Lana Dorrough: A Type B Approach to Business

What happens when you combine a Type B personality with an entrepreneurial mindset, a willingness to embrace uncertainty and an unwavering belief that things will work out?

You get Lana Dorrough.

In Episode 49 of the Nathan Ross Rees Reformer Podcast, Lana joins me to share her incredible journey from full-time Reformer instructor to founder of a thriving multi-studio business on the Central Coast.

Her story is a refreshing reminder that there isn’t one formula for building a successful business and you don’t need to have everything figured out before you take the next step.

From Instructor to Founder 

Lana’s journey began on the studio floor as a full-time instructor all across Sydney, Australia. 

Like many instructors, her initial focus was teaching great classes and creating meaningful experiences for her clients. But over time, her ambitions grew coupled with a strong desire to move back home to the Central Coast.

What makes Lana’s story particularly interesting is the way she approached that growth.

She began creating a community before she created the business. 

She trusted her instincts and embraced opportunities to grow as they came along. 

A Type B Approach to Business 

Lana describes herself as a Type B personality.

In a business world that often celebrates rigid planning, relentless productivity and having every detail mapped out in advance, her approach offers a different perspective.

For Lana, chaos isn’t something to be avoided, it is the most enjoyable part. 

Rather than waiting for the perfect plan or the perfect moment, she has developed a willingness to make decisions, take calculated risks and trust that she will work things out along the way.

That mindset has allowed her to keep progressing when the challenges have become bigger.

And in business, they inevitably do.

Trusting Your Gut 

One of the recurring themes throughout Lana’s story is the importance of trusting your gut.

Entrepreneurship is full of decisions where there isn’t a clear right answer.

There will always be reasons to wait, and there will always be more information you could gather.

At some point, you have to make a decision.

Lana’s ability to trust herself has given her the confidence to take those steps.

That doesn’t mean every decision is guaranteed to work out. Instead, it’s about having faith in your ability to navigate whatever happens next.

Bigger Challenges, Bigger Growth 

As Lana’s business has grown, so too have the challenges.

Moving from instructor to business owner requires an entirely different skill set.

Teaching great Reformer classes is one thing. Building a team, managing multiple locations, making financial decisions, developing systems and leading a growing business is something else entirely.

Lana’s journey demonstrates that personal growth and business growth often happen together.

Each new challenge requires you to become a slightly different version of yourself.

And sometimes the only way to discover whether you’re ready for the next level is to take the opportunity and figure it out along the way.

There Is No Perfect Way to Build a Business 

Perhaps the biggest takeaway from Lana’s story is that there isn’t a single personality type or business strategy required to succeed.

You don’t have to be the most organised person in the room.

You don’t have to have a five-year plan mapped out.

You don’t have to know exactly how everything will work before you begin.

You do, however, need the confidence to make decisions, the resilience to deal with challenges and the ability to keep moving forward.

Lana’s Type B approach demonstrates that success can come from embracing your natural strengths rather than trying to become someone you’re not.

For her, that means embracing the chaos, trusting her gut and maintaining an unwavering belief that things will work out.

From Instructor to Entrepreneur 

Lana’s journey is a powerful example of what can happen when an instructor decides to take the next step.

The transition from instructor to founder isn’t always obvious or straightforward. There is no single moment when you suddenly become a business owner.

It’s a series of decisions.

One opportunity leads to another. One challenge prepares you for the next. Eventually, you look back and realise just how far you’ve come.

Lana has gone from teaching full-time to building a thriving multi-studio business and her story is a reminder that sometimes you need to be willing to embrace the uncertainty that comes with growth.

Listen to Episode 49 

In Episode 49 of the Nathan Ross Rees Reformer Podcast, Lana and I talk about her journey from full-time instructor to multi-studio founder, the realities of building a business, trusting your gut, taking on progressively bigger challenges and why embracing the chaos might actually be one of your greatest strengths.

If you’re an instructor thinking about taking your career to the next level, or a studio owner navigating the challenges of growth, Lana’s story is one you’ll want to hear.