Entrepeneur (6)

"Dance Your Way Into Business Success"

I sometimes get asked for advice by friends or colleagues for suggestions on how their sibling, child,nephew, niece, or grandchild can establish a career as a professionaldancer, and also, if it’s a career that will offer stability andlongevity at some point.


For details on how to pursue a career in dance, check out my article, “TheProfessional Dancer’s Survival Kit”.


To learn about wages and salaries for dance instructors, check out the article, “WindowInto Wages“, highlighting our Kiner Enterprises Inc. Dance IndustryReport.



In the meantime, check out why professional dancers make great business people!

Qualities of a Professional Dancer:

-Passion
-Vision
-Strength
-Tenacity
-Determination
-Discipline
-Know-How/Talent



Qualities of a Successful Business Person:

-Passion
-Vision
-Strength
-Tenacity
-Determination
-Discipline
-Know-How/Talent


It’s no wonder that so many professional dancers are able to transition into, or compliment theirpassion for dance with a successful business career!


Whether it’s opening a dance studio, starting your own dance company or clothing line, publishing adance magazine or website, or founding the 1st and only national danceteacher staffing agency in the U.S. (Kiner Enterprises Inc.),dancers are more business savvy than you think!


The main key, in my opinion, that separates the dancer, from the dancer/business person is the desire tocreate your own “Big Break”. Many dancers dream of getting their “BigBreak” in their dance career, that one job, show, or gig that takestheir career to the next level, and opens the doors of opportunity. Theyhope and dream, and wait around for someone to recognize their talent,and pave the way to success for them.


However, it is the dancer who is interested in creating their own “Big Break” that experiences therewards of a successful business career. The journey of entrepreneurshipis a complicated one, and the path to success is very bumpy,unpredictable, and doesn’t have the straightforward equation of“audition equals job”. But, it’s well worth the tumultuous journey!



My advice to any dancer interested in launching a career in business, whether it is dance-related or not,is, go for it! You already embody the innate qualities of a successfulbusiness person! The only thing holding you back is you! Good luck!

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A spirit of giving should be something that we embrace all year round, and shouldn’t be limited to the months of November andDecember. Here are my top 5 reasons to give back all year long:
1) Because there’s always someone in need. As residents of this planet, and members of the humanrace, we have an unspoken responsibility for one another. Wealso have an innate, God-given desire to love, be loved, protectourselves, as well as others. Whatever your comfort level or situation,there’s always a way to give back, and help someone in need. You havethe option of donating all types of goods (not just money) to non-profitorganizations, or giving a little money to that single mom in yourbuilding or in your child’s school, and even giving back through yourtime. Which leads to my next item…

2) Because it is so rewarding! There’s no feeling like the feeling of knowing that you’re helping someone in need, makingtheir life better, or simply taking time out to focus on the needs ofsomeone outside of your family and inner circle. So, my suggestion?Volunteer! I have been a dedicated volunteer for Animal Care and Control of New York City for 2 years now, and it has beenone of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done in my life! I happen tolove dogs (borderline-obsessed), so, this is a perfect scenario for me.However, if you’re thinking that you don’t have time to volunteerbecause of your already hectic schedule, or that with all of the stressof life, you don’t have much to give anyone, then I have news for you.You absolutely DO have something to give! You just have to get creativesometimes. So depending on your personal interests or free time, thereare many options out there for you. You can volunteer for a non-profitonce-a-week, or once-a-month, you can mentor a young person, or a newbusiness-owner/entrepeneur, you can do a free, quarterly seminar in alocal high school, college, or church, on a topic that you areknowledgeable about that may be helpful to others. The possibilities areendless!
3) Because making the world a better place starts with individuals each doing their part. It’s not enough for us to votefor politicians who we think will make a difference, or to sign apetition for a good cause, every so often, or even participate in arally of sorts. These are all very important of course, but it’s alsoimportant for you to recognize that you alone can make a real differencein this world. From sending a friend a kind e-mail just reminding themthat they’re doing a great job, and that you admire them, to taking outthat really quiet kid from your church, that always seems a little sad,to lunch, to the park, or to a ball game. It’s always good to recognizethe small gestures that we can do as individuals, that will help to makethe world a better place.

