It's the end of the year and Fiona Gomez, 27, is in a flurry of activity. Her all-in-one creative arts school, Talent Hub, is closing for the year and she has barely a moment to breathe. There is work to be done, but when passion is the driving force there is nothing to it - and guess what? It all began with a phone call, and a kind stranger.

Malaysian Today: Take a moment to share with us your background.

Fiona Gomez: I started dancing when I was six years old. As with most young girls, I started off with Ballet classes. Later, I moved on to Latin and Ballroom Dancing. But I didn't study dancing - I studied Communications and Marketing from HELP College/University of Iowa. But while I was in college, I started performing and teaching dance part time to support myself. I am a Petaling Jaya gal born and bred, and youngest of three.

Q: Where did Talent Hub begin?

A: Of course, as with everyone, I went out to the big bad corporate world to look for a job after I graduated, but dancing has always been my true passion. Talent Hub came about when a friend of mine offered me the space to start my own studio. It was all very exciting at first, but when I got deeper into it, I realized I might not be fully cut out for it. Where was I going to find the money from? I had no experience in running a business. How was I going to be different from the rest? How was I going to gain the trust of parents to send their kids to me when the principal of the school was only 22 years old?

Q: Those are hard questions to answer, but how did you finally take that first step to Talent Hub?

A: I had received a call from one of the companies I had gone for an interview offering me a job, and (laughs) for some crazy reason I told the lady on the phone my dilemma. Can you imagine? Telling my possible future employer that I might not want to take the job because I might want to start my own business?! But instead of saying, "Ok, make your decision and let us know", she said, "Girl, you're young and clearly passionate about dancing. Business opportunities don't come about often. I think you should go ahead with this business idea. Try it out for a few years, and if you ever fail, you can always come back and get a 9-5 job". I have her to thank, because after that conversation, I made my decision and Talent Hub was born in June 2005!

Q: Walk us through what Talent Hub is all about.

A: Talent Hub's a Multi Arts Centre that offers Dance, Drama, Music, and Martial Arts classes to both children and adults, all under the same roof. The idea came about when I noticed parents had to ferry their kids to multiple places for their arts and dance classes, so I thought, why not have a place that offers everything under one roof? I did some research and discovered that there were hardly, if any, places in KL that offered a variety of different art forms at the same place. So now Talent Hub makes arts accessible to them without having to source for it at different venues.

Q: What do you love most about your job?

A: Five years ago I thought, "Wow... big boss. Make lots of money. Just sit around, ordering people to do work". Three and a half years into my own business now, I can tell you that it is not nearly as glamorous as I would have liked it to be. Sure, I am the big boss. But I'm also the person you will often find with a toilet brush in my hand, scrubbing the toilets, and picking up rubbish after everyone. Glamorous isn't it? Adding to that, I am also the person who went without a salary for 2 years to pay back the capital investment and to make my business work. But NOW, yes, the best part is that I am my own boss! It takes a long time to finally be able to say that, though.

Q: What keeps you going?

A: Watching them (the students) shine and show off their new found skills makes me proud. These people once walked through our doors with two left feet and now they are gracefully sashaying on the dance floor.

Q: What were some of the hardest parts of starting out, and how can you use that to advise young people seeking the same career path?

A: I did not have any experience whatsoever! All I knew was I had to grab the bull by the horns and hang on for dear life! (laughs) And that is my advice to everyone here who is thinking of starting their own business. Just do it. Find that something that drives you. Something that excites you. Be passionate about it. Grab that bull. And if you fall off, go work for someone else. But at least you tried. It takes a lot of hard work, determination, perseverance, and faith in myself to trust my gut and instincts.