Small Business Week: Brooke Byler Acting Studios

What was the inspiration behind your business?  Several things, actually!  I was dealing with a chronic illness, which I now have managed, but I wasn’t going to be able to work full-time.  I also have always had the entrepreneurial spirit, but I’d never had the right vehicle.  After being ill for so long, I realized how much I truly missed acting, and I wanted to figure out a way to have an income and flexible schedule, so I could get back into it.  I’d had a great deal of acting training, and had booked quite a few jobs, so I thought it would be a great idea to start sharing that knowledge with others!  I was drawn towards teaching kids because, in this day and age, I think they need a creative outlet and a place to learn valuable life skills, and to be taught by people who are going to help them gain self-esteem. I’m so saddened by the “child actors” one sees in the tabloids, and I wanted to prevent that from happening. Which is why teach kids how to pursue their passion by keeping a good head on their shoulders!

How has your professional background prepared you for entrepreneurship/your small business?
 I was a Theatre Arts major at the University of San Diego, so I had no business background.  However, I’d always had the desire to be self-employed, so that I could have freedom and flexibility.  I had graduated with honors, ran school clubs, produced school plays, so I had all of the tools and discipline necessary to run my own business, but little knowledge.  I immediately started seeking mentors through SCORE and listening to business books non-stop.  Fortunately, I love to learn!  The biggest step for me was finding Hera Hub.  My business doubled in less than a year thanks to the mentorship of the amazing women in the Hera Hub community.

I will never tire of seeing kids blossom in their craft, and seeing the shy ones completely come out of their shell!  The satisfaction and pride I feel can hardly be expressed!  Another rewarding part is filling a need that was unfulfilled in San Diego.  We are an acting studio of Los Angeles-quality in San Diego, and we mostly cater to talent that have agents and work in LA, but live down here.  In the past, families would have to drive to LA for the right caliber of training, and now they don’t have to make that extra trip on top of the drives for auditions and jobs.  Also, the other coaches and I are all still working actors, which is somewhat rare.  Many coaches used to be actors, but now teach full-time.  We are all still doing it ourselves, so we understand what the kids are facing and going through and remain well-versed in how the industry is currently.

The greatest challenge is to not go in a thousand directions at once.  I have so many ideas of services I want to offer to our client base, but I have to take baby steps, in order to ensure the success of our current offerings.

I believe in God, and that I am here to serve others, as Christ did.  I always try to approach my business from the standpoint of serving others and putting others first.  The fact that I get to do that in combination with my other greatest passion (acting), and call it a career, is beyond my wildest dreams!  I also believe in building others up, which is why our main focus is increasing kids’ self-esteem.  This world, particularly the entertainment industry, can be very tough.  We teach kids how to handle the industry with a healthy mindset.

Besides the kids’ growth, I am most proud of the fact that I now have a team I’m working with.  It’s an incredible moment when you realize that you’ve grown to the point of not being able to do it all yourself!  I have three other coaches handling various aspects of the business, and a marketing partner.

We are continuing to add services, such as summer camps and workshops, and we are going to be expanding into other regions of SoCal soon!

Learn more about Brooke Byler’s Acting Studios here.