Rock School Proprietor Podcast

On this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) talk with Lauren Bateman, a successful music educator and YouTube guitar teacher with over 600 thousand subscribers.  They discuss the balance between running brick-and-mortar music schools and an online presence, the realities of achieving success on YouTube, and the importan...

In this episode, John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) reflect on their experiences over the past year, discussing the importance of setting goals, evaluating successes and failures, and learning from challenges. They emphasize the significance of writing down goals, the impact of unexpected surprises, and the growth that comes f...

On this special “Greatest Hits of 2025” episode of the Rock School Proprietor Podcast, John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) brings together some of the most impactful moments from two standout conversations of 2025, featuring Dave Simon and Tim Topham. This curated episode highlights big ideas, fresh perspectives, and practical strategies for lesson studio owners who w...

On this episode of the Rock School Proprietor Podcast, John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) have an honest conversation about the mistakes they’ve made while running their music lesson businesses, and more importantly, the lessons that came out of them. From pricing missteps to programs they didn’t promote soon enough, this epis...

In this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) interviews Eric Branner, founder of FONS studio management software, and host of the 440 Podcast. The two have an introspective conversation about treating teaching as a calling and building a studio grounded in purpose. They discuss Eric's journey founding FONS, automating scheduling and payments, owning your pricin...

Hosts John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) adapt Michael Gerber’s E-Myth to music schools, breaking down the three essential roles—technician, manager, and entrepreneur—and how each impacts running your studio. They discuss how to identify which role fits you, practical ways to delegate or hire, using systems and tech to streaml...

John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) talks with business and marketing coach Sara Campbell of Savvy Music Studio about using your existing student relationships to transform your marketing. Instead of inventing ideal client personas or copying flashy social media tactics, Sarah shows how the language you already use in lessons and the real progress you see every week a...

Which music school management software is best? The answer will vary based on your specific needs, but on this episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast, John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) does a deep-dive into MyMusicStaff with Adam Pattee, the platform's demo & onboarding specialist. This episode digs into the benefits of integrated studio management software w...

In this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) explain how to use surveys to develop new programs, evaluate instructors, and measure overall client satisfaction in your music studio. They cover what to ask (and what to avoid), how often to survey without causing fatigue, tips on platforms and question wording, and how to u...

John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) each share the three technologies they rely on to run their music studios more smoothly. The cover platforms from project management and scheduling to email marketing and team communication. They discuss tools like Trello, ActiveCampaign, Acuity/Squarespace scheduling, Slack, ClickSend, Canva...

On this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) reacts to Dave Simon's podcast about the three P's of music lesson success—pleasure, practice, progress—and proposes a fourth P: purpose. He argues that understanding why a student is taking lessons changes how we weight practice and progress, and can improve retention. The episode explores how emphasizing practice w...

Your website might be doing a great job explaining what you offer but is it helping parents feel confident about choosing you? On this episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast, John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) are joined by Demitris Maddox ( Provide Impact ) to talk about the strategic use of video on your music school's we...

On this Q&A quick-fire episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast, hosts John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) answer three listener questions studio owners are asking: Investing in a licensed curriculum for group classes. What to consider, questions to ask, and where to start? Which studio management software is best? Core fe...

John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) discuss the fear and insecurity that arise when a new music studio opens nearby, sharing a personal story about feeling threatened and how that led to mistakes. They explore how to shift from reactive competition to a healthier, more constructive mindset. Practical takeaways from the discussi...

Studio owner Darvin Lau ( BayRidge School of Music ) found his concerts costing more than they earned — until Mike Grande ( Rock Out Loud Live ) helped him change the playbook. On this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com), with help from Mike and Darvin, walk through concrete steps that transformed Darvin's costly concerts into profitable events. Tips to make i...

On this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) teach music school owners how to get free publicity. Newspapers, magazines, online outlets, and even TV news are regularly LOOKING for stories to cover. Knowing how to craft newsworthy stories, write effective press releases, build relationships with journalists, and use photo...

In this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) discuss why being selective about students and families helps you build the studio culture you want. They share real examples and practical strategies for setting expectations, protecting staff time, and aligning families with your lesson studio philosophy. Key takeaways inclu...

On this Q&A episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast, hosts John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) tackle a messy situation: a talented instructor with persistent communication and scheduling problems who has started teaching elsewhere and even picked up former students privately. They walk through how to decide whether to ke...

John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York (Music Time of Milford ) talk with Kristen Blanchard, 2024 Michigan Band Director of the Year. A middle school band director ( Muir Middle School ) of nearly 30 years, she shares how music education has evolved and how her methods have also changed over the course of her career.  Kristin highlights why creating a fun,...

In this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York (Music Time of Milford ) Kelly Bennett, co-owner of Valencia School of Music , about taking a group of teenagers from her music school on tour. They discuss all the challenges and successes involved in organizing this huge project. Kelly shares insights on how to create a supportive community for young...

In this episode John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) speaks with Brady Davies, the founder of One Music Schools . Brady shares his family's journey of opening a single piano lesson studio ( The Piano Place ), expanding to multiple locations, and now leading a company that purchase music schools. Join us as Brady delves into the intricacies of acquiring music schools, w...

On this episode of the Rock School Proprietor Podcast host John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) has a fascinating conversation with Eric Bourassa ( UnlimitedGuitar.com ), the former owner of the Fort Worth Music Academy. Eric shares why he chose to sell his thriving music business and the personal insights he gained afterward. This episode unveils the intricacies of se...

Join hosts John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) as they celebrate a year of conversations on the Rock School Proprietor Podcast. In this special episode, they reflect on their journey of over 50 episodes, sharing their top takeaways from conversations and listener interactions. Mandy and John both share their top 3 most insightf...

In this enlightening episode of the Rock School Proprietor Podcast, hosts John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) and Mandy York ( Music Time of Milford ) are joined by Nicole Kovar, founder of Piano and More . They discuss the ins and outs of operating a mobile music lessons school that only offers in-home private lessons. Discover how Nicole breaks geographic barriers b...

Join us on an extraordinary episode of Rock School Proprietor Podcast as host John Kozicki ( Michigan Rock School and RockSchoolProprietor.com) welcomes back Mike Grande, owner of three music schools and founder of the Rock Out Loud Live online lesson platform. On Episode 24 Mike joined us to share how he was using TikTok Shop to sell his Card Chords product, and how it ultimately launched him int...