I must confess, my travels through Europe have truly broadened my perspective. My wife, Tiffany, and I embarked on a “trip of a lifetime” this summer, a well-deserved break after another demanding season managing our seven dance studios. Currently exploring Scotland, I’ve reconnected with my heritage, discovering aspects I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
The Scottish are renowned for their frugality, and their proverbs, which I’ve enthusiastically shared with my wife and children for years, sometimes to their dismay. The saying that particularly amuses them is, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” I often find myself proclaiming this, usually directed towards the upstairs of our house, whenever I notice hallway lights left blazing – again. It irks me, and in turn, it probably irritates them.
Another favorite adage I frequently use is, “waste not, want not,” emphasizing the importance of resourcefulness to avoid future scarcity.
And yes, I admit, I also say “calm down” quite a lot. It’s a phrase that can be grating, I know, but maintaining equilibrium while running dance studios can be challenging.
A typical morning at our home, as the kids prepare for school, often unfolds like this:
Me: Lights off! A penny saved is a penny earned!
Kids: Ugh!
Tiffany: Eyes rolling
Me: Seriously! Waste not, want not.
Kids: Gaw! Jeez! Ugh!
Me: Calm down! Turn off the lights! And check your bathroom and fans!
Tiffany: Ugh!
You might be wondering what Scottish proverbs have to do with dance studios. Let me explain. For fifteen years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to building our dance studios and nurturing our customer base. We’ve poured in hard work, achieved success, and now, we aim to share our insights with the dance community we deeply value.
Lying awake one jet-lagged night, unable to sleep, it struck me how profoundly these proverbs, “waste not, want not” and “a penny saved is a penny earned,” apply to dance studio ownership. The summer months, particularly July and August, represent a critical period—a potential “death zone” for studio finances. Cash flow can dwindle, and if reserves aren’t in place, the repercussions can extend into November, as student enrollment typically peaks later in the year, around December or January.
I’ll soon share a strategy to generate income without incurring expenses, but first, I want to address another vital, though somewhat delicate, aspect of dance studio life. As a man, it’s not always comfortable for me to discuss this, yet I’m constantly surrounded by women and female dancers. Growing up with three sisters and no brothers, and now married to Tiffany, who adeptly educates me on “women’s issues,” and leading a team of 50 female dance instructors and a predominantly female staff at CostumeManager.com, I’ve gained valuable insights.
I’ve observed that women are often natural pleasers, frequently making decisions with a strong consideration for how others will perceive them. I often hear Tiffany and her instructors pondering the reception of new policies or programs, phrases like, “Oh, THEY will LIKE that,” or “Ew, THEY won’t like that,” are common in our discussions. This brings me to what I consider the “dirtiest word” in the dance industry. Can you guess it?
Before revealing it, let’s delve deeper into “THEY.” When Tiffany or her instructors say “THEY,” who are they really referring to? Imagine your studio has 200 students, and you’re considering a modest $2 increase in recital ticket prices. The thought, “Ew, THEY won’t like that,” might arise. But who are “THEY” precisely? In my experience, “THEY” often represents the vocal minority—the 2% of your clientele who seem predisposed to complain, regardless of your decisions. Yes, increasing ticket prices by $2 (less than half the cost of a Starbucks latte) might indeed upset approximately 2% of your 200 customers – about four individuals. They might express their displeasure, perhaps even consider leaving. However, the vast majority, 196 customers, likely won’t be significantly bothered, and this small adjustment could generate an additional $2,000* in revenue to help cover August rent.
*Calculation: 200 students x estimated 5 tickets per dancer = 1,000 tickets. 1,000 tickets x $2 increase = $2,000.
Have you guessed the “dirty word” yet?
Let’s consider another scenario. Imagine those 200 dancers at your studio, many away for summer, with class attendance lower than usual. Cash flow might be tight. However, these dancers will return in August or September, needing new dancewear—shoes, tights, leotards, skirts, warm-ups. This presents a clear win-win opportunity.
The “dirty word” is… “Mandatory Dress Code.” Wait! Before you dismiss it with an “Ew, THEY won’t like that,” hear me out. Picture a mother enrolling her four-year-old daughter in her first ballet class, a dream come true. What image does she envision? Most likely, she imagines a ballet class with dancers in classic black or pink leotards, pink tights, ballet shoes, hair neatly in buns, guided by a professional instructor. She’s unlikely to picture a disorganized class with an instructor in sweatpants, latte in hand, surrounded by children in mismatched attire.
Certainly, a small percentage, perhaps 2-5%, of your customers might resist a dress code—some people simply resist any change. However, the overwhelming majority, around 96%, will likely accept it without issue. Implementing a dress code elevates your studio’s reputation, projecting professionalism and seriousness—qualities parents value when entrusting you with their children.
