Unknown Speaker 0:00
Hello everybody, Nathan here just a little footnote before today's episode, the audio quality I had to use the backup audio on this episode as the original audio had some issues, so you'll just have to excuse the slightly poorer than usual quality of the episode but as always, it was absolute gold with Beck and Amanda on today's episode and the in person. Podcasts are always just a little bit extra special. So, rather than trying to rerecord and recapture the magic, I decided to push ahead with today's episode as well as because there was so much gold in there. Hope you enjoy today's episode with Becca and Amanda.
Unknown Speaker 0:40
Hello friends, I'm Amanda bar. And I'm Rebecca Lu Brennan and welcome to Dance principles united the podcast. Together we are passionate about helping studio owners with the business of running their studio. Join us as we talk everything from marketing systems studio culture, motherhood, life and everything in between. This is the dance principles United podcast.
Unknown Speaker 1:06
Hey friends, and welcome to this principle desire podcast. I am so excited to be here actually with you in person out that is incredible. That we have if you guys follow us on Instagram, make sure you check it out or on YouTube because learning how to cook eggs. It's not it's not living in the city, things that you can do when you're down the south coast. Right? You should absolutely be where we've been together for the weekend, doing a big planning weekend, which we really want to do to reflect on our business adapt principles united. And we find it really, really valuable. We've been going through what we're doing well, and what we need to improve on our goals. All those things are over the weekend, you know, because I mean, so important to remove yourself sometimes from your business, to be able to look at that big picture stuff. Yeah, we wanted to chat to you guys today about the importance of brainstorming in and around different things. And that's really what we've been doing. We've been self reflecting. And then we brainstorm on different ideas, I have to admit over a glass of champagne.
Unknown Speaker 2:10
But you know, I think that doing that in your business. And as Amanda said, taking yourself away can be such a game changer. And we are creative when we take ourselves away from the day to day, drudgery of doing everything. I think when you're looking at day to day, it's so hard, like estudios, we know what it's like, you know,
Unknown Speaker 2:30
you got to do the choreography, you've got to, you know, plan that event, that boss has the email to respond to there's all of these things. And you get so busy with the day to day work inside your studio, that sometimes it's really hard to be thinking about exciting projects for the new year. And so removing yourself from the day to day can be a really valuable tool to do that. Right? Absolutely. So the first thing that we think you need to do if you aren't doing this is self reflection, or whatever it might be, you might be self reflecting on concept. You might be self reflecting on enrollment, you might whatever it might be, it needs to be that self reflection first thing to do. Well, that's what we do. What are we crushing? What are we not crushing? And what do we need to change up to make sure we're crushing it, improving it? Absolutely. So what I've been doing at this time the year and I think it's a perfect time of the year, right, because it's a little bit quiet up, it's a good time to sort of get some things, you know, some ideas kind of going, whether they're for next year, whether they're for later in the year. But sometimes it takes us a little while to sit on some ideas to sort of get excited. So the first thing like let's talk about concept, for example, and the brainstorming that you've been doing around content. I know you're doing this with SGC members in a couple of weeks at their session, is that right? Yeah, we eat for our staff training. And I know it's going to be so powerful because I truly believe that when you bring your staff into something like this where they feel involved in the concert, they want I can do a much better job for you and two are less likely to leak because they feel like they're a part of
Unknown Speaker 4:01
me included. Yes, I think that's going to be super amazing. So the first thing that I will be getting them to do is literally about self reflection. Absolutely. What happened, what didn't happen, and it's good. They're the ones backstage most of the time anyway, so they'll know what they're doing and what they're not doing. Right. Yeah, absolutely. And so I think that's a really valuable thing. So I've been looking at all the different parts of the content experience, breaking them down into different sections in different parts, so that you can really, you know, make sure you self reflect and brainstorm on each section. So let's talk about the different sections. You know, number one I'd be doing, you know, the backstage. Yep. How was it for the kid for the board? Were they excited to be backstage? How's the management? How are the quick changes, all of that kind of stuff? I'd be looking at that. I then be looking at, you know, the dropping off. You know what I mean? sign in, sign out whatever you're doing around that. But that drop off and what it's like from the parents perspective. Yes. That's the
Unknown Speaker 5:00
parent's perspective. Yes, I'm quickly going to go off on a tangent here. But I know that when Tim and I were coming to an event, like it's a big concert event for schools, right, and it was a big game changer for me last year, actually, we're just getting tickets to the exact same event at the moment. We were running late because the parking, it took us like half an hour to park. This is the venue that I use for my constant event. And I would never ever think about that. But the parking was so crazy that it made us run late. And then we were scared that the kids would get in trouble for being late. So it's just like, I think when it's that drop off thing, you've got to think about those little moments that you just don't realise as to your own because you've been in the venue all day, and why are children turning up? How dare they turn up up? You know, so it's just your self reflection on that. So absolutely. So yeah, I'd be looking at that. I'd be looking at things like the choreography and the costumes and all of that self reflecting what did we do? Well, what didn't work? What do we need to fix? The ticket sales? The communication before him and the parents, the parents know what time they have to show up? Was there lots of questions? What was the questions, you're getting a lot more? Because you're getting a lot of questions. That's probably because you didn't communicate well enough. Right? So I've been looking through all of those kind of aspects of the concert. And, you know, reflecting to start with, and then brainstorming, how can we make it just that little bit better for this year? Yes. And I want to talk about the parent thing, because, you know, I think we forget that parents don't know what we know, and are saying to my team the other day, remember, like, why do we think it's normal for parents to know that stockings go under a leotard? Because like, seriously,
Unknown Speaker 6:39
like, if kids are at school, or you yourself like, Would you wear stockings then undies, or would you do on these third stockings? Yeah, point. Yep. I get it. So like, It's little things like that. We think. Like, oh my god, that's so he needs to put your hands on me later. Yeah.
