DSO Connect - By & For Dance Studio Owners

53. Making Memories with Brenda Bennett

We just love chatting with our amazing community members! This week we sit down with Brenda Bennet, who has owned her baton and dance school for 38 years! She's got tons of wisdom to share, so you won't want to miss this one!

 

We've got some retreat details to share! Mark your calendars for July 23rd-25th and book your tickets, we're going to Cape Coral, Florida for this year's DSO Connect retreat! More info will be out soon, so stay tuned. In the meantime, grab a replay of last year's amazing retreat here: https://www.dancestudioownerconnect.com/dso-connect-retreat-replay

 

And don't forget to join our FREE online community on Facebook! Click here and make sure you answer the questions to join. We can't wait to meet you!

52. Second round PPP loans and happy anniversary to our podcast!

This week we're celebrating one whole year of podcasting! It's been a great ride so far and we're excited to keep it going. In this episode, Robin and Casey chat about what's going on in their lives and their studios, plus the new round of PPP loans coming out now.

 

Are you a member of the DSO Connect Community? Join us! We are a FREE group on Facebook for dance studio owners to connect, share ideas, inspire one another, and provide support. We help troubleshoot each other’s problems and celebrate each other’s successes. We have two Zoom calls a month, Coffee Chat Fridays and Wine Down Wednesdays, where we get to hang out together with fellow DSOs who really “get it.” So if you’re looking for support, connection, and judgement-free advice, join us today! Click here and answer the questions to join. We can’t wait to meet you!

51. Danielle McKee Part 2: Getting everybody involved

This week's episode is Part 2 of our conversation with Danielle McKee. If you haven't listened to Part 1 yet, go back and check out Episode 50 before listening to this week's episode. In Part 2, Danielle tells us all about how she gets her families involved in the Recital process, plus community sponsorships, and more!

50. Danielle McKee Part 1: It's going to be great and it's going to have rhinestones

DSO Connect Community member Danielle McKee joins us this week AND next week to talk about all things Recital. In Part 1 she discusses her journey as a young future-lawyer-turned-DSO, how to produce amazing story-telling Recitals, pictures and programs, and what it takes to create magical performance experiences that families want to be a part of.

 

Have YOU joined the community yet? DSO Connect Community is a FREE group on Facebook just for dance studio owners to share ideas, support one another, and connect! Find us and join the conversation!

49. REPLAY: DSO Husbands with Robin & Wally

To close out 2020, we're sharing our favorite podcast episodes from the year! This week we're featuring Robin's favorite, from back in March (Pre-COVID times!), a conversation between Robin and her husband Wally. Together they discuss their journey as a couple, the evolution of Robin's studio, and Wally's role in the business.

Start the New Year out right with a FREE month of the DSO Connect Member Vault for January 2021! Just write us a review on apple podcasts by December 31st, and you're entered to win. It'll only take a moment of your time, and it will really help us spread the word about DSO Connect! 

48. REPLAY: A conversation with Darby Pack

To close out 2020, we're sharing our favorite podcast episodes from the year! First up is Casey's favorite, from back in June, a conversation with Darby Pack. Casey and Darby had a great conversation about race in the dance industry, from what white studio owners need to know about their students of color, to advocating for a wider variety of "flesh" colors in dancewear, to discrimination in casting, and then some! This is definitely a conversation worth revisiting!

 

Start the new year out right with a FREE month of the DSO Connect Member Vault for January 2021! Just write us a review on apple podcasts by December 31st, and you're entered to win. It'll only take a moment of your time, and it will really help us spread the word about DSO Connect! 

47. All things HR with Jaime Ferguson

This week we take another peek behind the scenes of Robin's studio by sitting down with Jaime Ferguson, Robin's Human Resources Director. Jaime tells us all about what DSOs need to know to keep their staff ship sailing smoothly.

 

Leave us a review on Apple itunes by December 31st and be entered to win a FREE month of the DSO Connect Member Vault for January 2021!

46. Mastering admin systems with Kathy Jones

In this week's episode! We sit down with Kathy Jones, Robin's Office Manager at her studio, who is a WEALTH of great ideas! If you're considering bringing on an admin staff, or aren't sure how to fill your current admin staff's time, this is the episode for you!

