After eight incredible years owning my dance studio in Chicago, the spring of this year marked a significant transition as I sold the business. Today, I want to share the story behind this journey – from the initial dream (that wasn’t really a dream!), through the exhilarating highs and challenging lows of studio ownership, to the decision to sell and the exciting pivot into running Resourceful Dance. Consider this your fair warning: I tend to be thorough, so this might be a longer read!
The truth is, owning a dance studio was never a childhood aspiration. It wasn’t on my radar of “grown-up” ambitions. I was far too engrossed in my own dancing, finding it hard to imagine shifting focus from my personal artistic goals to nurturing the growth of others. Becoming a professional dancer wasn’t exactly a meticulously planned career path either; it was simply a passion I wasn’t ready to relinquish as I transitioned from college and beyond. College dance was amazing. I loved the structure, the predictability, and the direct correlation between hard work and visible progress. Three hours of technique daily, followed by rehearsals? Bring it on! I thrived in that demanding yet rewarding environment.
The transition into the professional dance world, however, proved to be a rude awakening. Moving to NYC post-college, I had a plan, but my vision lacked the necessary clarity and definition. I auditioned – relentlessly. Broadway, modern, major companies, smaller troupes, projects, commercial gigs – the list goes on. Rejection became the norm. While I secured a scholarship with a mid-sized modern company and work-study at Steps, discouragement soon set in. It was my first real exposure to the inherent unfairness of the world, the realization that life isn’t always a simple equation of effort equals success.
Despite my years there not unfolding as envisioned, I remain grateful for my time in New York. If you can navigate the complexities of NYC, you can arguably succeed anywhere. The city pulsates with inspiring individuals and relentless ambition. My New York chapter taught me the invaluable lesson of embracing risk. I also came to understand that while my love for dance burned bright, navigating the cutthroat professional dance scene wasn’t my passion. Your self-worth can easily become entangled with your performance in ballet class. This formative experience profoundly shaped who I am today and, in retrospect, was excellent preparation for the rollercoaster ride of entrepreneurship!
Returning home to Chicago after two years in the NYC whirlwind was a breath of fresh air. Chicago offered the comfort of family and a strong network of friends. The dance scene here felt more accessible, more welcoming. Living at home allowed me to audition and strategically plan how to build a sustainable life as a dancer. Teaching naturally became part of the equation, as it does for many aspiring dancers in Chicago. The common rhythm involved daytime auditions and classes, followed by evening commutes to suburban studios to teach. For two years, I navigated this routine, working at various studios while diligently pursuing my own dance career – classes, rehearsals, and performances with several mid-sized companies filled my schedule.
Then came the conversation that shifted everything. One day after teaching, the studio owner I was working for casually mentioned she was considering selling her business. She didn’t think I’d be interested, assuming I was immersed in my performance career. She was mainly asking if I knew of any studios looking to expand. Looking back, I think she was subtly hinting at the studio’s precarious future – sell, or possibly close. Job security alarm bells started ringing! I sensed her eagerness to exit and gleaned her bottom-line price – information she likely wouldn’t have disclosed had she known of my burgeoning interest.
Almost instantly, a spark ignited within me. Owning a studio wasn’t a lifelong dream, but in that moment, it felt like destiny. I was feeling a growing dissatisfaction with the unpredictable “starving artist” lifestyle, and this felt like a viable, exciting solution.
I could consolidate my teaching to one location (goodbye, suburban studio hopping!), potentially earn significantly more, and still nurture my own dance aspirations during the day. How difficult could it truly be?
If you’re a studio owner, you’re already chuckling at my naiveté. Hard. It was incredibly, unexpectedly hard. At 24, I became a dance studio owner, and the first year was a humbling crash course in reality. I wrestled with insecurities about my vision for the studio’s direction and was acutely sensitive to the existing community’s feelings about the change in ownership. The previous owner didn’t exactly smooth the transition – a mere three months after the sale, she joined a competitor and actively started poaching her former students. It took about three years for the dust to settle, for me to truly find my footing and confidence in what I was building. Slowly but surely, growth began.
In those early years, I was the quintessential one-woman show. Teaching the majority of classes, cleaning studios, managing the books, handling marketing, and answering every single email. The sheer volume of tasks didn’t even register as unusual; I had the time, and truthfully, I derived a certain satisfaction from being in control of every aspect. This system, chaotic as it was, functioned… until I had my first child. Thankfully, this pivotal life event coincided with my sister, Colleen, joining the studio. With her background in wholesale bakery operations, she possessed the organizational magic to transform my “systems” (which largely consisted of sticky notes and mental checklists) into actual, efficient processes. Her contributions revolutionized our daily studio life.
Prioritizing time at home with my daughter was paramount. The thought of juggling newborn life with a five-day-a-week teaching schedule felt impossible. After her birth, I scaled back my studio presence to just two evenings a week. Initially, the schedule change caused some ripples. Parents voiced concerns about my reduced teaching load and anxieties about studio operations in my absence. But you know what happened when the school year commenced? Absolutely nothing! Ha!
In the lead-up to that year, we had diligently worked to streamline operations. Simple yet effective tools like a cleaning schedule, a phone log, and a daily task list were implemented. These seemingly small changes empowered our staff and reassured our clients. Our customers gradually learned that most inquiries didn’t require my direct intervention; our capable office staff and teachers could handle the majority of situations. We ensured our team was well-informed and empowered to take initiative and solve problems independently. Crucially, I learned to trust my staff and have genuine confidence in their abilities.
