In this episode, Stacey Morgan and Rhee Gold reflect on the evolution of the Dance Life Teacher Conference as it celebrates its 30th anniversary — and what its journey reveals about leadership, vulnerability, and the power of community in dance education.

Rhee shares the early beginnings of the conference (then called Project Motivate), when only a handful of studio owners were willing to attend business-focused training. From starting with 20 attendees, dropping to six, and then growing into a global movement, the conversation highlights how persistence, belief in purpose, and honest connection built something far bigger than a seminar.

Together, Stacey and Rhee explore:

• Why studio owners once resisted business education

• How vulnerability and shared struggle changed studio culture

• The shift from competition to collaboration

• Why “blinders on” is still the best mindset for studio owners

• How community fuels confidence, growth, and leadership

• The long-term impact of training teachers alongside owners

They also dive into what’s new at the upcoming Dance Life Teacher Conference, including:

• Leadership and management training

• Hiring for culture (not convenience)

• Mid-year retention strategies

• Studio size “Owner’s Huddles”

• Expanded movement offerings including ballroom and dance on camera

• Stronger pathways for faculty development

This episode is a reminder that success doesn’t come from copying the studio down the street — it comes from knowing your purpose, investing in your people, and staying focused on your own vision.

Whether you’re a new studio owner or a seasoned leader, this conversation will leave you inspired to stop looking sideways, start building forward, and reconnect with the passion that brought you into the studio in the first place.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Stacey Morgan and Rhee Gold kick off the new year by tackling a topic every dance studio owner and teacher knows too well: procrastination.

As studios return to full swing and workloads ramp up, Stacey and Rhee explore why we put important tasks off — especially the big ones that feel overwhelming or uncertain. They unpack how pressure can sometimes spark creativity, but also how constant delay leads to unnecessary stress.

Together, they share practical tools to help studio owners move forward with confidence, including:

• Using a brain dump to clear mental clutter

• Separating personal and business tasks

• Prioritising what truly matters

• Breaking large projects into manageable action steps

• Creating better file systems and organisation habits

• Rewarding progress to build momentum

They also discuss how leadership styles, preparation habits, and different working personalities impact productivity — and why perfectionism, self-doubt, and decision fatigue often sit at the heart of procrastination.

Whether you’re avoiding your timetable, recital order, marketing plan, or newsletter, this episode offers encouragement and realistic strategies to help you stop putting things off and start moving forward.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to Rhee Gold’s Dance Life Podcast, hosted by Stacey Morgan and joined by the fabulous (and very “rugged up”) Rhee Gold—broadcasting from a freezing North Carolina cold snap that has him bundled up and learning new Aussie vocabulary fast.

In this practical and timely episode, Stacey and Rhee dive into one of the biggest make-or-break skills for dance studio owners: clear communication.

They unpack why miscommunication happens so easily—especially when you’re busy, juggling timetables, rehearsals, one-on-ones, and parent expectations—and how “dance language” can accidentally leave families confused. Stacey shares a real studio example of a small timetable change that created big frustration, and how she handled it: owning the mistake, apologising, and then following up about respectful behaviour and boundaries.

Rhee opens up about a recent moment where his intention didn’t land the way he meant it to—and why sometimes the best path forward is a sincere apology rather than defending or over-explaining. Together, they explore the reality of 2025 customer expectations: parents are busy, life is full, and confusion creates cranky customers—even when you’ve communicated multiple times.

You’ll also hear:

• Why an apology isn’t always “enough” when a parent has a backlog of unresolved grievances

• How creating structured feedback pathways can prevent blow-ups later

• Why studio communication must be multi-channel (email, socials, newsletters, in-hand notes, reminders… all of it)

• When using ChatGPT can help remove emotion from tough emails—while still keeping your voice

• How the post-pandemic world has gotten even busier, and why that impacts both studio owners and families

• A reminder that personal growth is part of entrepreneurship—and learning communication is part of the journey

This episode is your encouragement (and your challenge) to build communication systems that are robust, consistent, and two-way—so you can reduce misunderstandings, protect your team, and keep your studio culture strong.

Because when communication improves, stress reduces… and everyone gets to enjoy the journey.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.