"Live daringly, boldly, fearlessly.

Taste the relish to be found in competition -

in having put forth the best within you" - H.Kaiser

One emotionally charged aspect of being a dance studio owner

is on the subject of 'the competition'.

Usually the questions and worries come in the form of:

--> What are they doing that I'm not?

--> How many students do they have?

--> Are my teachers better than theirs?

--> Do I offer the best schedule or programs?

--> Am I marketing and getting my name out effectively?

Here are three things you can focus on to shift your mindset

about the competition and keep doing what you do well.

1. Better YOUR best, not someone else's.

Without competition in business, there would be little impetus to

strive for excellence in the products and services we offer.

However, when the competition becomes nasty, mean-spirited, and

driven by an out-to-get-you mentality, the only person who suffers

is the one engaging in that behavior.

No one else can be you: except you. Learn, grow, and stretch

yourself to continually improve your skills and deepen your

knowledge: whether it's a live conference,

reading a book, learning online, coaching, training, mentoring, or

self-study, pick what resonates with you. The greatest

investment you can make is in bettering your best.

2. Surround yourself with like-minded, positive people who want you to

be successful.

I get it, really I do. The studio owner across town may not be

raising a glass to celebrate with you. But without having a community of people

in your life who support, encourage, lift you up, feed your spirit, cheer you on, and believe

in you, then where is the joy and fun in that? Life is too short to

spend it any other way.

Make it a priority to get connected to colleagues and other business

owners who truly stand for your success and give you sound advice

when you need it most.

3. Know why you get up every day and do what you do.

I read a great blog post this morning by Chris Brogan, he reminded

readers to keep telling their story. We forget to do that, and

often we lose sight of our own history and why we do

what we do. Knowing your why is one of the most essential parts of

being a business owner. Because after we pay all the bills, there

has got to be more.

Your competition can't tell your story, they can take your source

of joy or reason to get up every day. Get crystal clear on why you're working

as hard as you do and why you give so generously.

Once you shift your mindset about the competition, you can take action in a way that

produces results and gives you joy in running your business.

Ask the Experts: How can I build enrollment to make a profit?

How can I build enrollment to make a profit? Great question! That's

the topic Kathy Blake and Suzanne Blake Gerety address in the March

issue of Dance Teacher Magazine. What's your question about

building enrollment? We'd love to hear from you.

http://dance-teacher.com/content/how-can-i-build-enrollment-make-profit

Liability Protection 101: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

about Insuring Your Dance Studio

What do you need to know to properly insure your dance studio? We

gathered some of the top questions that dance studio owners and

teachers have when it comes to insurance for their business.

http://www.dancestudioowner.com/insurance.html