We were lucky to catch up with Audra Allen recently and have shared our conversation below.

Audra, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with what makes profitability in your industry a challenge – what would you say is the biggest challenge?

The biggest challenge to profitability in the dance industry is the ‘starving artist’ mentality. It boils down to mindset. From the first years in dance class, the message is always along the lines of “yes, you can pursue dance for your career, but don’t expect to make a lot of money”. Similar messages include “be grateful for whatever dance opportunities you get because there aren’t many are you are replaceable”.

Naturally, this ‘starving artist’ mindset doesn’t just go away. It carries into how someone starts and runs their dance business.

This is my story. I grew up in the dance world and received the messaging shared above. It is common and even expected.

When starting my business in 2018, having spent 33 years buying into and embodying the scarcity money mindset, it was no shocker to the outsider that I struggled to become profitable. I didn’t know the root of why though.

It took multiple years in my business to understand that it wasn’t only my limiting beliefs and imposter syndrome, the specifically the money scarcity mindset that was sabotaging my success and ability to profit.

Specifically year 3 was when I gained the clarity of what I need to do. I started working with a coach, and simultaneously reading “You Are A Bad Ass At Making Money” by Jen Sincero. (more like treating it as a workbook). It took multiple, painful, humbling months to work through and even finally conquer that mindset.

The imagery that helped me to process and grow was that of a large board room. A long table, with many chairs at it, and only one seat at the head. At this table sits the many different versions of me. Mother, partner, dancer, business owner, even former versions of me. They all help me be me and continue to live my life.

And at the head of the table, for the entire of my adult life until now, was the $2,000 (or $2k) version of me. The version that helped me scrape by to make $2k a month, which at one point was so much money to me. The version that helped learn how to be resourceful and know there is always a way to make ends meet.

I owe everything to that version. They got me to where I am today. But I had to learn that in order for me to grow into the $10k version that I know I am capable of, I had to remove $2k version from the head of the boardroom and place them much further down the table so their voice could not longer be a dominant one.

I was fighting 2 battles simultaneously. Removing $2k from the head of the table, and allowing myself to let $10k version even come into the room. Let alone accept the concept that $10k could take the seat at the head of the table.

Moving into an abundance mindset ultimately took accepting a specific challenge in Jen Sincero’s book, to give away money (any amount) everyday, for almost a month. I accepted this because I was scared to give away my money, what little I considered I had.

It was somewhere in the middle of that challenge that I finally started to absorb the concept of abundance and money flowing. It gave me the strength to successfully move $2k further down the table, and even allow $10k to sit at the table. Not at the head of the table, not quite ready for that. But they now has a voice.

This life changing transformation has allowed me to start experiencing profitability, and empower my dance business clients to do the same. A long journey is a head, and I know that $20k version is waiting outside to come in. But for now, I am happy with getting comfortable with $10k version and where they can lead me to.

Audra, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

Professionally, I am CEO and founder of my business, Audra Allen Coaching LLC (doing business as The Dance CEO Coach), established 2018. I am a mindset and business coach, empowering dance business owners to become the CEO of their life and business via coaching. But that’s not how my dance business started.

I grew up in the dance world, successfully pursuing a professional dance career for a brief period of time. I have been Co-Artistic Director of a dance company, Director of Dance for a residential high school, choreographer, performer and even college dance professor. Yes, I have my Bachelor of Arts degree in Musical Theatre, focus in dance, and Master of Arts degree in choreography and teaching dance. Never once desiring to having my own dance business, and definitely not identifying as an entrepreneur.

Personally, I’m a divorced, single mom of 2 lil humans. But not for much longer, as I am engaged to be married December 2022! I grew up in Colorado, hyper focused on dancing professionally and moved out of state right after high school.

I have lived in many states and cities since and after a few years, was pulled back to Colorado for family reasons. The university there invited me to take class to keep dancing, and that was my first “leap” into higher education and for the first time, seriously considering getting a degree. The irony of course is that I never intended to go to college, and now I have attended both undergrad and a masters program. No regrets.

Right after completing my BA, I got married and moved yet again, to another state. 8 years and 2 lil humans later, a divorce was necessary. Thankfully an amicable one, where we continue to co-parent respectfully and focus on our lil humans.

It was because of a fairly drama free divorce, that I have my business today.

At the time of the divorce, I recognized that I had the unique second opportunity to build my life as a single woman again. I didn’t want to take it lightly. So instead of jumping into the first job for financial security, I took my time.

