Full Transcript for Why Playing It Safe Was Never the Answer | FT Janicka Arthur | EP28

in our industry, regardless of all the highs and lows. 41 00:02:01.280 --> 00:02:01.959 And I said, oh. 42 00:02:01.959 --> 00:02:02.920 Yeah, we got to talk to her. 43 00:02:02.959 --> 00:02:03.959 So how do you feel today? 44 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:06.799 You a good bill, fabulous. Thank you very much, and 45 00:02:06.840 --> 00:02:09.039 thank you for having me. I greatly appreciate it. It's 46 00:02:09.120 --> 00:02:12.919 nice to be seen right in that way. Let's just 47 00:02:12.960 --> 00:02:16.840 be real. Sometimes as an entrepreneur, you are behind the scenes, 48 00:02:16.879 --> 00:02:18.319 if you will, even though you're in the front of 49 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:22.240 the scenes. It's an interesting dynamic where you are not 50 00:02:22.639 --> 00:02:26.560 highlighting yourself you're highlighting your work, you're highlighting your business, 51 00:02:26.560 --> 00:02:29.400 whatever the case may be. So for someone to recognize 52 00:02:29.479 --> 00:02:32.560 you as a person outside of the business is pretty awesome. 53 00:02:32.599 --> 00:02:33.919 So thank you absolutely. 54 00:02:34.039 --> 00:02:39.560 And here I like to talk about business life and beyond, 55 00:02:40.439 --> 00:02:42.960 and I always like to highlight I'm going to have 56 00:02:43.000 --> 00:02:46.879 an entrepreneur or a professional. I think we have a 57 00:02:46.919 --> 00:02:51.599 great job of doing our job, but we don't again 58 00:02:51.759 --> 00:02:55.319 spotlight ourselves or talk about ourselves. But there was a 59 00:02:55.879 --> 00:02:58.400 there was a drink of before now before the business, 60 00:02:58.479 --> 00:03:00.400 that sure was, and we need to talk about that. 61 00:03:00.599 --> 00:03:05.240 So tell us who was her before the big name 62 00:03:05.400 --> 00:03:10.400 in the studio. Oh, that's cute, that's cute. I was 63 00:03:10.479 --> 00:03:14.000 always me, to be honest, it's interesting I came. I'm 64 00:03:14.000 --> 00:03:17.680 from Chicago, Illinois. I am the product of a single 65 00:03:17.759 --> 00:03:21.639 mother in the home. Right, let's be clear. I did 66 00:03:21.680 --> 00:03:23.360 have my father, he was president what have you. But 67 00:03:23.400 --> 00:03:26.639 my mother was a Mary Kay director. She's been Mary 68 00:03:26.680 --> 00:03:29.000 Kay for over forty something years. Okay, But what was 69 00:03:29.039 --> 00:03:31.960 important is that she was always on the road, always 70 00:03:31.960 --> 00:03:32.960 on the go, and. 71 00:03:32.919 --> 00:03:36.159 She wanted me to have a place where I could prosper, 72 00:03:36.319 --> 00:03:39.599 I guess, and so she enrolled me in a organization 73 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:43.800 called Eta Theater. They had art, dance, music, all of 74 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:47.120 the things for students to be artistic, and I just 75 00:03:47.159 --> 00:03:50.879 fell in love with the dance portion of everything. And 76 00:03:50.919 --> 00:03:54.319 so my story, I guess, of me

being an individual 77 00:03:54.400 --> 00:04:00.840 started there. I actually was able to learn myself game, creativity, 78 00:04:00.960 --> 00:04:04.439 my passion, and my love for dance sparked right there 79 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:06.680 on the South side of Chicago. Wow. 80 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:09.280 And you know, we talked about Chicago is like my 81 00:04:09.319 --> 00:04:10.879 other little place that I wanted to go to and 82 00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:13.599 I still want to go. They say, Chicago has it's social, 83 00:04:13.639 --> 00:04:14.719 beautiful place in the summer. 84 00:04:15.120 --> 00:04:17.040 Gir you gotta go in the summer. See listen, if 85 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:20.279 you go in to winter, good luck to you. But no, ma'am, 86 00:04:20.519 --> 00:04:22.600 not in the winter. Don't even go in the fall. 87 00:04:22.680 --> 00:04:24.519 The wind is a mess becoming the summer. 88 00:04:24.439 --> 00:04:26.319 Coming this summer. Okay, Yeah, I'm gonna definitely have to 89 00:04:26.360 --> 00:04:28.120 ask you what places to go? Where to go for 90 00:04:28.199 --> 00:04:31.920 the summer, Okay. But I really connect with that because 91 00:04:32.160 --> 00:04:34.839 my father passed when I was twelve, So technically I'm 92 00:04:34.839 --> 00:04:38.600 a product of a widowed mom that wanted to see 93 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:41.319 my dreams play out, and so my dream was acting. 94 00:04:42.600 --> 00:04:44.839 So that's why I connect so much with you creating 95 00:04:44.839 --> 00:04:47.319 that space like dang, I ain't gonna never be able 96 00:04:47.360 --> 00:04:50.120 to act, but you create a space where you know, hey, 97 00:04:50.160 --> 00:04:52.480 you can still do it no matter the age and 98 00:04:52.519 --> 00:04:55.120 what you do. So did you always have a dream 99 00:04:55.160 --> 00:04:57.279 of being like a professional dancer or like, where did 100 00:04:57.319 --> 00:04:58.120 you see yourself? 101 00:04:58.279 --> 00:05:01.399 That's great. I never wanted to be the dancer. That 102 00:05:01.560 --> 00:05:04.279 wasn't my thing. What's very interesting, so I talk about 103 00:05:04.279 --> 00:05:06.879 this a lot with my students, is my mother always 104 00:05:06.920 --> 00:05:09.639 tried to push me into ballet. So I tell a story. Hey, 105 00:05:09.720 --> 00:05:12.759 I started with at Eta Theater. I started with West 106 00:05:12.759 --> 00:05:16.399 African dance with live drumming, live accompaniment. From there I 107 00:05:16.439 --> 00:05:20.279 moved into modern dance, Catherine Dunham technique, Lester Horton technique. 108 00:05:20.319 --> 00:05:23.040 These are all styles of dance. My mother's like, hey, Jenika, 109 00:05:23.040 --> 00:05:24.839 if you're gonna be serious about this thing, honey, you 110 00:05:24.920 --> 00:05:27.399 have to take ballet. I was like absolutely. By the 111 00:05:27.439 --> 00:05:29.879 time she got back, I had signed up for jazz class. 112 00:05:30.079 --> 00:05:32.759 I was not doing ballet. I refused to put on tights. 113 00:05:32.800 --> 00:05:35.079 The idea of going from like live drums the base 114 00:05:35.160 --> 00:05:38.199 of the music, to going to like classical Beethoven not 115 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:41.360 my thing. Right. So then she's like, Janika, he's down 116 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:43.160 the road. If you're going to do dance, honey, you 117 00:05:43.240 --> 00:05:45.120 have to do ballet. I was like, absolutely, Mom. I 118 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:47.839 end up signing up on ice skating, Ince did pre 119 00:05:47.959 --> 00:05:51.160 alta alphabeta Gamma dance. I wanted myself to all the 120 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:54.079 things I just refused. But what ended up happening is 121 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:57.879 I wanted to enroll in Chicago Academy for the Arts 122 00:05:57.879 --> 00:06:01.519 and say arts high school like Fame in Chicago, where 123 00:06:01.519 --> 00:06:04.079 you did your academics from eight to one twenty in 124 00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:06.399 your art from one thirty to six, and you have 125 00:06:06.439 --> 00:06:09.399 to do an audition to get into that school. What 126 00:06:09.480 --> 00:06:12.959 do you have to do with the audition? Ballet? And 127 00:06:13.000 --> 00:06:14.879 so here I am going back and saying, Mom, please, 128 00:06:15.319 --> 00:06:17.560 can you please enroll me in? Like every mother says 129 00:06:17.560 --> 00:06:20.040 like I told you so, energy right. I don't know 130 00:06:20.079 --> 00:06:24.360 if there's a school for parenting, yeah, they do the right. 