Unique Dance

Founder

Gemma Carroll.

Profile

I've danced as a hobby all my life and started teaching dance at 17 as a volunteer. I left school and started to work full time - in a call centre, but it just wasn't for me. Then I saw my Mum follow her passion and set up her own business, Unique Education. She encouraged me to enrol on the Amaze Yourself programme in December 2007 and it was then that I decided to try and follow my passion for dance - and make a living doing it. That's when I joined Think Business. Now, 18 months later I spend 80% of my time dancing and making money - and am taking on others to work with me!

What does your company do?

Unique Dance delivers street dance, rap, Bollywood and cheerleading workshops for young people. We work with other organisations who offer motivational group work, activity and fitness activities; as a key part of part of their programmes - as well as running dance classes, giving private dance lessons and cheerleading.

I 'm the street dance expert; Kelvin is the rap specialist and Lauren does drama.

What has ThinkBusiness@Bradford done to help you develop?

The support definitely. At first, just the thought of being in `business' was so scary; I needed to gain lots of personal confidence as well as experience as a teacher. Knowing someone, who knew me and what I wanted to do, was only a phone call away was amazing. Andrea the Life Coach in particular - I could just blurt it all out, my idea seemed enormous and she helped me chunk it down and make it do-able.

What's been your biggest success?

I'm most proud of the flier (part of the first marketing campaign), doing all of it from start to finish - dealing with the designer and then seeing it happen.

What's been the hardest thing you've had to cope with?

The same, the marketing - I learnt such a lot. I didn't like anything about the first design and thought 'help, how do I say this to the designer?'; writing what it needed to say; everything about it took loads longer and had to be chased; I forgot to ask about VAT and got the costs wrong. And it was such a responsibility being trusted with £1,000 (Test Fund) - I so wanted to spend it wisely.

This whole year really, it's been the hardest thing I've ever done.

What advice would you give other new businesses?

I'd say get all the help you can while you are here (in the TB@B support programme)  use their brains too.

Don't give up when it gets hard. Believe in what you do - especially when you hit the brick wall. At first it's really hard to spot `who's who' - who is just interested (thinks what you are doing is a great idea) and who will buy it, but it gets easier.

What plans do you have for the future of Unique Dance?

I'd like to grow Unique Dance more - with Unique Education; to spread out into other cities.

We are all doing it now (me, Kelvin, Lauren & Mum), making a living following our passion, we want to help others to potentially change their lives, make them confident to do what they love doing, to use their natural gifts - you don't have to work in a job you hate.

I'm also on a course to learn how to teach adults, so we can help them as well as young people.

In my spare time I'm cheerleading for Bradford Bull and the Aviators - the Aviators are hoping to go to the Cheerleading Olympics in Florida, so you never know, I might get a holiday!

What would you like to see from ThinkBusiness@Bradford in the future?

Can I still call? If I have a new problem and want help to work out how to handle it? Like after leaving support - just quick phone calls!

Yes, of course you can. It'll be great to keep in touch and hear how you are doing. Quick phone queries are very satisfying for us; we get instant feedback that we've been able to help. Teresa