I spent many nights journaling, praying and desiring to continue to professionally, somehow, stay in the world of dance since I had spent my entire life in that world.

This time, the challenge was that I was now a part-time single mom and desired to be home in the evenings instead of teaching dance class, and the flexibility to be home with them as needed at any time. I also wanted to continue to grow, learn new things and build a life I would be excited about.

One night, in the fall of 2018, journaling while sitting in Starbucks, as I did then, I got the clear thought that I needed to start a dance business, teaching dance lessons live, online in my home. I knew this was from God (the universe, high power, whatever resonates for you) and I knew this was my answer.

It shocked me because as stated above, I had never in my life pictured owning a business or even considered the ability of being an entrepreneur. But, surprisingly it checked all my boxes.

So, that night I googled “how to start a business in Louisiana”, and it snowballed from there. I would ask a question, find the answer, apply the answer, repeat. I built my business one answered question at a time. I signed my first dance clients in the spring of 2019 via a very simple post in Instagram on my personal account.

I spent the next year healing from my divorce, tackling single motherhood head on, dipping a toe into the world of personal development, continuing to learn more about business and how to grow mine. I also took on the task of attempting to open the dance worlds mind to viewing virtual dance lessons as an acceptable form of supplemental dance training to being in the studio, in person. (That part wasn’t going so well since it was still pre-covid and not an acceptable format yet.)

I had no idea what was to come in 2020, as none of us did. And all the work I was doing to build my business was going to be the key to a pivot and business longevity.

Have you ever had to pivot?

A pivot in my business occurred when the pandemic occurred in 2020. I know this may start out as your story too. I didn’t see this pivot coming. I was already set up with a virtual business that had been doing well for 1.5 years pre-pandemic.

I wanted to be of service to dance businesses around the world who struggled to transition to virtual dance classes, an area I was very comfortable in by that point.

So, I started offering free 30 minute live webinars. The first half focused on how to teach live, online. All the tricks I had learned and how to increase my energy levels since I couldn’t rely on the in-person engagement to fuel me.

The second half was focused on the logistics, systems, safety of minors (anyone remember Zoom ‘bombing’ into meetings?), insurance changes, etc. and answer any questions the best I could.

All I wanted to do was help who I could to keep their business doors open and survive what we didn’t understand was happening.

After many weeks of running 6-8 30 minute webinars a day, attendees started sending me money to show gratitude. And soon they started asking me to offer 1:1 sessions to consult on how to keep their businesses open. Some even hired me to train their teaching staff to teach dance online.

The frequency of these requests increased and I surprised myself at how natural it felt and the ease of which the information was coming to me, to help them.

I also immediately experienced a drop-off of my virtual dance students because all of sudden there wasn’t a demand now that practically everyone was offering free, virtual dance lessons. My business model that was once unique, was now the norm.

So, I leaned into the business coaching. That was my pivot.

I’ve continued to focus on that since then and I can now proudly say that I have been a mindset and business coach for 2.5 years as of the fall 2022.

I thought teaching dance online was satisfying, and it was. But what I never could have foreseen is my love, even passion for learning more about business, how to grow mine, and how to empower my clients to grow theirs.

I don’t think it was chance to led me to be ready for this pivot. I give all the credit to God on this one. He knew what was coming and helped me be prepared when I asked for his guidance on next steps in my life at the time of divorce.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

The most effective strategy for growing my clientele in a virtual business is first, doing what is regularly preached… be consistent on one platform. Get to know it inside and out and make it a tool your business can’t function with out.

Social media, specifically Instagram is where I started my business, and 4 years later still where all my clients come from. I now have a large email list, I’ve had a Facebook group, I’m about to launch a podcast, etc. All those additional formats of exposure to help broaden my reach. But the paying clients have always come from Instagram.

The second most effective strategy with a service focused, virtual business is always be authentic. Acknowledge that you are growing and share that with your community. Be a human first. That is who your clientele want to know, who they trust, and are willing to pay good money to spend time with. You, the human at the core of your business.

I always receive the most engagement in all capacities when I show up as myself. The moment I attempt to show up like how I think I should, or how I think they want me to, crickets. All my paying clients have come from moments of vulnerability, authentic and being genuine.

It feels good too, and it’s the easiest to do because I already know me.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thedanceceocoach.com
• Instagram: @thedanceceocoach
• Facebook: @thedanceceocoach
• Linkedin: @thedanceceocoach
• Youtube: @thedanceceocoach
• Other: Podcast Is Coming Soon! Release – December 2022 The Dance CEO Podcast