Three lessons we’ve learnt

Ash & I took over what was the original Balance & Control studio in April 2017. We’d previously been working for Bruce in management roles, Ash focused on group classes and I was managing his Carlton studio. Neither of us were paid full time, but we were both mentally fully committed and would often spend hours at a time discussing the pro’s and con’s about how things were being run, and develop ideas on how we could improve the business. I guess that’s why Bruce offered for us to take on one of our own, even though we’d planned on spending another year or two in Melbourne before moving somewhere picturesque in New Zealand!

Taking on the business was daunting, but achievable. It was financially viable and had an existing team - we just had to calm the ship and let everything settle, so during that time we quietly went to work on shaping Movementality in to what it is today. It wasn’t all plain sailing, and we definitely learnt a few lessons along the way. Here’s three big one’s we found helpful!

Eat the Frog…

Your day can easily be whittled away with small tasks that may seem like they’re adding value. But there are only a few ways that actually generate revenue in your business - Bruce called them the Frogs and they aren’t simple unfortunately! Market, Network, and Deliver. Marketing can be done in many ways, but you have to have a plan, implement it, then be able to review it. You can start small, but sooner or later you’re going to have to step outside your doors and bring in some business. Relying on your work to do the talking is good, but is a slow burner. Going out and networking with your community is also key - other practitioners have to know you, what you’re about, and that you’re actually interested in their work too - it’s a two way street, so be genuine or don’t do it at all. And then you have to deliver a kick-ass product - but that’s often the easiest of the three! If you don’t eat the frogs though, they'll keep hoping away and time will just slip right on by and you’ll still be in the same place you started.

Check your ego…

Firstly, I commend you on putting your hand up to run a business - that’s telling the world you back yourself enough to take on commercial responsibilities and often 10’s of thousands of dollars of investment. No small feat! But here’s the reality - there is always going to be someone who is considered better than you, and not everyone is going to want what you’ve got to offer. It’s a hard thing to realise that you can’t be everything to everyone, and that’s why networking is so key - if you can’t deliver what a client is after, you look WAY better being able to refer them to someone who can, rather than floundering around trying to be someone you’re not, and mentally draining yourself in the process. And that only happens because your ego want’s you to succeed - but check in with that success looks like for you, and you’ll find that 9/10 times it’s better to let the client go than prove how good you are at something you’re not even that attached to.

Share the load…

I lucked out when Ash turned out to be as invested in the business as I was. She’s brilliant at both the delivery and the networking (no one is that good at marketing themselves, that’s why there are whole companies that do it!) and we often have fiery battles about what to do with the business - not because we disagree, but because we both care so much! It also means that I’ve got someone to share the workload with as there’s significant admin that only increases as you get busier, and if you try to do it on your own, you may not like what you turn in to… I’d recommend finding a business partner who has similar work ethic and vision, and then testing the water with them. If you can’t find that, then out source all the stuff you don’t like to do - even if it costs you a penny or two - as the peace of mind and time you’ll get back will pay for it self in spades.

We are still working on so much ourselves to make a profitable business that doesn’t wear us down - so don’t stress if you haven’t found that yet, and congrats if you have!. But if you eat the frogs, keep your ego in check, and share the work load then you’ll be on your way to keeping your sanity!