Today we’d like to introduce you to Ivana Evans.
Hi Ivana, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I always knew as a little girl that I wanted to one day have my own dance studio! My senior year of college at Prairie View A & M University I started my own dance company Happy Feet Dance. My boss at the time at Kids R Kids Cole’s Crossing pushed the idea. Ginger (my boss) knew I was a dancer and she knew of my dream so she said hey why dont you start your dance program here with our kids! I said really? She said yes Ivana, why not? I was 20 years old and I did not know a thing about running a business but I had very good work ethic, time management and customer service skills. So my first year 2011 I had about 15 dancers within the daycare ranging from 3-5 years of age and then each year after that it varried. I even opened it up to my after-school kids to give them an opportunity and each year I had about 2-4 of that age group. I ran this business out of the daycare during operating hours which was a blessing because it saved me on not having to pay rent. Then in 2013 I decided to leave the childcare field and go into the school district because my goal was to become a teacher as well. Happy Feet still ran within the day care but now I had 2 centers of students and I had a teacher who taught the classes since I was now substituting. In 2014 I went back into the childcare industry for a stable income and so that my son could receive childcare but at that time I was able to grow to 4 day care centers and even though numbers were low I never gave up and knew some day I would have an actual building of own I just had to keep working hard and build my brand. In 2015 I decided to take a leap of faith and do this full time while substituting on the side for extra income because I still was not satisfied with where I was, I was not fulfilled. In 2015 I pulled back from 3 out of 4 centers because enrollment was low and it just was not worth the gas or time to play a teacher so I stuck to our location at Kids R Kids Cole’s Crossing and during this time I was blessed with a full time sub position and then 2 months later a full time dance teacher and assistant drill team coach position in Houston ISD. I had to make a hard decsion, do I do both or do I focus on my other goal which was the position I had just received. So I decided that after our dance season ends in 2016 I would put my dream of this dance studio on hold. Fast forward to after covid and businesses re-opened I was ready to try to re-launch Happy Feet Dance at the daycare but we had no sign ups, yes I was sad at first but then again I said it’s ok your time will come just focus on your current job. So between 2016-2022 my dance program was non existent but then in 2016 my husband created a non profit organization in Waller and he said hey why dont you start up a dance program within the program. It sparked ideas but also I didnt know if I had it in me to try again but that idea kept nudging me and in 2017 I started the non profit program, Waller Youth Dance! Our first season we had maybe 6-8 girls and I was happy and content to be sharing my love for dance again with the youth. Our second season we had 4 but we still had a good season, then covid hit and my schedule got even more hectic with coaching and now being a mom of 2 under the age of 5 so it wasn’t until 2023 when we re-vamped our branding for our non profit program and brought dance back again but this time we were Waller Youth Dance & Cheer! Our program grew to over 20! I was so proud of myself and happy, the parents were excited to have something in the city for their kids to do during the spring season of the year. Waller Youth Dance & Cheer is still running today as we speak in our Spring months March-May! Now in the spring of 2023 I had paid off debt and had a decent amount of money left over from my income tax return and I noticed in Waller there was a company who was buying up all of these properties and leasing them out. I drove by this plaza often and I said to myself this is where my dance studio can be! I wanted more, dont get me wrong I was so fulfilled at work teaching and coaching dance at my high school but the end goal was always owning a studio especially as a black woman. I knew I wanted my studio to be in an area where it was diverse and I could offer my services to anyone of every background and it could be affordable and this city is rapidly growing so I knew if I did not make a move now someone would beat me to it. So randomly in May one day I called the number on the sign and met with the agent and he showed me a few units and we decided on one and he told me I needed 2,500 now to secure the suite so I said ok! I just took that leap of faith and did it, why not? Now here where the story gets crazy! My car breaks down on the day I was supposed to meet the agent to give him my money order to secure my spot! So I immediately told him what happened and this man went out of his way to come to my job which was over an hour from waller with traffic to get from me because he said Ivana this is your dream and you need to get this suite! So I said are you sure your able to come out this way and he said yes, so he did. I called my dad immediately and asked him if he could come pick me up and take me to Chase Bank by my school so that I could get the money order and he did because he also knew how important this was to me. I came back from the bank and Joel, the agent was there with my lease in hand and celebratory items for me as their client. I literally signed on dotted lines of my lease in my school parking lot at work on the hood of my car! Can you believe that? Wow! I did it, my dream is now going to become a reality! I did not tell anyone I was doing this except my mom and dad. My husband at the time had no clue either because this was something I wanted for myself and I wanted to sit in those emotions and just feel. Between May-August the ball started rolling on construction, setting up the studio, learning about Canva and advertising/marketing