They tell us what it’s like to run a family business and work with spouses & relatives, and why adaptability is one of the greatest tools a business owner can possess. Let’s meet the directors & co-founders of The Dance Lab in Putney.
Vagaro caught up with husband and wife, Stefano & Natasha Soldati, and Husband and wife-to-be, Damiano Soldati & Laura Fox, as they gave their insight into how they’ve sustained what was once a mere dream and formed it into a thriving business, approaching its 10th anniversary in September.
The couples teach ballroom and Latin dancing & could be seen as the industry’s very own Fantastic Four. They explain that possibly the most important quality to have within business and yourself is the ability to adapt, be flexible & not be scared to take risks.
Adapt, Be Flexible & Take Risks
Italy-born cousins, Stefano & Damiano Soldati, and Australian-born Natasha Soldati have been the epitome of adaptability from the start. They all relocated to London, which is what they refer to as the “centre of the world for dance” to further their careers. Brit-born Laura joined the business as a director upon her engagement to Damiano.
Flexibility also covers a broad range of topics for the Fantastic Four, from their living space to their business choices, right through to managing family life.
Natasha says, “I was supposed to come to London for two years after uni to better my dancing. Now, 22 years later, I’m still here with twins and a business I run alongside my husband, his cousin & fiancé. We must work around each other to manage our family vs. business life. We may not see each other a lot, one of us will be with the kids while the other is at work, but we have a successful business and happy children, which is what matters. It is a challenge that the only family we have in the country who would be able to help with childcare also run the business! However, we do what we have to, to make it work.”
The opportunity to begin The Dance Lab was something that came out of the blue for Stefano, Damiano & Natasha. They decided to take the risk, start their business and nurture it into the huge success that it is today.
“We used to teach a class here. Then the opportunity arose to rent the space and we took it.” says Stefano. “We were busy competing; starting a business was the last thing on our minds, although it had always been a dream. The venue was so sought after that we had to act quickly.”
The business faced one of its greatest opportunities to show off its adaptability skills during the COVID-19 pandemic, being one of the first in the industry to act fast and transfer its services online to help stay afloat.
“We had to learn to think outside the box,” begins Laura. “A big challenge for us was space. We were at home trying to teach ballroom dancing—not ideal. So, we switched to holding technique master classes, fitness classes, and so on. I now have massive respect for TV presenters; dancing doesn’t involve that much talking and it’s all about live interaction during classes. I had to do one video that took about 50 takes!”
Stefano says, “Being adaptable is about being able to amplify what you know, to provide a great experience for the client, no matter what.”
Damiano finished the point perfectly with a golden nugget of wisdom: “With great challenges come great opportunities, right?”
These family has made it part of their mindset to naturally see opportunities when challenges surface. Their natural adaptability means they’ve been able to evolve & survive periods of transition and uncertainty.
The next factor that they feel makes a successful business is the team that you surround yourself with.
Teamwork makes the Dream Work
When asked about the reality of working with your spouse and family, the Fantastic Four had some really positive things to say. Stefano explains how trust and teamwork is easier with a pre-existing relationship.
“As dancers,” Stefano explains, “We are constantly practising, and doing what we know. When it comes to business, not everything is in your control and not everything in your day-to-day is going to be within your skill set. The four of us each bring something different to the table. We know each other’s strengths & weaknesses and can capitalise on—and compromise with—those. Laura is good with teaching the children, Natasha is good with using the Vagaro software and is very good with customer management. I enjoy looking through my Vagaro reports and making business decisions, and Damiano is good with the sales side and understands all of Vagaro’s features. We trust each other because we are family, and we are spouses. It strengthens our relationships.”
Damiano added, “If you pick the right people to go into business with, you will be successful. It’s important, as you spend so much time with that person or those people. The same goes for your team around you.”
Natasha says, “Of course, it has its moments, working with your spouse, but you have to be able to cope under pressure and you have to be able to deal with stress. Lucky for us, we competed together, so working under pressure is all we know.”
Laura explains, “The atmosphere and the environment that you work in is so important and that is created by the team that you work with. We always get told by our customers that we have a lovely family environment, which we do, and each of us truly loves what we do & loves to share it.”
Customers Always at the Forefront
No business would be successful without its customer base, right? Where is the money coming from otherwise? Check out some of The Dance Lab’s top tips when it comes to keeping customers coming back for a great experience:
Be authentic with your product
As Stefano put it, “We don’t teach Hip-Hop, because it’s not what we know. We have won championships and worked with some of the best ballroom dancers in the world. So, we teach ballroom dancing.”
Think outside the box & innovate the experience
Natasha tells Vagaro, “You have to make your customers feel things. Our next venture is adding a coffee shop here. Not only is it extra revenue, but it adds to the friendly & sociable environment here.”
Laura also added, “Our innovations through the pandemic helped us gain new clients and we have a good reputation for a great experience, which keeps people happy.”
Tailor everything to the needs of the client
Damiano explains, “If you truly love what you do, stay true to yourself, and listen to your clients, you will be able to easily identify key areas where there is room for improvement.”
Lastly, the four professionals offered some more golden nuggets of wisdom to always remember in your checklist: Great communication is essential, always be open-minded, and flexibility, adaptability, proactiveness & planning is key. Vagaro can help you to take your business to the next level, with managing your schedules, helping you to get creative with marketing and so much more. Learn more about using Vagaro as your dance studio software.
