Music Studio Startup: Helping music teachers thrive as entrepreneurs

I'm on summer break so this week I'm rebroadcasting a previously-aired episode of Music Studio Startup. Show notes from when this episode originally aired can be found at https://www.musicstudiostartup.com/episode016/

I'm on summer break so this week I'm rebroadcasting a previously-aired episode of Music Studio Startup. Show notes from when this episode originally aired can be found at https://www.musicstudiostartup.com/episode013/

I'm on summer break so this week I'm rebroadcasting a previously-aired episode of Music Studio Startup. Show notes from when this episode originally aired can be found at https://www.musicstudiostartup.com/episode006/

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...

I invited today's guest to be on the podcast because her studio has a deep sense of focus and alignment that has made her really effective as a teacher and independent studio owner. Every aspect of how she runs her studio points to her core values. It's a studio that exudes care, connection, and creativity. It didn't start out that way, though. Today Natalie takes us through the journey she's been...

Earlier this spring I talked about how crises can breed creativity, and today's episode is an example of that. Today's interview highlights one teacher's response to the hardships she was seeing as a result of COVID. Hear how Judy's desire to help a friend who was sick, potentially with coronavirus, led her to start a group for teachers to support each other through times of medical and mental hea...

Today I'm talking to Kathy Rabago, a piano teacher and music school owner, about how she pivoted the in-person camps her teachers had planned into online camps in response to COVID. And in the process, she created passive income generators for her teachers. Kathy shares great insights for anyone thinking about running online camps and also about what it means to be a business owner. The winners of...

Today I'm interviewing Tara Hall, a teacher whose studio has actually GROWN during the coronavirus lockdowns. Tara enrolled 30 new students (and counting!) in six weeks. And the best part? She didn't spend a dime doing it. Tara's story will be encouraging for any teacher whose enrollment has taken a hit in the transition to online lessons and she shares a simple strategy you can implement today th...

Today I'm talking to a young teacher who's only been in business for a year and a half, but that hasn't kept her from having a long-term perspective for the way she positions and builds her business. She talks about the interesting niche she identified for her vocal coaching studio and she offers some great encouragement for teachers who may feel like their studios have taken a step backward in th...

In today's solo episode, I share a framework for thinking about when and how to reopen your studio for in-person lessons during the COVID pandemic. A full transcript and list of resources for this episode can be found at musicstudiostartup.com/Episode042 Don't forget - applications for the $500 studio launch grant are due this Sunday, May 31. Details can be found at musicstudiostartup.com/grant202...

When we think of graphic design for a music studio, we might first think of logos. That's definitely a start, but today I'm talking to graphic designer Gillian Miller about how developing a more holistic brand identity can help build a studio. If you've ever felt undervalued as a professional or just want to elevate your career, this is definitely a topic to think about. For a full transcript of t...

In this episode, I share some details about the Music Studio Startup summer Business Building program and the grant competition for new (and new-ish) music teachers! My guest today is Eric Branner, a guitar teacher, mentor, and a co-founder of Fons, an online scheduling and billing platform. If you've been listening to Music Studio Startup for a while, you may have heard this interview with Eric b...

I've got two SUPER exciting announcements. Listen in to hear about two Music Studio Startup programs that will help you build your studio this summer. One involves an epic prize package, including a $500 cash grant! 2020 Summer Business Building Program   2020 Music Studio Startup Grant  

In today's conversation, we get to hear from the owner of a relatively new music school. We're talking about the very earliest stages of building a music school and some of the practical steps Joseph has taken to finance his studio's growth. We also talk about Facebook ads and conversion rates and all the fun stuff. For a full transcript of this episode, visit musicstudiostartup.com/episode039 To...

Today is part two of my conversation with David Barnard. Last week, in Episode 037 , David joined us to talk about the music cooperative as a business model that is helping teachers build sustainable studios by joining together. Today David's talking about how to form a cooperative. Some of our discussion applies specifically to coops, but a lot of our discussion centers around how to write a busi...

Today's guest comes to us from the UK to talk about another business model that is helping teachers make a sustainable living: the music-co-operative. David Barnard of the Musicians' Union describes the culture shock teachers felt when the jobs they expected to always be there, suddenly disappeared, forcing them to become more independent and entrepreneurial. Just a heads up, business culture and...

Last week the U.S. Congress passed the largest economic relief bill in U.S. history and it has a lot to offer individuals and small businesses. In today's podcast, Scott Stratton, a financial advisor and a musician himself, breaks down the components of the CARES Act that impact music teachers and studio owners and tells us our next steps. Check out the show notes at musicstudiostartup.com/episode...

Today I'm joined by TWO very special guests who are experts in pretty much every aspect of running a studio. We're doing a rapid fire interview where I ask them to share their advice on some of the questions I get asked most frequently. For full show notes, visit musicstudiostartup.com/episode035 To register for the Vision & Values course, visit musicstudiostartup.com/vision Happy April Fool's Day...

Today I'm joined again by Steve Hughes. Last week, in Episode 033, Steve shared the story of how he transitioned his studio from in-person lessons to a completely virtual studio. Today he's back to talk about the nuts and bolts of teaching online. Steve describes the technology requirements for a "basic" online studio, an "enhanced" studio, and an "optimal" studio, depending on the level of invest...

Today's interview is with a teacher who decided to move his entire piano studio from live, in-person lessons to online lessons. Thanks to the current pandemic, this probably describes most of our studios right now, but Steve Hughes made this transition in 2018, when it was relatively uncommon to teach online and his motivation to do so was to create a better life for himself and his family. Steve'...

Coronavirus is impacting music teachers and music lesson studios in cities around the world. In this very brief message, I share some suggestions for how to lessen the impact on your studio. More resources are available at musicstudiostartup.com .   Instagram: @musicstudiostartup Facebook: @musicstudiostartup

Today's interview digs into the group lesson studio model. My guest, Jake Estner, shares the logistics of how he runs his guitar studio, how he schedules groups, how he thought about pricing, and more. He also answers an important question I hear all the time: "How do you switch a studio from private lessons to group classes?" Jake talks about how he thought through what was important, pedagogical...

Ken is on a mission to save classical music. His story is a testament to how long-term focus on one mission can have incredible results. About 20 years ago he opened the Musical Arts Center of San Antonio, a music school which, at the time of this recording, had 1,125 students and 39 teachers. In this episode, Ken talks about how his school came to be so large and how figuring out a viable financi...

Do you have a vision or vision statement for your studio? In this episode I share some questions I think about to get a more vivid picture of what I'm trying to accomplish with my music studio and business. I also talk about Vision's nemesis: FOMO. It's real and it's constantly trying to sabotage our focus. To get a printable version of the questions from this episode, go to musicstudiostartup.com...

I'm going to be taking the summer off of podcasting. I don't like taking breaks, but I think welcoming a new little human into the world warrants some time away. I've already got some really fascinating podcast episodes lined up for the fall and I'm working on some cool business planning resources that have grown out of the conversations I've had with many listeners and clients over the last year,...