5 Business Lessons I Learned From Hanging Out In Hip-Hop Class

I've been a dancer my entire life. I started out at theIt takes more than good feet to be a good dancer.
tender age of 4 with my first pair of shinny black tapSo there I was feeling a little cocky because I had all
shoes with little pink bows. I later graduated to jazz,the steps down. I was moving all over the floor and
swing, ballroom, a little country line dancing and in mythen I looked in the mirror and I looked like CRAP.
mid 20s returned to my love of tap where I studiedMy feet were perfect. But the rest of me was stiff
with a professional dancer who taught the likes ofas a board. I wasn't moving my arms, hips, head, or
Paula Abdul and other celebrities how to shake a leg.shoulders. Nothing. I was only doing 10% of the
So when I decided I wanted to drop a couple ofwork, but expecting 100% of the results.
pounds before the holidays hit I went back to myIt's the same in business. If you have the perfect
roots and signed up for a series of dance classes.marketing plan, but no systems to back it up, it's like
Going in I knew that dance requires creativity, focus,you're working at 10%. You need a balance of
control and power. But driving home one day Imarketing, sales, accounting, products, staff, etc.
thought about how much learning to dance is likeMake sure you aren't dancing with just your feet,
running a business. Here are 5 business lessons I'veuse your whole body.
learned from hanging out in a hip-hop class.Why do I have to force myself to do something I
I can do a whole lot more than I thought.love?
Each lesson is broken down into sections. It doesn'tSunday morning I'm curled up on the couch with my
matter what class I'm in the instructor belts out 8dog, a nice cup of tea and the TV. I love the dance
counts of new steps and I watch thinking, "my bodyclass, you'd think I'd be ready to jump up and head
doesn't do that".off to class. But no I literally had to force myself off
You know what, after it's broken down and wethe couch.
practice a bit, "my body can do that". It's the sameEven though you love what you do, sometimes you'll
with your business. What business tasks, systems,have to force yourself to work. Figure out what
phone calls, and risks are you not taking because youmotivates you to get going even when you don't
think you can't? All it takes is breaking it down and afeel like it.
little practice and you'll be amazed at what you canA group of peers is really supportive.
do.When there is a really big class we split into two
It gets easier with time.groups so at the end of the class each group has a
My first day in hip-hop class I looked around at thechance to really let go without worrying about
room full of 20somethings and through, "what onrunning into their neighbor. It's great having more
earth is a tap dancer doing in a hip-hop class"? Iadvanced dancers to follow in case I forget the
tripped over myself, got frustrated with the stepssteps. Then at the end the group watching claps and
and pretty much looked like an idiot. But the more Icheers - no matter we look like.
do it the easier it gets and the more fun it is. To topFind yourself a group of cheerleaders. Personally, I
it off I'm surprised at how fast I'm picking it up.have a mastermind group, an accountability buddy,
In business you don't start at the top. You have toand a coach. All help me when I need help with the
try things that make you feel uncomfortable, self-steps and cheer for me when I have even a small
conscious and maybe even (gulp), out of control. Butsuccess.
keep at it because soon things that gave you the© 2005 Beth Schneider.
heebie jeebies become second nature.