I started running one-to-one acting classes a few years after leaving the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA).
My initial intake of students found me via my first start-up, a self-funded production company. In all honesty I had no idea what to charge, but at the start I was taking away, after costs, a profit of £10 per student. With between 2-5 students a week coming through the door, that was very little.
As my confidence and student numbers grew, I started to look around for less expensive rooms. The most I wanted to spend was £10 per hour.
Finding rooms to hire in London by the hour and on an ad hoc basis is a thankless task. I spent a lot of time doing online searches and firing off hopeful emails. I found to my chagrin that most spaces require advance bookings and a deposit.
However, the search was not in vain, and eventually I found Quantum House in Euston. Debbie, who runs the space, allows flexibility, last minute bookings and 24hr cancellations. The room downstairs also doubles as a healing and counselling space and one I use for my Reiki practice – I’ll elaborate on this later.
It’s vital to be clear on what’s going to work for you during the start-up phase and not overreach yourself
It worked for me to see students on a set day each week, so the cheapest option was to book my slot with Debbie indefinitely. Doing things this way, I found that I always had a space. On the negative side, I was under pressure to find the students to fill that day and make a profit.
As I continued to work as an actress, teacher and healer, I needed my room hires to be flexible to fit in around me and my life. It’s vital to be clear on what’s going to work for you during the start-up phase and not overreach yourself. As you grow you can always expand the other areas of the business. It’s important to plant the seeds first.
