PREFACE:
For many pole dancers, they look to teaching others as the next level in their own evolution. This can be from an instructor at a fitness center or owning their own pole businesses which can be one of several types:
- Pole Dance Studio
- Pole Fitness Gym
- Subcontract at Fitness Center
- On-line Instructor
- Pole Parties
In some cases your business may be a combination of one or more of these. You may have a pole studio that also does pole parties. What type of business you have will be dicated by many factors:
- Your Local Market
- Facility
- Lease Agreement
- Budget
- Insurance Coverage
- Licensing
- Many More!
Again it must be stressed how important a business plan is and general planning & research before you even file for a business license. That discovery process may not define your type of pole business but may define how to approach the type of business.
While you create your business plan, you will undoubtly focus towards the first stage of your business. Still it is equally important to plan for later stages. You may think it as simple as needing X number of students for $X per class. This may bring you a reasonable income. If an income is all you seek you might be better off with a job working for someone else. A paycheck employee does not normally deal with the inevitable ups & downs of business. In business reality, students will come & go. Expenses will increase directly affecting your income. To build a business that will prosper for the long-term you need constant growth.
One common mistake for pole studios seems to be the belief that only financial resources are needed to open a studio. Another example where a business plan would help. Money does not solve all issues. From a proper facility, poles, accountant, even people and a computer all are also among the building blocks of a pole business. People are the most important resource than money. You will need someone for something almost every step of the way. Often it will be for a second opinion, helping hand. or the right professional, Attorney, accountant, carpenter, etc.
Starting any business takes a commitment of time. Many Pole studios start on a part-time business with a full-time job. If you do not have the financial resources to support yourself until the business is truly profitable, you should keep your current job. Often there are ways to work around your work schedule. You might even consider hiring an instructor for the hours you work your job. Do realize that the pole business will take a significant investment in time. To work a full or even part-time job and operate a successful pole studio will mean little room for a personal life or catching your favorite TV shows.
Business is always a learning experience. Business success at any point does not guarantee future success. At one time Woolworth (in the USA) was the largest retailer. Oldsmobile was the largest car company. Admiral with televisions. Business is not easy. It also must be states that ther are no experts in business. You are not today driving to Woolworth’s in your brand new Oldsmobile to buy a new Admiral TV because there are no experts in business. You will make mistakes in your pole business. Will you learn and grow from those mistakes? That is what separates the winners from the losers. We provide you here the concepts, guidelines, positive & negative experiences of a pole business. You still need to research and apply to your marketplace and business plan. Even what worked for a successful pole studio in Los Angeles, can not be totally duplicated in Huntsville, Alabama. There are several pole studio franchises and even they cannot guarantee a successful pole business. You need to build a plan around your own pole business.
As this “book” moves into its chapters, we will focus on building the Pole Studio business. We have other articles on this website that relate to small business. Please read those as well. You will still need a business license, bank account, a way of accepting payments and other items tangible and not, before you can open the doors to your new pole Studio.