5.6.7.EIGHT

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Julie Cartwright, President at P.volve. P.volve is an omnichannel fitness brand featuring a global on-demand platform, a growing line of patented equipment, and several franchise studios in New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Since its founding in 2018, P.volve has grown from a few employees to over 75 employees — and counting. Julie, herself, is a graduate of Ohio University and held a variety of executive-level marketing positions before becoming president at her current company.When Julie stepped away from her comfortable corporate job and shifted towards entrepreneurship, she knew that her life was going to permanently change. But, at the end of the day, she knew she was making the right choice. Why? Passion. Because of an overwhelming love of what health and fitness. And because of an addiction to entrepreneurship and building something from scratch. On the podcast, Julie recounts her entire journey through this crazy world of entrepreneurship and discusses why she decided to trade in a successful corporate career and never look back.

Moving Quotes:

"I think the risk of entrepreneurship is significant for everyone. But I knew I wanted this... You have to think about your happiness and what you want, but you also have to believe in yourself."

"I'm addicted to the continued evolution of learning and growing."

"Believe in yourself. And don't take 'no' for an answer. If you see it and you believe it, I genuinely believe you can make it happen... If you believe in something, go after it. And I think you'll surprise yourself."

"People are more focused on their holistic health than ever before... We've had so many conversations with members about not just looking good but feeling good."

"It's so powerful to hear other women's stories about building their businesses. There are so many similarities between all of our stories... Through hearing all of the stories, I'm more in love with female leaders than ever before. Because they're just so resilient. I'm in awe."

"When starting a business, you have to have a real gut instinct around the things that you know are going to be most meaningful to prove your business out. But you have to stay extremely scrappy. And listen to the customer."

"As people are trying to take a leap of faith, it's so important to have conversations. Because you never know where they will lead."

"I think it's extremely rewarding to hire and recruit talent. To bring them to our 'why' ... A lot of people do jobs without knowing the impact that they have on people's lives... It's been exciting to allow some of my team to see their impacts."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:07: Julie explains the core components of her company, P.volve.

11:24: Julie discusses what trends she's seeing in the fitness industry as a whole and how these trends bode well for the work she's doing with P.volve.

14:50: Cartwright walks through her career evolution, from a high-ranking employee at a large entertainment corporation to spearheading a nimble startup.

20:31: Cartwright describes the starkest differences between her previous corporate job and her current position at a startup.

26:39: Julie discusses what is, in her opinion, the most difficult part of being an entrepreneur.

29:23: Julie describes the most rewarding component of being an entrepreneur.

31:28: Cartwright rehashes her company's first steps when starting P.volve.

35:58: Julie discusses the benefit of starting a company, alongside one or multiple business partners.

38:36: Cartwright, whose company has experienced massive growth since its start in 2018, explains how her company has been able to scale so quickly.

42:38: Julie discusses what's next for her company and leaves listeners with some valuable advice on pursuing their dreams.

Bullet List of Resources –

Julie Cartwright

• LinkedIn
• Instagram

P.volve

• Company Website
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube

Chief

• Organization Website

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Dr. Chloe Angyal, an accomplished journalist and published author. Most recently, Chloe released Turning Pointe: How the New Generation of Dancers is Saving Ballet from Itself. Her book focuses on the future of ballet and reckons with all the forces that endanger its future — whether that be racism, sexism, elitism, or many others. Dr. Angyal holds a bachelor's degree from Princeton University and a doctorate from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.

Some of Chloe's earliest ballet journalism centered around the bullying of young boys who participated in the artform. Yet, after writing the piece, Chloe felt there was so much more to be said. And there was indeed more to be said — an entire 300-page book's worth. On the podcast, Chloe discusses her book, which outlines the historical issues plaguing ballet but speaks optimistically to how dance's next generation is righting many of the wrongs and making ballet a more equitable environment for everyone.

Moving Quotes:

"When most people think about a ballet dancer, they think about a woman who is white who has long flowing hair. She is slender and effortlessly feminine... But the fact that that's most people's first thought is an obstacle that everyone else has to overcome."

