In this week’s episode, Josh is talking to Samantha Price who was a Finalist in the 2022 Northern Territory Young Achiever Awards.
Samantha opened Royal Existence Dance Academy in October 2018 and offers seven different styles of dance to children aged 2 to 18 years old. They hold over 55 classes weekly. As of 2021, Royal Existence has 13 staff members who share their passion for dance with over 330 young people. During Covid lockdowns, Samantha navigated the business to ensure her staff could keep their jobs.
Experienced Small Business Owner with a demonstrated history of working in the performing arts industry. Skilled in Business Management, Leadership, Dance, Public Speaking and Human Resources. Strong business development, graduated from Australia College of Ministries.
Samantha produced winning routines at National Competitions.
Samantha was a Finalist in the NT Community Achievement Awards Sports in the Community Award, Finalist in the NT Young Achiever Awards Small Business Achievement Award, Winner of a Dance Studio Owners Association Award.
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Transcript
[00:00:04] Annette
Welcome to the inspirational australian’s podcast, where we chat to people making a difference in their communities and in the lives of others. And here is your host for today. Josh Griffin
[00:00:20] Josh
Thank you, Annette. We’re really excited for this week’s guest who has been a finalist in not only the Northern territory young achiever awards, but also the community achievement awards in the top end. Which is quite cool. And just a reminder to people who are aware of both of our programs, the young achiever awards and the community achievement awards. You can become an awards member for only fifty dollars, which I’m told is something crazy like twenty five cents a day or something. I probably got that maths wrong. That is quite a cool way to support. Not only our young achievers, but our community champions as well. And what that does is makes you part of our awards team and that fifty dollars whilst it’s only a small amount. It does add up and it actually goes to our awards winners and helps fund prize grants for them to help them follow their dreams and, and keep going with their awesome achievements. But back to this week’s guest, we’re talking with Samantha Price, who opened Royal Existence Dance Academy in Darwin, back in October twenty eighteen at only twenty two years old. Royal Existence offers seven different styles of Dance for children aged one to eighteen years old. And they hold over seventy classes. Weekly. Royal Existence now has eleven staff members who share their passion for Dance with over three hundred and ninety young people. Wow, Sam. Welcome on to the inspirational australian’s podcast. How are you doing this morning?
[00:01:40] Samantha
Thanks, Josh. Really good. I’m excited to be here.
[00:01:44] Josh
That’s awesome. So three hundred ninety people. That’s a lot. That’s like probably the size of my entire primary school when I was a kid and they’re coming through your Dance class each week. That’s quite amazing.
[00:01:54] Samantha
Yeah, yeah. It is. It’s amazing if you have a look at our building where we’re in, I’m surprised that we do manage to fit that many children in and hold that many classes, but somehow we’re doing it. And it’s pretty cool that that’s how many young lives that we’re able to impact.
[00:02:16] Josh
Yeah, well that’s amazing from aged one. So I’ve got two daughters and we started one of them in Dance class, but I think they were two at the time. And it was interesting to go watch two year olds run around. How do you go with the one year olds? That’s amazing to me
[00:02:33] Samantha
Really well actually, in the beginning it was interesting to manage being twenty two. I’m now twenty six, but being a young adult without a family of my own. I kind of just went, what do I know really about working with young kids and I can get them in a room and I could run a good a good lesson, but I remember it not being to the standard that I I wanted. So I actually partner with a program called ready set Dance, and I also do a lot of networking with Dance studio owners. So I would ask questions and make sure that I was learning. So I knew how to keep kids engaged. Two to five year olds engage, we’ve only recently introduced a mums and Bubs class called move with me from the ready set Dance program in the studio. It’s been really great to be able to offer a class to parents who want to be in the room with their children. But with our preschoolers, we are focusing on building that confidence, that creativity and that coordination. And it’s just amazing what you can do with the right tools to be able to help them achieve the milestones that they need to.
[00:03:49] Josh
Yeah, for sure. And I loved what you said, right at the top that you have a chance. It’s to kind of help shape these young children and young adults lives. And speaking of you know, young people, obviously you are one Sam but you know, as yourself, as a kid, were you dancing? Like I’d just like to know about your journey as a, as a dancer, or getting into dancing and where it started for you.
