Liz Corah Case Study #1

Liz Corah and Studio-310
"Leap and the Net will appear"

Introduction

The wood floors creaked and the studio was still warm. It was late, maybe 10pm or so. Classes had ended hours ago, but there was still work to be done. Too much work to be completed in a single evening by one person. After teaching eight classes with 103.1 fever, and surviving the first day of business, it was time for Liz to go home and get some much deserved rest. But who could rest on a day like this? The day one of your dream comes true?
Slowly she walked to the end of the studio. Gym bag, coffee cup, folders and more in hand, she turned out the lights. She turned around to see the dark, quiet studio that hours ago, was filled with dozens of people at a time full of energy and excitement. The room now dark and quiet was still buzzing with energy. You could feel it vibrating in the walls. There was a sense of excitement in the air. Never had she imagined that so many people would share her vision and join her at her new studio. She paused and thought for a moment about all of the amazing faces that had passed through her doors that day.
Liz walked to the center of the dance floor to take a look around to make sure everything was as it should be. Too busy with classes, customers, phone calls, Verizon, ballet bar and equipment delivery, and a broken toilet, there was no room to express emotion or to let any of it sink in, or out. She stared around the room at the paintings she had hung on the wall, at the walls she had painted herself, at the sheer elegance of her dream having come to reality. And then she saw herself in the mirror, Business owner, dance/fitness studio owner, teacher, motivator, single mother of two, no family, no one to share any of this with but herself. Herself…who had saved for an entire for startup costs, and who had successfully paid herself back that very day. She…who had achieved a dream that others had told her she would never do. Her body felt weak, she dropped her belongings to the floor, covered her face and bawled her eyes out. Her knees buckled beneath her, she fell to the floor. Hands still over her face, heartfelt sobs ringing through the studio, tears flowing down her face, she cried. Crying, laughing, happiness, sadness, exhaustion, and excitement, it was all there. What other way was there to feel when you took a leap of faith, and the net appeared?

Background

Liz Corah has been dancing all her life. Dancing anywhere and everywhere there was space or an audience. Music or no, she was a day dreamer and could escape from the world in an instant. Raised by a single mother whose goals were not to care for her only offspring. Corah essentially raised herself, and her mother.
In her teen years, not having any money for dance tuition, Corah made a deal with a local studio owner. She would clean the studio for dance tuition. Every night the studio was to be swept, stocked, and ready for the start of business day. Dancers were to be checked in, messages taken, and basic day to day running of the studio were a few of her responsibilities. In exchange, she had unlimited access to the studio’s classes.
Often, ballet classes were very full. Corah’s instructor, because she was the “scholarship kid”, was sent to the center of the floor to learn and practice all of her barre work. She was given a stool to use just in case she was to lose her balance. In the end, she was the strongest dancer in the entire studio. In addition to school work, dance, participating in the school’s theatre department, she also had a part time job making smoothies at a local Jamba Juice.
The really remarkable part of this is that there was no parent guidance. Corah’s mother suffered from certain disabilities that kept her bed bound. There was no one to ever push her to achieve her goals, or support her achievements.
At 16, Corah purchased a small car for $2500, that she paid for by working at Jamba Juice. On the weekends, she would drive to L.A to take classes at Millenium and the Edge.
At 17 (and uncertified, you had to be 18), Corah integrated cardio hip hop into many San Diego 24hour fitness locations. Her paycheck said she was the janitor, and she made $8 per class.
Shortly after her wedding on November 9th 2002, Corah’s new husband was sent to Iraq. She would have her first baby alone in a San Diego Naval Hospital. Upon her husband’s arrival home, they were transferred to Bethesda Naval Hospital, right outside of Washington D.C.
Corah was soon hired at Fitness First Health clubs to introduce her Cardio Hip hop and cardio dance programs into their programming. It took off like wild fire! During this time, she became pregnant with her second child, completed an Associate in Science in one year flat, divorced her abusive husband and began to lay the foundation for the rest of her life. Feeling a sense of strength for having survived so far, she often found herself thinking “the sky is the limit.” Why not follow all of my dreams? What do I have to lose?

Professional Challenge

Soon, all of Corah’s classes at the local clubs were by reservation only. Members set their watches to make reservations the evening before her classes. A great accomplishment this was, but there was nowhere to move forward from here, Corah had hit a wall. There was little or no room for creativity and self expression, and Corah felt limited in what she could offer. She had always had a dream to own her own dance/fitness studio. This felt like the right time to begin working towards that dream.
In attempt to reach out to the community and gain exposure, Corah signed on as an independent contractor with the Montgomery county recreation department where she integrated Hip Hop dance, and other dance programs into their county wide programming. She soon began teaching at Local elementary schools after school programs, community centers, and private homes.
In 2007, Studio-310 was incorporated. With a back pack full of music and a stereo in hand, she began to rent space all over Montgomery county and advertise her programs. Advertising, and “selling herself” was not her strength. Word of mouth, flyering neighborhoods email lists, and attending local community events was her best form of advertising.

