., um, the associations, um, but also, you know, like you know, the group, you know, be amongst other people who are in that similar space because you won't be the only one feeling like it, although you might feel like it at the time.

SPEAKER_00 29:48

And just going solo is you know something that we've all done in the past, and and many people listening will be there right now doing it all alone. Um, but as you can hear from Victoria and I's conversation, like we absolutely um put collaboration and community first, like that's part of my success. Um, and I openly write about that in my books, in my blogs, in my, you know, come and join us. You have a community for dance school owners specifically, so do talk to us about um that, and then I'll talk to you about listeners performerpreneur because it might be that you want dance school-specific community, or you might choose to be surrounded by industry professionals who have pivoted in different ways, and again, it's all really individual, and there's no competition here. Um, and that that's part of my ethos to show whoever needs it all the different avenues, all the different options because it's it's nuanced and it's individual. So, talk to us about your community, Victoria.

SPEAKER_01 30:47

So, um yeah, so I'm business coaching for dance school owners, um, and my my main focus is sort of how we can make things work in a more sort of family-friendly way. Um, so um you I hang out mainly on Instagram um at Dance Boss Coach. Um, so you can come and say hello to me over there. Um I work on a one-to-one basis with clients, got some lovely dance um dance school owners and dance teachers that um I work with um who are all at very different stages in business, which is I which I love. Um, but we also um my signature group programme is launching again for this summer. Um so um this is where I bring a community of dance school owners together, and we keep the group quite small so that it's very um individual attention. Um there's a lot of accountability business trainings, we work on your growth, we've got a WhatsApp group, um and so I'll you know check in there all the time and see how you know everyone's getting on and support you with any um you know difficulties you might be having or next steps who just need need advice, and also um it's just really nice just to be amongst other you know um uh dance school owners who are experiencing similar challenges, like we said, you know, just sort of just to be able to relate to people who know what it is that you're you're experiencing right now, or might have some suggestions or ideas on um, you know, whatever it is that you're you know you're working on at the time. Um so yeah, so um yeah, come and find me over on Instagram at dance bosscoach and them and we can connect and have a chat and catch up.

SPEAKER_00 32:21

Absolutely, and you absolutely should. If that sounds like something that you need, that program, that group program that Victoria does has huge success. You're gonna make friends in the industry, lifelong friends, who just get it. And like you said, Victoria, people slightly ahead, some people slightly behind. Um, it's really no, you know, no race in business at all, but that community, that support, that's gonna get you to that next step, your next stepping stone, your next success. Um, and in terms of perform apreneur, we have the pivot support group, we have the associates, so that you can pick, hand pick who you want advice from, who you want to go listen to and find more on social media. That is absolutely integral to growth, to success, to succeeding. Um, not just hearing one voice in in one opinion, one direction, um, and that's really important to me. And equally, why I created Performapreneur the Collective, which has a variety of business owners, all with past performing experience and careers and industry, love and knowledge, because again, some people might feel that they don't want to have the opinion of all of the same um avenue of development and want to hear views and things from other people, so it's also individual. Um, so please do find the performerpreneur associate that works for you, or come and join a whole group of us over in the Performapreneur Collective. The choice is absolutely yours. Um, and Victoria, I'm gonna fire some quick questions at you. Um the best piece of career advice you've ever received, something that stands out to you.

SPEAKER_01 34:02

Oh my goodness. Okay, this was actually very, very early days for me when I first started out, and it was um a dance school owner. Um, I used to freelance for her. Um, and I think I was helping her out with her very first production, and I was just blown away by how she was just bringing this all together. And I said to her, how how do you do it? And she said, Victoria, delegate, delegate, delegate, delegate. And that that did stay with me. Um, so that in terms of yeah, business, delegation is definitely key.

SPEAKER_00 34:38

So what things would, I'm gonna go off piece now, what things would you delegate first? What do you delegate?

SPEAKER_01 34:45

What do I delegate first? So um, so in terms of in on the admin side of things, I will go through my inbox and I will and I will look at what I can hand over straight away and I will slide it straight over to my office manager. Um so any um inquiries I can send over straight away, um, invoicing, anything like that's really, really handy. Um anything that doesn't need need me is just the the easiest thing to sit to delegate, which is what I normally do.

SPEAKER_00 35:13

Yeah, no, great advice because bluming heck, those inboxes, you should see mine, it's full. Um okay, so transferable skills performers underestimate.

SPEAKER_01 35:25

Oh, oh, these are good questions. Um discipline, definitely. Like I yeah, the discipline um and work ethic, like performers, they work hard. Like we know how hard we have to work from our training, you know, in performance. Um, that always really stands out to me in terms of like my recruitment. You know, I can really see that. So, yeah, discipline, work ethic. Um, also just that those interpersonal sort of you know, just communication skills, you know, dealing with you know, members of the public, just how we speak to each other. Um, you know, it's just always like really, really great as well. Um, and actually also organization, you know, we know, I mean, we know how to be organized, and and that is so, so, so good and useful. Um, yeah, whatever role you end up doing.

SPEAKER_00 36:22

I love that. Um, performers make the best entrepreneurs. It's an opinion, I it's my opinion, but I absolutely stand by it because of these skills that we have from our training and our performance careers. Um, one business habit that changed everything for you.

