Music Studio Startup: Helping music teachers thrive as entrepreneurs

Today I’m joined by David Smolover, a serial entrepreneur who has led an inspiring career in music education. You’ll hear about how he started the National Guitar Summer Workshop that has served up to 6k students, how he made his way into publishing instructional materials (both digital and physical), and how his response to a random cold email led to the start of the guided practice app that we’re diving into today.

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode128.

MSS Entrepreneurs Hub + Mastermind

Music Studio Business Building 101

Business Finance for Music Teachers

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With Tonara’s announcement that they will be shutting down their practice app, a lot of teachers are looking for a replacement, so we thought it would be helpful to feature a few of the other apps in this space.

Last week we talked to Nicola Cantan about the startup story of her brand new app - Vivid Practice and today we’re rebroadcasting an episode with the founders of PracticeSpace, Robert Miller and Chris Mallett.

PracticeSpace was not the first business Robert and Chris started together - the first was their teaching conservatory, which you’ll also hear about in this interview.

A full transcript along with all the resources mentioned in this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode127.

MSS Entrepreneurs Hub + Mastermind

MSS Episode 126 – Nicola Cantan on Building and Launching Practice App

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode126.

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 notes and resources mentioned in this episode at musicstudiostartup.com/mini002rebroadcast2023

Today I’m talking to Jenny B Peters, a recently retired school music teacher who has had a very full - and sometimes challenging - career. Jenny talks about how budget cuts in her district prompted her to get really creative with her teaching curriculum and eventually led her to develop a series of ukulele books, videos, and online courses.

We get to hear how Jenny and her sister built that business, how they weathered some storms while learning a lot, and how they eventually sold it.

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode125.

We commonly think of entrepreneurs as people who start businesses, but over the years I’ve really come to appreciate people who bring an entrepreneurial spirit to the work they do in existing organizations — sometimes these people are called “intrapreneurs.”

Today I’m talking to one such person - Chris Madden - who spearheaded the introduction of a new masters degree program at his university. You’ll hear about how proposing a new master’s program is a lot like pitching a new business, from the planning stage to the marketing stage.

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode124.

Hey and welcome back! While you’ve hopefully been enjoying some much deserved rest and relaxation this summer, we’ve been busy behind the scenes here at Music Studio Startup and have some amazing things in store for you this fall! Today I’d like to highlight three of those things: upcoming podcast episodes, the new MSS Entrepreneurs Hub + Mastermind, and the MSS Grant Competition.

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/2023fallannouncement.

We're getting ready for a new season of Music Studio Startup beginning in a couple of weeks. As we bid farewell to summer, I've got another quarterly check-in to share with you.

In case you didn't catch our other quarterly check-ins from earlier in the year, you can listen to them here:

Winter Q1: MSS Episode 112 – Amy Elmore on 3 Mindset Questions to Ask Before Setting Your New Year’s Resolutions

Spring Q2: New Harmony 001B – Goal Setting Tips for Music Teachers: Part B

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode123.

MSS Mastermind + Entrepreneurs Hub is now open! Learn more.

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 Judy Naillon.

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/snapshot023.

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 Armando Salas

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/snapshot022.