"Sometimes it takes having an outsider to reflect your underlying assumptions [about ballet] back to you for you to realize, 'Yikes. There's a real problem here.'"

"One thing that I think a lot of people that leave ballet go through is a very solitary, piece-by-piece reflection on [what they went through] and realizing, slowly, that it was wrong, and it hurt them... I want my book to accelerate that process for people and to build a sense of community."

"Long after they stopped taking ballet classes, you have women who are walking around, thinking about how they failed to meet that ideal. Which is so glamorous and beautiful but also monastic and "nun-like," considering how isolated and exclusive professional ballet seems to be. Everyone has a ballet story, and a lot of them are not good."

"The cost of the prejudice [against bigger bodies in ballet] is stress fractures and mental illness and short careers and dancers with pre-osteoporosis. The cost of the prejudice among both artistic directors ticketholders like me is just too high. And it's unacceptable."

"Resist the urge to do what ballet often teaches you to do. Which is to explain why something has to be the way it is. And instead say, 'But what if it didn't?' Let's assume it can be something different. What does that something different look like?"

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:14: Chloe explains the premise behind her book — Turning Pointe: How the New Generation of Dancers is Saving Ballet from Itself — and what prompted her to write it.

10:29: Chloe discusses some possible solutions to the systemic issues inside of ballet.

12:36: Chloe explains her theory behind why there are so many men in ballet leadership when there are so few boys in ballet and offers a solution to the issue.

16:37: Angyal describes two surprises that she discovered while researching for her book.

24:30: Angyal discusses how ballet's status quo creates a toxic environment, especially when it comes to female body image and body care.

30:00: Chloe shares her journey that's led to her successful career, as a non-dancer involved the dance industry.

32:37: Angyal discusses her education and reveals the unique topic that was the focus of her doctoral thesis.

36:47: Chloe encourages listeners to resist the status quo and define a more just and equitable future for ballet.

Bullet List of Resources –

Chloe Angyal

• Personal Website
• Twitter
• Instagram

Turning Pointe: How the New Generation of Dancers is Saving Ballet from Itself

• Book Website
• On Amazon

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Erin Pride, Founder and CEO at Dancepreneur Academy and host of The Dance Boss Podcast. Erin holds a BFA in dance from Montclair State University and a master's in dance education from New York University. Her company helps dance professionals launch and scale online dance businesses. Erin is also the host of the Dance Boss Podcast, where she gives tips and strategies on building online businesses on a weekly basis.

Erin spends her days coaching others on the ins and outs of business building; however, Erin would be the first to tell you that knowledge minus action equals nothing. Only those entrepreneurs who are willing to act on their learning will flourish. On the podcast, Erin impresses upon listeners the extreme importance of having coaches and mentors but admits that advice can only go so far. Change is reserved for those who take action.

Moving Quotes:

"Just start. If you don't implement, it doesn't matter. We have an expiration date... I don't want to wait for anything because we never know when our time is going to end here on this earth."

"Dancers need an entrepreneurial mindset. And if you don't want to pursue dance, I don't want anyone to feel like they can't stay in the dance community. There are tons of opportunities that can also bring you money."

"The first step in my process is helping my clients understand the value of focusing on one thing. And the second step is helping them identify those old stories and mindset blocks that make them thing they have to do everything at once."

"When it comes to hiring a coach, I truly believe that paying people to support you is important. Money is circular. Once you start giving it out, you'll start receiving it."

"When the pandemic hit, I found that there were two types of people. One, the type of person that had to move online. And two, the type of person that was stuck in the house and realized that there was more that they wanted to do with the gifts that they'd been granted."

"So many times, we get stuck wondering if we're making the 'right choice.' But I have learned, as I reflect on my journey, that every single choice has been a part of the puzzle to get me here. Whether on a small scale or a big scale... So take some pressure off of your shoulders about making the 'right choice.'"

"I was so apprehensive about getting a coach before I got a coach. But once I got a coach, it's something that I'm always going to have in my life. Not only for business strategy, but also for the mindset support."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

2:57: Erin shares information on her business, which coaches dance professionals on establishing their own online businesses.

9:11: Erin shares an important tip on managing money that she learned from personal experience.