[00:04:11] Samantha
Sure, so I did not have your typical Dance experience. I did not start in a Dance studio. In fact, my mother was a ballerina and she took me to my first ballet class at four years old and never took me back because she said, I absolutely hated
[00:04:30] Josh
- Oh wow.
[00:04:31] Samantha
Yes. So I actually went into Netball, but my Dance journey started when I was eleven years old and I was invited to join the Dance team at my church. And it was an incredible experience because not only did I learn how to Dance, but I got to be around my friends who were some were older, some were younger as young as six, and as old as twenty two, all in the same Dance team. So we went to, I got to really understand what a family culture in the Dance industry looked like firsthand and then also learnt about when I perform or when we perform as a group. It was never about ourselves. It was always about, well, first dancing for God because he created us and movement and being thankful for that. So we’d be dancing at festivals and fights and, and in the church for Easter and the Christmas production. But also to inspire audience members. And that’s actually my favorite thing about Dance is not getting up on stage for myself at a competition and getting us place. It’s actually me getting on stage or my team getting on stage and inspiring everyone who is Watching. So the Dance teacher that was there, she, her name was Sue and I’m sure she was in her fifties when she was teaching us Dance. But my absolute favorite thing was seeing her teach us how to do hip hop. And she would go harder than anyone else in the room and it was just really hard to keep up with her. But her like facial expressions, her her energy and Henry’s ments really. Yeah. Really inspired myself. And I would say that’s the same for my mother. She went from ballerina to ballroom dancer, to hip hop teacher, and was running her own business creative Dance industries in Brisbane. And her, the way that she dances is also it’s difficult to stand next to her and Dance next to her because she goes harder than what I do. I’m like, mum, how are you doing that? But she is also a big inspiration for where I am, where I am now. And so then at fifteen I started Dance teaching for her in schools. I’d take my mum speaker to high School.
[00:07:19] Josh
So to pursue you were talking about for your mum, you were saying that
[00:07:23] Samantha
for my, for my mum now. Yep. So at fifteen years old I started working for her business and would go to all the after school cares after I finished school myself. And yeah, my whole Dance journey just went from there.
[00:07:40] Josh
Wow. And so at this point are you, you mentioned your mum has her own Dance studio in Brisbane. So were you in Brisbane at this time?
[00:07:49] Samantha
Yes, I grew up in Sydney. Yeah.
[00:07:52] Josh
Wow. So yeah, that’s obviously working in Dance from a young age. And then how did that go from? I’m enjoying dancing. I’m enjoying working in Dance, to owning your own studio. And how did you get from Brisbane to Darwin?
[00:08:06] Samantha
Well, Brisbane to Darwin was I was working for a youth organisation and we’d done a missions trip up here. So I guess that’s where my passion for young people comes from as well. So coming up here, spending a month up here, fell in love with Darwin. Met some great people and I just really felt it on my heart that this is where I needed to be. As soon as I had decided that, Yes, this is where I’m coming. Everything just fell into place. Really. Yeah. Which is very, very cool. I did not think that I would have my own studio though. I was looking for work and I started working in a local studio, which sadly closed down. And I remember that time being one of the hardest points in my life because I was working part time, then that was my job. So when it closed down that really affected me and I would say I was in the worst mental mental state the worst physical state with my health. And I remember just wanting to go home, get on a flight and just go and restart in Brisbane. And so I actually called my mentor at the time and she said to me, Sam, what are you called to do? What is God called you to do up there? And I kind of sad and I went teach kids how to Dance. And she was like yup, you should do that until the end of the year and then see how you feel. And I kind of said it with my heart. Like my heart fell. I think because of the because it was like at that point I could not do
[00:10:06] Josh
that. Yeah. Well it must have been disheartening because you were doing that, but then all of a sudden it was taken away.
