Academy of Music Dance Drama

An Importance Message

To those who don’t know me, I am the owner of the Academy of Music Dance Drama. I need to bring you up to date regarding the unfortunate situation in 2024. My sincere apologies in my absence until now, 2024 was a very challenging year that has almost ruined my business and personal life. Towards the end of 2024, I’ve been restoring through the support of professional help, friends and family to return my life to be able to continue the business. Unfortunately, some time ago I did see some comments posted on social media and if only people knew what went on in the background, its been very difficult time since Covid. Walking away was an option, I am not doing that and will be rebuilding the business.

Since the lockdowns, we have small ups and suffered massive downs. Costs have increased since the lockdowns and I’ve had to personally fund many shortfalls to support keeping teachers teaching and students attending their lessons. Last year I exhausted all my savings and relied on growth to return the viability of the Academy. It was so important to keep the business moving and 'hoped' that the landscape improved. Term 1 2024 saw that improvement and things were looking up. Then term 2 hit!!

2nd and 3rd terms have been the opposite, and I want to be as transparent as possible and clarify the situation that transpired. The Academy is a small business and has always relied on private fees to keep operating. Since the lockdowns from Covid, it has been a struggle to manage and keep afloat, however, we kept moving forward. Term 2 2024 saw a massive drop in enrolments due to ‘cost of living’ affordability and in the last 2 years, many families not paying their fees and leaving without settling their accounts. For the business, 2024 saw a 70+% increase in operation costs and with no margins to move on, gaining a profit was impossible. To clarify, I have never personally profited from the business, everything went back into building the Academy.

Term 2 also saw the breakdown in negotiations for a new lease caused us to be locked out for 7 weeks and not able to access our resources. We were also given 3 days to vacate and clean the studio. In hindsight, if we had access to our resources, I did have other venues ready to continue lessons. This didn’t happen. I tried to build the lessons in term 3 & 4 but the business needs someone to focus on the business and I just didn’t have the time as I had to return to fulltime work, any energy or mental capacity and dealing with a medical condition.

In the last 2 years, on average, cancellations and/or credits averaged a $6000-$7000 loss each term. Term 1 and 2, 2024 saw an average of up to 4 teachers ill per week. Term 2 also had an average of 20+ students calling in sick per week and was escalating. We couldn’t sustain these disruptions.

Many may not have known, I personally had a physical and mental break down towards the end of 2023 including a cancer scare. It left me after many years of up to 18 hour days 7 days a week to keep afloat, I was starting to lose control and confidence in myself and keeping focused on the tasks. This has also led to a breakdown in my marriage and towards the end of 2024, I needed some self-care and to regain some confidence to return and make good of what happened last year. It would have been easier to walk away. I have decided not to do that and at the moment, I am not offering weekly classes or lessons until I sort out the recovery for teachers and student fees. I will be offering music lessons myself and one off workshops to build the cashflow to repay people using any profits. Those people of concern will get a personal message shortly with an outline what the next stages are. I am aware there are some frustrations and anger out there however, I want assure you, I am not going anywhere and will ‘make good’.

Kind Regards
Brett Lucas

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