Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some of our most common questions that we are asked by visitors and
current members. If you can't find the answer to your specific question, contact us and we'd be happy to help. We want you to have an
experience that goes beyond member satisfaction, we aim for member delight!
What
is DanceStudioOwner.com?
How
much does it cost to become a member of Dance Studio Owner?
I'm
not from the United States; can I still become a member?
Which
credit cards do you accept?
Why
do you need my mailing address when I am registering as a member?
I
don't like to put my credit card information online, how do I know that
it's safe and secure?
I'm
already an experienced dance studio owner, are all the members just
getting started?
My
dance studio is non-traditional and we offer classes more for adults or
specialty classes, you seem to focus more on performing arts, will I
get anything from this site that is useful?
I'm
not a studio owner yet, I'm still in the planning stages, can I be a
member?
Why
do you charge a membership fee for this website? Can't I just go figure
this out on my own for free on the internet?
What
do I need to open a dance studio? Do I need a certification or need to
be a dance teacher to own a dance studio?
How
much does it cost to start a dance studio or dance school?
When
did the DanceStudioOwner.com site start?
What's
the mission of Dance Studio Owner?
How
often do you add new content?
Q:
What is DanceStudioOwner.com?
A:
DanceStudioOwner.com is the first site of its kind dedicated solely to
the business starting, owning, and growing a successful dance studio
business. We focus on the four cornerstones of a successful dance
studio business: Artistic Direction, Business Management,
Faculty/Staff, and Customer Service. Each cornerstone includes systems
for success that come together to form your own unique experience for
your students, families, and dance studio.
As dance
studio owners ourselves, we know that the business of dance can be
incredibly challenging. One must balance the love of dance with the
hundreds of details required to run a successful studio. It
is a very personal business -- dance studio ownership -- one size does
not fit all.
We have the
privilege of consulting with aspiring, new, and long time dance studio
owners from around the world. We get to experience firsthand the ups
and downs of starting, growing, adapting, changing, and succeeding in
the dance business.
As a member
of our site you'll get to know us personally. We are real, down to
earth, people who deal with ups and downs and worries, yet with all of
the non-glamorous side of things - we still hold on to our dreams.
We're here to support you because we know it's never worth giving up on
your dream.
We are
committed to making our thirty-five years of knowledge about owning,
operating, and growing a dance studio available to as many people as
possible around the world. That's one of the reasons we decided to
create a membership site. Our reach is greater with the technology
available to us through the state of the art software that our site
runs on.
Dance Studio
Owner is a membership site for you to keep the passion for dance alive
as you grow your business, guaranteed. We offer resources, articles,
live monthly teleseminars, customizable forms, coloring pages,
interviews, monthly Q & A sessions, and more to help you with
the ins and outs of running a dance studio.
To get a
full sense of what we offer, you have several options:
• Finish
reading these frequently asked questions
• Read our
Sample
Articles
• Subscribe
to our
Free Tip of the Week
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Q:
How much does it cost to become a member of Dance Studio Owner?
A:
We offer two choices for membership.
Annual Membership:
Best value. Annual membership is $187, that's less than $16. per month for 12 full months and you'll be kept up to date with the new information added each week. To make your life as simple as possible your annual membership will automatically renew each year. However, you may cancel at any time.
Monthly
Membership: Low monthly fee just $27. per month. To make your life as simple as possible your monthly membership will automatically renew each month. However, you may cancel at any time.
Subscription
fees may be deductible as a business expense. Check with your tax
consultant or accountant for advice on this issue. We believe that you
are making a great investment into your business with your membership.
Read our
guarantee and know that we are 100%
committed to member satisfaction and delight!
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Q:
I'm not from the United States, can I still become a member?
A:
Yes, definitely! Our members are from countries all over the world
including, the United States, Canada, Australia, Mexico, United
Kingdom, Hong Kong, Ireland, and beyond. You can select your country
when registering as a new member.
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Q:
Which credit cards do you accept?
