Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Kinsey Litton, co-founder and co-owner of PopRox Dance Studio, located in Seattle, WA, USA.

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

Hi! I'm Kinsey, the Co-Owner of PopRox Dance Studio in Seattle, WA. We are a non-traditional dance space that believes dance should be encouraging, inclusive, and confidence-building. My business partner and I started PopRox because we felt like dance often feels intimidating to so many people and frequently has a reputation for being intimidating and unwelcoming to different kinds of dancers and different skill levels.

We have dance classes for both kids and adults, summer camp programs, and we even help people choreograph their own custom wedding dances! We offer adult classes you can't find at other studios in the city — including GoGo Dancing, K-Pop Classes, and our super popular beginner's class called "Two Left Feet." Our kids' classes are divided by age group instead of levels, and we make our classes collaborative with our students by incorporating their favorite music as well as some of their own dance moves and dance games into our classes.

Tell us about yourself

I grew up doing jazz and hip-hop in a traditional dance studio environment. And as much as I have always loved dance, even from a young age, I understood what phrases like "dancer's body" were implying. As an adult, I have tried to take a few dance classes here and there, and each time I have felt like the classes were often catered to the skill level of the teachers instead of being cognizant and considerate of the dancers in the class and their experience.

I have had many jobs throughout the years, but I always knew that I ultimately wanted to work for myself. I met my business partner in 2017, and the rest unfolded naturally! I have been super fortunate to have the support of my family, my amazing wife, and the dance community. It truly takes a village to get a business off the ground; no one can do it alone.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Surviving COVID! We started our dance studio in a super tiny rental space with an A-frame sign out in front that we used to advertise. We were super fortunate to find a larger space in an amazing neighborhood and began construction on it in 2019. Of course, as it did for everyone, COVID hit early 2020 and brought everything to a screeching halt.

Our brand new dance studio sat empty for an entire year before we were able to open. So many dance studios closed over the course of those two years. One of the main reasons we survived was our awesome landlords. They had our back throughout and understood the challenges of being a small business through a pandemic.

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

For me - keeping track of everything that's going on and managing my time. I often worry that I have fully forgotten about something important that I was supposed to do. There is so much going on all the time, and you really want to do your best in every category, and sometimes it's really challenging and tiring. I am still learning to delegate as best as I can and being okay with not doing everything 100% perfect.

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

  1. Do your research! — Unfortunately, there is no handbook when it comes to opening a business, and you often have to take the initiative to find the best answer for something you have no knowledge about. Remember —Google is your friend! And sometimes, you have to just make your best guess and move on.
  2. Become comfortable with failure — I have learned all of my most valuable lessons from mistakes I have made and things that haven't worked. Make a note of your mistakes, pivot, and try your best not to make the same mistakes twice.
  3. Be adaptable and willing to pivot — We started out with an idea of what our business would be and what our customers would want, but along the way, we have learned that some things don't work, some are more popular than others, and some customers wanted classes we didn't have. We always ask for customer feedback and adapt to their requests. You can't be so overly committed to your business plan that you are unwilling to make changes when necessary.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

I think I'd like to touch on a misconception that I feel like I see a lot on social media and in the media in general. I have worked really hard for my business, but I have also had a lot of help and a lot of good luck. My family has helped me along the way by loaning me money to build a new studio, I have a partner who was able to financially support me when COVID hit, and the studio closed, and we have amazing landlords who have been understanding and generous through the past two years.

These are privileges that not everyone is afforded. I think all too often; we perpetuate the message of "If you just work hard enough, you can own a business too!" which doesn't always acknowledge that there are real systemic, discriminative, and financial barriers in place that make it really hard for a lot of people to apply for and own a business. There are so many young female and POC entrepreneurs who aren't given the same opportunities or being invested in at the same rate. I think it's important to say all of that while talking about creating and running a business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.poproxdance.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/poproxdanceseattle
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/poproxdancestudio/

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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