131 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:28.879 So I end up going into what is it Gallery 132 00:06:28.959 --> 00:06:32.199 thirty seven dance gallery in Chicago. I was enrolled in 133 00:06:32.240 --> 00:06:34.279 there for a little bit of time getting ready for 134 00:06:34.319 --> 00:06:38.360 this audition. Went to the audition, totally sucked in ballet. 135 00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:40.920 Let's be clear, they're speaking French you're talking about, you 136 00:06:40.959 --> 00:06:43.879 know their everything was turned out in dance that I've 137 00:06:43.920 --> 00:06:48.000 been doing was time in plea, big knees, what have you. 138 00:06:48.040 --> 00:06:51.160 And so I killed it with all the other stuff, 139 00:06:51.160 --> 00:06:53.439 that's my story, right, I'd be a fantastic with the 140 00:06:53.480 --> 00:06:55.759 other styles. Ballet not so much, but they accepted me. 141 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:59.240 I did not go that year because it was eleven 142 00:06:59.279 --> 00:07:01.680 thousand dollars to go to the school. My mother's a 143 00:07:01.680 --> 00:07:03.959 single mom. She was like, Jenika, I can't afford it, honey. 144 00:07:04.120 --> 00:07:08.240 So I went to another school called Kirie Metropolitan. It 145 00:07:08.279 --> 00:07:10.759 was a public school. I ended up taking nothing but 146 00:07:10.839 --> 00:07:13.839 ballet classes that entire time during that school year, went 147

00:07:13.879 --> 00:07:15.160 back and I was able to get like a full 148 00:07:15.199 --> 00:07:18.639 scholarship to the school. So from there, it just took 149 00:07:18.680 --> 00:07:22.560 off from there, from being with Alvin Ailey School of Dance, 150 00:07:22.600 --> 00:07:25.480 Or's summer camps in Chicago's being with Gallery thirty seven 151 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:31.040 in Chicago, being with Jockhly ballet classes, doing ballet Chicago, 152 00:07:31.519 --> 00:07:33.720 deeply rooted productions, all the things. I end up getting 153 00:07:33.720 --> 00:07:37.000 my degree at Southern METHODICT University and dance performance. That's 154 00:07:37.040 --> 00:07:40.480 like the trajectory of how things happened. Wow, as far 155 00:07:40.519 --> 00:07:42.839 as dance was concerned. But I say that to say, 156 00:07:43.480 --> 00:07:46.279 when you're dancing and when you're learning, you have to 157 00:07:46.279 --> 00:07:49.439 do auditions. And there were two major things for me. 158 00:07:49.560 --> 00:07:52.920 One my name was Jenika Arthur, so my last name 159 00:07:53.279 --> 00:07:56.759 A That means I'm always at the beginning of any 160 00:07:56.839 --> 00:07:59.879 audition line right, I'm either gonna be the first, the second, 161 00:07:59.920 --> 00:08:01.319 or the third. So I had to be on my 162 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:04.279 p's and q's always right. I didn't have a chance 163 00:08:04.319 --> 00:08:07.399 to watch everybody else show me for me to learn 164 00:08:07.439 --> 00:08:09.639 it later. I had to either know it or I didn't. 165 00:08:09.800 --> 00:08:13.360 It was that type of energy and so that was 166 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:17.959 one aspect of how I felt about being a dancer. 167 00:08:18.000 --> 00:08:23.079 But it's because there were other students that didn't get 168 00:08:23.279 --> 00:08:27.519 my training one and other students that were spending years 169 00:08:27.560 --> 00:08:32.080 and hours inside studios but weren't getting the correct training 170 00:08:32.120 --> 00:08:35.519 to stay in the audition and they were getting called out. 171 00:08:36.320 --> 00:08:38.039 I was like, I fell in love with the idea 172 00:08:38.039 --> 00:08:39.960 of teaching. I was like, I never want any of 173 00:08:40.000 --> 00:08:42.600 my students to feel like they've been spending years and 174 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:47.279 time in my studio but they're not able to get 175 00:08:47.279 --> 00:08:49.960 through the audition. And so that's where my passion came 176 00:08:50.000 --> 00:08:51.679 in to play where I was like, I don't want 177 00:08:51.679 --> 00:08:53.919 to dance. I want to help dancers. 178 00:08:54.399 --> 00:08:58.000 Oh wow, just to hear that, like all that experience 179 00:08:58.000 --> 00:09:02.279 that you have, the curriculum, the education, yeah, and then say, yeah, 180 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:04.919 I don't want to be in it that way. I 181 00:09:04.960 --> 00:09:08.240 want to teach, poor cultivate. And you said something so 182 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:10.279 interesting because my last name was a B. So even 183 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:11.799 though it wasn't an A, I said it was up 184 00:09:11.840 --> 00:09:17.000 closed always. And I think that mindset carries on even 185 00:09:17.000 --> 00:09:19.879 in business and in your professional life, like you always 186 00:09:19.919 --> 00:09:21.720 gotta be on, like I gotta be ready, like I 187 00:09:21.720 --> 00:09:22.840 don't have a blueprint. 188 00:09:23.399 --> 00:09:24.519 So kind of taught me. 189 00:09:24.559 --> 00:09:27.480 Did you in life business did you see other entrepreneurs 190 00:09:27.559 --> 00:09:29.519 or did it come from your family or you're just 191 00:09:29.519 --> 00:09:30.279 like I'm the first one. 192 00:09:30.360 --> 00:09:32.279 That's great. I always tell people because my mother was 193 00:09:32.279 --> 00:09:35.039 another k director. I've been selling since I've been in 194 00:09:35.080 --> 00:09:37.799 a womb, right, so I had the opportunity to have 195 00:09:37.840 --> 00:09:41.000 a front row seat to hear my mother talk to 196 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:45.039 her consultants, talk to her clients, to talk to them about, 197 00:09:45.120 --> 00:09:48.279 you know, making sure they felt good, they felt beautiful, 198 00:09:48.320 --> 00:09:51.120 and then sell the product. And so I always had 199 00:09:51.279 --> 00:09:54.000 that aspect of things. But outside of my mother, No, 200 00:09:54.159 --> 00:09:59.080 I didn't have any guidance in business. Even in college, 201 00:09:59.679 --> 00:10:03.879 being getting your dance degree, they don't teach you entrepreneurship 202 00:10:04.120 --> 00:10:07.559 while you're there. I end up learning from an influencer 203 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:09.840 that I ended up working for later on in life. 204 00:10:09.879 --> 00:10:12.799 But I did have a front row seat in a 205 00:10:12.879 --> 00:10:16.080 multimillion dollar company to sit as a product manager, and 206 00:10:16.159 --> 00:10:18.320 so that's how I also learned about business. 