Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in training and education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Tara Barry-Phelan, Founder of De Barra Academy, located in Los Angeles, CA, USA.

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

My business name is "De Barra Academy" of Irish Dance. My customers are kids, teens & adults that vary in ages from 3 to 30 years old.

Tell us about yourself

I grew up in County Cork, Ireland, and at one point, every kid learned the basic Irish steps as part of the physical education program. I took to it like a duck to water. So my parents found a renowned and pretty prestigious school known as the "Cowhie-Ryan school of Irish dance in Cobh Co.Cork, where Patricia Cowhie's son Chris Ryan was my main coach. He was unbelievable. Strict to the exact amount and disciplined me mentally before every major competition. He had a knack for churning out champions - and still does. So I won my first big major called the Munster Championships with him at age 7. It's like the qualifying round for the World Championships. At 13 - I won my very first World Championship in my own city of Cork with all my family there. It was surreal. So I went on competing and racking up titles until Riverdance debuted in a Eurovision Song Contest during the interval act, then became one of Ireland's biggest sell-out shows. My parents were called asking for me to audition, and they said NO - to which I was unjustly a consistent rude teen to them both since all I wanted to do was dance, so I didn't understand their decision, but of course, now that I'm married with my own kids I realize the decision they made to turn it down was extremely hard for them but a very smart one. Little did I know that they had called back when the show was offered a two-year contract in the UK for me to try out "after" my secondary exams were completed ( like high school). Voila - I get the audition, and all of a sudden, I'm living in London with three other girls I used to compete against. It was the craziest, wildest, most amazing time of my entire life, almost 9'years of touring the globe, seeing every city ( big & small) in the US. Until I met my now husband in Chicago while we were performing there in 2002. I then made the decision to leave the tour as it was downsizing, and all these new changes were about to happen, so it was perfect timing. I had it in my head that I wanted to give acting & voiceover a try in LA. So I enrolled in Lee Strasberg for two years and got a nice chunk of work doing commercials and choreographing commercials. Fast forward to 2007, my husband Dan & I got married, have three girls, a set of twins ( just turned 14), and a nine-year-old. So in 2018, they wanted to do Irish dance, so I opened up my own business, not knowing one thing about how to run it, I just knew I could choreograph easily, and I figured I'd learn the rest as I went along. Well - it's been a far bigger success than I had ever imagined. My school grew bigger during COVID. I had 2-3 new students a month while we were doing classes on zoom. It was pretty astounding. Then I introduced the "No Bullying" act to our studio closer to 2019, which I realized was a real big deal to a lot of kids. I learned a lot through them telling me about what happened daily at school, so I am VERY blunt and straight with newcomers. There are no clicks or leaving any kid out of a group ( which is all too common amongst us girls), so it is a safe place and somewhat of a sanctuary for some kids that have rough days at school. I would say creating that has been a huge motivator for me as I see kids coming in troubled, and after six months or so, they realize they are in a safe space and have friends they can open up to and know they won't be bullied or laughed at. It's extremely important to me that EVERY kid feels important no matter what the circumstance.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

My biggest achievement since opening is getting a bunch of kids to the World championships back in Ireland and also Greensboro, North Carolina. My own daughter was one, my only boy made it, and my world medal holder Erin Tighe is my biggest accomplishment in such little time. It takes schools anywhere from 5/7 years before they get a kid to the Worlds. So I feel extremely blessed. I have kids with fantastic mindsets, as it's all mental. If you want something bad enough, you'll work for it. They did, and they made it. The school's biggest accomplishment. We've also gotten to perform live with the Chieftains (a famous over 50-year touring Irish music band) at the downtown Disney hall. It was a great moment for our dancers.

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

You have to be ok with a client not being happy with whatever it is you are doing for them. If you can't handle the bad with the good, you shouldn't get into owning a business as it comes with a lot of administrative work and repetitive explanations. Some parents are in the full belief their child is the next biggest thing, and I'm a straight shooter - which doesn't always go down well. But that's who I am - take it or leave it. There are six levels in Irish dance, and some kids move into the next level faster than, let's say, they're a friend. That doesn't always go down well with the child and/or parent who is still at the same level. I always use my daughter as an example of why it's important not to try to rush your kids to the next level. It's not how fast they get there; it's what they do WHEN they get there is what's important. Explaining that to a kid who wants to be with her friend can be challenging, but at the same time, it can be the catalyst that pushes them. You have to be good, knowing not EVERYONE will like you or your decisions. I'm very comfortable and confident in all decisions I make because I take the time to think about every detail of each child's journey. That can be exhausting, yet so worth it when they finally get to where they're aiming for.

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

Read everything you can about owning a business. Have your knowledge ready for when the questions come flying at you for answers. If you're going in with a partner - MAKE SURE you trust them inside out. Cause that can be a game changer if you don't know what they're saying-doing if you're not there. You have to be on the same page as your partner at all times. Anything that has to be discussed with a parent needs to be discussed thoroughly with your partner first. Also, get the financial details squared away, so everything between you both is transparent and fair. This is speaking from experience!

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

The myth about you having to be Irish or of Irish descent to do Irish dance is nonsense and so far from the truth. DBA (De Barra Academy) welcomes all genders, ethnicities, and anyone that has two legs that want to jiggle. In fact, the more diverse, the better the classes. We all learn so much from each other. Even as teachers - you never stop learning. That's the beauty of Irish dance.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: http://www.debarrairishdance.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DBAdancers/

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