Beautiful Lessons That Came Out of 2020
Talk about beauty from pain…
The other day at our Streamlined Studio client holiday party, we chatted with our studio owners around the world and were inspired beyond measure.
So many studio owners talked about what they’ve had to do to pivot and we laughed about how far we have gone to keep things going.
Some of this completely sucks-yes, but there are some beautiful things that have developed out of necessity that will become a part of your studio’s culture. Maybe your outdoor holiday performance was the most fun you’ve ever had! Or you’re enrollment has actually increased thanks to that virtual class option!
Sometimes when we are forced to go outside of the box, magic happens. As creatives, no one knows that better than we do.
In this blog post, we are going to share some of the things our clients are planning to continue well after COVID is gone.
Honest and clear communication builds community
This has been a year full of curveballs and you’ve been forced to send more emails out about procedure updates than you wanted to. With constant updates, studio owners across the world have had to lay it all out there and hope that everyone is understanding.
I’m sure you’ve spent sleepless nights wondering if your students will stick around through the tough times.
Your families see your studio as a home away from home and they appreciate your honest communication more than you know. It’s a proven fact that strong bonds are formed in the face of adversity.
The dance community has been through the ringer this year, but your students who stuck it out couldn’t be more loyal.
Unconventional performances can be awesome
Performances are such an important part of what we do.
With capacity restrictions and facility regulation, our options were limited. Many chose to cancel their shows, but some of you decided to try something new.
We’ve had to get creative with how and where our students will perform and some of those creative solutions are here to stay!
Some of you made holiday performances into outdoor events, parades, and everything in between and there is one conclusion we can all agree on: they turned out to be AWESOME!
Online classes can expand your business
There are definite downfalls to online classes, but some studios have been able to expand their student base.
A former student that had to move away, a social media follower who admires your expertise and dreams of dancing at your studio, or an alumni who went away to school- these are all students who couldn’t dance with you due to proximity.
Now distance is not an issue and you are able to reach anyone you want with your classes! Zoom classes don’t have to be a bad thing.
We’ve all become technology pros!
Between Zoom, Band, YouTube, Vimeo, Facebook and Instagram- you’ve had to learn on the fly and now you’re a pro!
When faced with taking your studio online, man did you develop some skills! Even though you may never want to have another Zoom call again, being tech savvy is more important than ever and your increased online presence will bring you more business.
Some of you have even shared that you have taken this opportunity to teach your students about dancing for the camera and commercial dance and you will continue to implement that in the future!
Work/life balance is important!
If you’ve been working twice as many hours to try to keep your business afloat, you’re not alone.
I know it seems like there aren’t enough hours in the day but keeping yourself healthy and happy is incredibly important. Setting a schedule and sticking to it is a must and so many of our clients have shared that it has been a game changer for them!
You are the heart and soul of your business and your students need you to take care of yourself. You can’t work 16 hour days forever or it will start to catch up to you.
Asking for help, delegating, and finding ways to carve out time for yourself is here to stay!
Comment below one lovely lesson 2020 taught you!
What to do next:
- Breathe.
- Look at all you have survived this year.
- Look at all you have accomplished this year.
- Give yourself a freakin’ break.
- That email can wait.
- Celebrate YOU.
- Give 2021 a warning for all that you WILL do.
Your Biggest Fan,
Micaela Royer
CEO, The Streamlined Studio