A:
We accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express.
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Q:
Why do you need my mailing address when I am registering as a member?
A:
This is a secure subscription site, communicating with our merchant
account via the web, it is for verification for authorization that we
need an address. This is true for any online merchant account to
prevent identity theft and most of all protect you the consumer! If
anyone got a hold of your credit card, they could not just shop online
with your number. Our transactions are processed through
Authorize.net. More than 248,000 merchants trust Authorize.Net to
manage their transactions, help prevent fraud, and grow their business.
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Q:
I don't like to put my credit card information online, how do I know
that it's safe and secure?
A:
You can be confident that our site is a safe and secure site to become
a member of with your credit card. We actually do not have access to
your credit card information. It is being transmitted to our merchant
account through a secure connection. How secure is the encryption used
by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)? The SSL is encrypted with a 128-bit key. It would take significantly longer than the age of
the universe to crack a 128-bit key. You can be confident using our site!
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Q: I'm already an
experienced dance studio owner, are all the
members just getting started?
A:
Our members include both new and experienced studio owners. We have
soon-to-be and aspiring dance studio owners in the planning stages too.
We also have many experienced studio owners with incredibly successful
businesses who are continually looking to stay inspired, stay on the
cutting edge, and network with one another. There are a variety of
experts in artistic direction, business management and dance studio
ownership included in our member base.
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Q:
My dance studio is non-traditional and we offer classes more for adults
or specialty classes, you seem to focus more on performing arts, will I
get anything from this site that is useful?
A:
Yes, and you'll get even more when you ask for the specific help that
you need. Some of our members include studio owners who focus on Belly
Dancing, Bollywood, Irish step, Nia, Acro, and offer classes in
Ballroom, Pilates, Yoga, and more.
Although we
draw from experience that relates back to a performing arts dance
studio, we have a wonderful group of contributors who have a diverse
background and experience. We also interview experts who offer tips and
advice to help non-traditional dance schools and studios.
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Q:
I'm not a studio owner yet, I'm still in the planning stages, can I be
a member?
A:
Absolutely! This is probably the BEST place for you to be if you are
still in planning mode because you can fast-forward your success and
learn from years of experience. Our members include both new and
experienced studio owners. We have soon-to-be and aspiring dance studio
owners in the planning stages too. We also have many experienced studio
owners with incredibly successful businesses who are continually
looking to stay inspired, stay on the cutting edge, and network with
one another. There are a variety of experts in artistic direction,
business management and dance studio ownership included in our member
base.
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Q:
Why do you charge a membership fee for this website? Can't I just go
figure this out on my own for free on the internet?
A:
Can you? Probably.
Should you?
It depends.
They say
that 'time is money', and we believe it to be true. You can certainly
click through the millions of pages online that include information on
running a business, handling customer service issues, reading threads
on free forums and spending countless hours trying to figure it out on
your own. Or you could get access 24/7, 365 days a year to a
comprehensive resource for everything you need to attract more
students, find and retain top talent, inspire loyal faculty and staff
and love the business of dance.
If we knew
then what we know now - free forums online are fine - but the advice
you find on them isn't always reliable. People still stumbling around
in the dark themselves offer newcomers advice without any personal
sense of responsibility, often creating more frustration for studio
owners or a teacher because they cannot be sure what information has
been tried, tested, and is reliable.
We have a
created a place where you can save time and money with a minimal
investment into your business.
This unique learning environment is a place where each member can ask
for advice and feedback and get it from other studio owners
experiencing tangible success in their own businesses and who are
willing to share how they're doing it. We have a
spirit of collaboration and community; our members care enough about
their business to pay to be here.
We've had
the privilege to work with hundreds of dance studio owners since our
inception both virtually and face to face at live events. We take care
to add and update resources regularly and continue to add fresh new
content every month. Want a glimpse into what you'll find in our
Download Library? It is never too
late to become a member -- and if you've ever had
your
membership expire in the past, you are always welcome back. If you're
ready to become a member, here's where
you get started!
