Delegation is About Empowering Someone Else!

Making your first hire can feel overwhelming, especially when you've built your studio with your own two hands.  We're bringing back this insightful conversation from our podcast archives because its lessons on hiring, leadership, and delegation remain timeless for studio owners.    In this episode, Mary Giattino shares the personal story of taking over her family's dance studio, hiring her very first studio manager, and learning that true delegation isn't about giving away tasks. It's about empowering others to lead. Through honest reflections on hiring, trust, systems, and leadership, Mary offers practical insights to help studio owners build stronger teams and create a business that can grow beyond themselves.  What You'll Learn  Why your first hire is one of the biggest leadership decisions you'll make  How Mary transitioned from Broadway to owning her family's dance studio  What to look for when hiring a studio manager  Why delegation is about empowerment—not just assigning tasks  How to build trust while maintaining accountability  The importance of systems and clear communication  Why culture fit matters just as much as skill set  How delegation allows studio owners to focus on vision and growth  Lessons Mary learned from growing her admin team over the past 12 years  Why leadership and delegation are continual learning processes  Mary Giattino is a Broadway choreographer, educator, and longtime dance studio owner. She owns Stage Door School of Dance in Long Island, New York, serves as a DSOA Inner Circle Studio Growth Coach, and has worked on numerous Broadway and national touring productions, including Billy Elliot, Dear Evan Hansen, Fun Home, and White Christmas. Today, Mary combines her professional performing arts experience with decades of studio leadership to help dance studio owners build stronger businesses and teams.  Explore our partners: Try Studio Pro FREE for 30 days: gostudiopro.com/transform Try our Daily Decision Compass: dsoa.com/compass Join our growing community of people just like you inside our free Facebook group. Click here to join!  Follow The Dance Studio Owners Association:  Instagram: @dancestudioownersassociation | TikTok: @dsoaofficial | Facebook: @dancestudioownersassociation