It is time to find and love your niche! After a recent niche down in my photogrphy business, I thought about ways that choosing and sticking to your niche can help dance entrepreneurs. This episode offers practical reasons why you might consider choosing your niche, building your confidence and your business and getting time back in your work week.

Are you ready for a transformation in your business?

Apply today for One on One Coaching!

Visit  https://www.gingerhaithcox.com/coaching to get started. 

Nathan Forster is a bright and wonderful light in our industry - his works are thoughtful and humorous at times and he also works full-time in health care finance as his day job. So many dance entrepreneurs work separate jobs during the night and Nathan shares his insights on being a Dance Teacher, Choreographer, Performer and Founder of a Dance Company. 

About Nathan

After receiving a BA in Theatre from Drew University, Nathan Forster danced for choreographers Nina Haft, Michael J. Lee, Charly Santagdao, Marissa Aucoin, and Loretta Fois; and acquired an AFA in Dance from Raritan Valley Community College. Currently NathanForster leads ReFrame Dance Theatre as founding artistic director; teaches for and dances with Mignolo Dance of Metuchen; and is modern dance faculty for West Jersey Youth Ballet. He has been a resident artist with Mignolo Arts and the Monira Foundation; served as a guest artist for Middlesex College; and has had his choreography featured at Liberty Hall Dance Festival, When Waves Collide Music and Dance Festival, and Roxey Ballet’s River Dance Festival. Since ReFrame Dance Theatre’s founding in 2019, it has hosted the annual dance event To Be Danced, intentionally featuring choreography by NJ and tri-state area artists in a format emphasizing accessibility in location, cost, and content. Nathan’s choreography and collaborative projects have been featured at Arts on Site, Mignolo Arts Center, SMUSH Gallery, Kun Yang Lin, Dixon Place, and Union County Performing Arts Center in NJ. Currently Nathan is collaborating with choreographer Michelle Lukach to tour their most recent dance theatre production Cake, and developing a new project tentatively titled Maybe I’m Just Trash. His work has been described as surreal, transformative, frabjous, and “everything you need in a good gumbo at a fancy restaurant.”

Website: ReFrameDance.com

Instagram: @ReFrameDanceTheatre

Take Class w/ Nathan at mignolo arts: https://www.mignolo.art/classes

Have you been stuck in your life and business in either making or taking? In the taking cycle you consume too much and don't spend time on things that will make you or your businesses stronger. And, likewise, when you are making too much, you find yourself getting behind on your work, overwhelmed with too much innovation and change. 

So, how do you find a balance between making and taking, and how do you get yourself out of this rut? Today's episode offers tips to get you back on your feet. 

Join the conversation and enjoy weekly business tips on Instagram and Facebook @haithcoxbiz

As and entrepreneur, you've launched many products and services into the marketplace, with varying results. There's many common emotions and processes that we all go through along the way and today's episode shares a few tips for managing these as you move forward with launching new things in your business.

Learn more about Elevate, a premiere private network of dance entrepreneurs at www.gingerhaithcox.com/elevate. 

Whether you love technology or not, there's no doubt that there's tools out there that can help you manage your studio and your team, saving you time and effort. In this episode, I talk all things tech with Joe Naftal.

About Joe

A serial entrepreneur, Joe Naftal is a second-generation dance studio owner, brand and marketing expert, technology guru, and educator. By his mid-20s, Joe had founded seven arts companies that operate across North America, Europe, and Australia, including Check In Pointe, Studio Systems Club, Standby in the Wings, and Penny Prima. He is a published author, host of the Dance Studio Savvy podcast, a production designer for theatre and dance, a member of the board of directors for two large arts organizations, and an adjunct professor of theatre design. A product of arts education and a staunch advocate of business in the arts, he is committed to helping studio owners realize their dreams and grow their businesses into the future.

Tools Mentioned In this Episode

Trial Classes

• Google Forms, JotForm, Form Stack, Wufoo

CRM

• Enrollio, High Level, Keap, Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipe Drive, Zoho

Email

• Mailchimp, Constant Contact, Jack Rabbit, Dance Studio Pro, Studio Director

Recital Management

• Check your existing studio management software, Check In Pointe, Prosody

Staff Communication & Productivity

• Google Suite, Asana, Monday, Trello, Slack, Google Chat, Connect Team, ClickUp

Calendars

• Google Calendar, Calendly, Bookeo, Add Event

Social Media

• Meta Business Suite, Zoho, Tweetdeck, Buffer, Planoly, Capcut, Canva

Random Fun

• Follow Up Then, Add Event, Salesmessage, Zapier

Special thanks to Dustin Ciano, Podcast Editor (https://www.dustinciano.com)

Are you struggling with a communication breakdown, letting someone know they are a bad fit for a role they are applying for, or a customer that crosses the line? Rather than run from the problems hoping they go away, or losing sleep, let's explore honesty as the solution. And, the best part is, there is kindness in honesty. 

It's time we talk about money. Not just revenue in our businesses, but all the things. We need to talk about our relationships with money, our profit margin, our pricing, our savings and investments. We need to open up and learn, we need to share, and we can all grow in some way. 

It is that time of year when we business owners ride the emotional rollercoaster of May through August. We all know it well, but often we forget what is most important. Let's explore the thoughts and feelings that surround our studio businesses this time of year. 

My guests Emily Gray and Roger Lee both know the ins and outs of studio life and college dance so we came together for a conversation on how to support our students as they prepare to transition from a local dance studio to a college with peers from all over. We discuss the similarities and differences of the two environments, financing college education, and share our own experiences. 

Find Emily Gray online at https://www.emilykgray.com

Fing Roger Lee online at  https://www.rogerleearts.com

In this quickie episode, we talk about the benefits of sharing information and ideas freely with other business owners, including those that are in the same business as ourselves. When we out fear and insecurity to the side, we make room for real growth.