We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Betsy Colombo a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Betsy , thanks for joining us today. What were some of the most unexpected problems you’ve faced in your business and how did you resolve those issues?
Last month, the Eaton Fire caused significant damage to our studio and many of our dancers lost their homes and all their belongings. Our first step was to raise money to donate directly to these families. We began a dancewear drive to collect new and gently used leotards, tights, leggings, ballet/tap/jazz shoes, etc to provide to anyone who lost their dancewear in the fire. We quickly resumed classes by using space generously donated by four other local studios, and waived tuition for all dancers who lost their homes. We are now in the process of collecting recital costume donations so that can be another expense our families don’t have to worry about at this time. Additionally, we are currently in the process of moving to a new, bigger studio location that will better serve our dance families.
Betsy , 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?
Unbound Dance Studio is a recreational dance studio for kids, offering ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and contemporary for ages 3 and up, plus a Dance With Me class for toddlers! Our mission is to instill a lifelong love and passion for dance in dancers of all ages and experience levels, while providing quality dance education and performance opportunities in a fun, welcoming, and supportive environment.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
The Eaton Fire wasn’t the first major challenge I experienced in running my business – luckily dancers are great at pivoting! When Covid hit in March 2020, we had to quickly adapt to the new regulations to keep everyone safe. We recorded at-home dance class videos that our dancers could play on demand, as well as hosting weekly live Zoom classes. We found a beautiful outdoor dance studio, where we held classes for two years, and when it was safe to reopen our indoor Altadena location, we adapted our classes to remain socially distanced. We coordinated an online Nutcracker performance in 2020 and brought back our live recital production in 2022. We are grateful for all the dancers who stuck with us during this challenging time and are still dancing with us today!
We’d love to hear the story of how you turned a side-hustle into a something much bigger.
Unbound Dance Studio started as a side hustle! When I opened the studio in 2018 I had a full-time job working at a company that makes movie trailers. Six months after opening the studio, I had my first baby and when I returned to my full-time job after maternity leave, it became clear that I had too much on my plate. I took a leap of faith giving up my day job to focus on raising my son and growing the studio. Six years (and another kid) later, the studio is thriving and I don’t miss the daily grind of having a 9-to-5 job!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://unbounddancestudio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unbounddancestudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unbounddancestudio/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/unbound-dance-studio/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/launbound
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/unbound-dance-studio-altadena
Image Credits
Powell Browne, Christina Russo