We had the good fortune of connecting with Lindsay Prather and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lindsay, what is the most important factor behind your success?
People. Hands down. We put people first. We put our students first, and always do what is best for the child. We put our families first, and helping in any way we can. And I put my team first, because without them, our success doesn’t exist. When you put people first, and make connecting with them your top priority, everything else falls into place.

What should our readers know about your business?
My work has evolved over the years, and I am so proud of where it’s taken me. What began as a traveling musical theatre program in 2011 quickly grew into the busy performing arts studio it is today. A full-service location opened in 2013 and currently offers over 25 classes, a full production season, private lessons, special events, and year-round camps; serving over 1,200 families that walk through the teal Jitterbug door every year. While we use performing arts as the vehicle, our primary mission is building confidence, connection, and emotional intelligence. By putting people first and staying true to our core values, we have seen incredible personal growth in so many children. Our proprietary teaching methods have won awards and been featured in local schools and dance studios across the country. This distinction led to the development of BRIDGE Mindset in 2019, a program that works with leaders and child development professionals to bring connection to the forefront of their program and curriculum. In 2020, my vision of bringing a performing arts center to our community was finally becoming a reality, as we began the process of creating a theatre we would house our productions in. While the last 9 years have not been easy by any stretch of the imagination, everything seemed to be coming together. The business was thriving. And then we encountered the biggest challenge to date: COVID-19. I’ve never been one to sit still and wait something out, so I dove head first into putting as much of our programming online as possible, as well as rolling out a new program entirely. We did this in 3 days, and I am so proud of myself and the team for putting something this spectacular together while remaining true to our core values. Our kids need connection more than ever these days, and we’re doing everything we can to continue providing that and keeping it a priority! As we head into the unknown, we will continue evolve and adjust with what our community needs. Although the future for all small businesses isn’t certain right now, we’re doing everything we can to fight and have got some exciting stuff planned for the next few months….so stay tuned!

Any great local spots you’d like to shoutout?
I’m a big fan of supporting local— so if there was a friend in town we would hit all of my favorite local restaurants, coffee shops, and theatres! Porch Light, Taco Cantina, Maru Sushi, Rev Coffee, Actor’s Express, and all of the local parks and trails are my favorites!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Who doesn’t deserve a shoutout? The phrase “it takes a village” doesn’t just apply to children, it applies to everyone. I haven’t always had a village. But I do now, and they are a huge reason why I am as strong as I am today. My family and friends, of course, who have always supported my (sometimes crazy) endeavors, my incredible team at the studio for their passion and dedication to the mission, and my Inner Circle family, a mastermind of other studio owners led by phenomenal coaches. Without all three, I would be incomplete.

Website: www.jitterbugperformingarts.com AND lindsayprather.com
Instagram: @thelindsayprather AND @jitterbugpa
Facebook: @lindsayprather AND @jitterbugperformingarts

Image Credits
Emily Humble Photography Skyler Smith | Urbana