4) Because giving is like a river which flows gracefully into an ocean of goodness that affects the masses. Okay,that was a little bit of a poetic stretch, but the point is, you getback what you give. Call it karma, reaping what you sow, energy, “The Secret”, or whatever you like. But, I’vefound that people with a true, giving heart, that actively choose tomake giving back a way of life, find that they always manage to havetheir needs met, sometimes in surprising and miraculous ways, and findthat good always comes back to them, even in the midst of adversity.

5) Because it’s the right thing to do. It’s a little sad that giving back has become something optional for so manypeople, as opposed to a way of life. This really needs to change. Aspirit of giving combats greed, selfishness, and arrogance. So that’sanother great reason to do it! If you’re a parent, your kids arewatching. Don’t just tell them what is right, show them, through yourlife, and through your actions.

You may notice that I didn’t notate any specificorganizations to volunteer for, or donate to. No, that would be tooeasy! I would love it if you would take the time out right now, to lookwithin yourself, and see what unique and special way that you can giveback. Don’t just look at a site with tons of non-profit organizations,or a volunteer options checklist. Think about what you’re good at, whatyou enjoy doing, and the qualities that you already embody that arespecial, and then find something that fits for your personality andlifestyle. Please let me know what you find out. Once you start givingback, you’ll never stop!
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"Mastering the Power of Focus" Part 1

Have you ever done a particular task or activity while you were distracted, then again when you were focused? Could you see/feel adifference? Were the results different?


I’m from the school of thought that, in order to do something well, and get it done in a timely manner, you need to focus on that oneparticular thing, preferably without interruption, if possible. I don’tsay that because it’s easy to do, but because, based on experience, it’sthe way you get the best results, and get things done within areasonable time frame. However, if you think that by simply “focusing”,your phone will stop ringing, e-mails will stop coming through, orpeople will refrain from disturbing you, I would say that you’re a bitdelusional! That’s not going to happen. Mastering the power of focusrefers to being able to block out that which is around you (or evenwithin at times), or anything outside of what you’re focusing on, inorder to complete a task or activity, fulfill a purpose, or reach agoal.


Ever wonder why parents say to their children, “no tv until your homework is done”? Because they want their child to focus on the task athand, and get it done.


How do you think gold-medalists, professional athletes, performing artists, public speakers, etc. are able to excel under very stressfuland high-pressure circumstances? They have mastered the power of focus.


Now I must warn you, some people may not appreciate your new-found “power of focus” attitude, because it means that they may not have thesame access to you that they once had. You may take a little longer toget back to someone, or you may have to say ‘no’ on occasion, becausewhile you’re focusing on one thing, other people/things will have towait. People, in general, tend to have a lack of patience, especiallynowadays with the speed of technology that we’ve all grown so accustomto. So be prepared for some opposition.


If you start to feel guilty, or wonder if it’s all worth it or not, just think about your doctor. Would you want him/her to examine you, andtwo other patients at the same time? Would you mind if he/she wastexting while doing surgery on you? Or would you prefer that his/hertotal and complete focus be on you, until the task is complete? Ialready know the answer to that question.


Please note that while writing this blog post I did not check my e-mail, BBM, text, answer calls, or check voice msgs once. :)


Stay tuned for “Mastering the Power of Focus” Part 2, where I’ll discuss how mastering the power of focus can improve your health andwellness. If you have questions, or a specific topic you’d like me tocover in this series, please feel free to leave a comment.


This blog post from Kiner Enterprises Inc. Dancer's Blog, http://danceprosusa.wordpress.com.

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"The Hard Knock Life of an Entrepeneur" Part 2

“Pay Yourself First”


We’ve all heard this one before. The bottom line is, the financial aspect of running your business is always extremely challenging, especially since “you have to spend money to make money”. However, as
the owner of the business, you are responsible for making some very
tough decisions. You have to choose between hiring employees to work for
you to help run the business, or bearing a lot of the burden yourself.
Not to mention, you have to determine what is the most budget-friendly
and effective way to market your business to your customers.