207 00:10:18.639 --> 00:10:19.639 Oh my gosh. 208 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:23.080 And so looking back, talking about yourself, now, did you 209 00:10:23.159 --> 00:10:26.600 ever think you would be sitting here, girn't know? 210 00:10:27.879 --> 00:10:32.600 Not in ballet, like absolutely not. Like if someone would 211 00:10:32.600 --> 00:10:35.200 have told me that I would have been a ballet instructor, 212 00:10:35.879 --> 00:10:39.559 I would have laughed in their face. Right. However, I 213 00:10:39.600 --> 00:10:44.399 think what sparked that for me is that ballet, because 214 00:10:44.480 --> 00:10:48.159 I came into ballet later on in life. If you will, 215 00:10:48.639 --> 00:10:51.240 starting at like what eleven twelve years old in the 216 00:10:51.360 --> 00:10:54.600 dance world, that's that's late in my world, and art 217 00:10:54.600 --> 00:10:56.600 of eights world,

that's not late, right, you just get 218 00:10:56.639 --> 00:11:02.720 beginning at forty, So it's fine. But for me, girl, 219 00:11:02.759 --> 00:11:04.879 what was the question? Look, I'm thinking things. 220 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:07.799 So talking about yourself back then? 221 00:11:08.080 --> 00:11:11.600 Oh no, for me, the reason why ballet stuck out 222 00:11:11.720 --> 00:11:15.000 is because ballet taught me more about myself than anything. 223 00:11:15.399 --> 00:11:19.080 I could just dance, be free with the other styles 224 00:11:19.120 --> 00:11:22.320 because I grew up in it, I was six years old, whatever, 225 00:11:22.720 --> 00:11:26.399 But ballet, I was having to learn terminology. Being the 226 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:31.159 only like black in the classroom, being curvy, having the breast, 227 00:11:31.240 --> 00:11:34.039 having all of those things. I had to be totally 228 00:11:34.519 --> 00:11:38.519 totally different and see myself, look at myself in the 229 00:11:38.519 --> 00:11:42.120 mirror and not compare myself to the girl next to me. 230 00:11:42.600 --> 00:11:45.320 I had to say, Genika, it's okay that you don't 231 00:11:45.320 --> 00:11:48.200 get this today. Stay with it, stay with it, be consistent. 232 00:11:48.679 --> 00:11:52.480 I had to really dive deep. And I think that's 233 00:11:52.679 --> 00:11:56.480 what I instill in my students. Yeah, you learned the choreography, Yes, 234 00:11:57.000 --> 00:12:00.720 learned the terminology. Yes you can put on the pink 235 00:12:00.799 --> 00:12:05.240 tights and the leotards, But how do you walk into 236 00:12:05.279 --> 00:12:07.440 the studio? What do you say to yourself? And how 237 00:12:07.440 --> 00:12:09.159 do you walk out of the studio? How do you 238 00:12:09.240 --> 00:12:12.440 dance in the studio and how do you dance outside 239 00:12:12.480 --> 00:12:15.159 of the studio. That's what I care about were than. 240 00:12:15.000 --> 00:12:18.039 Anything, And I think hearing that, I don't think what 241 00:12:18.039 --> 00:12:19.960 you're talking about that you do with your students and 242 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:22.360 cultivating them and speaking to them and speaking life into them. 243 00:12:22.840 --> 00:12:24.720 There I don't believe you. Tell me, correct me if 244 00:12:24.720 --> 00:12:26.360 I'm wrong. Do they do that in the dance world, 245 00:12:26.440 --> 00:12:28.600 like encouraging you and building that confidence in you and 246 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:29.080 all that thing. 247 00:12:29.200 --> 00:12:31.759 It depends on what teacher you're talking about, right, It 248 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:34.360 depends on what the goal is and all that. There's 249 00:12:34.360 --> 00:12:36.679 some people talk about, like beating their students down and 250 00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:41.159 all of that. I can't relate to that storyline. I 251 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:43.399 had some really great teachers that poured into me, and 252 00:12:43.440 --> 00:12:46.279 I had some other teachers that didn't. I know the difference, 253 00:12:46.320 --> 00:12:48.080 and I know what side of the fence I want 254 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:49.240 to stand on. I love that. 255 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:52.519 I love the like being an advocate. Like being an advocate. 256 00:12:52.639 --> 00:12:54.320 If the world is not going to do it, we're 257 00:12:54.320 --> 00:12:55.480 gonna You're gonna get that here. 258 00:12:55.679 --> 00:12:56.200 Absolutely. 259 00:12:56.799 --> 00:13:00.519 What I love about just following your story. Being a 260 00:13:00.559 --> 00:13:04.399 new transplant here to Dallas. One of the number one 261 00:13:04.399 --> 00:13:07.840 things that I wanted to make sure that number one 262 00:13:07.879 --> 00:13:12.039 priority was build community new here. Had family here, but 263 00:13:12.120 --> 00:13:14.320 just not don't have a relationship. It's different when you 264 00:13:14.360 --> 00:13:16.879 know people, but when you have a relationship with them, 265 00:13:16.919 --> 00:13:19.360 it's different because usually we have a relationship with them. 266 00:13:19.519 --> 00:13:21.799 It's an opportunity for it to be cultivated and grow. 267 00:13:22.279 --> 00:13:25.480 And what I've loved about hearing from your students is 268 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:26.759 you have transplants. 269 00:13:26.799 --> 00:13:27.679 You have people that. 270 00:13:28.080 --> 00:13:32.080 Have said, I do all this for everybody else had 271 00:13:32.080 --> 00:13:35.000 a dream and they come into your studio a part 272 00:13:35.000 --> 00:13:37.879 of your life, your community, and they find community, they 273 00:13:37.879 --> 00:13:42.559 find family, and that that's what drew me to You're. 274 00:13:41.879 --> 00:13:47.360 Sweet, thank you. Yeah. That A lot of people ask me, 275 00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:50.240 They're like, Junika, how did you do it? Kind of energy? 276 00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:53.480 And the truth is I just was being authentic. I 277 00:13:53.600 --> 00:13:58.679 was just being the the advocate, like you said. I 278 00:13:58.720 --> 00:14:02.200 guess when I started teaching and Dallas, I was teaching 279 00:14:02.279 --> 00:14:05.080 children and then I had the opportunity to teach an 280 00:14:05.120 --> 00:14:08.000 adult class. And that adult class when I was there, 281 00:14:08.200 --> 00:14:11.559 initially it was just designed for the moms who were 282 00:14:12.240 --> 00:14:14.799 spending time at the studio but didn't have anything to do. 283 00:14:15.200 --> 00:14:17.080 And I was like, we can be a little bit 284 00:14:17.120 --> 00:14:20.159 more than that. And so from that class that was 285 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:23.639 two or three years later, it was a packed class 286 00:14:23.679 --> 00:14:25.840 where they had to have people wait listed for my 287 00:14:25.919 --> 00:14:28.000 class at a different studio and all of that kind 288 00:14:28.039 --> 00:14:31.080 of stuff, and

