Today we’d like to introduce you to Nikki Molina.
Hi Nikki, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started this process in 2013 with a small hip-hop crew from my hometown studio. Then, I rented the Chesterfield Athletic Club gym to run my dance classes. I would post on social media, which is how people would find out about us. Then, in 2015, I opened a 960 sq ft studio in Chesterfield. It immediately succeeded, pushing me to open a 2600 sq ft space in Kirkwood! 2018, I owned two locations but decided to consolidate just to the Kirkwood location. Our 11th season is in full swing, and we are looking to relocate again, but this process is just getting started; I love Kirkwood and would like to stay in this area.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has not been a smooth road, but I am very blessed for all my experiences. Running a dance studio is very hard because it is a business, but I have too much of my heart invested. As a coach studio owner, I have grown close to so many families; my heart hurts when they leave the studio, but I have to remind myself that this is a business.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I have studied dance since the age of 3. When I entered high school, I fell in love with hip-hop, which immediately set me apart from most female caucasian dancers. Then, I went on to college, joined multiple hip-hop crews, and continued to make a splash with my hip-hop dancing and choreography abilities. From 2009-2013, I dove into the LA hip-hop dance scene, where I trained with numerous well-known dance professionals. Coming back to STL in 2013, I had something most studios did not: an immense education in the hip-hop industry. This is how I started my business; I could offer hip-hop in its truest forms while other studios needed help finding reliable instructors.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I take risks too often. Being in Kirkwood alone is a risk because it is a costly place to run a business. I have taken students in on scholarships but also asked some students to leave. I bring in big-time choreographers and invest a lot of money, hoping they will take our routines to the next level. Every time I put on a production 3 times a year, it is a risk- you never know if you will sell out the show!
Pricing:
- 45 min class in any genre 22.50
Contact Info:
- Website: www.nimolistudio.com
- Instagram: nimoli_studio
- Facebook: nimoli studio
- Youtube: @nimoli717
