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For all my studio owners!
Hello everyone! I am on the process of opening my own studio!! I am uber excited! I just want to get some feed back from you all that have a studio. What are some does and don'ts I work at a studio know and I know how I don't want to run it, lol.
I do have some questions. How did you go about funding? Did you get investors, loans, out of pocket? What would you recommend? (This is the part I'm going threw now, and having to change my business plan, SMH)
Just looking for a little insight!!!! It will really be appriciated!
Also for the people who dont own a studio that read this, what do you like to see in a studio?
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13 Replies
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Lol I’m wanting 2 do the same thing open up a studio. I have a huge boutique with 4 other rms n it . So I’m wanting 2 either rent a rm out 4 some 1 else if they want 2 open they own studio. Or just wait till I find a place here n Miami where I can get the pole train n certification. Then I can just keep the space 4 my self once I get it.
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Wish u the best with ur studio !
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Congratulations on your dream! Wanting to run a studio and actually having to supply what the market wants are two different things. If Seasons are going to be a factor where you are, and you will have a slow season and high season it will affect your being able to stay in business if you can bridge the gap.
If your philosophy is no sharing of poles, how many poles will you need, how much square feet, and can you afford the rent and over head.
Poles, Mirrors, floors and lighting are not as important as great teachers, and classes that actually are what people are willing to pay for. What you may want to offer may not be what the ladies in your area want.
Debt, I would say, try to stay out of debt, it will be easier to stay in business if you don't have a huge pile of bills to pay. Mirrors can be had for a song, if you know where to look. I built my studio on taking apart 4 feet wide closet sliding doors found in salvage yards, and Craigs list, affixed to the wall and saved $5000.00.
We started with 6 poles charged to my credit card, paid them off and in time expanded to now a 17 pole studio. All paid off. Besides mirrors, poles, some chairs you don't really need much to start.
The most important thing you and your staff can do is acommodate all types of women from all walks of life, be able to instruct a class room of varying levels, have everyone feel great and want to come back.
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I recently saw a post on another forum saying that you need to have really deep pockets to support opening a new studio. I believe it took her tens of thousands of dollars to do it from scratch. If you have the time and the know-how, doing the construction yourself (or with help of people you know) would be best for the wallet.
If you're lucky enough to find pole studio looking for a new owner, that's your golden opportunity. The setup is already there and you might even inherit the student base. Just make sure you get an inspection and go through everything with a fine tooth comb before committing — poles, floor, electrical, etc.
My dream studio would have two storey poles, mirrors, heated floors, and a great sound system. My current studio has 12 poles and the anytime we have a new student, I love watching their jaw drop. It's like walking into a pole forest.
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I just opened a studio in march and it’s going well. My husband gave me 5k to start out with and I got a credit card with no interest for a year. I am introducing lots to the studio, aerials (flygyms to be installed though I do have silks for me), we will start a hoop dance program for kids…It takes a lot of work and vision, and determination. I have not printed a single flyer and have done everything by word of mouth and Facebook, etc. have to have insurance…and I recommend getting a business advisor, which I pay $75 a mont for. Finds good building with good ceilings…and pray 😉
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While my professional career was aviation my background is business management. Therefore, I strongly urge you to read, and re-read the posts written by "paintilady," "onceuponapole," and "Jellicrew" because they contain the essentials for the creation of the successful business that you desire.
As a quick demonstration; having read "paintilady's" post I can tell you, almost assuredly, that she is a young woman who possesses the skills to use a paint brush, hammer, caulk gun, and drill driver and accomplish things on her own. Obstacles rarely stand in her way. She has good business sense, is creative, committed, and adaptable business-wise. I hope she'll do me the courtesy of confirming what I've stated. I don't know "paintilady," or anything else about her, other than seeing her post here for the first time here.
You need to establish a business philosophy. Does your business philosophy fit with the market (area) you live and work in. You will need to write out a "business plan" whether you are looking for investor's or not. The plan is your guide. It will help you identify your market, your studio operating times, and your business constraints in the marketplace. You will have to do the math to identify your financial break-even point monthly, and seasonally. You need to have, or acquire, adequate cash reserves to cover months where you may show a loss.
The math is simple; total square footage of your "actual" poling area equals how many poles you'll have. How many classes per day, week, month. How much do you want to charge per hour. This makes up your total income per month. Remember, this may be very variable, so don't be optimistic.
Then it's your total expenses, or "overhead" per month; studio rental, electric, water, heat, AC, insurance, any menial fees such as banking fees, or credit card transaction costs. These become your "fixed costs" which you incur month after month whether your variable income is either high or low.
At the outset you will have "capital costs" which include the purchase of the poles, chairs, mirrors, lighting, interior construction (if any), crash mats or carpet, etc.
You have to be committed to your business, and you must be a superb instructor capable of communicating and working well with all sorts of people. Good luck, and success, on your venture.
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Thanks Majikmyke!
I wish I had someone to talk to with a background in business management years ago. I would have saved myself many lessons. Yes, I am skilled with a jigsaw, paint brush caulk gun, drill press etc. My background as a fine artist bronze sculptor gave me that. I have always been self employed. I currently own two companies, a fitness studio, and a pet care franchise. I also still do fine art. My small business's grew out of my necessity to make money when the fine art market dried up 5 years ago with the recession. Because it was imperative I make money to pay my bills running a business and not making a profit was not an option. Since I've never held a job, finding employment with a decent salary was impossible. Running a pole studio has been very rewarding.
If you live below your means, manage your money, and become aware of what a market wants and figuring out how to deliver you can be profitable.