[00:10:12] Samantha
Yeah, that was it. So I had planned to just do workshops until the end of the year. But I really wanted to give all of the kids that were working towards a concert that didn’t get to perform. I really wanted to give them that opportunity. So I decided to open a studio, I cannot tell you what point my mind went from workshop to studio. But every, everything again, just started falling into place. The place that I needed, the teachers that I had asked to come on board came on board. The softwares that I needed and people were, people were like Watching and going Sam, it’s like the universe is on the side. It’s like, it’s like God is on your side doing this. And I was like, yeah, this is pretty full on and in the space of a month with only I think, a thousand dollars of my own money. I had launched my studio and we opened with eighty students. And we put on a concert in eight weeks.
[00:11:19] Josh
Wow, that’s amazing. So yeah. How did you even secure a studio in that space of time and you know, without funding and that kind of stuff.
[00:11:26] Samantha
Yeah, I actually started out of a school Dance room. Yeah. Dance and drama room. Then I was already teaching at, so I had a little bit of business experience running my own soul train to teach gig. Yeah, go and teach maybe an hour a week in a school. And so that’s how I started. I just asked them if they had the space available and they did, and they were even, I think because I had a relationship with them, they said don’t worry about rent, you can pay it at the end. So yeah, I was very
[00:12:08] Josh
blessed. That is really cool. It’s very amazing entrepreneurial spirit though, because you know, you were feeling pretty low at that time. And so for anyone to get up and give you starting your business from absolute scratch is really hard to do it when you’re in that low emotional mental physical state, as you said, is absolutely wild. And I think that the one really lovely piece or inspirational, you know, motivational piece for me of that story is for anyone who you know is thinking I can’t start whether it’s a business or just a project. You know, it’s another way to reframe it. It was a, a project you were undertaking, and you didn’t have to kind of reinvent the wheel you use as connections. And a space you had, which, you know, shows the quality of a great human that you are. You already had those great connections and decided let’s give this a go and you know, it doesn’t have to start in a shiny new building does. It doesn’t have to be perfect when you open it.
[00:13:08] Samantha
Yeah.
[00:13:09] Josh
But you can always grow. So that’s yeah, that’s really. Yeah. So impressive, Sam,
[00:13:15] Samantha
look I, I wouldn’t do it again. No, actually I take that back, I would do it again because the thing that was driving me was, was my heart for these kids. And I think that that’s one of the things that will make a business succeed is when you’re not about making a name for yourself, you’re not about doing it for your own, for your own personal gain. But I was more so focused on what the children needed and what I could give them and whatever, whatever it took for us to achieve that goal. I was willing, I was willing to give
[00:14:03] Josh
and it started from a place of, as you said before, you just want to give these kids a chance to have the concept that they’ve been working on. And you know, whether it’s a business, whether it’s a community initiative. The number one advice that I’ve ever heard is just make sure you’re serving your customer or serving the community first and foremost. And then the rest will fall into place because you have the right intentions. And so yeah, that’s amazing. And how did that concept go? Do you remember it?
[00:14:28] Samantha
Yes, I do. We had comments coming back to us from parents. Some parents came back to us saying that was the smoothest concert that I’ve ever sat and watched. And some people were really impressed with the dancing. I think that they were more impressed with the fact that it happened in the space of
[00:14:49] Josh
weeks that it actually happened. Like, Oh yeah, yeah,
[00:14:52] Samantha
I look back at it and I’m like, Oh, you know, it definitely wasn’t five star rating. One of the values at our studio is excellence because I love to do things good quality. It doesn’t necessarily mean that we’re the, the best quality and the, the talk top of everything. But it means better, better today than yesterday. So we’re constantly working, working towards that. And like I remember the camera didn’t work. I was like, my skin was covered in red spots, some, some costume malfunctions people, forgetting their dances. The lighting was like not fantastic. But it was like, it was, it was what it was and you know what? It was probably the best one that I had been part of because it was one of the only ones I had been part of. And now we’re absolutely spoilt because we now have our concerts at Darwin entertainment
[00:15:58] Josh
centre. Really. That’s an
[00:15:59] Samantha
yeah. And that’s got thousand thousand seats. All of the the lights sound, everything to make a concert. Everything you ever dreamed of wearing?