Now, for the dance industry’s “dirtiest word.” Brace yourselves! It’s P-R-O-F-I-T.
Before I share how to boost your PROFIT, let’s examine two fundamental pillars of a successful dance studio:
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Profit: Many studio owners associate profit with a perceived disregard for dancers’ and parents’ feelings. They feel uncomfortable “making money” from children’s activities, grappling with internal conflicts and external perceptions. This is understandable, given that many children’s activities, like soccer, community programs, and public schools, are often non-profit, minimizing parental costs. However, as a studio owner, you operate in the business world, bearing the financial risks of your venture. Profit is not just desirable; it’s essential. It enables you to compensate yourself and your staff, cover utilities, marketing, and rent. Without profit, your studio isn’t a sustainable business, and ultimately, it will fail. Embrace your role as a business owner, employer, and landlord tenant, and prioritize profit to ensure your studio’s longevity.
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Your Vision: Your vision is your unique compass, guiding every decision for your studio. It encompasses exceptional training, a compelling curriculum, inspiring choreography, and unwavering passion. Your vision becomes the bedrock of your studio. For instance, Tiffany’s vision is to cultivate dancers through a rigorous “triple-track program,” preparing them for any audition post-high school. This involves intensive ballet training (5+ hours weekly) alongside jazz, tap, and even hip-hop. Her focus is on producing versatile, employable dancers, and she remains committed to this vision whether she has 500 students or just one. This unwavering philosophy has propelled her to an enrollment exceeding 4,000 across seven studios. When people resonate with your vision, they will flock to your studio.
Notice how PROFIT remains central, even with a compelling vision. Even the most brilliant vision requires financial sustainability to thrive.
Here’s a practical, cost-free method to increase your profit. You can generate significant revenue (around $100 profit per student per class per season) from dress code items without investing in inventory or managing an in-studio boutique. Remember, “waste not, want not.” For a studio with 200 students, this translates to a potential $20,000 increase in PROFIT per season.
Implement a mandatory dress code through an online service. Explore these reputable companies and make a decision today:
Storefront by CostumeManager.com
Discount Dance Supply’s Dance Teacher Program
Revolution Tap Tap – Coming Soon
Full transparency: I founded CostumeManager.com in 2007, driven by a desire to simplify operations and enhance profitability for studio owners and instructors like Tiffany.
Wishing you a successful and PROFITABLE summer!
Paul Henderson
Dance studio interior with ballet barres and mirrors, representing a professional dance environment.
About Paul Henderson Paul Henderson is a seasoned expert in administrative technologies for the dance industry, boasting nearly three decades of experience. His background includes elite gymnast and dancer sisters, and a mother who owned both a dance studio and a dancewear store. Paul managed the dancewear store before relocating to the San Francisco Bay Area. He and Tiffany are the owners and operators of Twinkle Star Dance™ (http://www.TwinkleStarDance.com), an online choreography and curriculum system for recreational dancers aged 2-11; seven thriving dance studios in Northern California (www.tiffanydance.com), and one in Southern California. Tiffany’s Dance Academy, with over 4,500 annual enrollments, inspired Paul to develop automated solutions for the time-consuming daily business tasks faced by studio owners and instructors. Paul’s mission is to streamline the business aspects of dance studios, allowing Tiffany and other educators to dedicate more time to their passion: teaching and fostering the love of Dance In Studios. He pioneered online registration and automated monthly tuition payments eight years ago, and his most revolutionary innovation remains CostumeManager.com (http://www.CostumeManager.com), a web-based application.
About CostumeManager.com For the past six years, Paul Henderson has diligently partnered with leading costume and dancewear manufacturers to consolidate their catalogs into a unified, searchable platform. These relationships have been pivotal to CostumeManager.com’s success, benefiting studios across the US and Canada. This platform empowers studio owners to simultaneously browse multiple catalogs, assign preferred items to specific dance classes, set profit margins, create online stores, or generate color worksheets for dancers detailing how to order required or optional items online or via phone. Dancers securely purchase items online, and CostumeManager.com manages ordering, receiving, sorting, and shipping individually packaged items directly to the studio. The studio owner receives their commission check, distributes the packaged goods, and returns to focusing on dance education. CostumeManager.com alleviates 90% of the labor and stress associated with costume and dancewear distribution, while preserving, or even enhancing, profit margins for studios dedicated to providing exceptional dance experiences in studios.
To connect with Paul Henderson and CostumeManager, visit www.CostumeManager.com, www.TwinkleStarDance.com, or www.TiffanyDance.com.
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