Unknown Speaker 7:00
I never thought of that. Yeah. But like I just because my ballet teachers got really like, How dare she? Can you believe that? How embarrassing that that child came in with their stockings I rarely taught I was like,
Unknown Speaker 7:14
this logic, money. I'm not thinking about that. Like for me, like if I was wearing, let's say, a body suit, and then stockings and a skirt? Obviously, I was talking to the body suit. I would never wear stockings. I would never wear stockings without our knees. Yeah, absolutely.
Unknown Speaker 7:32
I love that
Unknown Speaker 7:34
story. Because, like, we just know that obviously, when you did the stockings go under and then up leotard on the tutu or whatever that is for a little child over the top. But yeah, the right. Why would parents know that? If you hadn't explained that? And then also, why would parents know that, you know, here has to be slipped? While the parents know that their six year old should be wearing mascara? Why would parents know? Like, they don't know those things? And we have to spoon feed them and help them to know those things. Yeah. And the education and the benefits around it too. Right? Yes, absolutely. Um, so yeah. Tickets? Absolutely. You know, like, did you create that FOMO after the ticket sales? Or did you just get there and sell the tickets two days before because you knew all about it. And that sort of stuff as well, so much to self reflect on my content? Absolutely. I you know, with an event like concert, and this can be for anything, and we're going to talk about different things as well. But I would literally be going through every kind of like facet and aspect, both the business ones, the parents view that kids view, you know, the creative view all of those things, and looking at all the different facets and kind of like self reflecting, and brainstorming, you know, we talked about getting together with your team. And I think this is a really great thing. But don't think that this isn't you can do by yourself as well. If you're a team of one, or even if it's just wants to be you like, you know, taking some time to really reflect on these holidays is a great time to do it. Or this kind of time of the year. You know, as we said we'd like to remove ourselves. We'd like to go somewhere whether that's going to your favourite coffee shop and spending a couple of hours taking yourself away for a weekend, whatever doing some journaling because I think the power of writing it down. Oh my god, I posted it. Thank you.
Unknown Speaker 9:21
So we actually like got these massive posted so you can get an office work guys. And we're sticking them up on the window and kind of brainstorming that way. But that went really well. It was fun. That was you know, writing that stuff out is really really cool. I think it's creative. Like that's important to us as well. And I think you know taking the time to write those things down, write those notes down whether that's you by the comedian or book or whatever, because we are visual people without seizures. We're visual people that's that's the reality of it. So really doing some journaling and reflecting and remember like what were you happy with? What do you need to fix and taking the time to do this? I love what you're saying about the journaling because as
Unknown Speaker 10:00
You know, I duplicated a few weeks ago. And as soon as I duplicated, they sent me a feedback form to say what they thought we did well what they thought we needed to do they knew as an adjudicator, yes, yeah. Suggestions are great their event, but they really pushed us to do it straightaway. And in the email, she said, We know after a couple of weeks, you'll forget about what the event was about. So if you could please do it now. We'd really appreciate it. I thought that was clever. And you're talking about journaling? Like, we really are studiers not saying I do this, but you know, I do need to do it. Yeah, probably the day after an event should actually sit down and write down. Here's what I did. Well, here's what we needed to work on. Here's where things were perfect. Because it's self reflecting on the content a year ago, you got to really think about that. What happens in a year, right? In six months, or Absolutely, it's not too late. But it's even better to do it on the day, I try to do it my notes app as I go on the day smart. So like, Expo, I was writing things in our notes. I went because I you know things like next year, make sure I do this next year, make sure I did it. Yeah, yeah. Because otherwise, as I said, you forget, so you know, really taking the time out with yourself or your team to, you know, do things. The other thing I'd be doing at this time of the year, which I think can be really, really valuable. Is you know, self reflecting on your timetable. Yes. Because this time of the year, it's kind of like, hey, you know, look, you know, the hip hop class on a Wednesday night isn't working. And it's not working, because they're only holding the one class, they're not doing back to back. Why is that? Is that? Because I've put two next to each other that don't quite work? Is it? Because I've done it a little bit too late? What do I need to do next year to make that timetable better? Well, I know the biggest game changer for me was when you said to me because I was struggling with timetable one year. And you said, Throw that away. Forget about your teachers for a second and write a timetable that would be best for parents and for your class placement. Yes, that was a game changer. Because we've been putting three classes together that should go together. And then all of your students are doing those three classes. Now that is a huge, I mean, first licences were on it. Absolutely, absolutely. And so looking at that, at the moment is a really great thing to do. And look, obviously, we know that you do have to take in a little bit of teacher availability and all of that, but at this time of the year, you don't know that. So you can