Still not
sure? We do have some great free information as well. If you're not on
our tip of the week newsletter list,
sign up now free!
We send you VITAL dance studio owner tips for owning, growing, and
keeping your passion for dance alive. You can read some of our
sample
articles and watch our 2-minute
inspirational movie: http://www.5678movie.com and at
the end get a free report, 'The Dance Studio Revolution: 7 Ways to
Grow, Thrive, and Keep Your Passion for Dance Alive in This or Any
Economy'.
You are no
longer bound by the limits of your studio walls. The reach of the
internet is endless; you can interact and impact people across the
globe. You can learn from masters of dance education and masters of
studio management at the touch of your fingers on the keyboard. This is
a place where you can let go of the worry and fear of competition and
focus on what's possible.
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Q:
What do I need to open a dance studio? Do I need a certification or
need to be a dance teacher to own a dance studio?
A:
This is one of the most popular questions we get asked, or some
variation of this!
Here's the
honest truth. If you are thinking about opening a dance studio because
you think it would be nice or easy we're here to let you know that
you're thinking about the wrong business! But, it can be a very
rewarding and successful business to own and operate if done in a way
that incorporates the four cornerstones of a successful dance studio
business: artistic direction, business management, faculty and staff,
and customer service.
We also know
that dance studio owners are a passionate, artistic, creative,
sensitive, thoughtful, resourceful, and energetic group of people. If
you have a strong vision and purpose for your dance studio business and
a willingness to be coached, grow, and learn you will most likely be
very successful.
It's
probably going to take longer than you thought to get your dance studio
business off the ground. And it will probably cost you money than you
planned!
And no, on
top of all of that, there are no consistent industry standards that
require a certification to own and operate a dance studio. And no, you
do not need to be a dance teacher to open a dance studio or dance
school. However, we advise that you hire qualified dance teachers to
teach your classes. There are certain types of dance offerings,
specifically in ballet that require certifications to teach by those
methods. Plus, there are many dance teacher training programs,
certifications, and education programs that qualify and train teachers.
What you can
count on from us is that we uphold high standards of business
integrity, professionalism on every level, and most of all ethical
business practices. We are here to provide a comprehensive resource to
help you accelerate your success.
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Q:
How much does it cost to start a dance studio or dance school?
A:
This is another popular question that does not have an easy answer. So
much of the cost associated with your studio relates to your geographic
area. Will you rent or own the building for your studio? Are you in an
urban, suburban, or rural area? What are the demographics like? Is the
population growing or shrinking in your area?
The cost of
starting a dance studio materials also vary greatly. There are many
choices for flooring based on what styles of dance you will offer. Do
you want portable options or semi-permanent? Ballet barres, mirrors,
sound equipment, waiting room furniture, computers, office equipment,
software and more. Have you created a marketing plan and set aside
money for that budget?
As you can see there are a lot of variables to take into consideration. This is
just a partial list! Doing your research is going to be key in setting
yourself up for success.
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Q:
When did the DanceStudioOwner.com site start?
A:
We launched our site in May 2008.
Take Me To The Top
Q:
What's the mission of Dance Studio Owner?
A: We are
advocates for dance
education. It's our goal to support, encourage, and provide a valuable
resource for dance studio owners around the world because dance
education happens within the four walls of your studio. You are the
source of joy for so many and we know that the business can be
challenging. You don't have to be in business by yourself to be in
business for yourself. To see our purpose and passion and see a little
inside our hearts you can watch the 2-minute movie we created at http://www.5678movie.com.
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Q:
How often do you add new content?
We add new
content in the form of
articles, interviews, downloads, and more every month. The discussion
forum is updated daily with posts and our forum moderators and
contributors visit the site on average at least once a day, every day.
Other than major holidays, our site is always being refreshed with new
content. The added bonus is that you have full access to the hundreds
of cumulative content on the site at any time.
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Our Story