11:57: Erin walks through her process in helping others discover the businesses that they want to build and setting up the framework to build those businesses.

15:07: Pride shares some tips on building a unique brand and standing out on social media.

20:30: Pride shares a couple of inspirational success stories of her own clients.

23:43: Erin, who is also a podcast host, describes her podcast and what she finds most challenging and rewarding.

27:23: Erin encourages listeners to not worry about making the "right choice" and to trust that every decision is just setting you up for your ultimate destination.

30:50: Pride describes a dream that she hopes to eventually accomplish in her life.

34:18: Pride discusses what she believes is the entrepreneur's greatest challenge.

38:20: Erin shares some final advice for anyone looking to achieve a goal.

Bullet List of Resources –

Erin Pride

• Personal Website
• Instagram
• Facebook
• LinkedIn

Dancepreneur Academy

• Company Website

The Dance Boss Podcast

• Podcast Website

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Sonja McCord, Chief Executive Officer at The Sonja McCord X. Sonja — who is based in New York City — has had opportunities to perform with a myriad of top dance companies and boasts 15+ years of agency and in-house marketing experience. Now, Sonja combines both careers at her company, where she coaches dancers to amplify their brand, monetize their art, increase visibility, and put their best foot forward from a marketing perspective.

Sonja, whose path to her current destination has been far from linear, is a firm believer in having the right mindset when pursuing goals. And, to Sonja, a key component of pursuing dreams is a willingness to say "yes" to whatever the universe throws at you, all to reach the perfect finish line. On the podcast, Sonja talks about the importance of saying "yes," while sprinkling in some extremely valuable tips on marketing yourself well, choosing the right field of study, and so much more.

Moving Quotes:

"Saying 'yes' to yourself allows you to really focus 100 percent without guilt and shame. And that mindset shift alone can make or break a dancer."

"I empower my students to go 100 percent. I always ask my students, 'What if you said "yes" to your career and to giving 100 percent to your goals? Where do you think you'd be a year from now?' It's really a lightbulb moment for dancers. It's exciting to see them transform over six weeks, once they allow themselves to say 'yes.'"

"If a casting director or artistic director or choreographer landed on your Instagram page, what information would they need to know about you in order to book you as a dancer?"

"Your Instagram bio is really important. You'd be surprised how many dancers don't put 'dancer' or 'artist' in their bio. When someone comes to your page, they need to know right away what you do and what you're trying to do."

"The thing that I loved the most about dancing was that feeling of being on stage and being free and not having a single bit of fear in my heart. Just being able to go out there and give it my best and shine. I hope I'm able to carry that through for the rest of my life."

"When it comes to dancers, whether you're in class, in auditions, or in rehearsals, the only person you're competing with is yourself. That's getting better and better at your craft. That's being focused. That's being the best version of yourself."

"Visualization comes back to identifying moments in your life that changed the trajectory of your life and seeing how you responded to it."

"When you expand your horizons and start learning other fields, it actually makes you appreciate dance all the more."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:31: Sonja describes The Sonja McCord X and its work empowering dancers and building brands.

6:25: Sonja explains the power of saying "yes" — to embracing every opportunity and being willing to truly pursue one's dreams.

8:01: McCord discusses the role that visualization plays in achieving one's goals and gives her own definition of visualization.

10:58: McCord describes an upcoming workshop that revolves around building an online brand.

14:02: Sonja, a seasoned marketer, gives a couple of tips for dancers on building a solid online presence and marketing yourself well.

20:29: Sonja, who received a major in finance, explains how she came to choose a degree so seemingly unrelated to her current calling.

22:21: Sonja shares some tips on how dancers should be investing in themselves, both in terms of money and time.

25:17: McCord, who has danced at a variety of high profile dance companies, discusses how each of these companies taught her important career skills.

27:56: McCord shares some valuable lessons that she learned while participating in pageants.

30:19: Sonja gives some advice for any students who are weighing the pros and cons of foregoing university to pursue dance versus studying dance at university.

