ABOVE THE BARRE

KIM MUNN’S STORY

I was a 19-year-old kid when I started Above the Barre Dance Academy. I knew I loved dance, I knew I loved teaching, and I knew I couldn't fail... because I didn't want to work for anyone else. So, naive and inexperienced, I hopped in with 2 feet and have never looked back. The road has been bumpy, but it has been worth it.

A little about me. I am a Bettendorf native, graduate of Pleasant Valley High School in 2002 and St. Ambrose University in 2005. The Quad Cities is Home, and being a contributing member to this community is truly my pleasure. I am such a firm believer in the power of the village, and being part of the Quad City village has made me who I am. I grew up dancing at a local dance studio, and when that studio closed due to a remodel in downtown Bettendorf, we decided that was my opportunity to make this thing work. I purchased the client list of 123 students from my old studio owner, my parents signed a lease in a new space, and we said a lot of prayers. When we opened on June 1, 2003 we had 100 students. We needed 150 to pay the bills. It was stressful, but we powered through. We made a name for ourselves and quickly reached 200 students. We expanded our space, increased our staff, cried a few times, and celebrated the milestones. It didn't happen overnight... it took years, a decade in fact, to get to a comfortable space where we were profitable, and had any sort of work life balance. Even after the first 10 years in business, the path wasn't clear. We opened a new location, took over another location, handled a worldwide pandemic where we learned more about Zoom than I care to admit, purchased and remodeled a building to move our Davenport location into, and have most recently purchased a gymnastics and tumbling studio to add to our arsenal. I look back on the past 18 years in wonder sometimes, and then I smile, and celebrate the fact that our community has supported us throughout it all.

I could offer all sorts of advice to people who want to own their own business, but I will narrow it down to this: PEOPLE MATTER.

Lucky for me, I had an amazing support staff around me from the start. My parents were my foundation. They coached me through finances, talking with clients, and "forced" me to finish my college degree. I'll never be able to thank them enough for that push. The signed our first lease, and borrowed against their retirement plans to help me get started. I didn't realize it at the time, but their trust in my ability is the reason Above the Barre became a reality. My then boyfriend, now husband, who was there through it all, and still is after all of these years. He's my rock. He understands when our family vacations revolve around dance, why I wake up out of a dead sleep talking about sales tax, and why there's Sunday's I'm not able to just hang at home with the family. Having a partner that "gets it" is crucial. Your family will often take a backseat to the business, especially in the beginning, so don't forget to appreciate them. I didn't have kids when I opened, but I did soon after. They took their first steps inside of the dance studio. Our teaching staff became their "aunts". They missed out on Mama tucking them in at night, BUT I was available for every doctors visit and field trip, because I scheduled around it. I often joke about how amazing it is to get to choose which 70 hours I work in the week... but it's true. I got to do the things that were important with my growing kids that I likely would have missed out on working a 9-5 job. The countless friends and mentors... I surrounded myself with people who were smarter than I was. I can say with complete and total certainty that my success is owed to the people in my village. They kept me honest, they kept me thinking, and they kept me dreaming. I work tirelessly at building that village, because seasons change, and my village today looks different than my village 18 years ago, and will look different 18 years down the road. But surround yourself with the best kind of people, the ones who fill your cup. And don't apologize for distancing yourself from the ones who drain that cup. The people you choose matter... choose wisely

I've spent half of my life creating this dance studio, a space that has become a second home for thousands of kids over the last 18 years. I feel a lot of things when I think about it... joy, pride, but above all else, I feel thankful. Thankful for timing, for trust, and for grit. Thankful for my village. And above all else, thankful that my 19-year-old self knew not to settle into the "normal path" that is often suggested. I would do it all over again if I had the choice, and that is how I know I'm exactly where God meant for me to be.

Work hard, laugh often, dream big!