Menina Fortunato, founder of MENINA ENTERTAINMENT, has been in the dance industry for 3 decades and maintains a hectic schedule working both in front and behind the camera, owning multiple dance businesses, traveling the world while juggling being a wife and mother of 3.
Ep. 17-Menina Fortunato - This Mom Sure Can Pivot.
1:53 – In 2016 we moved back to Canada to raise our family.
3:40 – Before having children, I used to tour with Earth Wind & Fire, Rain, Luis Miguel, and others. I toured until I was four and a half months pregnant.
4:53 – I always knew a dance mom in the city that I was touring in to help with babysitting.
5:53 – Every summer I would travel to L.A. with my kids to run The Hollywood Summer Tour.
7:03 – Going to work was a vacation, I had all this me time.
8:08 – I love my work; I love what I do. I have never had a regular 9-5 job my entire life. I have evolved my entire career around dance and had to pivot a lot.
9:12 – During the pandemic, my events business which was my main bread and butter completely stopped overnight. Had to pivot again.
10:17 – I did my first online event over the summer and live streamed in L.A., Vegas, and London while I was in Vancouver.
12:05 – I was stuck at home, and I needed to get back in shape, so I turned that into something.
13:13 – I was undercharging and that was a whole thing. It’s hard to know what to charge people online.
14:15 – Mom’s will spend anything on their children but not when it comes to themselves.
16:00 – I started a whole library of videos that moms can watch on their time and added nutrition, chef, mindset.
16:50 – I hired a business coach that specializes in high ticket sales, it was a big investment.
18:40 – On Demand is pre-recorded lessons that they do on their time. Plus, I had weekly accountability coaching. I also added nutrition, mindset,
19:40 – Social Media Marketing is where I found most of my clients; MOM groups in Facebook are where a majority came from.
21:00 – To create each video I used my iPhone, ring light, lavalier mic plugged into computer separately, edited and overlayed video, sound, and music in final cut, using royalty free music.
24:21 – How do you know when to invest and how much to invest? If you want to make a lot of money, you need to invest in yourself and expand your mind.
26:52 – Arman Sheffey from high ticket coaching helped Menina pivot again.
32:30 – Instead of throwing spaghetti at the wall, find someone who has done it and short cut your success rate.
39:00 – I took the framework that I learned from my coach, pitched a 6-month mentorship program to dive deep with dancers and creating a career for them.
41:00 – How do you pick just one of your products to promote and be known for?
43:50 – Instead of focusing on high volume of sales, have less clients at a higher ticket and really nurture them. They get better results and refer a friend, everyone wins.
49:05 – I think I am on to something here. I started the Hollywood Sumer Tour in 2006 and I still love it, but I have created something better for my lifestyle as a mom.
52:00 - I felt like I was a jack of all trades and a master of none. Now that I am focused, I can connect the right people to help serve my clients.
Find Menina at the following links:
https://www.instagram.com/meninafortunato
https://www.facebook.com/meninafortunato
https://www.youtube.com/meninaf
www.meninaentertainment.com and www.meninafortunato.com
Some Background on the hosts!
Ariella Vaccarino-
Once an opera singer, mother to 5 children, voice and piano teacher, creator of
Voice Lessons To Go, a line of voice lesson CDs/downloads that sell nationwide.
She is also the host of the podcasts:
The Talented Magical Mommies Club
and she has her own YouTube channel about singing:
www.youtube.com/VoiceLessonsToGo
Theresa Ofstad-
Is currently working a fulltime job while running a Basketball Club with her husband and teenage son. She is developing a business called Fuller Life, a resource for patients, seniors and their families. She is an area director with Toastmasters, a lifetime learner, leadership fanatic, and community connector.
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