When Maddie and I started Pole Dance Academy in 2009, we had no idea what was in store for us! We definitely weren't dreaming big back then - I remember thinking to myself, if we can just make enough money to cover the rent and pay our instructors, then we'll be happy because it will mean we'll have a place to train whenever we want. LOL. We literally never dreamed it would become the multi-faceted, successful business that it is today!
It was definitely a case of trial and error. We are the first to admit that when we started, we had no clue about marketing and business. We decided we needed to learn. We attended small businesses courses, took online courses, watched youtube tutorials on website design and marketing... There was so much to learn! But without a doubt, the best and most useful lessons we learned where those we picked up along the way - from real life experience in running a business.
When we started signing up our first few students (those who weren't our friends), it didn't feel real - it felt like we were playing. It seemed too unbelievable to be real - people were willing to pay money for us to show them how to do what we love so much!
But the students kept signing up - and so the business grew, we hired more staff, we worked hard, we reinvested our profits into the business, and opened more locations.
Then a few years later, we had our first 7 figure year. We couldn't believe it. It was at that point that we stopped for a moment to appreciate the fact that our hard work was paying off, and we really were running a successful business! In our travels touring and instructing at pole studios around the world, we have seen so many studios struggling to pay their bills and stay open. We began to think, maybe we have something to offer when it comes to fulfilling your dreams of opening a pole studio.
Fast forward 14 years, and we now have:
four beautiful Pole Dance Academy studios in Sydney,
a high quality pole wear label, Shimmy & Sparkle, with beautiful, comfortable and absolutely stunning pole wear collections,
our own pole grip brand, No Sweat, that helps our students achieve their pole goals,
Pole Theatre, the biggest pole competition in the world, which has taken place in more than 20 countries worldwide,
Dance Filthy, the wildest pole comp around - in 5 countries around the world,
A variety of smaller amateur and semi pro competitions to foster upcoming talent, such as Pole Club and Step Up,
an incredible online pole training platform, PDA Online, which allows pole dancers from around the world to train online together with the very best pole instructors.
We definitely made a lot of mistakes along the way, and we learned a lot of lessons the hard way. We actually think that that is one of the best reasons for franchising a studio with us - we have made the mistakes (so you don't have to), and we know what works. We know what it's like to venture in to business with a bit of a case of imposter syndrome. But as a PDA Franchisee, you don't need to worry about that, because with a PDA Franchise, we give you all the tools and materials you need to make your studio successful.
You'll have access to:
our syllabus and class planning materials,
ongoing training for both studio administration and the instructor team,
our PDA Operations Manual,
preferential pricing and discounts for retail stock to help you create multiple income streams,
our guides for running events that are successful and profitable,
marketing strategies to help you connect with your future students,
business advice and support - which is absolutely invaluable to new studio owners when they open a new business.
Owning a studio on your own can be hard, lonely work. It can sometimes be isolating, because you feel like you're on your own. We are so excited to create a community of PDA Franchisees - where we can support each other, and to celebrate each other's wins. We believe that your success is our success. We want you to do well, and to enjoy the benefits of owning your own business and being your own boss. For us, one of the best things about being a pole studio owner is the community we have created, and we want to recreate that with our PDA Franchisees.
So, if you're passionate about pole dance, if you dream of building a successful business and career in the pole industry, and you would like to own and operate a business that inspires other pole dancers and helps individuals to reach new levels of strength, flexibility and confidence while having fun, then Pole Dance Academy may be just the opportunity you have been looking for!
If the prospect of creating your own beautiful Pole Dance Academy excites you as much as it did us, please reach out so we can talk some more. We can't wait to meet you!
Shimmy and Maddie xx