I realized that there was a gap 289 00:14:31.519 --> 00:14:36.919 in the marketplace where that gap was there are there's okay, huh, 290 00:14:37.000 --> 00:14:40.279 let's get into it. There's a difference between someone being 291 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:44.600 a great dancer and someone being a great teacher. And 292 00:14:44.639 --> 00:14:47.919 you have people who are great dancers that are teaching 293 00:14:48.240 --> 00:14:51.440 a class, but they don't have the heart to really 294 00:14:51.519 --> 00:14:54.799 teach the beginners. They only want to teach the professionals, 295 00:14:54.799 --> 00:14:59.960 the one who have like a I want to say, 296 00:15:00.080 --> 00:15:02.879 an aspiration to be professional, but have the capability to 297 00:15:02.879 --> 00:15:05.840 be on stage as a professional. But there were people 298 00:15:05.879 --> 00:15:09.600 who wanted to try it to see is this something 299 00:15:09.639 --> 00:15:11.720 I've always wanted to do it? But I don't have 300 00:15:11.759 --> 00:15:15.399 a safe place, and being in those classes wasn't safe. 301 00:15:15.440 --> 00:15:18.200 They're not paid attention to the person doesn't know your name, 302 00:15:18.320 --> 00:15:20.879 the person's not connected to your goal. It's like, oh, 303 00:15:20.919 --> 00:15:23.120 you can't dance, and they just keep walking. And I 304 00:15:23.200 --> 00:15:26.519 was saying, you know what, that's not my heart. You 305 00:15:26.559 --> 00:15:28.919 know what, you can keep all the professionals, you can keep, 306 00:15:28.960 --> 00:15:32.000 all the great people. You keep them, bring the others 307 00:15:32.039 --> 00:15:35.399 to me. And that's how our debate was started, or 308 00:15:35.480 --> 00:15:39.360 that's how I started to cultivate my class and my community, 309 00:15:39.440 --> 00:15:42.080 and then we start seeing One of my great quotes 310 00:15:42.200 --> 00:15:45.200 is the rise and tide lifts all boats, Like that's 311 00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:48.200 how that happened. Where it's like, Okay, let's do this thing. 312 00:15:48.240 --> 00:15:49.559 Then oh my gosh. 313 00:15:49.600 --> 00:15:51.639 So when you say let's do this thing, was it 314 00:15:51.720 --> 00:15:54.399 like Okay, I'm ready to open up my own studio. 315 00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.399 How did that come about? 316 00:15:56.600 --> 00:16:01.399 That's great. So I was a sub contractor at a 317 00:16:01.480 --> 00:16:06.080 studio while also having a full time job in the 318 00:16:06.200 --> 00:16:09.960 insurance world. I was working as a third party administrator, 319 00:16:10.000 --> 00:16:12.840 working with a third party administrator as a liability adjustice. 320 00:16:12.840 --> 00:16:16.720 So I handled a lot of your major corporation their claims, 321 00:16:16.759 --> 00:16:24.120 liability claims where there be eighteen wheeler accidents or product 322 00:16:24.399 --> 00:16:27.960 liability claims they drunk something got sick or slipping falls 323 00:16:28.039 --> 00:16:31.360 and stores. That's what I did. During my nine to 324 00:16:31.480 --> 00:16:35.080 five I had dance classes at a studio, and then 325 00:16:35.120 --> 00:16:38.720 I also was teaching with a nonprofit organization here in 326 00:16:38.840 --> 00:16:42.799 Dallas with children to help them meet and learn artistic 327 00:16:43.480 --> 00:16:47.120 you know, lifestyles, what have you. Anyway, while I'm sitting 328 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:50.480 there hating my job and hating life and all of 329 00:16:50.519 --> 00:16:54.440 the things, I was like, Lord, what's next. Like, surely 330 00:16:55.159 --> 00:16:58.960 this isn't it And I'm making more money outside of 331 00:16:59.000 --> 00:17:02.200 this nine to five. Then I am here, tell me 332 00:17:02.240 --> 00:17:05.279 what's the plan. And there's an attorney just cursing me 333 00:17:05.359 --> 00:17:07.359 out on the phone, whatever the case may be. And 334 00:17:07.400 --> 00:17:11.160 I am just drawing on a piece of paper while 335 00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:16.440 he's talking, because my decision is my decision. Your clients 336 00:17:16.720 --> 00:17:19.759 is liable, okay, it has nothing to do with me, right, 337 00:17:20.039 --> 00:17:23.240 So anyway, I'm just drawing and I am writing, and 338 00:17:23.400 --> 00:17:28.079 I am like, okay. It was a dance figurine at first. 339 00:17:28.240 --> 00:17:30.480 And I get off the call and I'm like, lord, okay, 340 00:17:30.480 --> 00:17:32.440 I'm gonna go ahead and start the dance studio. And 341 00:17:32.519 --> 00:17:35.000 I said, what are we going to call it? What? 342 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:36.200 Where do I go from here? 343 00:17:36.200 --> 00:17:36.759 Where do we go? 344 00:17:37.440 --> 00:17:42.359 And so the first initial thought was dance, what's art? Okay? 345 00:17:42.359 --> 00:17:43.720 And I was like, go ahead, that makes sense. And then 346 00:17:43.759 --> 00:17:46.160 I also wanted something that was going to have my legacy. 347 00:17:46.480 --> 00:17:49.839 I do want to get married one day. Anybody listening, 348 00:17:49.920 --> 00:17:55.960 if you all are looking, okay, listen, I do want 349 00:17:55.960 --> 00:17:57.880 to get married one day. And so, but I wanted 350 00:17:57.880 --> 00:17:59.839 the legacy of my school to have my name. And 351 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:02.880 so Arthur A. RT Is a part of it. So 352 00:18:02.880 --> 00:18:05.480 I was like, okay, art, So I put art down, 353 00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:09.359 and then I'm like, okay, but these are who I serve. 354 00:18:09.440 --> 00:18:12.599 I serve students, or I serve women, or are either 355 00:18:12.680 --> 00:18:16.240 starting for the very first time, or they're returning to 356 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:20.200 something that they love. And I was like, okay, that 357 00:18:20.359 --> 00:18:22.440 was one thought. And then I'm like, well, dance is 358 00:18:22.559 --> 00:18:24.559 five six seven eight, and we were like five

