Up the Pole

On this special episode of Up the Pole Podcast, our host and CEO of Pole + Dance Studios brings on P+D management team members Iris Sparrow and Jena Lux to talk about the decision to close one of their own studios, Portland Pole + Dance. They chat about their reasoning, what they would have done differently, and the surprising amount of money lost in total. The team also discusses the unique circumstances of Portland's economy, habits, and studio landscape that challenged the Pole + Dance model - and why they weren't willing to change that model. Finally, they talk about what made the studio so special and what they'll miss. 

Our guest this week has been in the pole industry for 20 years! Her studio, Pole Trix in Victoria, BC, started as a kids dance studio. Hear the story of how her business grew and grew (even with 50mm brass poles!) as she chats with host Amy Bond on this week's episode. 

Host Amy Bond talks with Jamie Elchert, founder of the Memorial Pole Championship in Ohio. Jamie is a seasoned pole competitor who created this competition with two missions: to provide access to a quality pole competition in the Midwest with paid, industry leading judges and to raise funds for her sister’s memorial scholarship fund. Jamie and Amy talk about the wild adventure that is running a live event where everything that can go wrong, inevitably does go wrong. They discuss the business of pole competitions, which team members Jamie found essential, why she was adamant about paying her judges, and what she's working on for the upcoming years of MPC. 

Host Amy Bond talks with industry maven Natalya Nightshade about her background in ballet and skripping, about being a serial entrepreneur, and building her Tampa, Florida pole studio. Natalya Nightshade is an award-winning, international pole performer, instructor, and business owner. She is the creator of Nightshade Designs, Nocturnelle Pole Show, and most recently Studio Nightshade, a local pole studio + intensive destination. As an instructor and studio owner, she strives to create a space for community where diversity, authenticity, and exploration is at the forefront.

Up the Pole host Amy Bond talks with Dan Rosen of PoleLOLs and Pole Destroyers, and formerly an IRL studio owner, about being a traveling polebrity, his decision to sell his studio, and how he built his online pole conditioning business. We ended this interview early due to technical difficulties, but expect to hear more from Dan soon! We're releasing this mini-episode as a preview for their future full-length conversation. 

Host Amy Bond talks with world renowned pole artist Kristy Sellars about how her studio, PhysiPole, expanded from 8 stage poles set up in a rented martial arts dojo to over 20 locations across Australia. They chat about the struggle to find the right booking software, which Kristy is working to remedy with Groovio, her latest business baby. This pole world powerhouse has so much more to say in our latest episode of Up the Pole Podcast. 

Emily of Altius Pole Studio in Bend, Oregon, talks with host Amy Bond about how opening her studio in the middle of the pandemic was a surprisingly good idea. They discuss how trauma-informed teaching can make students feel safer. Can you ever truly create a safe space? What makes for a good pole instructor? How do you even know if you can afford to open your own pole studio? Emily and Amy dig into all these questions in Episode 3 of Up the Pole Podcast, Season 2. 

Amy Bond, host of Up the Pole, chats with Vikka Wrexx of Wrexx Dance in Allen, TX about her experience moving from Russia and opening a pole studio in the US. They discuss the term "russian exotic," the sink-or-swim style of training pole in Russia, and what kind of community Vikka wanted to build with Wrexx Dance. 

Crystal Song of Songbird Dance in San Francisco chats with host Amy Bond of Pole + Dance Studios about the realities and surprises of running pole studios. Does Crystal regret getting the pole-a-way system? Can you be friends with your instructors? She also gets into why her $5-a-day virtual assistant didn't work out and why she's taking a step back from hosting a lot of guest workshops. 

Host Amy Bond talks with Milissa Marshall of Dazzling Diva Fitness in Winchester, Virginia. Marshall took over the reins of her studio when it was at risk of closure, becoming a pole studio owner nearly by accident!