While I love sexy pole dance, Tucson does not, they want pole boot camps and pole aerobics. There will be times that if you can rise to the occasion and figure out how to tap into what a market is craving, you will be successful. Painting Flower gardens was what I wanted to do, painting the Southwest is what sold.
You don't always get to do what you want to in business but I have been lucky to do what I love, fitness, animals and fine art, I am truly blessed.
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As a student, I have enjoyed learning about how studio owners run their spaces.
From watching Body and Pole in Ny, and Choreography House in LA, and random cities here and there, and hoping to one day visit these studios when i feel my trip their will be worth while.
I think Aerial/Pole conditioning classes are a must along with flexibility classes.
The studios in my area do not have certified or knowledgable instructors, so I have strictly a home poler.
I am not where i would like to be in my strength, but I definitely know the difference between the jade and gemini. So instructors should know the terminology like the back of their hand and know how to properly execute, explain in multiple ways, and spot the student.Crash mats, Crash Mats, Crash mats.
If you plan to keep a good client base, they will advance, and so should safety.Check of Rikki’s studio on facebook(she is a member here) she is very active on updating. With this technology age, people get a glimpse by looking you up on facebook. So if I were in your position I would spend sometime taking good pics of the studio space and update it frequently with schedules, specials, etc. Have fun with it and be creative. Engage with potential students online 🙂
Rikki’s studio is called Defiance Studios.
Search all kind of studios around the world, go to their sites and look at their schedules. Get a feel for what you like and dont like and make a list, if you have done this already, repeat 😉I am a studio stalker. I envy all the creative spaces around the world!
Congratulations and good luck!!
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Thank you Ladies, this is very helpful. I plan to start small and grow. There is so much business to do I have a business plan already and a business mentor who helps a lot. I also have a partner who has the same passion and commitment as me. The oly thing holding me back is funding. Since I am not asking for a a lot of funds business loans are pretty much out. so I am on the investor hunt. Sounds easy but not really. I am really ready to offer something that other studios don't offer here. Thank you again ladies for the advice and Majikmyke we should talk more often!!! you raised very good points!
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I started my studio with $131. cash and 3 credit cards, there was no funding available for my kind of business! LOL I started with a really small space, 387 sq ft. I now have 1500. Most of my debt is paid off now, so I should be able to get a paycheck by the end of this year! I didn't do a partner because you really have to trust that person, you need to know they are going to work as hard as you! I didn't pursue an investor because they expect a return right away, which isn't going to happen immediately! I have no business background, but have learned through trial and error and learning as much as I can along the way. I run my business myself, all the finances, bookkeeping, payroll, etc. I put in 12 + hours a day normally, and work 7 days a week. I also teach classes and private students. I have 4 instructors and 2 apprentices right now. I do not do independent contractors, it doesn't work for me, I'm a stickler about how students are taught, proper sequence, proper form, conditioning, strength training and stretching, as well as safety!! It has worked for me quite well, it has allowed consistency and that way when an instructor can't work, someone can fill in and just go to the book for that class curriculum and pick up without any problem! I have been in business for almost 3 years now! Good luck to you, I wish you much success!!!! 🙂
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Definitely need to follow this post! My business partner and I are renting space from a yoga studio and are having classes. We hope to expand to our own studio one day, but are taking it slow so that we really learn the business/legal aspects. The posts here are very inspiring and realistic. Thanks ladies!!!
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First off, great discussion ladies. I love all the information that is being given. I started my little studio 2 1/2 years ago and recently moved it to my own space. I was renting space from a studio where all forms of dance was being held so I could never put my "personalized" stamp on it. Last year, I was given an amazing opportunity and finally in March I was able to go forward and open up "Kitty Kats' Korner" in California. While it is not your typical pole studio name, it is sooo me and I love it! I was also lucky enough to have a husband who backed me financially and understood my need to do this. Dance has always been my passion and this is just another form of dance. I myself put another $2000 into the studio, so with only $5000, I was able to open up along with the help of my Advanced girls who stepped up to the plate along with their men and helped me lay wood flooring, paint and finesse the studio and our beautiful bathroom. I also have two great co-instructors, Jade and April who stepped in and helped me out because the month before the studio opened, I slipped on the extra laminate flooring and got a doozie of a spiral fracture in my fibula and am still recovering! Having amazing help is crucial to any business. I have 4 poles, 3 stationary and 1 rotator or Mr. Spinny as we call it :). I have track lighting (with red light bulbs of course), one free standing mirror, one chair for lap dances, a bench that was built just for me for ladies to put their yoga mats in along with cubby holes for their dance bags and other personal items ( all painted in black and melt into the background). I know I can never compete with the big studios but what I find is that my students love it because it is so personal and welcoming and they feel it is "their studio" too. I teach tricks but most importantly I teach acceptance of yourself no matter what your size is, along with embracing your sensual side and allowing you to get out of your head and let your soul dance. I am not in it to make a million dollars, I am in it for the love of dance and that is priceless!!
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Hello everyone. I will talk some by my experience. I recently opened my studio too, here in Dominican Republic. I did spend all my savings because of trying to run my own business, for first time in life.
The good thing about doing it this way is that you don`t have to pay interests to a bank. I did a budget on a excel sheet and tried to stick to it the best I could. To run this pole dance studio I needed aprox. 5,000.
Some of the more expensive things are: air conditioning, wall bars, wall covered with mirrors, space rental (I rented a little one, almost 500 sq feet), 4 XPole Xpert and one XStage, paint & decor, sound system and so on.
If you think my budget would help you do your own, please write me at rodriguezalmonte.karina@gmail.com and/or powerdollsstudio@gmail.com
I can send it to you and some photos of my studio, that maybe inspire you. I will be pleased to help.Sorry about my English…
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