[00:16:15] Josh
Yes, very, very good venue. So that would be amazing for the kids as well to be part of that and to that would make them I assume feel very special to be able to say they performed at the Darwin entertainment center. Definitely. So I like that what you said about excellence and doesn’t have to be the best but better each day. And I’m kind of wondering, does that link in with your business name, you know, Royal Existence. Where did that come from and, and what does it mean?
[00:16:42] Samantha
Yes, sorry, the word Existence came from my desire really wanting to portray a story through Dance and that’s like humanity going through different problems and issues, but it all ending in heart. So that was Existence, and then Royal came from my desire to instill children with worth and value. And for them to walk with confidence. Like how the queen walks shows that great posture like the all of the ballerinas. But with, with confidence and knowing their value and knowing who they are. And it really does draw up our value for Excellence and our heart in how we I role models. All of my Dance teachers being role models for these students and with three hundred and ninety of them, they are pretty much like Mini celebrities here in Darwin. But they all have a heart to impact the lives of young people and to see them be the best version of themselves.
[00:17:57] Josh
Yeah, that’s, that’s very cool is a lot of thought that’s gone into that. So I wanted to ask, you know, I do want to talk about your students a bit more, but before we get there, going backwards a little bit just with the amazing way that, that first concert came together. Now I don’t know a lot about Dance, but what I am aware of from friends and people who are kind of involved with it is that there is a really tight knit community. So was that coming together in such a quick time and putting on this show that wasn’t perfect, but everyone loved it. Did that help to really establish a great community in your Dance school Academy?
[00:18:34] Samantha
Yeah, I think so. The Darwin community is very, very connected. I think because everything is within ten minutes a ten minute drive. You can reach anything unless you’re in palmerston now it’s a twenty minute drive. Yeah. But everything’s really close and being a smaller city, I can go to the shops and guaranteed I’ll bump into somebody that I know which is really awesome for the community spirit that’s here already. And with the relationships that I’d already built around the place through Dance. When I started my studio, I did have a lot of the community, a few Dance moms, a few teachers just really encouraging me and helping me get things get things together and volunteering on the night. And I think that that is also reflected across the Dance industry up here. We are small, so everyone knows everyone. And we actually have a few competitions that come and say this is their favorite place. This is the favorite place to run a Dance competition because of how friendly everyone is. And we all stay in the audience and cheer on our dancers throughout the day. Even if they’re not our dancers, they’re from another studio and we know them will cheer them. Whereas you go down South and I think it’s because everything is so spread out that students might decide to go to this competition over here this weekend, and this competition over here the next weekend. And there’s competitions going on all the time that it’s harder to, to all be in the one place at the same time. Whereas we only have three that come up. Yeah. So we all of us go there and if a competition wants to come up, they have to talk to all of us studio owners and say, will you be there? And then we all decide. Yes, we can. No, we can’t.
[00:20:46] Josh
That’s really quite different.
[00:20:47] Samantha
Yeah, yeah it is, but it’s, it’s really awesome to see like when we go to a national competition and our kids get on stage now Everyone’s like, Oh darling, that’s so grand and so far away and then there’s all of us like cheering people turn around and they’re looking at us giving me a death stare like, can you please be quiet? Oh, my goodness. But it’s a good time.
[00:21:13] Josh
Yeah. No, that’s very cool. So, you know, we’re talking about community and one of the questions in the nomination form for the young, achiever woods and also, you know, funnily enough, the community achievement awards. That community is question is about connecting with local community and as a business is that important to you? So what are your thoughts and how does it extend beyond just the Dance community?