In this article, I’d like to speak directly to all of the small business owners out there. Listen carefully, it is imperative that you pay yourself first. As you know, when there is extreme financial pressure on any
business, large or small, the first place that you cut back is payroll,
since that tends to be the largest expense for most businesses. So, I
would argue that as business owners, we should be a little more
conservative to begin with when hiring, and then maybe we won’t have to
do dramatic cutbacks down the line.


You’d be surprised how many business owners are paying employees to work for them, but aren’t earning a reasonable salary themselves. This is a big problem! If you’re not earning a reasonable salary from your
small business (only you can decide what’s reasonable), you definitely
should not be paying employees. This is a hard pill to swallow for many
small business owners, but it is a reality that is important to come to
terms with.



The owner of any small business works tirelessly to operate the business, resolve conflicts, grow the business, manage day-to-day operations, etc. They are also responsible for the vision of the
business, keeping it fresh, current, competitive, and ahead of the
trends. If you, the business owner, are bogged down with overwhelming
financial stress, how can you grow your business? How can you build
relationships with your clients, if you can barely pay your bills? How
can you realize your dreams, if your dream has become a nightmare?


I don’t say all of this to scare you, but to empower you. Learn to make the tough, right decisions in the beginning, in order to avoid the many unnecessary obstacles that can arise down the line.

Stay tuned for the next installment of this series where I will discuss how social media can save your business…Also let me know if there are any specific topics you’d like to see me write about within
this series.



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"The Hard Knock Life of an Entrepeneur" Part 1

To say that there’s a “learning curve” when starting your own business is a true understatement. And sometimes, no matter how manybooks you’ve read, seminars you’ve attended, or coaching you’vereceived, there are still many lessons that you will simply have tolearn along the way.

Since starting my business back in 2007, I have learned many tough, yet important lessons that can only truly be learned through experience.These lessons learned have helped me to become much wiser and moresuccessful today, and I’d like to share them with you. This is part 1 ofa 3-Part series that will discuss the “hard knock life” of anentrepeneur/business owner, and share some useful insight and advicejust for you.


Here are the top 3 lessons I’ve learned as a business owner:


1) Don’t Chase Money, Build Relationships.
This may sound like a no-brainer, but in fact, when you’re starting out,you’re spending a lot of money on advertising, operational expenses,etc. So you have business expenses that have to be covered, and if yourclients aren’t covering them, that leaves you to handle it on your own,on top of your own personal expenses. This reality is one of the majorreasons why most businesses fail within the first 3-5 years. That beingsaid, no one wants to do business with someone that they don’t trust, orwhom they feel is simply after their money, and not interested insolving whatever problem they have, or providing them with greatservice. Additionally, by building a relationship with your clients,they turn from one-time clients, to long-term clients (which of courseleads to increased income for your business over time). Not to mention,happy clients tell their friends, family, and colleagues about yourbusiness, which helps to build a successful and reputable business foryou in the long run.


2) Don’t Chase Money, but Don’t Give Your Services Away either- Although it’s great to offer promotions, specialdiscounts, etc. for your services or products from time to time, it isalso important to keep things in perspective. Sometimes when you’restarting out you think that by lowering your prices you will ultimatelywin, because this will make your customers happy. But this poses twoproblems. One is that, if you don’t have a financial model in place foryour business that will allow it to survive and thrive over time, youare doing your clients a disservice, because your business won’t bearound long enough to help them. Secondly, people tend to place value onthings based on how much they cost. So, if you provide a specializedproduct or service, then your rates should reflect that. When youprovide superb service/products for your clients, they will be happy topay your rate, and appreciate it all the more. Do keep in mind that yourrates/prices should be within reason according to the type ofproduct/service you provide. However, you should never undervalue yourproduct/services in hopes of satisfying your customers, at your expense.This leads me to lesson #3…


3) You can’t please all of the people all of the time. The reality of business is this, there are two types ofclients/customers; a) the ones you can please, and b) the ones youcan’t. Your focus should be on doing your best to provide usefulresources to your clients, offer excellent customer service, conflictresolution, and a pleasant attitude. Give your best to your clients, andthat’s the end of it. Don’t waste energy on those who feel that yourbest isn’t good enough, because chances are, no matter what you do, youwon’t be able to please them. So, do your best, handle your businesswith honesty and integrity, treat your clients with respect andconsideration, and the rest is out of your hands.


