Today we’d like to introduce you to Wendy Moore.
Wendy, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
It has been my dream to open a dance studio as long as I can remember. I started dancing at the age of three and was teaching by the age of 15. I am compelled to teach dance… it’s definitely a calling. I taught dance class throughout college as a way to earn money and after college as a hobby in the evenings after my full-time job. I eventually quit my desk job to teach dance full-time. Growing up, dance provided me with structure, discipline, exercise, and a way to express myself. Dance affected my life in immeasurable ways, and I’ve seen it change so many young lives. I’ve seen kids thrive in life as a result of all that dance does for them. With my husband Mike’s blessing, I signed the lease on my studio in 2014 with a 4-month-old baby, which was completely crazy in retrospect! It ended up being one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I now have two children, ages 4 and 2, and they both dance at the studio. I get to live my dream, continue to dance, and now see the amazing benefits of dance for my own kids. I’ve also helped create an incredible community where families support each other. It’s an amazing place to raise my kids!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
It was definitely a struggle to start a business and navigate being a parent for the first time. I didn’t sleep much in the first two years at least! I constantly battled my passion for the dance studio with my need to be with my own family. I’ve been lucky to be able to bring my kids to work from time to time, but it’s not easy to fulfill my professional role and my mom role at the same time. It’s hard to talk to members with a toddler melting down next to you! Fortunately, my members are made up of families, so not only did parents understand exactly what I was going through, I’ve been able to go to my studio moms for advice from teething to illness to sleep training. It’s an incredible support network!
For women starting a business, I recommend listening to the advice of those more experienced than you, but don’t be afraid to follow your own instincts. Operate your business as lean and efficiently as possible…you don’t need all the bells and whistles to run a high-quality business, and the more money you save, the more runway you’ll have if things don’t go exactly as planned. Educate yourself as much as possible with the least amount of effort by listening to podcasts and following the social media accounts of successful entrepreneurs. Lastly, don’t let your business consume you as a human being…make sure you take a personal day now and then!
For business owner moms, I recommend taking all the help you’re offered from family, friends, and neighbors. Eat takeout without any guilt because your kids will remember the time you spend present with them more than a home-cooked meal. And hire a housekeeper!!!
What should we know about Pacific Motion Dance Center? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Our mission at PacMo is to develop excellence in dance and encourage excellence in life. We foster an environment that is supportive of all dancers in reaching their full potential both inside and outside of the studio. We have created a community that is nurturing and where respect, collaboration, and friendships matter. We also have a lot of fun together!
Pacific Motion is a well-rounded dance studio offering classes in tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary dance, hip hop, acro, musical theatre, and specialty dance classes for students from ages 1 through adult. We offer a wide selection of preschool dance classes to support your child’s development. We also offer all-boy classes, Mommy & me classes, adult fitness, and a competitive dance team program.
We encourage our dancers to not only do well but also to do good. We officially launched our #pacmogivesback initiative in 2018 with a goal of supporting organizations throughout our community with dance classes, performances, supply drives and more. This initiative remains top of mind as we plan toward the future of our studio.
For good reason, society often focuses more on the problems rather than the opportunities that exist, because the problems need to be solved. However, we’d probably also benefit from looking for and recognizing the opportunities that women are better positioned to capitalize on. Have you discovered such opportunities?
I did face some challenges as a new female business owner, but none that I couldn’t overcome. I think women are highly capable of running a business. Women are naturally amazing leaders, in general, because of our incredible emotional intelligence. Women have the ability to collaborate, to multi-task, to effectively communicate, to organize and to place people in the best roles to support the group.
I’m grateful for the women and men who have helped guide me and who have paved the way for me and other business owners.
Contact Info:
- Address: 3146 Tiger Run Court #113
Carlsbad, CA 92010 - Website: www.pacificmotiondance.com
- Phone: (760) 727-2426
- Email: office@pacificmotiondance.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pacificmotiondance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pacificmotiondance/
- Twitter: @PacMoDance
Image Credit:
Alison Behr
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