Sometimes running a dance studio feels less like managing a well-organized program and more like you’re running from one crisis to the next just trying to keep things from burning down. Maybe you’ve felt that.
It’s absolutely exhausting, and not only that, it’s dangerous for the success of the business.
It can be a real struggle to focus on what NEEDS to be done when you have so many things SCREAMING for your attention.
This is stressful for many studio owners and often they react by just putting off making necessary changes and hope that things will just get better over time.
Of course, we all know how that works out.
Many years ago I was working with a multi-school owner that had already been very financially successful, but recognized the need for good business systems to keep things from getting overwhelming.
He said something that has had a real impact on the way I see my own business:
“I would rather have a crisis than a sloppy situation.”
“It can be a real struggle to focus on what NEEDS to be done when you have so many things SCREAMING for your attention.”
Sloppy situations come in all types and sizes.
Sometimes it’s a staff member that isn’t up to par and is holding you back (but not badly enough to motivate you to do anything about it).
Maybe it’s your marketing program that you know isn’t doing what it should be (but could be put off because the rent is paid and nobody is starving to death).
That website really needs an update, right? (but nobody is actively complaining about it so maybe it can wait a little.
Sloppy situations RARELY motivate us to change. A crisis FORCES us to change.
When that sub-par staff member actually stops showing up to work. . . you HAVE to do something.
Now, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not saying you should go out and create a crisis in your business so that you can grow. Obviously that’s a mistake.
But what this other studio owner pointed out to me was profound for another reason.
I realized a couple of things:
1. A sloppy situation will usually evolve into a crisis . . . but that often takes time.
2. The sloppy situations are not just causing stress in your life, but preventing growth in your business.
Think about those two facts for a moment.
Studio owners need to MASTER the skill of fixing sloppy situations.
By tolerating sloppy situations we’re increasing our own stress, preventing our studio from growing, and costing ourselves thousands of dollars every year.
So, if you’re sick of “tolerating” your dance studio business and would like to finally feel in control and capable of growing without going crazy we should talk.
Then, if it looks like working together might be a good fit we can schedule a time to chat.
You can do this! Make the hard choices and stop tolerating sloppy situations.