Today we’d like to introduce you to Teri Mangiaratti.
Teri, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I grew up in Weymouth and danced at a local studio as a teenager. I loved dancing, moved into assisting classes there and eventually teaching. In the following years I coached dance teams at Weymouth High School, Curry College, Emmanual College and Harvard University. I spent six summers as a traveling teacher for Universal Dance Association managing and teaching at sleepover summer camps all over the country and abroad. As a child psychology major, watching and studying the self-esteem of children was a real passion of mine. I began to focus on how the arts and providing great role models could shift a child in a positive direction. In 1996, at 26 years old, I decided it was time to blend both my passion for dance and children into my own business model for a dance studio and In Sync was created. In Sync began in Weymouth and we added our Milton location the following year. We ran both locations until 2009 when we merged both studios and moved into our current 8,000 sq. ft. facility in Quincy. At that point, we added supplemental programming in music, art, and martial arts and changed our name from In Sync Dance Company to In Sync Center of the Arts. Currently, we have over 30 teachers inspiring the over 1,300 students that walk through our doors each week.
Along with all of that, I am married to a wonderfully supportive husband, Paul, and have two sons, Jake 14 and Nick 12. Each day I balance the needs of business owner and mom. I sincerely believe that business ownership can allow you the flexibility to be there for your family. It’s not easy, but it is possible.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The road has been smooth at times but struggles are inevitable when you run a small business. My very first struggle was getting a small business loan to begin the studio back in 1996. No one wanted to take a risk on a 26 year old dance teacher even if the business plan and built in following was solid. I heard “No” from over a dozen banks and it wasn’t until another female loan officer from a small bank took a chance on me. That was eye opening for me simply because I knew I could make this happen yet I was faced with such negativity. In a way it fueled me to prove them all wrong. Ironically, in 2009, the business had been so successful for so long that it was easy to get approval for the $100,000 loan I took out for our 8,000 sq. ft. build out!
Of course the constant struggle is finding balance with business ownership and motherhood. My sons are now 12 and 14 and they need me in different ways at this age. Whether they have baseball games, basketball games, lessons, classes, performances, whatever they have going on, I want to be there for them! While I may have over 1,300 students to worry about, I only have 2 children of my own and I only get one change to raise them. So I am a master delegator and schedule manager to allow me the flexibility to be there for them.
During that build out process, I was under and incredible amount of stress and realized that having that much debt was not a space I liked to be. So I worked like crazy to bring in more income and paid that loan off before one year was up. Once that was in the past, I was free to be creative and I learned that if the company can’t cover the cost, it can wait. Lesson learned.
The biggest challenge I have had over the years was in 2015. It was a horrible winter and we had record snow falls. While escaping for a ski weekend with my family in February, I received a call (actually many calls) informing me that the roof collapsed in our building. The weight of the snow was too much and the roof literally collapsed. Luckily, the interior of our studio space was fine but the business next to ours was ruined, the integrity of the entire plaza was compromised and we were closed for business until further notice. Parents had paid for children’s lessons already and students were signed up for the entire season so this was a real problem. In our business, retaining students is the biggest challenge. I knew that if I closed and let these kids find something else to do with their free time, I would have to start all over again to get them back. So we went to work looking for somewhere else to run classes until we could get back into our space. This was no easy task considering we have 4 large open dance studio rooms and 4 smaller music lesson rooms that run all day 9:00am -9:00pm. We called everywhere we could think of but nothing could accommodate us. Finally, the administration at Milton High School was willing to work with us and help us out. This was the one single act of generosity, kindness and community that literally changed everything for us. Every day for 9 weeks we would enter Milton High School when the bell rang and take over their entire bottom floor. 8 classrooms, cafeteria, bathrooms, closets, you name it. They allowed their school to be the home of In Sync while the building was repaired. It was a life saver and allowed us to maintain our student body during this horrible time. In the end, I believe it bonded our staff and In Sync families. Silver lining…there’s always a silver lining.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
At In Sync we are inspiring children through the arts. We pride ourselves on the role models we are putting in front of our students. Because we have such a large facility and staff, we are able to offer a wide range of styles and subjects. So everyone can find something they connect with at In Sync.
Yes, we create well rounded dancers. Yes, our students go on to major in dance, musical theater or music. Yes, we put on great shows and perform all over the region. But beyond all of that, our first mission is to build these children up so they feel empowered, creative, and inspired.
What were you like growing up?
I was a creative child enrolled in painting, singing to myself where ever I went, and setting up my stuffed animals as my “audience” while I put on a show. I took dance for one year as a young child but my teacher was mean and I didn’t take another formal dance class until I was in high school. I think this is why I have a soft spot for the late bloomer and the less-than-perfect dancer. My studio will never turn away a child because they have no experience no matter what their age – imagine if that was my experience?!
I was always an independent child. I got a job as soon as I turned 14. I liked watching my little savings book balance add up. Knowing I had money in the bank made me feel like I had some control and security. These things still stand true!
My mother has a back to school article from an old newspaper where I was asked how I liked kindergarten. My answer was “I don’t need any help, I can do everything all by myself”. As an adult, I think that is so interesting. I still feel that way and I need to remind myself to ask for help even 40 years later!
Contact Info:
- Address: 550 Adams Street
Quincy MA
02169 - Website: www.insyncarts.com
- Phone: 617-328-5678
- Email: insyncoffice@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/insyncdance/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InSyncCenteroftheArts/
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