Stay tuned for the next installment of this series…Also let me know if there are any specific topics you’d like to see me write about withinthis series. I look forward to your suggestions and comments.


This article added from my blog on Wordpress, http://danceprosusa.wordpress.com.


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"5 Deadly Thoughts on the Road to Success"

Nearthe end of ‘09, I partnered up with C.Thomas Gambrell, of C.ThomasSuccess Coaching, to host a teleseminar entitled, “Dance Your Way IntoBusiness Success”. Two of the major components that we discussed, as itrelates to being successful, were the ideas that, “You Are Your BigBreak”, and “You Must Face Your Fears”. If there’s one thing that manyof us have learned in the current economy it’s that, waiting for someone else to make yousuccessful or to create opportunities for you, is a complete waste oftime, and will only prevent you from reachingyour goals and dreams.


I believe that when it comes to your life, your career, or your business, you can not afford to be passive, or a bystander, and expectothers to recognize your talents and create the blueprint for you thatlead to success and prosperity. Only You can do this.



Here are 5 Deadly Thoughts on the Road to Success:


1) There just aren’t any opportunities out there.
2) I don’t have the money.
3) What if I fail?
4) No one’s ever done it before.
5) I don’t even know where to start.

Here are my responses to these statements:

1) “There just aren’t any opportunities out there.” – Yes, there are. If you feelthis way, you probably need to do more research, and even enlist theassistance of someone else to help you. If the opportunity isn’t there,then that’s even better! That means that you can be an innovator, andcreate something completely new!

2) “I don’t have the money.” – With the internet, do-it-yourself websites, and the explosion socialmedia, which is totally free, you don’t necessarily need a ton of moneyto get started. Now granted, I don’t recommend starting a business withno capital, but, don’t let that minor obstacle stop you. Save up, getcreative, start small, and go from there.

3) “What if I fail?” - There’s a good chance that you will. Let me rephrase that. There’s somethingcalled a “learning curve” in business, which is basically a fancy way ofsaying, “I failed a bunch of times along the way, and learned from mymistakes.” Remember, failure is not permanent. It is part of a learningprocess. There’s ALWAYS a way to bounce back from failure, and the mainway is, get up and try it again (a little differently).

4) “No one’s ever done it before.” – This is a no-brainer! Obviously, that means that there’s a greatopportunity for you to do something really special. And guess what,since you have no competition, you have a really great advantage! Whatare you waiting for? Do a little market research to find out if peoplewould be interested in your idea, and discover if it’s a viable conceptor not.

5) “I don’t even know where to start.” Ok, this is a tough one (Not!), so let me help you…grab a piece ofpaper, and a pen, or better yet, go to your computer, and put on paperwhat your ideas are. That’s how you start! After that, ask yourself theWho, What, Where, Why, and How about your idea; Who would be interestedin this product/service? What will it be used for? Where will people goto access this product/service? Why would potential clients beinterested in this product/service? How will I market it to my target audience?

See, how easy that was? Now you’re on your way! I would also recommend doing some soul-searching to determine themotivation behind your particular idea. Is it something that you’repassionate about? Are you good at it? Do you have a lot of knowledgeabout that particular industry? Do you think it’s a way to make somefast cash? Are you willing sacrifice and deal with the stress,instability, and pressure that you may have to face along the way?

Answer these questions, and don’t be afraid! Step out on faith, and walk in your purpose. Anything less would notonly be sad, but boring!

This article added from my blog on Wordpress, http://danceprosusa.wordpress.com.

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