really sort of start to plan. Your perfect timetable is does that look like that all of your kids have three classes that they could do back to back on one night, you know, what is it for you and like self reflecting on what's working and what's not working at the moment. And making some notes of that, as you sort of start to get towards that time as we get towards the end of the year when it starts getting crazy right as well. And you start planning your timetable, you start talking to your teachers, you start doing all those things. If you already have spent the time reflecting now I know what perfectly would be how much easier is that then manifest that for next year? Yeah. I love that. Last thing we think you should be self reflecting on right now is re enrollment? Absolutely. Because it gets so crazy. Like, you know, I know people that they're elected. It's only halfway through the year, I can't believe you're talking about re enrollment already. But we know how quickly that comes around. So here it is like yeah, you know, things just go so quick, and self reflecting on that. Now thinking about the unknown. Do you think that's something? Absolutely, I'd be looking at that and how you did it? If you did it? Well, if you created enough FOMO if you know you really got the people in like, there's, look, there's a whole heap of things I'd also be doing, I'd be looking at exams and contents at the moment. Yep. You know, I think that's a really great thing. Because, you know, as emotive business owners, we sometimes need a little bit of time to sit with ourselves. We're all very emotional studios, like, you know, our studios, our baby, I get that. And sometimes we really need a bit of time to sit with the decisions. So you know, thinking now about the changes you want to make to your comp teams, or how you run your exams, or any of that kind of stuff. It's a really great time, while you've kind of got the bandwidth at the moment, to be thinking about it and start getting ready. You know, do you want to change and offer more styles or separate the classes out or, you know, have more minimum requirements or less minimum requirements? Or, you know, do you want to combine eight and 10 so that it's a bigger group next year, like all of that kind of stuff. It's a great time to kind of be thinking about that now and brainstorming those changes. Do you want to put your feet up? Do you?
Unknown Speaker 14:30
There's so many things that we know, you know, sometimes theories also overthink it and think that all these parents are gonna get so upset about it, and it's gonna be and you always do have one or two cranky pants. We know that for sure. But it's how you sell it to people. Right? Yeah. Benefit driven, always benefit. Yeah, and yeah, it's funny. We've been talking to a couple of SGC members in the last few weeks. We're planning now their changes for next year in terms of fees, you know, like
Unknown Speaker 15:00
Yeah, we have a few of them, you know, putting their fees up taking away like, you know, sibling discounts or something like that, you know, adding like a comp levy or, you know, uniform deposit or costume deposit, you know, things like that.
Unknown Speaker 15:17
And sort of like planning that now for how they're going to change it the direct debit thing as well, rather than it be, you know, making those decisions for the big decisions. In the middle of consequence, Enos, you know, if you can really sort of start to plan some of those decisions now, so that you can sit with it, and make sure it's the right decision for your business. And then when you're ready to sort of announce it in November, December object, whatever that is for you, January, it's ready to go. And you're really comfortable with that decision? Because you've had that decision made for a couple of months in mind already. Yes. And I love that you said it's the best decision for your business. Yes, you've got to really self reflect and think about what's best for your business. Also, I think we overthink what parents are going to react Yeah. You know, like, everything's on membership now direct them and so much easier. But then you just want it to be like you said, benefit driven, driven, driven? Absolutely. So you know, we would love to see some of you taking some time out stepping away from the day to day of your business. That's what we've done this weekend. Yeah. You know, and really looking at every different facet of your business, and self reflecting the biggest thing like what am I crushing and wanting to, you know, improve on as well and then brainstorming some ideas. Because, as business owners, sometimes we're just so busy in our day to day running, that we forget that and we forget that we've got to dream big, we've got to make changes, we've got to keep evolving and doing those exciting things. And so having that opportunity to step away, doing a bit of journaling, getting out the post notes, you know, whatever that is for you can be so so beneficial. We've had a great weekend doing that ourselves. This weekend. We have it's been super amazing. We are doing lots of new and exciting things because of we've had this time to do that. And I think you know, we'd love to hear from you guys. Let us know. Are you going to do some pub big post? It's for your concert and, you know, you're gonna think rethink how you're doing reenrollment we'd love to hear from you. Let us know. Yeah, we hope you've enjoyed this episode of DevOps principles tonight podcast. We can't wait to see you.
Unknown Speaker 17:21
Hear from you. Listen to you, whatever it is next week. Thanks, guys.
Unknown Speaker 17:26
We hope you've loved this episode of the dance principles United podcast. If you've loved what we've offered, we would love to have you in a part of our tribe for just $39 a week we can help you create the studio of your dreams. If you're interested. Jump on to the link in the show notes right now and use the code podcast for two weeks free
Transcribed by https://otter.ai