Bullet List of Resources –

Sonja McCord

• Instagram
• LinkedIn

The Sonja McCord X

• Company Website
• Instagram
• YouTube
• Facebook
• Twitter

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Billy Siegenfeld, Founder of Jump Rhythm, creator of the Standing Down Straight technique, and a myriad of other things — playwright, choreographer, music arranger, performer, director, professor, and much more. Billy received his undergraduate degree from Brown University and a graduate degree in jazz studies from New York University. As a professor at Northwestern University, Billy is a Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence in the Department of Theatre.

Jump Rhythm is a multiple-Emmy Award winning performance and teaching company that is a manifestation of Billy's Standing Down Straight technique. This form teaches its performers to utilize "primal human behavior," which taps into the mental and physical energy of the performers and teaches performers to not fight against gravity while dancing. On the podcast, Billy lays out his technique in full and explains in detail how his form can benefit people from all walks of life — not just dancers.

Moving Quotes:

"Primal human behavior is the behavior coming from the inside of us, unedited. It is our energy — our physical and emotional energies... So much of our art is created by these energies."

"One of the hardest things in the world is letting the body let go. We're all under pressure. My technique is just telling our bodies to slow down."

"When we're too much in the grip of having to 'make it' and succeed, what's more needed is just figuring out how to slow that down a little bit."

"The real question you have to answer when making a piece of art is this: how do you make it as truthful as possible, so that somebody who is absorbing it feels, 'Ah, me too — I feel that too'?"

"For every class you take, give yourself the time to not go to a class. Make some time into 'nothing time.' Don't be doing something all the time... Not doing is as important as doing."

"Art functions as a catalyst for a person becoming more aware of themselves and also becoming more aware of the other people they're dealing with."

"Relaxation is the crying need of our age... Let's figure out how to use relaxation as an active tool when doing our work."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:50: Billy discusses the concept of "primal human behavior" and how tapping into this idea makes art more real for both audiences and performers.

9:58: Billy explains how dance uniquely helps release pent up emotions inside of dancers.

14:00: Siegenfeld discusses the concepts inside of his essay Standing Down Straight and how these concepts are taught inside of his workshops.

21:14: Siegenfeld explains how his technique is helpful for people of all walks of life — especially general populations who spend their days looking down at their phones.

23:33: Siegenfeld describes how his technique is particularly valuable for older populations.

25:40: Billy provides some more information on another of his essays, which traces the history of swing dance and how it's a metaphor for democracy.

29:39: Billy, who is also a playwright, describes the premise of his play, What Do You Want to Be When You Give Up.

36:31: Siegenfeld describes the classes he teaches at Northwestern University and explains how rest and relaxation are desperately needed in the modern era.

43:36: Billy shares some expert advice for anybody starting their careers in the dance industry.

Bullet List of Resources –

Billy Siegenfeld

• LinkedIn
• On Northwestern University website

Jump Rhythm

• Company Website
• Facebook
• Instagram
• YouTube

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Clare Guss-West — a published author, choreographer, teacher, Committee Chair at the International Association for Dance Medicine & Science, and Co-Founder and Director of the Dance & Creative Wellness Foundation. Clare's resume is extensive and varied, but most of her work seeks to apply scientific research into professional, vocational, and inclusive dance practice.

Supported by her Eastern movement practice, she provides mindful attention and focused strategies that harness the mind, energy, and effort to empower dancers. These practices allow dancers to optimize their own physical and mental performance. Clare travels the world, sharing her ideas with some of the world's top ballet companies and performers. On the podcast, Clare dives into her ideas and shares some practical ways that we all can apply mindful techniques to make our daily performance stronger — both on and off the stage.

Moving Quotes:

"I'm going to look at aspects of the movement that would be ideal — that I'd have a great verticality, that I'd fly in my split jump. We need to focus in on those things and not focus on trying to adjust bits of our bodies. And that's when we get measurable differences."

"Affirmations are based on the same principle [as setting external focus]. You have an idea that's bigger than you, and you can imagine it. Then it becomes a roadmap for you or for your life where you can relax a little bit. That roadmap guides and facilitates the realization of our goal."

"If you come to mind training very late, it's like learning a new language. We have to start using less effort. It's less effort, actually. But more focus."