[00:21:34] Samantha
Yeah, connecting with our local community is important and we do this in many ways, like performing at festivals and school fetes and we even go out and support just when our kids have something little on like a school play and they’re in the musical and they’ve invited us to come, I think that’s important for us teachers to go and support them because it’s building that family culture with them. And one of the things that we had recently was a Dance team from maningrida. They came over to us to just experience what a Dance studio is like, because when they’re where they are, they’re practising on the basketball courts. They don’t, has even a broom that they can go in to rehearse, which I think is incredible because I Met them at a Dance competition here in Darwin. And the dancers are amazing. Absolutely amazing. I was blown away when I saw them on stage and being a hip hop teacher, my specialty is hip hop. I was like, Oh my goodness, they’re about to they’re about to beat my my dancers. How can this be? And they did. They didn’t. My Dance is one which is good for me, you know, but I was, I had this, I had this knowing in my heart I was like, I’ve got to go tell them just like a few little tips because they hadn’t experienced a competition before. And yet, competition is, is different to just a normal performance. You got to take all of the, you’ve got to tick all the boxes. So I went, went over to them when I saw them in the car park. And I said, hey, you guys are amazing. If you just do ABC, you’re going to give my dad’s house a run for their money and I’m scared. So then I got their Dance teacher. I got her number and she texted me earlier earlier this year asking if they could, they will, they ended up getting a grant. And they wanted to, they couldn’t use it on going to the gold coast for the National competition. But they said, how about we go to Royal Existence Dance Academy? See what it’s like to be in a Dance studio and Dance with those dancers. And all of the kids completely forgot about nationals and were just excited to come to us. So in April I got a few of my hip hop dancers together that they had Met and I taught them a routine. Then we took them out to the National park. I like to do Dance and film workshops, so the kids actually feel like they’re in a little music video. And then I chop it all together and we put it up on
[00:24:28] Josh
YouTube. I’ve seen some of your videos as well. Actually, you do have very good video content. So I think listening to check out Royal Existence Dance Academy on socials and YouTube because yeah, there are some good ideas.
[00:24:40] Samantha
Yes, I see that one. No, that’s fine
[00:24:43] Josh
too. What you’re saying?
[00:24:44] Samantha
You can see that one. I think it’s called watch this and yeah, it was a really cool piece to do and build relationships with those guys which will be seeing them later this year at the competition.
[00:25:00] Josh
I love that because it’s so different to cliche, Dance, music, Dance, movies I should say, you know and apologies. This is very cringe, but sometimes when I think about like what a Dance Academy must be like, or competitions to my guys like step up or those movies. And usually, you know, the team who wins, they’re like, or cocky or whatever, or the team that just was the runner up. Then they win the next. You know what I mean? Like is this always a cliche? This is so beautiful because it’s completely different to that. You’ve kind of said, hey, you guys are amazing and, and as you said, you’re probably going to beat us if you have these tips. But here you go anyway, I want to help you share my knowledge. And that is a really, truly, very beautiful thing and, you know, and I imagine that your, your dancers would have gotten just as much out of it as the dancers from any greater.
[00:25:51] Samantha
Yeah, yeah, definitely. It’s definitely a culture that we’re coming against or actively actively coming against the just vindictive competitive nature and negative nature, that the Dance community, the Dance industry I should say has developed. And I think it is from the shows like Dance moms on TV because they want to create they want to create drama because that’s what you want to watch. However, we are active in Yeah, raising our kids up to be accepting to be loving to be kind to be confident to be humble as well. I often tell my dancers because they keep taking out first place in the hip hop. I’m like, no , no, no, don’t, don’t get cocky, you will be humbled if you, if sometimes they don’t verse, anyone being up here and down. So they get on stage. I’m like, no, no, no you have to earn that. You have to earn it or you’re going to get, you probably won’t get first because that does happen. You can get second place and only be vesting one person. But and we are, we encourage community just within each class by running a little activity at the beginning of each class, a little spirit calendar, when they all might encourage each other to say one nice thing about a person in the middle and then other team building activities as well.
[00:27:22] Josh
So sounds like so lovely. Say I’m like, I want to get my kids up to to your Dance Academy. Yes. And you know, with your students starting at such a young age, it does sound like you really put a lot of attention into teaching values that they will hold on to not just in dancing, but in their life, you know, progressing through their childhood, becoming teenagers, and young adults, do you feel a sense of responsibility? Is that why you know, you take this so seriously in terms of instilling these values and doing things the right way?
