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Written by Rebecca Davis
As a university student with entrepreneurial aspirations, it is sometimes difficult to make the transition from the academic setting to the professional business world. For that reason, it is imperative that students make a strong effort to meet and interact with businesspersons while still studying at their institution. Occasionally, an entrepreneur with a superior comprehension of her business and the personal qualities of an independent leader becomes a source of inspiration for young students. Recently, I had the fortune of meeting such an individual. Ms. Donna Brown is the current President and CEO of The Point Breeze Performing Arts Center (PBPAC). The PBPAC is a non-profit corporation dedicated to using "the arts for social change" by improving the surrounding South Philadelphia community. The thrust of the PBPAC is the Performing Arts Academy. The Academy runs dance classes for underserved, African-American children between the ages of three and eighteen. Although this entrepreneurial vision was developed back in 1984, it has taken years of hard work, commitment and foresight to create an infrastructure that effectively provides this service. Initially, Ms. Brown's mother, Ms. Dorothy Nolan, had the idea of creating a performing arts studio dedicated to social causes in South Philadelphia. This was to be achieved by educating and inspiring students to discover their individual abilities and personal goals. By the end of her life, Ms. Nolan had obtained the ground floor of an old building in South Philadelphia, and taught some Saturday dance classes for children in the local area. In essence, Ms. Nolan, never really moved beyond the idea stage of her business. When she passed away, the classes ended and it appeared the company would fold until Ms. Brown took the initiative to re-launch and lead the corporation in 1988. Ms. Brown never planned on committing herself to this project for more than a few months. Her initial motivation was to continue the operations as a tribute to her mother. Yet, "one day rolled into the next," and soon she found herself immersed in a performing arts business. This was particularly surprising because she had never thought of herself as an artist. Yet, this mindset proved to be an advantage because Ms. Brown focused on making the PBPAC a successful business, rather than simply a means to showcase talent or provide a home for existing local artists. Thus, in her capacity as CEO, Ms. Brown was able to reach many more people with her mission by concentrating on the business aspect of the company. As is the case with most entrepreneurs, Ms. Brown faced tremendous challenges during the start-up phase of her corporation. She inherited the studio space from her mother, but the company lacked an infrastructure and a comprehensive operational plan. Proper allocation of financial resources was a struggle because she had no background in finance or accounting. For instance, Ms. Brown received a $75,000 grant that had been allocated to her mother in the latter part of 1988. Lacking an understanding of the costs involved with daily operational needs, Ms. Brown chose to spend the entire $75,000 on renovations. Consequently, when the studio was re-opened in January 1989, there was a major lack of funds to cover the variable costs associated with operating the company. Ms. Brown forgot she would have to pay for utilities when estimating her budget. When asked about that period of her business, she simply says, "I was running this company by the seat of my pants." In the first months of 1989, Ms. Brown worked at the office from 7:30am to midnight everyday. She personally manned the front-desk all hours of the day; she believed that people would assume the company was out of operation if they passed by the windows and saw the lights off. She would not take lunch in case one of the office phones rang and there was no one there to answer it. Her husband and the Vice President of the PBPAC, Mr. Al Brown, used to literally force her to leave the office at night. When she finally did leave, she would bring paperwork home with her. And, she points out, "this was a time when there was no such thing as computers." According to Ms. Brown, there was a substantial benefit to this one-person management team: "no one was telling me what to do or what not to do, so I just did what I thought made sense." This quickly decreased the time required for decision-making because no consensus was needed. The PBPAC experienced increased growth when Ms. Brown started frequently securing minor grants of $500 to $1,000. On a personal level, this represented a major accomplishment for Ms. Brown. In the past, she had always believed that grant proposals were only to be completed by persons with PHd degrees. She grew up in a family where the female children were always told what to do and never expected to adopt a leadership role. In fact, it did not even occur to her that, at some point in her life, she may have the opportunity to act as a leader. Therefore, it took a significant period of time for Ms. Brown to gain the confidence she needed in her personal skill set to truly believe she was worthy of applying for grants. Part of this process included her decision to return to college and obtain a marketing degree from Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science With increased financial support, Ms. Brown was able to hire a few additional office assistants, but this failed to elevate her workload. "I still did all the work," Ms. Brown explains, "because these people weren't earnestly committed to the social goals of the organization." Indeed, Ms. Brown found staffing and human resources management to be her biggest challenge. The PBPAC could not pay their instructors and support staff wages that were competitive with for-profit companies. For this reason, staff retention was a continuous problem. Additionally, "some staff sabotaged our programs and stole money from the company," Ms. Brown notes. This problem persists today, and when asked how she will combat it in the future, Ms. Brown said she plans to increase compensation, improve employee training, codify procedures, and hire an older and more qualified staff. Ms. Brown admits that the easiest way to manage a staff is through a for-profit corporation that franchises, but this would contradict the company's commitment to its non-profit goal of arts for social change. Today, the Academy has grown to offer a vast range of daily classes: ballet, jazz, modern, tap, African, gymnastics, karate, painting, and academic tutoring. It enrolls more than 1,000 students annually. In an effort to make a direct impact in other poor neighborhoods as well, the company has opened four satellite locations in the Philadelphia area. In this way, Ms. Brown and the PBPAC have positively impacted the lives of young children, parents, and employees across the city. Last year, Ms. Brown obtained a grant for the building of a brand new $10 million facility. This space will occupy an entire block in the South Philadelphia area. When asked how the growth of the company has affected the mission of the corporation, Ms. Brown answers, "Now, we have fully embodied our original goals. We speak to everything my mother once dreamed." Perhaps the most impressive demonstration of Ms. Brown's commitment to her work is the relationships she has developed with her customers: young, African-American dance students. Now, she is greeted by a vast array of students who sing out "Hi, Miss Brown," and run to hug her every time she enters the Academy. In fact, Ms. Brown and her husband have even become the foster parents of some students who lacked the financial and emotional support necessary to train at the Academy. Similarly, the faculty is comfortable voicing their concerns and suggestions with "the head boss." This warm, non-judgmental corporate culture is a result of Ms. Brown's exquisite leadership by example. This key entrepreneurial trait has greatly contributed to the success of the business because the employees understand what is expected of them. Ultimately, her hard work and genuine commitment to making a difference in the lives of her customers is the legacy of her company and her existence. Now, she has also inspired the entrepreneurs of tomorrow.
The Point Breeze Performing Arts Center (2002). www.pbpac.org Donna Brown (October 31, 2002). Personal communication. |
