Awarded Multi-Unit Tippi Toes Franchisee Reflects on Her Successes

In college, Laura Teal helped a sorority sister named Sarah Nuse with her dance business. Teal would assist in teaching some of the classes to the little kids as Tippi Toes — Nuse’s company that has now grown to a 33-unit franchise — was just getting started.

“Sarah has really embarrassing pictures to prove it,” said Teal, who graduated with a degree in early childhood education before becaming an elementary school teacher.

Years later, the two college friends reconnected over social media and were catching up. Nuse had continued to scale Tippi Toes and see great success, and Teal was a stay-at-home mom at the time. Nuse sent her a Tippi Toes CD to play for her baby, and when Teal began to read the brochure that it came with, she saw the brand was franchising. Her husband urged her to look into it.

“She invited me to come to Corpus Christi, which she was running at the time, and show me around. I remember sitting in a class and the teachers were so engaging and fun, and the kids had the biggest smiles on their faces,” said Teal. “And I thought, ‘This is exactly what I want for my daughter. I want her to have teachers who are engaged, positive, encouraging and having fun.’ Once I saw it in person, I was sold.”

Teal first purchased a franchise in St. Louis, Missouri, in 2012. When her family relocated back to their hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma, a few years later, she and her longtime best friend Britney Fox co-signed to open another location in Northwest Arkansas. In 2018, she sold the St. Louis territory and purchased Tulsa.

In her time with the brand, Teal has seen a great deal of success. Her Tulsa territory just hit over 300 dancers signed up, and the Arkansas location is close to hitting that same milestone. The Tulsa franchise was also recently recognized by Tulsa Kids magazine as the Family Favorite Dance Studio, picked by public voters in the community.

“That has been super exciting because, in Tulsa, there are tons of dance studios parents can choose from. So the fact that they chose us as their family favorite, we are super honored and blown away,” said Teal.

She is always ready to take the business to the next level, too. Teal has added several new school and daycare center locations in Tulsa and plans to continue expanding class availability in the nearby suburb of Owasso.

“Laura Teal is a brilliant business owner. She continues to succeed because of her dedication to Tippi Toes, staff, and families,” Nuse said. “I remember getting a phone call from her when she was first interested in buying a franchise and I was over the moon. Laura is the type of woman you want to be part of your business. I am grateful for her.”