[00:27:54] Samantha
I wouldn’t say I feel responsibility in the way of pressure. I do acknowledge the role that I play in their lives as a role model. And that can be very different depending on how long a child actually spends at the studio. So a child that spends seven hours at the studio compared to a child who spends one hour with me will be very different impacts Mhm. That’s true. And, and influence. And also I guess their little personalities. So how much they want to open up or how much they want to engage as well. But all of my teachers are educated in this and how much they impact the lives of kids and how that does need to be a positive one. You know, I’ve, for me, my Dance teachers inspired me, but I have some friends who say the Dance teacher actually saved their lives and just spoke worth into them and told them that they’re beautiful, told them that they’re loved and that they’re valued and that they’re actually good at something, and I often tell my teachers like we have no idea what’s going on at home in their home Labs for kids. And all we want to do is offer them a safe and happy place that they can. They can come to and they can express themselves. And it really is something that they’ll look back on in their lives and later on and reflect. We often get emails from parents or them just popping their heads in to say, how well their child is doing. One of our boys in hip hop, their parent came in last time just to say thank you so much. I’ve never seen my child this happy in a long time. And another parent recently wrote the testimony, it’s actually on our website about how you know English is their second language and their child was struggling to fit in at school, but coming to Dance, her confidence has just gone through the roof.
[00:30:14] Josh
That’s awesome. That must be so rewarding for you, Sam.
[00:30:17] Samantha
Definitely those moments. Remind me why. I’m why I’m doing this.
[00:30:24] Josh
Yeah, I bet as a business owner as well, you know, I’m sure you’d love to be out there dancing, but obviously there’s the other side of the business. You have to take care of and sometimes that can get draining and it’s those moments of feedback where you know that it’s all actually it is impacting people and it is totally worth it. So with a staff of, of eleven, you know, and you’ve just been talking about the responsibility not from a pressure side of things, but just acknowledging that role. You know, that mean that it’s difficult to kind of to find team members that share those values or, you know, how do you go about finding your Dance teachers?
[00:31:03] Samantha
I think it’s hard to find teachers in general being in Darwin often our dances go down South for the experience and to, to get a diploma or a bachelor’s. So it’s, it does prove tricky and I guess the, the values that guide me are the ones I need them to love, Dance, have a passion for life. Like they’ve got to have a reason to get up out of bed every morning and, and be excited. And they also have to have a heart for young people. And at the moment with the perhaps it’s the reputation that my studio has. I’m finding that those teachers are coming to me and knocking on my door asking if I have any positions which is awesome. But I do take them through that process and just check because if they don’t embody the core values that I have, then it is quite hard to be on the same page. I need them to put the kids first a lot and I need them to be able to work well with my team. They need to be a team player. And if they can’t do those things, then they’re replaceable. And yeah, I just, I know that everyone who is part of my team is meant to be there at that time. And if I do need more, then they’ll come. Yep.
[00:32:39] Josh
Good advice for anyone hiring, I think. Make sure that they fit with your team and they understand the values. So one question as well, it’s just kind of thought of our talking about, you know, everything we have talked about starting in twenty eighteen and that journey you’ve been on. Have you got kids who, you know, your first students potentially that first group of students who are still involved with you today?
[00:33:02] Samantha
Yes, yes I do.
[00:33:04] Josh
That’s amazing. And so what ages are they? Can you recall them asking tough questions here? What age they were and how old are they now? Like I
[00:33:16] Samantha
have one dancer he was, he started with us, he was twelve years old, came from gymnastics, and we were actually beat starting in turn for what Dance studio starts in turn four, but we were the only ones accepting enrollments. So he came to us, had never danced before, and he’s now he’s just about to turn sixteen. He’s actually one of my employees as well. One of my Dance teachers. And he is now an absolute star in his passion, his drive and the kids absolutely love him. Watching him Dance and love having him as a teacher. So that’s pretty awesome. I do have some students who were a little bit older that are now studying at universities down South to get a diploma in Dance. And some children that were in the toddler classes are now in junior classes or even the sub into classes at nine years old. So some of my five year olds that I taught in that concert are now nine. And I’m actually really excited to see a student go from the very beginning to right through to the end. Being a studio are only open for three to four years. I can only see so much, but I’m really excited for, I guess, seeing a child go through their whole that whole journey with me and then see them launch into greater things. Yeah,
[00:35:05] Josh
that’s awesome. Do you think you have the best job in the world?