six. 359 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:25.359 Except like you know what I mean. 360 00:18:25.519 --> 00:18:28.200 So then I put art of a regular eight down 361 00:18:28.960 --> 00:18:31.880 and I was like and that didn't feel right right. 362 00:18:31.920 --> 00:18:35.200 And then I wrote the word eight and I was like, no, 363 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:38.119 that's not it either. And I was like okay, and 364 00:18:38.160 --> 00:18:39.960 I was like, okay, we're gonna call it art of aight, 365 00:18:40.079 --> 00:18:43.599 that makes sense. But then I started doing research in 366 00:18:44.119 --> 00:18:47.319 art or the number eight means new beginning yep. And 367 00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:50.599 I was like, okay, we're getting somewhere. Jesus, like, what's 368 00:18:50.640 --> 00:18:53.480 going on here? Got it? So I said, okay, the 369 00:18:53.640 --> 00:18:56.720 art of new beginnings? That works for me. But I 370 00:18:56.759 --> 00:18:59.359 was but the eight. The number eight mattered to me 371 00:18:59.440 --> 00:19:05.160 but didn't work. Nor did the number eight work, And 372 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:06.799 so I was like, what's another way that you could 373 00:19:06.799 --> 00:19:09.920 write eight? And then I wrote the Roman numeral eight, 374 00:19:10.440 --> 00:19:14.200 and I was like, huh, okay, but I didn't understand 375 00:19:14.319 --> 00:19:17.480 at the time why, But it was I wrote art 376 00:19:17.519 --> 00:19:20.119 of eight and then I not crumbled it up and 377 00:19:20.200 --> 00:19:22.400 folded it and put it in the in the bag. 378 00:19:23.559 --> 00:19:26.240 Then about thirty minutes something said pull it back out, 379 00:19:26.279 --> 00:19:28.559 and I pulled it back out and I said okay, 380 00:19:28.920 --> 00:19:33.160 And he said, right, school of Dance down, because the 381 00:19:33.160 --> 00:19:35.799 school of dance wasn't part of it. Initially, when I 382 00:19:35.839 --> 00:19:40.119 was thinking business, I was thinking about me independently. Yeah, 383 00:19:40.240 --> 00:19:44.000 I think class you would think it's too small. Uh uh. 384 00:19:44.039 --> 00:19:48.119 He said, this is a baby, this is an enterprise, conglomerate. 385 00:19:48.160 --> 00:19:50.759 How let we talking glow going on the sign? 386 00:19:50.839 --> 00:19:53.640 What are we talking about? We need a school of dance. 387 00:19:53.680 --> 00:19:55.720 So I was That's when I realized it was more 388 00:19:55.799 --> 00:19:59.039 than me, and it was more than one style of dance. 389 00:19:59.200 --> 00:20:02.279 Right was going to involve not only students, but it 390 00:20:02.319 --> 00:20:05.319 was going to involve teachers. And not only were the 391 00:20:05.359 --> 00:20:09.279 students going to be having their new beginning, but teachers 392 00:20:09.319 --> 00:20:11.640 were going to be having their new beginnings too, in 393 00:20:11.720 --> 00:20:15.759 some way, shape or form. It wasn't until years down 394 00:20:15.799 --> 00:20:18.759 the line where I think, I think God, he gives 395 00:20:18.839 --> 00:20:23.240 us little nuggets along the way. When I started recognizing 396 00:20:23.319 --> 00:20:28.559 that my classes weren't just supporting students in learning technique 397 00:20:28.880 --> 00:20:31.400 or being able to pour in themselves for an hour 398 00:20:31.519 --> 00:20:34.440 or what have you, but it was also helping them 399 00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:38.599 get out of their comfort zones outside of the studio. 400 00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:42.599 It was having them realize what was most important to them, 401 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.759 so that new beginning wasn't just danced. That new beginning 402 00:20:45.880 --> 00:20:50.559 was there and count if you will, outside of the studio, 403 00:20:50.599 --> 00:20:55.160 where people are becoming entrepreneurs, people are deciding to move 404 00:20:55.200 --> 00:20:58.599 into new homes or new cities or what have you. 405 00:20:58.680 --> 00:21:02.640 Like they are in fact on like that precipice of 406 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:07.720 like something new in their lives. And Artivate is I 407 00:21:07.720 --> 00:21:10.160 don't want to say the holding place, but our Art 408 00:21:10.200 --> 00:21:12.680 of eight is like that people call it if they're 409 00:21:12.759 --> 00:21:17.759 sanctuary or people call it their what is it what 410 00:21:17.960 --> 00:21:20.960 you call their arena? Where it's like a me versus 411 00:21:21.079 --> 00:21:24.720 year situation. That's what art Debate is. It's a dance 412 00:21:24.759 --> 00:21:26.000 studio that is much more. 413 00:21:26.200 --> 00:21:26.880 I love it. 414 00:21:26.960 --> 00:21:28.559 And when what year did you start? 415 00:21:28.960 --> 00:21:29.119 We? 416 00:21:29.400 --> 00:21:33.319 I what's interesting, I founded it in twenty eighteen. We 417 00:21:33.480 --> 00:21:37.200 did not go into practice until twenty twenty of September 418 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:39.039 and during the pandemic. 419 00:21:39.279 --> 00:21:42.440 So you know, your eighth year, you gotta do something 420 00:21:42.960 --> 00:21:44.519 because my PR mind goes. 421 00:21:44.359 --> 00:21:46.440 I'm like, oh, shoot, come on, PR. 422 00:21:46.359 --> 00:21:49.880 Come on, eight year New beginning, like you gotta do 423 00:21:49.960 --> 00:21:51.839 I'm telling you now, you gotta. 424 00:21:51.640 --> 00:21:53.400 Do a whole I didn't even think I would haven't 425 00:21:53.440 --> 00:21:56.680 even been there yet mentally, but yes. 426 00:21:55.599 --> 00:21:57.279 It's gonna happen. 427 00:21:57.279 --> 00:21:59.680 Because when I hit my tenuere last year, they was like, 428 00:21:59.720 --> 00:22:03.559 you better do something, you better ten years, eight years. Yes, 429 00:22:03.680 --> 00:22:05.200 you're gonna do it, and I'm gonna make sure of it. 430 00:22:06.599 --> 00:22:08.000 Stay lest I'm gonna make it. 431 00:22:08.079 --> 00:22:10.160 I might call your list the eighth

year. 432 00:22:10.839 --> 00:22:12.480 You know, you're gonna call me your seven because it's 433 00:22:12.599 --> 00:22:14.519 it's a whole thing. So we gotta do a whole 434 00:22:14.559 --> 00:22:15.640 little celebration. 435 00:22:16.480 --> 00:22:18.000 We gotta. I need a whole three and sixty my. 436 00:22:18.079 --> 00:22:20.440 Day, a whole year celebration for the eighth year. 437 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:23.119 Yesterday, eight years. So yeah, let's go ahead. And y'all, y'all, 438 00:22:23.200 --> 00:22:25.880 y'all saw it here, y'all heard it here, and so 439 00:22:25.920 --> 00:22:27.200 we're gonna have to bring it back for our eighth 440 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:31.440 year celebration. But I think it's amazing. So we're at 441 00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:35.240 what's we're going into six years of actual the building, 442 00:22:35.240 --> 00:22:36.400 the brick and mortar, et cetera. 443 00:22:38.279 --> 00:22:44.160 Right, no, no, yes, no, yes no. So I went 444 00:22:44.200 --> 00:22:49.240 into entrepreneurship differently where I actually did not go into 445 00:22:49.319 --> 00:22:52.119 a brick and mortar initially in the sense that number 446 00:22:52.119 --> 00:22:56.319 one we started in pandemic. We started online first. Right 447 00:22:56.759 --> 00:22:59.720 from there, one of my students that was a part 448 00:23:00.200 --> 00:23:05.720 of another studio, she had a She was a competitor, 449 00:23:05.839 --> 00:23:09.119 if you will, of the studio that I worked at, 450 00:23:09.480 --> 00:23:11.359 and I was asking the students one day, I'm like, hey, 451 00:23:11.400 --> 00:23:14.319 do you all happen to pass any dance studios along 452 00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:17.680 the way. I'm actressly actually interested in doing a project. 