Personal Challenge

In November 2007, she signed a lease for a commercial store front property in a busy shopping center. Previously a Ladies workout express, the walls were purple, the carpet a pepto bismol pink. With the help of a friend, the carpet was pulled, hard wood floor layed down, and walls painted. In three short weeks, the studio was open for business.
In the midst of it all, Corah was also the single mother of two small daughters. There were many hours that had to be spent putting the studio together, lots of daycare, and a few babysitters. The idea of making her own hours so that she could spend more time with her children pushed her to work harder. Being a single mom meant being a double parent and she wanted to make sure she was in a position to gracefully and happily rise to the occasion. There was a tremendous amount of guilt that came into play when away from her daughters for so many hours at a time. Running a business with her own set hours would help to alleviate this guilt.
In addition to family balance, Corah was fulfilling her dream, creating a space where she could be creative, innovative, and grow. Dancing, teaching, and motivating are a large part that makes Corah who she is. This is what she identifies with; this is what makes her happy.
Though speed bumps were hit along the journey, as they are when starting a business, there has been much success in the past three years. Recently, Corah was named one of the “Women business leaders in Maryland” by the Gazette and featured in Crave D.C’s “top 100 women you need to know in the D.C/Metro area”. Local media has picked up on her efforts as well. CH9 news has listed Studio-310 as a featured business on their website, and Fox5 news has had Corah on air three times. In January, 2011 Corah will be a fitness presenter at the NBC4 Health and Fitness Expo at the D.C convention center. And to compliment all of this, Corah is raising a happy, healthy family in a new home in the neighborhood she has wanted to raise her children.

Discussion questions and answers


1. If you were Liz, and had limited time and capital to market a new business, what would be your three strategies?
2. If in the position of a single mother with two small children, do you think you would take a leap of faith, quit your secure job position and start a brand new business? If so, what would be your first step? How would you balance family and business? If not, explain why?
3. When starting a business and attempting to create a name for yourself in the community, would you consider signing on with another popular organization? Do you think this is a good marketing strategy?
4. If someone who you admire and respect said to you today, if you quit your job and follow your dreams, you will be successful. Would you believe them? Would you do what they asked?
5. Are you living the life you’ve imagined?

Trainer answer.....

"How do I keep from gaining weight and eating bad food during the holidays?..."

Remember....celebrate with people, not food. As hard as it is, just do it. And thats what it is...you just have to do it. Keep in mind your goals at all time. Before you eat something yummy thats on the desert table, ask yourself, "is this worth how I'm going to feel later?!" BUT....don't deprive yourself either. Instead of having a large slice of pie, have the serving you would give to your kids.
Drink plenty of hot tea and fluids to curve your appetite. Constantly remind yourself that you are worth the effort. And most of all, that no one will ever take care of your body the way that you will. Ever.
Be good to your body, and it will be good to you. You want to feel good from the outside in. You want to feel more energetic, happier, vibrant. High sugar foods, and all the crap we tell ourselves that we "have to eat" during the holidays is absolute poison for our bodies. Guess what happens to that apple pie you had? It turns into sugar, and then your body stores it as fat. It's that simple.
The holidays is a hard time for all of us to stick to our "diet". But it really doesn't have to be. There is absolutely no reason whatsoever, that we have to eat crap every day just because its November and December. You have to identify what the emotional connection is to the "holiday food". Does it make you feel happy, comforted? Bring back memories? Thats all wonderful and terrific and it's nice to have things to give us euphoric feelings. However, what is not wonderful and terrific or in any way euphoric is the way our jeans will fit later, or when we feel like "crap" from eating all the "crap" and we start our self destructive habits..."well, I'll eat what I want in December and then start a diet again in January." Its truly not worth the time and effort. It takes NOTHING to gain weight (fat), it takes everything you have, all of your will power and determination to get the weight (fat) off of your body.
Think about fat this way, the fat inside your body, specificlly in your torso/abdomen is essentially 'suffocating' your internal organs. All of that pressure from the adipose tissue (fat) is surrounding your major organs, your heart, your lungs....causing detremental, even life threatening disease/illness. That right there, not how you look naked (that comes later), should be the reason for picking healthy/nutritious foods that fuel your body, not hinder it.
So, how do I survive the holiday season? You just do. Pick a day, Christmas day for example, to have your favorite, comforting foods (all in moderation of course). Then be done with it. You will have had your holiday fix, and you will have saved yourself from days/weeks/months of self destruction.
Life is short, and we create the world we live in. So, why on earth would we chose to pollute our bodies with "food" that was never intended to be consumed? You clean your house, you service your car, you dry clean your clothes...but you feed your body trash?
On another note, take away all the guilt you may have when declining a holiday dish. Don't worry about hurting other people's feelings, or missing out. There is something to be said for someone who takes the time to nourish and take care of their body. Someone who values themselves and their body (you only get one) is someone to be admired. It's okay to say no.
Think about all the health problems that would'nt exist if we simply gave our body what it needs?
Again, your car is clean, serviced and runs beautifully....but your body is tired, weak, and you vow to "get to the gym", or "go back to weight watchers" in the New Year. Don't wait for January. Start now, and continue taking care of you every single day.

Happy Holidays.