[00:35:10] Samantha
Absolutely. I do, it’s like, I never thought that Dance studio Ana would be the job for me, like you do all of the tests in school and it says, this is what you should do. And I always did those and I never really enjoyed them. And I was like, Oh really? I don’t want to be a manager. That’s one of the hats that I actually do. Whether. Yeah, I did love business though. That was my absolute favorite subject. I came out. This is my little, my little claim is like I was dux of the economics class and the law class not dux overall, but I came out on top. The guys absolutely loved it. Definitely wanted to have my own business. Never thought that it could happen with Dance. It’s just something that I fell into. And I think the two things that I absolutely love gelled together. And it’s a mix of the business side, the planning, analytical administration, and also it’s creative and expressive, and inspiring. So it’s everything I loved in a package and tied with. Yep.
[00:36:33] Josh
There’s only one person I know who in say year ten or year eleven at high School they just one hundred percent knew what they wanted to do as a career. They went out and achieved the qualifications and started the career. And you know, so this is going back to two thousand, two thousand three when I was in high school. And to this day, they’re still working in it and as passionate as ever as one that I know of. And that’s why I really like your story. Because we fall into things we, we have passions, we have things we like doing. But at that age, a sixteen, seventeen. Even eighteen. How are you meant to know that what you would do the rest of your life or, or even for a big chunk of it? And are you going to enjoy it? So
[00:37:17] Samantha
I will sorry for any listeners who are that young, I don’t know if there are, but for me in high school, I came out with a very high pay and actually deferred University twice. So I’ve never been to University. I do have a few certificates up my sleeve now, but yeah, that pressure pressure was on me in school, but I felt to walk a different path and discover my passions and who I am outside of outside of school. Yeah, that was so just a little don’t put the pressure on yourself for going to University. I try things.
[00:38:01] Josh
It’s great advice. Very, very good advice for young people and hopefully there are some young people listening. And it’s a good Segway because if there are, you know, we’ve just wrapped up the young achiever awards and we will, you know, always accepting nominations for young people and we’ll have the community achievement awards opening soon. And so the two categories I didn’t mention at the top that you were a finalist in, I think so fifty. So in the young achiever awards you were finalist in the Northern territory government, small business achievement award. Clearly a great fit. And in the community achievement awards, you were finest in the zip print sports in the community award. Again, we can see how it’s not just a business that you run. It’s so much more than that. And I think there’s any people out there listening. Then we like to encourage them to, you know, if they share a passion like you do, then put a nomination in and, you know, who knows what could come from it if it just, your story touches one person and helps them. Then I think it’s all worth it. I’m not sure if you have any anything to add to that same way that you would say that putting in a nomination could, could be a, a positive thing for a business or even just a community initiative.
[00:39:09] Samantha
Yeah, definitely. What I have been taught, I think being part of the network of Dance studio artists that I’m in. Everyone’s always very encouraging of enter into as many awards as you can because even just coming and, and networking and seeing other inspirational business owners is all very encouraging. It can spare you on as a business owner, it can be very lonely. So to be around people who are going after the same thing doing the same thing is super motivating. And it’s been just good publicity as well for your business and getting your name out there and building that good reputation. Because if you want to impact your local community, they need to know your name and they need to know the good work that you’re doing. Do not hide, do not rob the world or the community of the good that you’re putting out there. So yeah, go put in those nominations.
[00:40:13] Josh
I love it and you know what tall poppy syndrome is. One of my most disliked things and sometimes the culture we have around that being ashamed or may sometimes have success because to me. But we’ve talked about that already. If it comes from the right place. If the passion is there and you’re serving the community or your customers, then it’s not big noting it’s not, you know, we said being cocky earlier, it’s actually, it’s good to share those kind of stories and be proud.
[00:40:40] Samantha
Yeah. And a way to get around that, the first nomination that I had, I had no idea where it came from. But having somebody else who knows you and you can trust, right. The nomination could be a way to get around that.
