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to the studio owners
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Okay…here are some real solutions for you O….get mind/body online… make your clients sign and out online and then you can control the pre sign up or sign out. Their accounts will be online and they can take responsibility in their class schedule. I tell my clients that "if" I can fill their spot with another client then I will not charge them a late cancel fee, This motivates them to let me know as soon as they can after the 24 hour cancellation policy has closed. this will also give you the option to not charge them if you feel it is a worthy late cancel….
Lock the door when class starts…let the students know that at "whatever point" no one is going to open that door…so if you are late too bad. (you can be nicer than that)
Even though I keep my phone in me all the time…my clients know I have a 24 hour return text or call policy…so if I am sleeping or something I do not call them back of course.. I do it in the morning. Returning a text or call as soon as possible is very important. They are never mad at me if it takes a couple of hours or whatever to return a message.
I've also noticed that you are getting a lot of business advice from people who do not own a studio.. Choose you advice wisely. Being an employee/independant contractor is a lot different than the actual owner. I've had instructors in the past think they have my business all figured out…I just let them know in a nice way that until you walk a mile in my shoes you dont know. i usually say something like… "That sounds like a great idea. I will consider it." This is not to offend anyone, but I was once an instructor myself only and I thought I had it all figured out…hmmm.. I really didnt.. I figure it out every day with every new situation.
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This is a really great thread and some great replies. My ultimate goal is to one day open a small studio, so this has really given me some things to think about. You dont often hear this side from owners.
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I felt that way about a year ago. I decided I needed to get tougher/firmer and really enforce my policies. I have asked 4 students over the past two years to leave and not come back. I don't worry about what they will say to others , my business and my reputation are stronger than that. I am fair, but also am trying to make a living. I can still care about my students, but like any other business, there are those few that think they can manipulate the situation and will certainly try if you let them get away with it. I would not let someone steal from me and just smile. I also DO NOT allow controversial topics to be discussed inside my doors. Everyone has strong opinions about what they believe/think, so on the 1st day of class I tell students to leave everything outside of the door, including but not limited to their claws! This is one of the biggest reasons my students are long term, they appreciate that this is "thier" time to relax and have fun. Yes, running a business is hard work, and even more challenging at times working with women….but I have found a way that it works for me. I agree with some that getting an advisor/mentor in business is the best way to go. I worked with S.C.O.R.E and the SBA as well as a local banker. I do not spend ANY money on advertising, my business does very well on word of mouth. I have found some creative ways to give my students that little extra and not have to increase my cost to do it. I'm tired, overwhelmed at times….but I LOVE what I do, anything worth having or doing comes with many ups and downs….for me it's how I view that and how much am I willing to endure and sacrifice to reach my goal. Anyone you speak to that has been successful with a busines (at least in my experience) will tell you that you can't expect to make money in the first 2-4 years, so knowing that a business plan is critical to determine if the business can at least pay the bills until you profit. This is why thouroughly researching is so important. Getting the demographices within a 100 mile radious and narrowing down your target potential clientele, not just population numbers but the medien income. I have not had a paycheck for almost 3 years, but I will see one in 2013! My business now has solid roots in my community and that is what I strived for! I brought pole into a very conservative bible belt area and have not had the issues that other studios have had, I'm grateful. And everytime I bring Veena here, and David C. Owen, everyone is excited to see them!!! I will never give up, nothing worth having or doing ever comes easy. 🙂
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Olivia – yes it is definitely a special challenge to own & operate a pole studio. It can be very easy to let the negative sides of being a business owner, especially a pole business owner, get you down… especially when the students or non-business owners don't necessarily understand what all we do behind-the-scenes…. juggling difficult or frustrating clients; simply tyring staying out of the red financially (because, contrary to what many think, pole isn't rolling in the millions!); balancing work + personal life; the potential drama/tensions with other studios nearby… combining it all together sometimes makes you want to alternate between pulling your hair out to punching a hole in the wall to curling up under the covers & hiding.
I think one of the most difficult things about owning a pole studio is that we get into the business because of our PASSION for pole fitness and our DESIRE to help other women achieve the same empowerment & transformation (internal & external) that we once went through. Then in the hustle & bustle of being a business owner, that PASSION & DESIRE starts to fizzle out simply because we don't have the TIME or ENERGY to keep it aflame!
For me, personally, when the negatives start to weigh me down… I try to focus instead on the POSITIVES of what we do at our studio. I think about the student who, two years, used to break down & cry in the middle of class and now walks with her head high exuding more confidence than she thought possible. I think about the student who was in an abusive relationship, and confided that she finally called the police & left her husband after months of classes – because she finally learned to love & value herself again. I look at all my clients (of all ages, shapes, colors & fitness levels) who are doing amazing, incredible, gravity-defying feats and have grown into strong empowered women and love & support each other on their own as well. Stepping back & looking at the big picture – wow, it is pretty incredible what the community our studios create can do for the women we as instructors teach every week!
I also TRY TRY TRY to squeeze in that time for me to inspire myself – pole jamming with my instructors outside of class, creating performances to show our community why pole fitness is so amazing, treating myself to a private lesson or class (because sometimes being the student again can really light that fire again!), or networking with other polers in my state (pole jams!!). Don't forget to pamper, empower & treat yourself just as special as you treat your students! Sometimes that's a matter of blocking off two hours every Sunday and not letting anything else interfere with that time haha
And then, in the end, all those little pesky negatives seem like a wonderful price to pay to keep all those positives aflame!
Best of luck & continued success!
xoxo Dakota
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