"I was convinced that working with the power of the mind would have enormous benefits for dancers today."

"The more complex the skill you're attempting, the more effect you're going to have from introducing specific attentional strategies to what you do."

"Dance as a lifelong tool for wellbeing is an area of huge growth at the moment. Particularly because there are so many chronic diseases and problems that conventional medicine doesn't know how to address."

"When we guide our attention in a particular way, the benefits of doing that are physical and mental."

"If you are very lucky and have a great intuitive teacher, you have someone who talks about breath, energy, and focus. But for most of us, that's not taught at all."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:25: Clare explains the beginnings of her interest in applying Eastern mindfulness principles to dance and movement.

8:47: Clare discusses the modern science that reinforces these millennia-old Eastern principles.

12:33: Guss-West describes the measurable differences that are observed in athletes and performers who apply these mind practices to their art.

19:49: Guss-West discusses visualization and how visualization fits into the Eastern idea of setting an external focus.

27:30: Clare explains the origins of her book and what she's seeking to accomplish in sharing her learnings and practices with others.

33:34: Guss-West describes her dance therapy work and explains precisely how dance and movement provide incredible health benefits.

40:44: Clare discusses her work across multiple organizations, all serving as platforms to share knowledge around mindfulness and movement.

Bullet List of Resources –

Clare Guss-West

• Personal Website
• LinkedIn
• Facebook

Dance & Creative Wellness Foundation

• Company Website
• Facebook

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Betsy McBride, Co-founder and Director of Marketing at Rezonance Athletics — a sustainable athletic wear line that she started alongside her fiancé. In addition to her career as an entrepreneur, McBride is a performer with the American Ballet Theater (ABT). This incredible combination of careers has landed her on the cover of Pointe Magazine and has garnered her multiple dance-related accolades. In addition to all of this, McBride is a fully certified teacher through the ABT National Training Curriculum.

Betsy's story is a story of resilience and grit. As if a full-time dance career wasn't enough to keep her busy, Betsy decided to build a business from scratch and, now, spends her days shifting mindsets from dancer to entrepreneur. On the podcast, Betsy is honest about the highs and lows of entrepreneurship but speaks to her love of dance and motion as the foundation for both of her incredible careers.

Moving Quotes:

"The whole business-building process has been a learning experience. Every time we do something, we learn as we go."

"Learn as much as you can. Be as versatile as you can. Never put yourself in a box and say, 'I'm just doing classical ballet.' Because I don't think any classical ballet companies do that anymore."

"If you feel like you don't want to get complacent and you want to push yourself artistically and work with different people, it's important to push yourself to branch out."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:25: Betsy walks through her journey as a dancer and reflects on her first time dancing in person post-pandemic.

5:47: Betsy discusses any anxieties or hesitations during her move to New York City as a young dancer.

7:43: McBride shares some advice for dancers as they transition from one company to another.

13:28: McBride shifts gears to her entrepreneurial endeavors and explains the birth of her sustainable apparel line.

17:56: Betsy reflects on the biggest challenges of her entrepreneurial journey thus far.

20:07: Betsy, who works as both a full time dancer and business owner, discusses the challenges of shifting mindsets from one job to the other.

22:22: Betsy speaks to trends that she is currently seeing inside of the dance world and discusses the value of versatility.

27:47: McBride shares some tips for any dancers as they prepare for auditions or performances.

29:16: McBride retells an on-stage failure and how she managed to overcome that mishap.

31:39: Betsy discusses what's next for her, both personally and professionally, and shares some last bits of advice for listeners.

Bullet List of Resources –

Betsy McBride

• Personal Website
• Instagram

Rezonance Athletics

• Company Website
• Instagram

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Andrea Orris, a seasoned gymnast and veteran collegiate gymnastics coach who is now using her experience to teach the "ins and outs" of effective stretching and to advocate for the fair treatment of gymnasts around the country. Orris, a Los Angeles native, competed in Division 1 collegiate gymnastics before turning her attention towards coaching. She is also a fitness model and a flexibility instructor. In fact, her flexibility courses blossomed during the pandemic, due in large part to her expert social media presence.