[00:40:55] Josh
That’s a really good idea actually. And one thing we pride ourselves on and our team is really helping people with the process and some people get they do feel like they’re not comfortable to answer the questions themselves. And often we ask them to put us in touch with, you know, you mentioned at the top, you have a mentor. They might have someone who works with them that knows about the business. That would be happy. They know they know the owner. Be happy to talk positively about it and it reflects really well. My last question, Sam, before we wrap up, is you, before I get to the question, I want to say that I thought your story was really inspirational and you know, it’s given me a lot to personally to think about and to reflect on, you know, in my own, I guess professional roles and, and how we carry ourselves. And so I found that quite inspirational, but I want to ask you, Sam, what is it that you find inspirational? Whether it’s in everyday life or for a bigger picture?
[00:41:49] Samantha
For me, the most inspiring thing is the people that I’m surrounded by, whether it be Dance studio partners or my mentors, my mentors living, you know, one of our values is integrity. So I surround myself with people who are living integral lives so that I too can live an integral life with coaches who push me to be the best version of myself. And helps me with Get a clear head as well as the Dance studio owners that I network with and seeing everything that they’re doing in their studio to make their kids Dance experience, you know, even more special and sharing, sharing ideas with them so that the things that I have, I can be an inspiration to them and they can be an inspiration to me. So we share ideas, even my Dance teachers are an inspiration to me. They are so creative and come up with incredible ideas to keep the school is engaged, to, you know, in ways they create routines. And I was just so excited to come to class and, and show the kids a new thing that they’ve learnt and how they manage their lives. So everyone that I am surrounded by, I’m taking little pieces of inspiration that really push me and motivate me to keep moving my business forward and keep advancing and keep doing better for this year.
[00:43:28] Josh
Thank you so much, Sam. I like that answer a lot. Taking little pieces of inspiration from everywhere because sometimes that’s easier to draw from, than if you rely on one source or one big. You know, I like that kind of analogy. We have a bucket. Whether it’s happiness, whether it’s inspiration and adding little bits, all the time to me is a more sustainable way of fulfilling that bucket. So Sam, I want to thank you for your time today and for sharing with us your journey, telling us about your Dance Academy, world Existence, Dance Academy and for inspiring us all. So
[00:44:02] Samantha
I think he just had a good time.
[00:44:04] Josh
Thank you. Where can people, I guess find out more about you or stay in touch with you if they’d like to. Yeah, so
[00:44:11] Samantha
find us on Facebook on Instagram. Even tik. Tok. I’m delving into there a little bit ago. We’re on YouTube, our website, super easy, just Royal Existence, accommodate you. And. Yeah, feel free to send us a message, even if someone wants to ask me a question. So like I said, message on there, be happy to answer anything that people have.
[00:44:37] Josh
Wonderful. Thank you, Sam. And I look forward to checking out more new videos as they come to light on that on YouTube and whatnot.
[00:44:44] Samantha
Awesome, thanks Josh.
[00:44:46] Josh
Hope you enjoyed that interview. If you liked it or any of our other episodes, it would be great if you can write and review the inspirational australian’s podcast. It really helps us out if someone you know, needs a little dose of inspiration. Why not let them know about this podcast? And if you haven’t already, make sure you subscribe so that you won’t miss an episode. Join us each week as we talk with ordinary Australians, Achieving extraordinary things. You can always head to our website at awards, Australia dot com slash podcast for more information and details on each guest. Now before we go, I’d like to thank Annette our producer. Here’s a fun fact. Annette is my mum and our other host, Geoff is my dad. This podcast is brought to you by awards, Australia, a family owned business that proudly uncovers the stories of people who make a difference for others. We can only do this with the support of our corporate and not for profit partners as they make our rewards programs possible. So do you know someone making a difference? If you’d like to recommend someone to be a guest on the podcast, get in touch through our Instagram page, inspirational Australians, or maybe your business might like to sponsor the podcast or get involved with the awards. We run head to our website awards, Australia dot com for more details until next week. Stay safe and remember together we make a difference.
[00:46:13] Samantha
Thanks for joining us today on the inspirational australian’s podcast. We hope you enjoyed listening and have been inspired by ordinary Australians. Achieving extraordinary things, so it’s goodbye for another week. Remember together we make a difference.