SPEAKER_01 36:38

Um, so for me, I now I'm so I'm very um strict with myself on what I delegate my time to, and I even set an alarm on my phone. So I will write, I'm gonna do my emails, I'll set my alarm for an hour, and I just go hard on those emails, and then I move on to the next thing. Right, I'm going to work on, let's say I've got my summer school coming up, so we've just been working on that at the moment, right? 40 minutes, set the timer, go. Because otherwise, it's very easy just to get lost, and before you know it, you've spent a whole day doing emails or and then you feel like you haven't really done anything else. So for me, chunking my time and being really disciplined with it, and I absolutely genuinely do that. Um, and I'm trying to convince my husband to do the same thing, but he's not on board with that yes.

SPEAKER_00 37:21

I feel like the time pressure is is um helpful, yeah. The the opposite way that I do that is just don't start it until 15 minutes towards having to go on the school run, and then I'm like gotta get it done, and it gets done. Um, but yes, great tips, time blocking and setting an alarm and and being really dedicated to that time.

SPEAKER_01 37:42

Also, sorry, just off of that as well, also just um being aware of maybe when you you're feeling most productive in yourself as well. So I'm definitely more of a morning girl, so anything that requires more brain power, I tend to you know go on that in the mornings and then sort of like the easier stuff, I'll go sort of take that into the afternoon or the evening. It doesn't always work out like that, but that's what I tend to aim for as well. So that helps me as well. 100%.

SPEAKER_00 38:08

Um, you do have a very long career, 20 years, we've heard, with your dance school. Um, so it'll be really hard for you to pick, but I'm gonna ask you anyway. Um, a real standout memory from that journey.

SPEAKER_01 38:21

Oh my goodness, from my journey, standout memory. Oh my gosh. I think at the moment, just the most recent show has just still like is just at the forefront of my mind. Um, and I think something I said this to a parent actually the other day that was a real personal win for me, is um her daughter was very, very anxious in the beginning about you know, the thought of her ever performing was just you know, and she got on that stage, and we were so proud of her because obviously, you know, every child you know it takes a lot to get on there, but I knew how much that meant to her, and she did it, and it was just amazing to see, you know, you're just so invested in these children, um, and the that we were saying, that passion that we have for what we do, you know. I have that passion for the performing arts and for dance, but I have but I think my real passion is about the impact that can have on a young person's life. Like it is it's just it's it's quite remarkable. Um, and that so I think I don't know, I I don't think I can choose just one, but I think it's just seeing these like young children that just grow up, you know, from four to 19 years of age. I don't know where the time goes, it goes so fast, it breaks my heart when they when they fly the nest, but just seeing that their personal growth is just um oh yeah, I nothing beats it. I love it, I love it.

SPEAKER_00 39:55

It gave me goosebimbbles because I can I can completely imagine that child and that parent being a parent myself now, just knowing that you have encouraged them and got them to that point of of confidence to step on that stage. Um, and you said, you know, these children have grown up with you for right through to 19, um, and you've nurtured them and got them to where they want to be. If you could say to that 19-year-old that's left, presumably you've had a few leave this year, um, what would your advice be to them?

SPEAKER_01 40:26

Um, my advice would be don't doubt yourself. You need to have that self-belief and stop giving yourself a hard time because I think we can be very, very critical of ourselves, I think, as dancers as well. And I think that explore what those opportunities might be. You know, if you have that desire to explore something, you owe it to yourself to go and find out what it is and give it a jolly good try.

SPEAKER_00 40:54

Yes, yes, yes, yes. It's true. Um, and so many of us think that we have to do and be a certain way in our industry, and we're here, the performerpreneur community, trying to debunk that that myth, trying to change that narrative, um, shine a light on all the different options and um and present all the different people that can support you with all of those different avenues and options. And um, hopefully, listeners, you have enjoyed. I mean, I I I know for a fact you will have, I can't doubt it. You've enjoyed this conversation, Victoria. If you want to reach out to her, you can go through her socials, like she said in the episode, check out the links below in the show notes, pop over to the Performapreneur website, click on the Associates tab, and there is Victoria and all the other associates um there for you to click on, and I will personally introduce you and get that ball rolling for you so you don't even have to worry about what you're gonna say and what you're gonna do. I will connect you and do that for you if that's what you prefer. And we do have question and answer sessions um for the podcast coming up. We do need a few more QA's, people, so please do drop into our inbox and ask us some questions because I can, you know, I can ask questions till the cows come home. But what's gonna be really impactful is if we get those listener questions in that we can that we can unpick and deliver the response for in the QA episodes. Victoria, it's always a pleasure. I'll see you in the associate um call tomorrow online. This will be out into the big bad world soon, and hopefully, we'll get lots of loves, likes, shares, um, and requests for some answers to some very important, nuanced dance school questions.

SPEAKER_01 42:35

Thank you so much for having me. It's been so nice chatting this morning. Thank you. Big love. Take care.

SPEAKER_00 42:42

If you've ever found yourself wondering what does life look like beyond the stage door, or could I really do and be something more? Then this best-selling book, Spotlight on Success, is the big, bold yes and guiding light you've been looking for. Packed with insight, experience, and entrepreneurial spirit, this collaboration features 14 inspiring stories from performers who have successfully pivoted their careers, turning uncertainty into opportunity. The Spotlight on Success book is guaranteed to inspire you, stretch your thinking and strengthen your belief, ready to expand your vision and life beyond the stage. You'll find all the details to grab your copy in the show notes below.