Music Studio Startup: Helping music teachers thrive as entrepreneurs

Welcome back! We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to S...

Welcome back! We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time. They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to Am...

Welcome back! We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to H...

Welcome back! We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to A...

We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to Steven Potts, o...

Welcome back! We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to A...

Summary We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to Candace...

We're doing a special series on the podcast this summer called Studio Snapshots. Rather than the in-depth, process-oriented interviews you're used to hearing, these rapid-fire interviews give us a glimpse in a guest's studio at a moment in time.  They're part reflection, part anticipation of the future, and fully a celebration of where these teachers are today. Today I'm talking to Ken Thompson, o...

It's that time of year again! Time for the summer cohort of Business Building 101. Here's what a piano teacher, Sophie, says about the course: "The Business Building 101 course was EXACTLY what I was looking for when I wanted to find a way to make my piano studio official. From the moment I signed up, I felt that Andrea was right there to hold my hand throughout the entire course. Her positive and...

I have winners to announce! This week the judges made their final decisions to select the grant competition finalists and grand prize winner. Thanks to the following sponsors for making this year's grant competition possible: Duet studio management system, Alamo Music Center, Cascade Method, Dynamic Doodle Co., and Virtual Piano Studio. I'll be announcing those winners on the podcast and also shar...

With the school year coming to a close, I thought this would be a helpful time to talk about how I reset my schedule in times of transition. I'm not talking about goal-setting today, although that might also be part of the "reset" process. What I'm talking about today is more about how I plan my days and weeks to create a rhythm in my life that is conducive to working on those goals. A full transc...

Today's episode was prompted by questions I get from newly-graduated or soon-to-be graduated music majors who are just getting ready to launch their studios and want to know how to get started from nothing. A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode102. Get your application in for the $1,000 Studio Launch Grant competition ! Deadline: May 15

Today's mini interview is with Scarlette Kerr, a teacher who went from having a very part-time studio while in grad school to building a strong student roster within seven months, even with COVID happening. We talk about being a musician AND business owner, time management, and self-promotion. Scarlette also happens to be the winner of the startup grant we awarded back in May 2020. Find the show n...

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode101. Apply Today: $1,000 Studio Launch Grant   Course: Business Building 101 for Music Teachers  

Hi! It's spring break here at Music Studio Startup headquarters, so I'm just jumping on the mic to give you some details on the 2022 studio launch grant competition . This program is for new and newish teachers who have been in business for fewer than three years. If this describes you - I hope you'll apply. If it's not, I hope you'll share this with anyone you know - a former student, your MTNA g...

I'm excited to be bringing the grant competition back this year. The purpose of this grant is to help a new or new-ish music teacher launch their studio. The grand prize includes a $1000 cash grant and host of other tools, products, and training programs from our amazing sponsors, which include: Duet Partner, Fons, Cascade Method, Steve Hughes' Virtual Piano Studio, Dynamic Doodle Co, and Alamo Mu...

Today I'm back again with Karen Thickstun for the second part of our discussion on fundraising.  Our topic today is specifically about grants: how to find grants, how to evaluate if your project is a good fit, how to reframe a project to expand the grants you might be eligible for, and much, much more. This topic is especially timely because there are a number of grants available for music teacher...

If you hit play on this episode thinking, "I don't have a nonprofit, so fundraising isn't really for me.", I think you'll be surprised by the discussion. Karen covers so many more types of fundraising than I ever would have thought about and talks about how even for-profit studio owners can use fundraising to stretch their impact. Be prepared to take notes! A full transcript and resources from thi...

It seems fitting that this week, right around the two year anniversary of COVID shutting things down in the US, I'd be interviewing the inventor of a mask specifically designed for singers. Today I'm talking to Stephanie Tennill, about what inspired her to design this mask, how she manufactured it, distributed it, and how, even as a for-profit business, she has prioritized helping others and givin...

Today's podcast is part one of a two-part interview with the founder of a website that will be familiar to a lot of music teachers. That website is makingmusicfun.net. This website is full of sheet music, theory worksheets, music lessons plans, and video lessons.  In our conversation, founder Andy Fling, takes us back to the very beginning of Making Music Fun and talks about how he monetized it fr...

Today's podcast is part one of a two-part interview with the founder of a website that will be familiar to a lot of music teachers. That website is makingmusicfun.net. This website is full of sheet music, theory worksheets, music lessons plans, and video lessons.  In our conversation, founder Andy Fling, takes us back to the very beginning of Making Music Fun and talks about how he monetized it fr...

Today's interview is going to have you rethinking what you thought was possible for the lifestyle of a full-time piano teacher. Today I'm talking to Anna Fagan about how she moved her house and studio on the road during COVID and now lives and teaches full-time from an RV. We talk about how they adapted the RV to create a teaching studio, the tech she uses, and how she guarantees she has the best...

This time of year I get a lot of financial questions from teachers. We've just gotten through the holiday spending spree, new year's might have inspired some financial goal-setting, and then there's the looming tax deadline in April, so there's a lot to think about. Sometimes the questions I get are really specific to an individual, but lately a bunch of clients and listeners have said "hey, you t...

You'll recognize today's guest from an episode a few weeks ago about the MusiCARES Volunteer Music Teachers Facebook group. Today Judy Naillon returns to talk about how she began offering recreational group ukulele classes to boost her studio income during the summer and expand her network for private lessons. Anyone who struggles with the summer slump or just wants to try something new will be su...