all while juggling motherhood and a full time job! I was exhausted but I was even more eager to see this through. On my birthday September 19th I did my final walk through of my studio and signed the final forms and received my keys to my very own studio, the studio I dreamed of as a little girl. On September 23, 2023 Happy Feet Studio opened and we have been running ever since. Our first dance season we ended with 35 students, last season we ended with 75 and this current season my goal is to get to 100 students. I know we can do it but it is so hard getting the word out in this town and the neighboring towns which is Hempstead and Prairieview because a lot of people still do not know I am here due to my location. This experience has been full of ups and downs and smiles and tears but I am doing what i love in a community where my kids are growing up and not too far from where i went to college. This city needed this, they needed a place where their kids could go. Waller did not have anything for kids for years and now slowly but surely it is getting there. I have partnered with the local high school so a few of my dance teachers are members of the drill team and my staff is a mixture of current co workers and former co workers. I am big on loyalty! I am big on family! At Happy Feet Dance Studio that is the experience you are going to get and I know I have to work harder than anyone else because I am the first black woman to own a dance studio here in Waller. Lastly what I think is the coolest part is that I get to teach kids at my studio that I teach at school and teach their siblings! It is truly a full circle moment!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It definitely has NOT been smooth hahahaha there have been obstacles for sure! Our grand opening date had to get pushed back because the construction team did not meet my original needs of paint and flooring so that was delay on me financially for having the revenue come in the first month for me to be able to pay rent. Then I was working an hour away from my dance studio and I was one of the main teachers so that I could save on pay roll so there were times where my receptionist would have to start class for me until I arrived due to me running late because of lovely Houston traffic. Parents also not understanding the culture of a dance studio and the requirements and not understanding that you are running a business and things are black and white there are no grey areas. Learning the in’s and out’s of an operation and the paper work and not to mention the taxes and payroll, it gives me anxiety!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently I am a dance teacher at Waller Junior High down the street from my dance studio and this is my second year there! I teach dance to 6-8th graders and I absolutely love it. I never saw myself teaching in middle school, I always only wanted to do high school or elementary but this opportunity came to me in the spring of 2024 and I decided to take it so I could be in the same district as my children and closer to home, I was tired of the commute and plus now since my business was in this area it just made sense and it was nothing but God that led me to my current position. I am known for being that bright light for others and inspiring the kids that I coach and surround myself with. I am very passionate about what I do and I do not take it lightly, I care so much! I am proud of everything I have achieved, at this point for me the sky is the limit. What can I not do? I want to do it all. However I can touch someone through my craft is always makes my heart smile. What sets me apart from others is that I just go for it, am I scared? Heck yes but I just do it anyway! I also am an influencer on TIK TOK and I share content related to dance, restocks, classroom ideas and home holiday decor etc. I love that too because I am able to inspire others through the internet. I also work for a summer camp company in Houston called Kidventure and I have been with them for 10 years! The CEO Mike is amazing and I have learned a lot from him and management within the company over the years that I am able to incorporate in own business. He is my mentor! I get to mentor and train young adults and adults on how to be a summer camp counselor, director and manager! My kids get to also attend so it is the best of both worlds! I don’t need a summer off, because working with them isn’t work for me its fun! Also I recently just wrote a children’s book titled I Love My Bonus Mom and it is on Amazon currently and available through Kindle as well. Yet again I felt the nudge to inspire others with blended families so I told our unique story and published a book and had the launch party here in my studio for a Mother’s Day reveal. How cool is that?
How do you define success?
Ohh this is a hard one for me to answer but success is truly just trying your best! Success is giving it your all and accomplish at least something on your list of the day, month or year no matter how long it takes! It is truly mental and having faith. You cannot give up on yourself! Are you going to fail at some point? Yes you are but in the end you learn the lessons to become even better than you were before! S- Steady (you have to pace yourself), U- Understanding (you have to be willing to learn from others and ask questions so you can grow) , C- Choices (be ready to make some hard life choices) , C-Change (embrace the new) , E-Evaluate (during your journey you will have to go back and fourth to the drawing board) , S-Service (be willing to serve others), S-Strategy (have a plan).
Pricing:
- $50 one time registration fee
- $75 monthly tuition
- $10 discount for anyone that works in the school district or military background
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.happyfeetdancestudio.biz
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?vanity=100063812671116&set=a.1223794129757665
Image Credits
Recital Professional Photos with the backdrop are credited to: Sassy Massey Photography
All other photos are mine 🙂
