Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Shawn Bracke, a Choreographer and Movement Coach based in Toronto, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
As a Choreographer and Movement Coach, my work is to create a movement for Film, TV, and Stage. My work ranges from working with Professional Dancers, Actors, and Models to creating work that showcases a commercial product or creates a visual narrative for an audience.
Tell us about yourself
As a Dancer growing up, I always wanted to work on the creative side of a process. Having worked in the commercial industry primarily (Film/TV), I developed a skill set learning many dance styles, from Contemporary, Jazz, and Modern to Tap, Hip-Hop vernacular, and social dance styles to influence my style of Choreography.
I'm motivated by fellow creatives in music, filmmaking, and visual arts. I create works for film, which fuel me, and I am a visual/graphic artist when not dancing. I find they all blend together and are intrinsically tied to each other. I'm excited to see what new creations become available each day from other artists, which then motivates me to better myself in my own art.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
As a self-employed business, Choreographer, and Movement Coach, I get to play in all areas of the dance industry, which also includes Instructing. Working as an Instructor, I'm proud to have shared with thousands of dancers in Canada, the US, Mexico, Italy, France, and the UK. Currently, I lead an initiative in Toronto called The Workshop Series, designed to enhance Dancers' skill sets and set them up for success as self-employed business owners.
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
Being a self-employed artist in Canada in the dance industry comes with uncertainty and, at times, instability with income. Navigating how to plan ahead and be dedicated to your business at all times is difficult. Having worked in this field for 17 years, I've learned how to navigate the ups and downs and stay on a steady flow, however.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
Whether working as a Choreographer or in any field as a business owner, I would suggest:
- Know your WHY and reference that when you feel lost in your initial business development stages.
- Avoid comparing yourself to others in your field. Their success has nothing to do with yours and focusing on that only deters you from your goals.
- Set timelines for achieving your goals. There's no time like the present! And sometimes, it takes time for those goals to come to fruition.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.shawnbracke.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnbracke/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawnbracke/
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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