A vibrant dance studio space in Chicago, equipped for a variety of dance styles.
Unknowingly, we were laying the foundation for Resourceful Dance during this period of operational refinement.
Fast forward a few more years. Colleen and I both navigated the joys and challenges of raising young children, and I found myself pregnant with my second. Then, life threw another curveball: after a period of unemployment, my husband received a compelling job offer… in Omaha. Staying in Chicago and living with my parents while he took the job and continued his Chicago job search was a logistical option, but felt fundamentally wrong for our family unit.
Reluctantly, I decided to move. I knew my teaching schedule would be minimal that fall with another newborn on the way, and I had faith in the studio’s robust systems to weather this transition. It wasn’t easy, and I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this long-distance ownership model, but the studio continued to operate smoothly. Colleen held down the fort three nights a week, and we doubled down on refining systems to prevent anything from slipping through the cracks. I traveled back to Chicago roughly every six weeks, and remarkably, many of our studio families remained unaware of my out-of-state residency.
Initially, I viewed being away as temporary – a year, maybe two at most. While I cherished being home with my children, a nagging feeling of missing out on the fulfilling aspects of studio ownership began to creep in. I found myself increasingly bogged down in the less glamorous, behind-the-scenes tasks. We also started to feel the repercussions of neglecting marketing efforts for a couple of years. Operations were streamlined, but time-consuming marketing initiatives took a backseat to urgent daily tasks.
Our website, Facebook presence, community event participation, and launching new programs – all crucial for sustained growth – were consistently pushed aside due to limited time and bandwidth. These activities, often harder to delegate as they don’t yield immediate revenue, require consistent effort and patience. In the short term, their impact can feel negligible, contributing to a sense of overwhelm. I completely understand that feeling!
About halfway through my second year in Omaha, my husband received an enticing opportunity: a three-year position in Washington D.C. It was a fantastic career move for him.
This new development forced a critical decision point. My options, as I saw them, were: 1) continue running the studio remotely from D.C., 2) move back to Chicago, or 3) sell my beloved dance studio. Returning to Chicago meant resuming a five-day teaching week and, crucially, dedicating even MORE time to marketing to revitalize the studio’s growth trajectory.
Option two would also necessitate my husband forgoing a significant career opportunity and re-entering the challenging Chicago job market in his specialized field. Practically, it would mean our family moving in with my parents until he secured employment. Moving to D.C. and continuing remote ownership would place even greater pressure on Colleen, who would be managing the studio with even less direct support from me (visits would decrease to 2-3 times a year). And importantly, at this juncture, she was pregnant with her second child.
Collaborative studio management: Two women reviewing data and planning strategies on a laptop in a dance studio setting.
After countless tearful moments and heart-to-heart conversations, I listened to my gut and decided to sell my dance studio in Chicago.
Verbalizing that decision was incredibly difficult, but the moment the words left my mouth, a wave of profound relief washed over me.
Had my children been older, had Colleen’s children been older, had my husband’s career path been different… perhaps I would have chosen a different route. But given our current life circumstances, selling felt like the most sensible, balanced choice. I had always operated under the assumption that studio ownership was a lifelong commitment, feeling somewhat trapped by that self-imposed obligation. Realizing I wasn’t bound to this path, that I had the agency to make a significant change, was incredibly liberating.
The transition unfolded more smoothly than I could have ever hoped. My first step was approaching my teachers. One teacher responded with an almost immediate “yes!” He had been contemplating his next career move, seeking an opportunity to build something of his own – and my call came at the perfect time. The handover was seamless. I braced myself for potential “drama,” but it never materialized. We announced the transition to our studio families before my final recital, ensuring both the new owner and I were available to address any concerns and reassure the community. Colleen and I became, and continue to be, his biggest supporters, feeling genuinely blessed to witness our dancers’ continued growth and development under his leadership.
The operational groundwork we laid when I first had my daughter, and further refined when I moved to Omaha, undeniably strengthened my business. We had created a business that was “sell-able.” While I’d like to believe I’m indispensable, for the long-term health of your business, you must set ego aside and ensure it can function independently of your constant presence. Investing time in establishing robust systems provides you with options when life inevitably throws curveballs. If I had remained on the path of doing everything myself, being the sole point of contact for all students and parents, selling my business would have been an impossibility.
Emotionally, selling was tough. Colleen and I shed many tears. But deep down, I knew it was the right decision. Reflecting on the past few years, I’m only now beginning to grasp the weight of stress I had been carrying. I’ve also been reassessing my ambitious to-do lists, realizing how overly ambitious I consistently was. I never allocated sufficient time or space for crucial marketing initiatives and spent far too much time on tasks I actively disliked (bookkeeping, I’m looking at you!). The years Colleen and I worked physically side-by-side were, without a doubt, the most fulfilling – the power of shared support cannot be overstated.
Sisters and business partners: Two smiling women collaborating in their dance studio office, symbolizing teamwork and support.
Through Resourceful Dance, Colleen and I aspire to be that essential support system for you and your studio.
Our mission is to help you objectively assess your studio, identify areas for improvement, and implement strategies to secure a thriving future.
I feel incredibly positive about my current path and am genuinely excited about the launch of Resourceful Dance. Colleen and I are confident that a real need exists for the resources and support we offer… because WE desperately needed it ourselves! We understand the unique struggles, the unwavering passion, and the complex emotions inherent in dance studio ownership. Most importantly, we understand the profound need for reliable support. I am genuinely eager to connect with YOU and YOUR business and embark on this journey together.