Andrea is passionate about physical fitness, but she knows that a healthy body is nothing without a strong mind. Andrea has rightly spent her life focusing on both the physical and mental and, as a victim of abuse herself, is setting an example for others on the value of being open and transparent about strengths and struggles. On the podcast, Andrea discusses her own career and her long journey into mental and physical prosperity.

Moving Quotes:

"Are you healthy on the inside? Do you look like what you want to look like? That's all that matters."

"People have a misconception about flexibility classes. They say, 'Oh, I can't take your class because I'm not flexible.' But that's the entire point. It's fine if you're not flexible. That's actually even better."

"The more we keep talking and sharing our experiences and educating each other, the better chance we have at preventing [abuse] from every happening again."

"I've always been a very private person with what I'm going through emotionally and mentally. Until this year. I post about myself a lot because people want to read about genuine people... I've started being very honest with what I'm thinking and feeling."

"Setting small attainable goals every day is so much more intrinsically rewarding and more motivating than setting unrealistic goals or goals where you're comparing yourself to someone else. Then you get really discouraged and quit altogether."

"If something is in your heart and you're passionate about it and you want to do it, go for it. You have to let go of all of the outside voices."

"To keep up a professional Instagram, you have to keep your engagement up. You need to be posting constantly. You do have to work hard to do it. Producing content takes a lot of work... I try to always have something on my Story."

"My Instagram is now my resume. It used to not be like that."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:20: Andrea walks through her accomplished gymnastics career and how she ended up in Los Angeles as a gymnastics coach.

8:14: Andrea discusses her time as a flexibility instructor and how COVID actually expanded her business.

11:13: Orris explains why she believes flexibility is such a growing trend in 2021.

15:28: Orris explains how her career as a gymnastics coach and flexibility instructor morphed into a modeling career.

19:19: Andrea shares some valuable tips on getting the most out of a professional Instagram account.

24:23: Andrea, who shares about her struggles via her social media accounts, describes the freedom of letting others shoulder your burdens.

27:47: Orris explains how having a positive body image and goal setting can drastically impact a person's mental state.

37:06: Orris shares some tips on successful visualization during times of meditation.

41:01: Andrea closes her interview by giving some tips for anyone currently embarking on a new career journey.

Bullet List of Resources –

Andrea Orris

• Instagram

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra interviews Michelle Seiler Tucker, the Founder and CEO of Seiler Tucker Incorporated. She and her firm have sold over a thousand businesses in nearly every vertical. She has spent two decades in mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and holds the title of Mergers and Acquisitions Master Intermediary, as well as being a Certified Mergers and Acquisitions Professional and a Certified Senior Business Analyst. She also, herself, owns multiple businesses.

Michelle is a seasoned M&A professional and, on the podcast, offers nearly an hour of free M&A consulting for anyone who owns a business, is thinking about starting a business, or who is proactively looking to sell their current business. The conversation spans many topics, including a discussion on her latest book Exit Rich, foundational tenets to consider when assessing the "sellability" of a company, the importance of knowing when to emotionally detach and sell a business, and much more.

Moving Quotes:

"A lot of people look at their businesses like their babies. We have to stop doing that... Treat your business like the valuable asset that it is."

"Being in a business is not easy. And trying to sell a business for millions is certainly no easy task. So you have to have a powerful why to keep you motivated and in the game."

"If you don't know where you're going, you end up nowhere... Business owners don't plan to fail; they fail to plan. Unless they have a destination in mind, they're driving around in circles — driving up and down the financial hills."

"It's not what you know that gets you in trouble; it's what you don't know. And you don't know what you don't know... Learn from other people's mistakes, rather than your own."

"To make sure a business is sellable, make sure the business is not centered around you. And make sure all of the data is on paper and not in your head."

"Seventy percent of business owners are going out of business because they stop doing A.I.M. — "'Always Innovate and Market.'"

"I never recommend someone go and start their own business when there are so many existing businesses for sale. It will probably cost you less money to buy an existing business than to start one."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:26: Michelle discusses her newest book Exit Rich, which lays out foundational concepts around when and how to sell a business.