453 00:23:18.039 --> 00:23:20.079 That student came to me and said, hey, I actually 454 00:23:20.119 --> 00:23:23.559 own a dance studio if you would like to start 455 00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.839 your dance studio inside of my dance studio because we're 456 00:23:26.920 --> 00:23:30.079 not competitors. She only had children and I had adults, 457 00:23:30.359 --> 00:23:34.240 but absolutely so we were there for over three years. 458 00:23:35.200 --> 00:23:40.960 Then at that point she said, you have now built 459 00:23:41.119 --> 00:23:43.920 what you were looking to build. You have gotten a 460 00:23:43.960 --> 00:23:47.359 certain size, And we end up moving from her location 461 00:23:47.519 --> 00:23:50.960 and now we're at another location that we're subbleasing. Okay, 462 00:23:51.079 --> 00:23:54.759 so this year, if not next year, we're currently working 463 00:23:54.799 --> 00:23:57.440 to get our own studio in DFW. 464 00:23:57.720 --> 00:24:01.039 You know, listening to you, people don't want to I 465 00:24:01.119 --> 00:24:05.119 love to talk to builders yet because they're the process 466 00:24:05.319 --> 00:24:09.640 to get to that big to some people, the brick 467 00:24:09.680 --> 00:24:12.880 and mortar, the building. And you have to be okay 468 00:24:12.920 --> 00:24:16.119 with humble beginnings. You have to be okay with startain 469 00:24:16.119 --> 00:24:18.480 and small. You even touched like I even connected with you, 470 00:24:18.519 --> 00:24:21.240 and you were saying like you were fueling the vision 471 00:24:21.680 --> 00:24:23.599 at your nine to five. People don't want to just 472 00:24:23.640 --> 00:24:26.119 want to just jump in and just run into it exactly. 473 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:30.880 And that's lacks humility, pride, all the things. And that's 474 00:24:30.920 --> 00:24:32.359 what it really inspired me about. 475 00:24:32.079 --> 00:24:33.960 That at the nine to five when I was working 476 00:24:34.000 --> 00:24:37.359 at the other studio, what sparked me or what had 477 00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:41.319 me go into entrepreneurship is I started thinking outside the box. 478 00:24:41.559 --> 00:24:45.160 People were thinking, okay, oh, you can do a private lesson. Yes, 479 00:24:45.240 --> 00:24:47.920 I did private lessons. No, I didn't do private lessons 480 00:24:47.960 --> 00:24:50.319 like everyone else. Unless be clear, people who are watching 481 00:24:50.319 --> 00:24:53.640 who are entrepreneurs If they're saying or considering to put 482 00:24:53.680 --> 00:24:56.240 their pricing based off of someone else's pricing, I am 483 00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:58.680 telling them to not do that. You don't know what 484 00:24:59.400 --> 00:25:02.200 their reason is for their pricing, or what goals or 485 00:25:02.240 --> 00:25:06.000 aspirations they have. My pricing was not everybody else's pricing. 486 00:25:06.119 --> 00:25:09.400 It still isn't. Just so we're clear, right, But what 487 00:25:09.440 --> 00:25:15.160 I'm saying is I started with saying, what is one 488 00:25:15.200 --> 00:25:18.720 of the things that our students need or want that 489 00:25:18.880 --> 00:25:22.839 this school does not offer? And that is how I 490 00:25:22.880 --> 00:25:26.440 started with my entrepreneurship journey, if you will. Is because 491 00:25:26.759 --> 00:25:29.880 my students were having troubles with turns. They were having 492 00:25:30.039 --> 00:25:34.000 trouble with jumps in class. But jumps and turns are 493 00:25:34.039 --> 00:25:37.440 only a small portion of the class, only fifteen minutes 494 00:25:37.480 --> 00:25:39.599 twenty minutes. And I was say, what if I did 495 00:25:39.640 --> 00:25:43.200 an entire hour of just turns, or how an entire 496 00:25:43.319 --> 00:25:46.559 hour of just jumps, and so I would create I 497 00:25:46.559 --> 00:25:51.559 would then rent out the studio, and then I would 498 00:25:51.640 --> 00:25:54.960 then tell my students, Hey, from three to four, I'm 499 00:25:54.960 --> 00:25:56.720 going to be turning. If you all want to come, 500 00:25:56.759 --> 00:25:59.039 you all would end up having to pay me directly, 501 00:25:59.160 --> 00:26:01.480 and then that is

hownership. 502 00:26:02.319 --> 00:26:02.799 Yeah. 503 00:26:02.880 --> 00:26:05.039 That then people wanted to have my shirt, and so 504 00:26:05.079 --> 00:26:07.400 they would buy my shirts like people wanted to have 505 00:26:07.519 --> 00:26:10.839 a video for my classes. So I created videos in 506 00:26:10.960 --> 00:26:11.799 site it that way. 507 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:15.720 Oh my goodness, that I absolutely love because it sounds 508 00:26:15.759 --> 00:26:18.799 like you field a gap in the marketplace. 509 00:26:18.920 --> 00:26:22.000 In the marketplace, that's the point of entrepreneurship. Don't do 510 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:25.359 what everybody else is doing. Find your niche find what 511 00:26:25.559 --> 00:26:28.599 you can do, what makes sense, and then run with it. 512 00:26:28.680 --> 00:26:31.000 And I'm in ocean. What is it? Blue ocean is 513 00:26:31.039 --> 00:26:33.519 what they call it. Created my own lane. 514 00:26:33.799 --> 00:26:37.640 Oh wow, So listening, you just gave a tip to 515 00:26:37.799 --> 00:26:42.680 someone that's listening a professional. What would you tell the 516 00:26:42.759 --> 00:26:45.839 person that is say, man, I love what she's doing. 517 00:26:45.920 --> 00:26:48.240 She's building this you know this brand, or she has 518 00:26:48.240 --> 00:26:51.079 this brand, she has this community's followers. What would you 519 00:26:51.119 --> 00:26:54.079 tell them as it relates to if they're feeling stuck 520 00:26:54.200 --> 00:26:56.400 or stagging it? Because I teach people here at be 521 00:26:56.519 --> 00:26:59.880 Rare with Sarah is going from stuck to momentum? Yes, 522 00:27:00.200 --> 00:27:04.039 so what would you advise them in this? You cannot 523 00:27:04.119 --> 00:27:07.720 stay there and that stuck mentality. There's no such thing 524 00:27:07.920 --> 00:27:09.559 as stuck, right. 525 00:27:09.640 --> 00:27:13.240 You have to keep going, put in one foot in 526 00:27:13.279 --> 00:27:17.160 front of the other, find out what that challenge is 527 00:27:17.279 --> 00:27:21.200 and create the solution. You must create it. It's not 528 00:27:21.240 --> 00:27:23.200 going to be given to you. No one's going to 529 00:27:23.319 --> 00:27:26.799 hand you anything, they say, No one's coming to save you. 530 00:27:26.799 --> 00:27:29.279 You have to create it. You have to spend time. 531 00:27:29.279 --> 00:27:33.079 If that means doing more research, if that means disconnecting 532 00:27:33.200 --> 00:27:37.039 from your friends, family around you who are saying what 533 00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:40.359 you cannot do, get around people who are telling you 534 00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:42.480 you can. Yeah, that's what you need to do. 535 00:27:42.519 --> 00:27:43.640 You got to cut out their distraction. 