Shanley Booth, age 33, lives in Derby. Shanley has been the Principal of Razzamataz Derby for five years and Razzamataz Nottingham for almost two years

Shanley Booth, age 33, lives in Derby. Shanley has been the Principal of Razzamataz Derby for five years and Razzamataz Nottingham for almost two years.

Q. How did you hear about Razzamataz?

Shanley: Denise Hutton-Gosney who is the Founder of Razzamataz was my choreographer when I was a professional dancer so I have been involved with Razzamataz from the early days.

Q. What’s your background?

Shanely: I was a professional dancer and singer until I was about 25, which was when I took over the first Razzamataz franchise. I currently combine being a Principal with being a manager at a health club and being a fitness instructor, teaching between 30-35 fitness classes a week.

Q. Have you always wanted to be an entrepreneur?

Shanely: Being a professional performer, there are always times when you don’t work. I think that has given me the drive to be successful in everything I do and I’m certainly not afraid of hard work.

Q. What are the best things about being a Razzamataz Principal?

Shanley: For me, it is always about the performances and the shows. When I see the improvement in performance and how much the children enjoy being on stage, it makes it all worthwhile. I’m a perfectionist and get a huge thrill in putting on really spectacular shows.

What are the most difficult aspects of running your own business?

Shanley: I’m not daunted by any aspect of running my own business because I’m naturally a busy, energetic person. But it can feel like a personal blow when children leave but that does make me strive to keep them motivated at all times.

What advice can you offer other people going into business?

Shanley: I’m really big on To Do lists because you do have to juggle many things in one go. Be realistic and remember running a business is never going to be smooth sailing everyday so really embrace it when all is going well.

What’s a typical day like?

Shanley: I have certain days in the week that I dedicate to Razzamataz but I don’t tie myself to only doing certain jobs on certain days because I find you have to prioritise depending on what has come in that week.