We recently connected with Lenny Montes and have shared our conversation below.

Lenny, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you tell us about an important lesson you learned while working at a prior job?

Before I started my own business, I worked dozens of jobs. I started working while in high school, and as a college student worked at a staffing agency, as a professional dancer and most often as an experiential marketer. Those are the people who you meet at grocery stores or festivals handing out samples and getting you to try the latest greatest thing. Out of all my jobs, marketing and dancing were the two that stuck the most. In the early 2000’s, I toured as a professional dancer, and worked myself up the ladder to become National Director of Operations for a boutique marketing agency. I traveled the country and met many people from many different walks of life. Many times I felt like I didn’t belong because I was the youngest or one of two (if not the only) woman in the room. Those days were filled with so many valuable lessons about things like grit, perseverance, feminine power, understanding your worth, and leadership. The experience that stands out the most as an important lesson, was comprehending the equal value of people. Often times, at 23 years young, I walked into rooms full of VP’s, CEO’s and celebrities. Who was I? A little girl from El Salvador without a college degree or proper dance training. But after those meetings (sometimes before), there would be lunches or dinners where business wasn’t discussed. I would be mostly quiet and listened and observed. What I learned was that these “powerful scary” people, were just people. They shared stories about family, joy, loss, hope, fears and dreams. I learned that no matter the size of their office, the letters after their name, or how many millions of people knew them, they were just like me and every “regular” person I knew. This became part of my outlook toward people and how I do business. Everyone gets the very best from me because they are just like me. No more, no less. Just another person doing their best and trying to figure it out just like I am. They deserve all the same things that I do, and whatever room they are in, I deserve to be there as well because I too am just like them; just a person. A person with family and my own set of fears and dreams, full of hope in spite of the loss, and seeking to experience and share joy.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I started dancing at about 5 years old in El Salvador. My parents migrated to the US when I was 8 years old, for the same reason so many come to this country, to give their children a better life than the one they knew. At 10 years old, and now speaking the language, I joined the drill team at my elementary school. I always had a passion for the performing arts, and I joined the school choir and found myself in every school play.

While still in high school, I began my coaching career as my high school’s cheer coach. I continued to coach for 5 years and trained with the National Cheerleader’s Association and as a cheerleader at CSULA. While at CSULA seeking my Communications Degree with a minor in Dance, I was presented with many opportunities to tour and perform on stage and film for Latin artists and brands targeting Spanish speaking markets. I was performing a half time show at the Rose Bowl during an international soccer game, when a group of us was approached with an opportunity to work as “promo girls” for a boutique marketing agency. I took the business card, interviewed, and a few years later became the National Director of Operations for the agency.

During the early years of my dancing and training, I met the father of my children. Dancing at the time was mostly a hobby, but as the years went by and as we started a family, we decided to open up our own business. After several tries at different types of businesses, we opened up a dance studio in the city of San Fernando in the Fall of 2006. A month later I gave birth to my eldest son and a year and a half later my second son was born. With two children and a brand new business, I found myself a single mother 4 years later.

Now at 17 years in business, I have been a part of many new beginnings and come back stories! At Danzone Dance Studio, we are more than just a place where people come to dance. Danzone is a part of an individual’s choice to create their optimal lifestyle. To be a preferred partner along the way, we offer a variety of services such as recreational dance instruction, fitness classes, choreography for weddings and quinceañeras, as well as event planning for private and corporate functions. People who choose us, place an importance and value on wellness, mental health, and self-care. People who choose Danzone to service them for their milestone moment, value work ethic, principals, honesty, and professionalism. Organizations who choose us, value the wellness and mental health of their people, and have a vested interest in their growth and self- development. Whether you are looking to pick up a new skill, try something new, grow out of your comfort zone, loose weight, add a low impact activity as part of a physical therapy plan, need a team building activity or retreat, need employee wellness initiative at the workplace, a safe environment to work through emotional trauma, or a caring professional to help you create wonderful memories for your once in a lifetime event? Whatever the occasion, we are thrilled to have people choose us to go along for the ride and help them achieve their optimal lifestyle goals! We are a people centered business. We thrive because our students are not just clients. I look at every person who I encounter at my business as a member of my community. It is truly an honor, a true blessing, and the highest expression of my purpose to add joy to people’s lives.

Has your business ever had a near-death moment? Would you mind sharing the story?

During the first ten years of business, I have had MANY near death moments for Danzone. A few occurred during the first three years because (quite honestly) I had no idea what I was doing, and every few months I wanted to quit! I opened the business with zero business plan and no funding other than the money I got for selling my car. At year four I got a divorce which knocked out half of my business, and the next roughly five years I spent rebuilding both my business and my personal life. It was between year nine and ten when I finally thought “Holly s**t, I think I can do this”. Then the big “C” I do not speak of (Covid) happened, and I closed my business permanently. Yep, I said PERMANENTLY! But here we are, so this obviously has a happy arc.

Although most of this business journey has been a solo one, I have had many travel partners and a few angels along the way. I am highly dedicated to my community, and that’s because they have time and time again lifted me from many bottoms. I’ve had students lend me money, buy my groceries, give me money for Christmas presents for my kids, held me through divorce, helped me fix my roof, paint my walls, replace my damaged floors from rain, donate money to pay my rent… the love has been endless. I am a strong believer in a few things: be of service and let the rest figure itself out, and the love you give is the love you get.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

I was raised with a “work horse” mentality. Keep your head down, take pride and find joy in hard work. This is the mentality I took into growing my business and dedicated many late nights to it. The forced break that came in March of 2020 really forced me to look at my choices and how much I had neglected my personal life. When I decided to re-open the studio, it was with the agreement to myself, that I would put me first. Fill my cup, and from the over flow share with my children, friends and family. Hard work should be praised and celebrated, but the pride and joy comes from being able to celebrate the fullness of my life thanks to the hard work. Centering my personal life in my work has been such a game changer!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.danzoneonline.com
• Instagram: Danzone5678
• Facebook: Danzone Dance Studio
• Linkedin: Lenny Montes
• Youtube: Danzone5678
• Yelp: Danzone Dance Studio

Image Credits

Fernando Martinez, Anthony Jennings