From Meetup group to full-blown business

Columbus, Ohio

Edie Driskill was having trouble filling her line-dancing classes at community and senior centers. So in September 2012, she nervously set up a Meetup group to see if anyone was looking for classes. Less than two years later, she hasn't just found an audience -- there are 250 registered members -- she's developed a sustainable business, all while keeping her rates at $5 to $7 per class.

"I probably spent six months putting all the money back into the business," Driskill said. "[But] I'm not putting my own money into it at the moment. It supports itself."

Driskill, who's also a certified financial planner and runs a website for online lessons, still operates Country Done Right on Meetup. The group gets about twenty new members each month.

Driskill has one employee to help her with the business, which organizes about five events a week. These range from line dancing lessons to country music outings and overnight trips to other cities -- including an upcoming one to Nashville. Attendees range in age from thirteen to their mid-seventies and can pay a monthly rate of $43 or pay per event.