536 00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:47.079 Got to So I like that you said that that 537 00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:50.519 answer talking about going from stuck to momentum. So what 538 00:27:50.559 --> 00:27:53.119 I want to ask you is do you feel like 539 00:27:53.599 --> 00:27:56.079 as adults we just focus so much on our responsibility 540 00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:57.400 is what we have to do, our to do list, 541 00:27:57.400 --> 00:28:00.200 our task and all the things that we forget to 542 00:28:00.279 --> 00:28:02.880 just be alive, like in the moment. 543 00:28:03.160 --> 00:28:07.039 That's such a good question, and the answer to that 544 00:28:07.240 --> 00:28:09.759 is yes, I do think that that is a thing. 545 00:28:10.279 --> 00:28:12.240 I think that that is more of a thing than not. 546 00:28:12.839 --> 00:28:17.640 I think that we are just in a place as 547 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.400 a society, as a whole, as a world, that's just 548 00:28:20.920 --> 00:28:25.440 in the cycle of having to just get through day 549 00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:30.759 to day, right, and we tend to forget about ourselves, right, 550 00:28:30.880 --> 00:28:33.279 especially if you have a family, especially if you have 551 00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:36.319 a job, or you're an entrepreneur, whatever the case may be. 552 00:28:36.720 --> 00:28:38.920 And so I think what I find beautiful as far 553 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:41.960 as artists eight is concerned, is everyone that walks in 554 00:28:42.039 --> 00:28:46.640 the door has finally said no more. That's where we are. 555 00:28:46.799 --> 00:28:49.799 They're like, you know what I have given to everyone 556 00:28:50.000 --> 00:28:53.240 in everything, and it's now something for me to do. 557 00:28:53.559 --> 00:28:55.480 One of my students I talked about her often, her 558 00:28:55.559 --> 00:28:58.920 name is Evelyn. Evelyn said Heart of Aid or dance 559 00:28:58.960 --> 00:29:01.160 class for her was only place she could get an 560 00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:03.960 r O I for herself. Wow, And I was like, 561 00:29:04.000 --> 00:29:08.079 you know what, You're absolutely right. No one is benefiting 562 00:29:08.319 --> 00:29:11.720 from you taking dance class other than you. So the 563 00:29:11.799 --> 00:29:15.079 question is what is it that you would want to 564 00:29:15.119 --> 00:29:18.440 do to fill your own cup? And do that that's 565 00:29:18.559 --> 00:29:19.519 oh wow. 566 00:29:19.640 --> 00:29:22.799 I love that. That is I gotta take it. 567 00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:23.519 I'm a problem. 568 00:29:23.559 --> 00:29:25.519 I'm gonna steal that. I don't know if I howp 569 00:29:25.599 --> 00:29:29.680 you watching because I'm not to take that because she's 570 00:29:29.960 --> 00:29:31.680 I mean, I mean, that's that's true. 571 00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:35.720 So I think talking to you right leading this this 572 00:29:35.839 --> 00:29:40.599 amazing business is something that you absolutely love and enjoy. 573 00:29:41.119 --> 00:29:44.920 What are you personally doing to pour back into your cup? 574 00:29:45.039 --> 00:29:47.960 Ooh girl, that's good. 575 00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.880 Now, like, what are you

need to keep it real? 576 00:29:50.359 --> 00:29:50.519 Now? 577 00:29:50.519 --> 00:29:51.720 What you're really over there doing? 578 00:29:52.720 --> 00:30:02.440 Girl, this is not the season. That's the it's recognizing 579 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:05.680 that it is something that I yearn for and that 580 00:30:05.839 --> 00:30:08.960 I want. Personally, I try to get my little doses. 581 00:30:09.039 --> 00:30:11.039 When I'm walking through the studio and I hear the 582 00:30:11.119 --> 00:30:13.680 drums plan in a West African class, I go and 583 00:30:13.759 --> 00:30:15.559 jump into a one two for a second and then 584 00:30:15.559 --> 00:30:19.160 I roll out kind of energy. But for me personally, 585 00:30:19.319 --> 00:30:24.559 I haven't had an opportunity to go and outside of 586 00:30:24.599 --> 00:30:27.920 myself as an entrepreneur, to be like, what does Janika want? 587 00:30:27.960 --> 00:30:30.880 Because what Janika wants is to be able to be 588 00:30:30.920 --> 00:30:33.680 on the other side of having our own building, having 589 00:30:33.680 --> 00:30:36.599 our brick and border in Dallas. That would also make 590 00:30:36.680 --> 00:30:39.720 me very very happy to have for our students. So 591 00:30:40.119 --> 00:30:43.839 I don't have anything personally, not right now, I don't, 592 00:30:44.000 --> 00:30:45.799 but it's coming. I'm sure. 593 00:30:46.319 --> 00:30:50.359 Oh I told you your eight year. 594 00:30:50.400 --> 00:30:53.039 So I got two more years. Girl, Wait a minute there, Oh. 595 00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:55.160 But look I can do I have. 596 00:30:55.440 --> 00:30:58.440 I'm the product of a three hundred and sixty five. 597 00:30:58.559 --> 00:30:59.680 He could do anything. 598 00:31:00.079 --> 00:31:02.759 So we're saying this now, we're going I'm gonna check 599 00:31:02.759 --> 00:31:04.720 in with you well, I'm gonna continue to alla check 600 00:31:04.720 --> 00:31:06.119 in with you, but I'm like, hey, you know, remember 601 00:31:06.200 --> 00:31:08.839 six months ago we were a blah blah blah blah blah, 602 00:31:08.880 --> 00:31:10.839 and I expect you to give me a list of 603 00:31:10.880 --> 00:31:12.640 everything because he can do it. 604 00:31:12.759 --> 00:31:14.799 Yeah, he has a lot of things playing. We haven't 605 00:31:14.839 --> 00:31:16.799 released a lot of things that we are doing, but 606 00:31:16.839 --> 00:31:20.359 we are moving and grooving for sure. Hear in Dallas 607 00:31:20.359 --> 00:31:21.519 and I'm excited about it. 608 00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:23.519 I love it. So tell us a little bit about 609 00:31:24.480 --> 00:31:27.400 you know, what's to come, how people can get involved, 610 00:31:27.400 --> 00:31:28.519 what does that even look like? 611 00:31:29.000 --> 00:31:31.799 Oh my goodness. So if you are someone who wants 612 00:31:31.839 --> 00:31:34.519 to dance for the very first time or return back 613 00:31:34.559 --> 00:31:36.799 to dance after a long kiatus, we would love to 614 00:31:36.839 --> 00:31:39.200 welcome you at our Debate School of Dance, where we 615 00:31:39.200 --> 00:31:44.400 take ballet, modern jazz, contemporary, tap, West African dance. You 616 00:31:44.599 --> 00:31:48.680 learn from the very very beginning with other like minded, creative, 617 00:31:49.200 --> 00:31:54.240 creatively driven people. We're doing that. We're in studio. We 618 00:31:54.319 --> 00:31:57.119 have five seasons at our studio, So we are not 619 00:31:57.279 --> 00:31:59.240 the studio where you can do it just a dropping 620 00:31:59.240 --> 00:32:02.000 in class. We're a studio where you're committing. Our classes 621 00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:06.119 are ten weeks in land and that's different from a 622 00:32:06.359 --> 00:32:10.640 normal I guess program at schools. Usually you can just 623 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:12.039 drop in and be like, Okay, I just want to 624 00:32:12.119 --> 00:32:14.799 dance one day, and then you walk away. That's not here, 625 00:32:14.920 --> 00:32:17.200 because we want to recognize and really help you grow, 626 00:32:17.279 --> 00:32:19.799 help you learn, realize this is what you really want 627 00:32:19.920 --> 00:32:23.480 or need. So that's that we're doing the End Studio. 