How Being a Dancer Helped Make Me A More Successful Entrepreneur

"Baby, don't tell people you are a 'dancer' anymore", said my husband. Ah... so that's the reason the realtor said that! You guys know I'm blonde...

"Yes", said the realtor while we were looking at the condo, "We get a lot of girls over here from Silver City."

"No Mam-" I scrambled to save my reputation- "I am a professional dance instructor. I teach ballroom and hip hop to adults."

I dunno. She thinks I could be a stripper. That's good, right? Is that good? I was oddly flattered.

One day, several years ago, I was in the studio working on a complicated piece of choreography. A waltz.

John, another instructor, apparently was watching from afar and felt compelled to salvage my attempts. John was always quite wise- he'd never tell you the direct answer to a thing; he'd make you figure it out.

John inquired, "What is your objective?"

This simple question has stayed with me always after that; and has helped me bring clarity to strategies I either make, or don't make, with my companies.

I was startled utterly, when he asked. I remember it clearly.

"My objective? Well, geez. I don't know..."
"And that's the problem", responded John.
I'll never forget it.

In dance, there are only four things you need to know. It's simply how we combine those four things- that comprise every ballroom dance- cha cha, salsa, tango, waltz, rumba, samba, fox trot, country western, etc. there is! Amazing, huh?

In business, there's only two things you need to know. When you know these two things, you can literally make as much money as you please. Two things. Amazing, huh?

When you know the right things, life (and dance) is ridiculously easier.

The four basic moves in dance are called, "elements".

When I combine two or more "elements", now I have what's called a "component".

When I combine two or more "components", now I have what's called a "figure".

And the "figure" makes the dance! Once I get into upper level choreography, I'm stringing together more and more "figures", which ultimately make "amalgamations".

In business, there are always certain things I am going to combine. If I leave one out, there's a good chance my enterprise will fail.

Marketing. Staffing. Training. Book keeping. Legal counsel.

Figuring out your objectives keep you on track; and when you're on track, now you're talking about positive cash flow.

I have to admit. I like positive cash flow even better than I like a cha cha, and I like a cha cha a lot!

More tomorrow about "Objective".