Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in dance training but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Hannah and Luke Luzicka, Founders and Owners of Luzicka Ballet, located in Liberty, MO, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

We are the owners and directors of The Luzicka School of Ballet. We teach classical ballet for ages 3 through high school. Our clients come from all over the Kansas City area but primarily live in the Northland.

Tell us about yourself

We have been in ballet our whole lives. We grew up and trained in Kansas City and have danced with Utah Ballet, Boston Ballet, and Kansas City Ballet. After we got married, we knew we wanted to open our own school. With our professional experience and the fact that we are a husband and wife team which is not common, we felt we had something unique to offer the community. We love passing on our passion for this art form to our students and seeing them become artists themselves.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

We are proud that after ten years, our students' ability has grown to a level that allows the school to perform the same full-length classical ballet productions we performed while dancing professionally ourselves. Ballets which audiences in this area probably have never seen before. Perhaps the accomplishment we are most proud of is that Luzicka Ballet just performed our first full-length Nutcracker. We have wanted to put together an annual holiday performance of The Nutcracker for many years, and now finally, the Northland has a traditional, classical, full-length production of this holiday classic!

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

We are ballet dancers who want to be ballet teachers. At Luzicka Ballet, we get to do that while also being bookkeepers, business strategists, PR managers, HR managers, IT support, and janitors. Being a business owner, and particularly a small business owner, means you need a large hat rack for all the hats you need to wear!

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. If possible, start your business alongside your primary current source of income. After retiring from dancing, Luke worked in the IT field. This allowed the studio to grow from 1 class with seven students to a size that could provide for our household before we transitioned to both of us working at the studio full-time.
  2. Do something you love and are passionate about. Then, the hours and hours you spend growing your business, sometimes on the couch with a laptop on Sunday night, are a labor of love instead of just... labor.
  3. On a practical note, make sure your online presence is top-notch! Depending on your business, the number one way people will find you will be word of mouth, but right behind that will be the internet. Make sure your business has a profile with absolutely everything it can, from Facebook to Linkedin. Have accounts everywhere.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We love having our classical ballet school. We get to watch our students grow from younglings in pre-ballet all the way to dancing with professional companies. Two of our recent graduates are now dancing with Sacramento Ballet. Furthermore, in today's world, dominated by competitive activities, we are proud to provide a classical arts education that fosters collaboration, rather than competition, for our students.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://luzickaballet.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/luzickaballet/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luzickaballet/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/luzickaballet/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/luke-luzicka-57a991a5/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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