628 00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:27.160 We're also going to be releasing a virtual opportunity for 629 00:32:27.559 --> 00:32:29.640 students to come and join us, whether you be in 630 00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:33.720 Dallas or New York or Atlanta, you can take classes 631 00:32:33.759 --> 00:32:38.440 with us. In that capacity. We're having a performance. Our 632 00:32:38.480 --> 00:32:43.400 students perform every single year. We are performing on October 633 00:32:43.440 --> 00:32:47.960 twenty fourth at the Eisman Theater and Richardson, Texas. Six thirty. 634 00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:54.759 Tickets are available online now. And then personally, I'll be 635 00:32:55.039 --> 00:32:59.440 starting a wellness program. We'll be doing wellness programs inside 636 00:32:59.440 --> 00:33:02.599 of corporates here in DFW. So I'm excited about it. 637 00:33:02.680 --> 00:33:05.440 Oh my goodness. I look girl, you're doing all the things. 638 00:33:05.559 --> 00:33:06.200 You're busy. 639 00:33:06.559 --> 00:33:09.079 Wait a minute, and we're going to be launching our 640 00:33:09.240 --> 00:33:13.279 nonprofit this year too. Listen, I'm trying to tell. 641 00:33:13.160 --> 00:33:17.880 You're so busy. I love it now. No, that's one 642 00:33:17.880 --> 00:33:18.559 thing about the building. 643 00:33:18.599 --> 00:33:21.160 They got so much going on, They have so much 644 00:33:21.240 --> 00:33:24.960 going on, Like do you sleep? That's why I asked you. 645 00:33:25.000 --> 00:33:26.920 I said, what are you really doing for yourself? 646 00:33:27.240 --> 00:33:33.079 And that's that's the thing. No, I'm building so much. 647 00:33:33.519 --> 00:33:35.759 I got so much. It's so many windows open. 648 00:33:35.960 --> 00:33:37.519

And one of those questions I think that you were 649 00:33:37.559 --> 00:33:39.440 asking me, you know, off camera or whatever the case 650 00:33:39.480 --> 00:33:41.359 may be, is like, you know, how do you manage 651 00:33:41.599 --> 00:33:43.200 it all? Like what are you doing? Like what's one 652 00:33:43.240 --> 00:33:45.839 of those big things that you would tell an entrepreneur 653 00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:47.960 what have you? And there's this book it's called e 654 00:33:48.200 --> 00:33:51.839 Myth Revisited? Have you ever read that one? It basically 655 00:33:51.880 --> 00:33:57.240 it's that a entrepreneur is divided into three right you 656 00:33:57.240 --> 00:34:01.400 are an entrepreneur, a manager, and a technician. Yes, And 657 00:34:01.440 --> 00:34:05.079 so the thing is, if you're going to be successful, 658 00:34:05.119 --> 00:34:09.320 you're going to have to juggle all three of those positions. 659 00:34:09.400 --> 00:34:13.159 And so right now, yes, I'm managing the teachers, the 660 00:34:13.199 --> 00:34:15.679 studio and all of that. Yes I am a technician 661 00:34:15.719 --> 00:34:18.679 because I'm teaching in classes four days a week, two 662 00:34:18.719 --> 00:34:21.920 classes a day, that kind of energy. But the entrepreneurial 663 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:25.159 side of me also still has to be cultivated. It 664 00:34:25.280 --> 00:34:27.920 also has means that I have to be in class, 665 00:34:27.920 --> 00:34:31.239 in training, taking school, like I have to do it 666 00:34:31.280 --> 00:34:33.800 for me to be able to continue to be innovative, 667 00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:37.000 because if you're not innovative, and your business dies, and 668 00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:39.679 that's something that I'm not willing to do. Oh yeah, yeah, 669 00:34:39.760 --> 00:34:43.800 you gotta always think of like have these ideas, campaigns 670 00:34:43.840 --> 00:34:45.639 and things like that, because you have a community and 671 00:34:45.679 --> 00:34:48.719 they want to say busy just like you. They want 672 00:34:48.719 --> 00:34:50.800 to do all the things they want, you know, and 673 00:34:50.840 --> 00:34:52.679 so there's some great things that I have planned for 674 00:34:52.719 --> 00:34:53.920 them and I'm excited for it. 675 00:34:54.079 --> 00:34:56.800 Okay, well I got just one level of advice. Yes, 676 00:34:56.920 --> 00:34:59.880 I want you to take a day to just do something. 677 00:34:59.599 --> 00:35:03.679 For you this and this is what people don't like. 678 00:35:03.719 --> 00:35:05.599 I said, it looks great and all what. 679 00:35:05.480 --> 00:35:08.679 You're doing, but there's a season where you're actually building 680 00:35:08.719 --> 00:35:10.639 and this it's really no time for the owner. It's 681 00:35:10.639 --> 00:35:13.480 no time for the founder because I'm I'm creating, I'm growing. 682 00:35:14.039 --> 00:35:17.599 He's got to be paid. That's a real whole nother conversation. 683 00:35:19.159 --> 00:35:20.800 That's a whole other episode we'll have to bring her 684 00:35:20.880 --> 00:35:23.800 back on. But the reason being is like I gotta build, 685 00:35:23.800 --> 00:35:26.039 I gotta make this money. I gotta feed my people, 686 00:35:26.119 --> 00:35:27.480 and I just got to have a safe space for 687 00:35:27.559 --> 00:35:29.000 my people to come to. 688 00:35:29.159 --> 00:35:33.079 So I love it. Thank you so much, thank you 689 00:35:33.119 --> 00:35:37.159 for You're just so good. You're natural. 690 00:35:37.239 --> 00:35:41.679 Okay, y'all, my girls, she is a part of the family. 691 00:35:41.800 --> 00:35:44.239 She is not going anywhere, and we want to make 692 00:35:44.239 --> 00:35:46.480 sure we support her. So the only thing I am 693 00:35:46.519 --> 00:35:48.000 going to try to talk to her about is maybe 694 00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:50.159 adding a little some acting because you know, I may 695 00:35:50.239 --> 00:35:51.840 you know, I want to come in and do my little. 696 00:35:51.639 --> 00:35:52.360 Acting and what else. 697 00:35:52.519 --> 00:35:54.159 So if she want to do some little acting class, 698 00:35:54.199 --> 00:35:57.840 I'm gonna come for real. But y'all, we gotta thank 699 00:35:57.880 --> 00:35:59.800 her for coming. Y'all, y'all know what we do here. 700 00:36:00.079 --> 00:36:01.679 I want you to always make sure that you keep 701 00:36:01.719 --> 00:36:04.840 it real, be real, spread the honey, and just be. 702 00:36:05.239 --> 00:36:07.480 You until next time. Byeuck.