7:10: Michelle explains how entrepreneurs should mentally prepare when building a business that is sellable and how lack of preparation will only lead to failure.

12:06: Seiler Tucker describes the five different types of business buyers.

14:48: Seiler Tucker discusses the importance of knowing the why — the rationale behind choosing to sell your company.

18:56: Michelle begins to discuss the "six P's," which are foundational pillars of companies that are primed to sell.

23:23: Michelle spends some time speaking on the most foundational of the six P's — proprietary — and how this singular pillar can multiply the value of a company.

32:31: Seiler Tucker discusses the value of working with a mergers and acquisitions professional like herself versus trying to go it alone.

36:17: Michelle shares some advice for dance studio owners to make their businesses more attractive to buyers.

43:08: Seiler Tucker discusses the importance of knowing when to exit and how some owners have doomed their businesses by refusing to let go.

49:31: Michelle gives information on the benefits and perks of working alongside her company while undergoing a sale.

Bullet List of Resources –

Michelle Seiler Tucker

• LinkedIn
• Twitter

Exit Rich book

• Book Website
• On Amazon

Seiler Tucker: The Business Authorities

• Company Website
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Instagram

This week on 5.6.7.EIGHT, Aleksandra speaks with Gil Boggs, Artistic Director at Colorado Ballet. Boggs began his career with the Atlanta Ballet before joining American Ballet Theatre, where he served a remarkable 17-year tenure. Boggs has also performed with the Twyla Tharp Dance Company, Baryshnikov and Company, Nureyev and Friends, and has made several guest appearances around the world. Boggs has also presented 15 world premieres and 15 Colorado Ballet premieres by renowned choreographers such as Twyla Tharp and Lar Lubovitch.

From the outset, Gil has been in love the state of Colorado. Having lived and worked in the New York City area for decades, a move to America's heartland was a welcome change. However, from the outset, Gil had to overcome some serious hurdles — not the least of which was leading the company out of its financial struggle. But, because of some grit and determination, Gil did just that. On the podcast, he tells his whole story, including dancing with some of the world's brightest and best, being in a single company for 17 years, and more.

Moving Quotes:

"With my staff, we are nurturing dancers. We're not telling them what's wrong and that you have to do this and you have to do that. We are collaborating with these people and getting the best out of them."

"People ask me, 'What does it take to get into a company?' You have to be confident. You have to show confidence in yourself... And find inspiration in what you're doing, and you'll grow quickly."

[On dancing with American Ballet Theatre] "The choreographers that came through. The rep that came in. It was all so inspiring. And I was able to grow as an artist there."

"Over time, I want to see dancers maintain their integrity to the artform. There's a way you go about training yourself, learning a ballet, and performing a ballet. And I'd hate to see people deviate from that form and do it halfway."

Bullet Points (w/ timestamps) - Highlighting key topics discussed:

3:15: Gil discusses his current position as Artistic Director at Colorado Ballet and how he came to join the company.

8:14: Gil explains his earliest moves at the helm of Colorado Ballet and how he turned the company from financial struggle to thriving business, even during a recession.

13:02: Boggs, who took some financial risks early in his time as artistic director, discusses why he decided to "roll the dice" on performing some lesser known works.

14:20: Gil describes some of his earliest hurdles as artistic director and how he overcame.

16:38: Boggs explains why he decided to stay at American Ballet Theatre for so much of his career — a 17-year-long tenure.

20:30: Boggs shares some advice for aspiring dancers that are currently plotting their career paths.

22:59: Gil, who has danced underneath some of the world's best, describes his experience learning from Mikhael Baryshnikov and Twyla Tharp.

25:17: Boggs shares his perspective on how ballet is changing and why certain aspects of the art must remain intact.

26:33: Gil discusses what's next for his company and his eagerness to return to the stage once again.

28:51: Gil shares some extremely practical advice for anyone looking to make a career inside of the world of dance.

Bullet List of Resources –

Gil Boggs

• LinkedIn
• Bio on ColoradoBallet.org

Colorado Ballet

• Company Website
• Instagram
• Twitter
• Facebook
• YouTube