2. Introduction
My name is Rory Fuller from Nichols College. For my
business and society class we had to do a small business
owner interview and mine was done on a dance studio in
my town called the LPDC, which stands for Lisa Pilato
Dance Center. The person I interviewed was Lisa Pilato-
Fuller, the owner of the dance studio and I know her
because she is my mother.
3. The Company
The type of business Lisa runs is called a S-
Incorporation. The reason for choosing this because of
employee legality.
At the LPDC, the services that they offer are dance
education and dance recreation.
Lisa has had her business running for a solid 25 years and
shows no signs of slowing down.
4. Background
When Lisa was in high school at the age of 16, she taught
a dance studio in Tewksbury for 4 years. After those 4
years, she build up the courage to start her own dance
studio.
She started her business because loved to dance when she
was growing up and she also loved kids. So she put the
two together and had her own studio and in her
words, "was a good source of income.”
5. Background
Now when I asked Lisa about her background in
business, with a quick and strong response, she said “none
and that was a big mistake.”
6. Challenges
Starting a business is very difficult, but running it is even
more challenging. Some challenges she faced are trying to
iron out scheduling conflicts and managing 400 students.
Another is dealing with parents and collecting money for
her 400 students. Two very big things that makes the job
difficult.
Also, producing an annual production to make a profit to
support her family.
7. Successes
However, when there are downs there is always an up
somewhere. Lisa’s successes consist of being a highly
recommended studio who provides several community
service projects each year that directly helps the town.
Also being a highly decorated and award winning
competition team who were selected members of the
2005 U.S.A dance team who competed in Riesa, Germany
placing 11th, 8th, and 5th in the world.
8. Successes
She also said that one of her greatest successes was seeing
one of her dancers who has been dancing ever since they
were a little baby, grow up and become a professional
dancer.
9. Future
For the future, Lisa’s goals is to story employed for at
least the next four years to get her kids through college.
She wants to take her studio to compete at the
international level again.
Lisa would like to upgrade her studio and expand her logo
merchandise.
10. Questions
Q. What was your funniest moment teaching?
A. ”Being in a room full of two and half year olds and then
turning around only to find a puddle on the floor and no one
telling me who had the accident and the only way to find who
it was is to have them hold hand and make a big circle and
have them sit down, then ask them to stand up so you can see
who has the wet bum mark.”
11. Questions
Q. If you didn’t have the studio, what do you think you would
be doing for work instead of dancing?
A. “I would want to work in the music film industry or a
choreographer for any of the pop singers, preferable Lady
Gaga’s .”
Q. What is going to happen to the studio when you want to
retire?
A. “I have given it great thought since I am still so young, but
I have not really thought about h ”
12. Summary
A word of advice that Lisa left me was to realize how
important guidelines, goals and financial management.
From this interview is that you can achieve your dreams
even if you do not have a business background, it does
help to have one.
