In this week’s episode, Nathan and Bec go deep on a question a lot of studio owners wrestle with: should you expand (open a second location) or lean into optimising what you’ve got first? They share stories from their own journeys, cautionary tales, and strategies you can use now to grow smarter - not just bigger.

We talk about why expansion isn’t always the answer, what “fullness” really means in your studio, how your timetable could secretly be holding you back, and when (and if) a second location actually makes sense.

Key Takeaways:

• Expansion is expensive - fit‑out, extra staff, marketing, more admin time
• Many studios who open a second location might not be ready - headspace & risk are often underestimated
• What does “bursting at the seams” actually mean? Look beyond just one busy evening
• How to audit your studio’s capacity: class fill rates, age distributions, under‑utilised slots
• The power of optimising your timetable - getting students into more classes without needing more students
• Back‑to‑back scheduling (e.g. circus + acro) and designing it for what’s easiest for parents (not teachers)
• Watch demographic trends and local growth cues before choosing a new location
• It’s okay (and smart) to focus on maximising what you already have before chasing “more”

If this episode got your wheels turning and you’d love more support, don’t forget: podcast listeners get 1 week free in our Dance Principals United Tribe. Hit the link in the show notes and come see us inside: https://danceprincipalsunited.com/dpu-tribe/

In this week’s episode, Amanda is joined by Nathan as they dive into one of their fave mantras: “Big moves = big results” - especially when it comes to enrollment pushes in your dance studio.
They share what works (and what doesn’t), real numbers from members who went all in, and how to confidently lean into follow-up (even when you're terrified of sounding “salesy”).

In this episode you’ll hear:

• Why the one‑and‑done email/messaging approach almost never gets you big results
• How to plan out a two‑week bring-a-friend / open-week campaign: what pieces to include
• The power of every touchpoint: emails, texts, socials, teachers in class, flyers, posters, balloons
• Why the follow-up is where most studios drop the ball, and simple systems to plug that gap
• Real studio numbers: how one team landed 135 extra class placements in one week
• How to lean into rejection, build confidence in calling leads, and see the upside
• Why consistency + iteration beats reinventing the wheel every time

Want more support?
If you’re feeling inspired (or overwhelmed) by all this, remember: our Dance Principals United Tribe is here. You might also hear some of our Studio Growth Club members on the podcast soon, sharing their stories. To get a week free in the Tribe, click here: https://danceprincipalsunited.com/dpu-tribe/

Buckle up! In this week’s episode Bec and Nath go deep on one of the biggest, most emotional events in studio life: the end‑of‑year concert. They talk about why it often doesn’t make money, what costs secretly drag you down, and how small shifts in ticket pricing or marketing can make thousands more in profit. And yes, there’s talk about late‑night hair, juggling sick kids, and what being a studio owner really means when you also have a family.

What we cover:

• Why your concert must be profitable, especially when revenue turns off for several weeks after shows.
• How big rehearsal schedules and added production costs (think epic stories, flying props, etc.) can spiral out of control.
• The importance of looking at concert expenses (venue, staff, décor, extras)and knowing all your costs.
• Using your “tickets per dancer” metric: what are people already buying, and how to nudge them even a little more.
• Why raising ticket prices by just a few dollars can sometimes bring in more net profit than trying to sell programs, roses, etc.
• How to think about the parent / audience experience (comfort, show length, activation, fun) so people are happy to come back.
• The psychology of asking parents for “add‑ons” vs wrapping everything into the ticket/fee.

Free tool alert: we drop in a concert concept profit calculator + training video to help you crunch all these numbers for your studio.

If you want help running the numbers yourself, grab the Concert Profit Calculator here: https://danceprincipalsunited.com/concert-profit-calculator/ (it comes with a video walkthrough so you know how to use it).

Also, if you’re listening and not yet part of the Tribe, we’ve got a special offer: two weeks free in Dance Principles United Tribe (link in show notes). Would love to have you in there!

https://danceprincipalsunited.com/dpu-tribe/