How Kristian & Bryce Grew Their Agency to 7 Figures Serving Dance Studios

Today, I’m excited to introduce Kristian Altuve and Bryce Conlan from Dance Motion Marketing, an agency that has scaled to seven figures by focusing on serving dance studios. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of watching them grow and establish a significant presence in their niche. Kristian, Bryce, thank you for joining us!

Key Points from Kristian and Bryce’s Journey:

1. Early Challenges and Adaptation:
   • Finding the Right Niche: Kristian and Bryce initially struggled to find their footing, experimenting with generalist video production work. Their breakthrough came during the pandemic when they unexpectedly found a demand within dance studios. Committing fully to this niche became the cornerstone of their success.
   • Initial Offerings: They started by running educational boot camps that were informative but didn’t yield action from participants. This taught them that while their target clients appreciated knowledge, they lacked the time and resources to implement it themselves. The shift to offering full-service marketing solutions was key.
2. Scaling Through Relationships and Word-of-Mouth:
   • Building Trust: Kristian and Bryce focused on building trust by running weekly “Ask Me Anything” sessions in their Facebook group, where dance studio owners could share challenges and get immediate feedback. This consistent value-building approach established them as go-to experts in the industry and fueled client acquisition through word-of-mouth.
   • Referrals and Testimonials: Their early clients provided positive feedback, which led to more referrals. They also embraced a customer-first mentality, often taking on initial work for free to prove their results and build credibility.
3. Developing Processes and Building a Team:
   • Systematizing for Growth: The duo realized that manual work and personal oversight weren’t sustainable at scale. Kristian led efforts to document processes and implement tools like ClickUp to streamline project management. They shifted to hiring virtual assistants and training them internally, emphasizing a strong cultural fit over prior expertise.
   • Clear Roles and Delegation: A turning point was when Kristian and Bryce divided their responsibilities to maximize efficiency. This approach allowed them to manage a growing number of clients while maintaining high-quality service delivery.
4. Retention and Client Experience:
   • Understanding Retention Beyond Results: One major learning was that exceptional results alone don’t guarantee client retention. Dance Motion Marketing learned that fostering a sense of community and supporting clients through challenges were crucial for maintaining relationships, even during non-growth periods.
   • Challenges with Over-Delivery: Interestingly, some clients paused their services after achieving maximum capacity. To address this, Kristian and Bryce began exploring how to diversify their service offerings to maintain long-term client engagement.

Key Advice from Kristian and Bryce:

• Bryce: “Fall in love with your clients’ problems. Genuinely caring about their success will help you push through challenges and create lasting impact.”
• Kristian: “Be patient and consistent. Building a seven-figure agency takes time, and even small improvements set you apart. Trust the process and keep delivering value.”

Biggest Challenges:

• Scaling Systems: One of their biggest hurdles was scaling their delivery systems without compromising quality. This was solved through documentation, training, and efficient use of project management tools.
• Balancing Roles: Working as partners initially led to overlap, which they overcame by defining clear roles and responsibilities, enabling them to focus on their strengths.
• Client Overwhelm: Managing clients’ growth to avoid overwhelming them required innovative thinking about their service structure and how to support clients at various business stages.

What Helped Them Reach Seven Figures:

• Community Engagement: Their proactive community-building efforts, such as weekly Q&A sessions, positioned them as trusted authorities and nurtured long-term relationships.
• Client-Centric Approach: Their commitment to understanding and solving client problems drove referrals and high client satisfaction.
• Team Culture: Investing in team culture and hiring for passion and fit helped maintain service quality as they scaled.

Final Thoughts: Kristian and Bryce’s journey is a testament to the power of focusing on a niche, building strong relationships, and maintaining a consistent client-first approach. If you’re an agency owner looking to grow, remember that scaling sustainably requires strong systems, a passionate team, and a deep understanding of your clients’ needs.