45. Smart marketing with Austin Roberson

This week Austin Roberson, founder and CEO of Studio Suite joins us to talk about his software, and how DSOs should be marketing their studios. Learn more about Austin's products here: www.getstudiosuite.com

44. From idea to product with Tricia Gomez

This week Robin and Casey interview the one and only Tricia Gomez, creator of Hip Hop in a Box and Rhythm Works Integrative Dance programs. She talks about how she took these baby ideas and turned them into marketable products, and how being open to whatever the universe holds brought her some amazing opportunities.

43. Mini-topic chat with Robin & Casey

Robin and Casey catch up this week and discuss a few smaller topics that have been brought up in the DSO Connect Community group lately: separating personal and business, pros and cons to re-opening your studio's lobby, and employees behaving badly.

42. Mental health in the dance studio with Angela DeMarco

Dance educator and school psychologist Angela DeMarco joins Casey and Amanda this week to talk about mental health, from performance anxiety to learning disabilities, and how to create a dance environment that's healthy for our minds, too!

41. Bringing dance full circle with Richard Smith

Jazz dance expert and Owner and Executive Director of the 360 Dance Festival Richard Smith joins us this week to talk about everything from his early days of dancing at recess with his schoolmates to the evolution of the dance industry post-COVID, and so much more! You don't want to miss this fascinating conversation!

40. What's next, with Julie Kay Stallcup

You know and love her for her contagious enthusiasm and high-energy teaching style; this week Robin and Casey interview the one and only Julie Kay Stallcup! They talk about some of her proudest accomplishments, the sale of her dance studio, and what's next!

39. Q&A

Our first Q&A episode! Have questions for us, or want to let us know how you've implemented some of our ideas at your studio? Or share something that made YOUR heart happy! Email us at dsoconnect6@gmail.com  We can't wait to hear from you!

38. The 5 Love Languages and showing appreciation to your team

We have two favors to ask you, dear listeners! First, please rate, review, and subscribe to the podcast to help us reach - and help - as many people as possible! Second, we're working on an upcoming Q&A episode, and we need your questions! From professional to personal, nothing's off limits! Post your questions in our FREE Facebook group, DSO Connect Community, or email them to dsoconnect6@gmail.com, and be sure to put "Podcast Q&A" in the subject line. Thank you!

 

This week, it's all about the love! How do you show your love and appreciation to your team? This week we sit down with Amanda Cacciotti who tells us all about how she utilizes her staff's love languages to effectively show them how much they mean to her.

37. Fall opening updates and event ideas

Robin and Casey have just under two weeks of the new dance season under their belts, so they discuss hiccups and pleasant surprises they've encountered so far. Plus, they both have some creative ideas for events and performances to keep your whole dance year exciting.

 

Membership in the DSO Connect Member Vault closes at the end of September, 2020! Don't miss out on our great monthly content that will help you get your studio running like a well-oiled machine. To learn more and be the last DSO to get in on our membership for several months, visit our website at www.dancestudioownerconnect.com. 

36. Replay: Getting ahold of your studio's cash flow with Profit First principles

With all the change going on in our lives and in our businesses right now, it's a great time to crack open the books and take a good hard look at our numbers. This week we revisit Episode 8, in which Robin tells us all about Profit First and how this budget strategy can help drive our businesses to success.

 

The Member Vault doors are closing at the end of September! Don't miss out on all the great monthly content! Go to www.dancestudioownerconnect.com to join us!

35. Shining Positive Light on Competitions

After all the talk the last two weeks about the pitfalls of competitions, we wanted to shine some positive light on this side of the dance world this week! Casey sits down with Holly, who runs a wildly successful competition program at her studio, to talk about how to do competition the right way.

 

Our Member Vault closes at the end of September! Don't miss out! To learn more and sign up, visit our website www.dancestudioownerconnect.com and click on the "Membership" tab.

34. Trash The Trophies with Chasta Hamilton [Part 2]

This week we continue our conversation with Chasta Hamilton, author of Trash the Trophies: How to Win Without Losing Your Soul. To learn more about Chasta and to purchase her book, visit her website at www.chastahamilton.com