systems Archives - Music Studio Startup

023 – Eric Branner of Fons on Building a Payment System to Transform Teaching Studios

February 13, 2019

app development, automation, market research, productivity, studio management, systems, technology

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, or wherever you get podcasts! Summary Eric was a third-generation music teacher making a great living when he got hooked up with a tech business founder looking for a new project. Eric realized he was spending a lot more time on admin tasks than he realized, so together they launched an…

Moving – Part 3: Ending Well

October 29, 2018

moving, organization, studio management, systems, time management

Recap On Sunday my studio had its farewell pizza party and performance. It was so much fun and I would do it again in a heartbeat. It was decidedly not fancy: I supplied the paper goods and ordered pizzas, a parent volunteered to bring drinks, and a couple of other families brought cookies. It was…

Managing Lesson Inquiry Mayhem

October 1, 2018

communication, new students, productivity, studio management, systems

Fifteen years ago, 95% of my prospects called via phone. Probably a landline. And they left messages on my parents’ answering machine. Those were the days. 😉 Today, prospective students can get a hold of us through direct email, phone, text, website contact forms, Facebook messenger, Instagram, NextDoor, casual conversations in the driveway… so many…

Using a Sales Funnel for Music Studio Diagnostics

September 3, 2018

advertising, marketing, online marketing, promotion, studio management, systems, time management

If you’re not sure why you’re not getting new students, the sales funnel might be just the diagnostic tool you need. It can show us a lot, including how we can improve our processes to get more students. What is a Sales Funnel? The sales funnel is the path people follow to become customers. At…

Episode 011 – Aaron Garner of Piano Marvel on Starting a Software Company When You’re Not a Developer

August 22, 2018

entrepreneurship, goals, marketing, music majors, networking, productivity, systems, technology

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, or wherever you get podcasts! Summary Aaron Garner is a piano teacher and champion for innovation in music education. Like other teachers I’ve interviewed, Aaron’s business idea came from an inefficiency he noticed in his piano studio. The solution he came up with led him to raise $600k in…

Phone Productivity Hacks

August 13, 2018

automation, organization, productivity, systems, time management

I have a love hate relationship with my phone. It helps me do so much, but it will also suck my life away if I let it! Over the years I’ve test a lot of phone productivity hacks. Some work for me, others don’t. These are a few of the ways I currently set up…

Episode 009 – Sean Murphy on Managing an In-School Studio of 100+ Students

July 25, 2018

in-school lessons, increasing income, marketing, organization, saxophone teacher, studio management, summer, systems, time management

Summary Sean Murphy is a saxophone teacher who managed to teach 112 students on a weekly basis by teaching in schools, during the school hours. In our interview, Sean shares his scheduling strategies, communication tips, and how he keeps his income up in leaner summer months. Takeaways Starting out Sean’s personal network led him to…

Online Productivity Hacks for Google Chrome

July 23, 2018

automation, Chrome, focus, organization, productivity, studio management, systems, time management

Last week I shared some of my favorite computer productivity hacks. Today I’m sharing web browser productivity hacks. Most apply to Chrome, but I know some (if not all) of the Chrome extensions I mention also have versions for other popular browsers, such as FireFox and Edge. 1. Turn off browser notification requests If you…

Computer Hacks to Make You More Productive

July 16, 2018

automation, organization, productivity, studio management, systems, technology, time management

Computers help us do a lot of things faster (like contact a whole group of students at once by email or automate our billing processes) but I’m convinced most of us could save even more time on these tasks by incorporating some new tools and strategies into our workflow. 1. Learn to text from your…

Summer Reading List for Entrepreneurial Music Teachers

July 9, 2018

books, entrepreneurship, focus, goals, online marketing, productivity, studio management, systems, time management

If you want to up your game as a business owner and your summer schedule affords you some extra reading time, check out five of my favorite entrepreneurial books: 1. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber I first read this book in high school and it’s been a huge influence on how I’ve thought about…

Episode 006 – Wendy Racer on Designing a Studio for Profit

July 4, 2018

branding, studio decor, studio management, systems

Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts! Summary Wendy Racer is an interior designer and the owner of Way Interiors. In this episode, she shares her five profit-boosting interior design tips for music teachers and studio owners! Takeaways 1. Keep the look of your website, business card, and studio…

Music Studio Branding Lessons from Magnolia Market

June 25, 2018

branding, customer service, marketing, student experience, student retention, systems

Full disclosure: I have never seen an episode of Fixer Upper and couldn’t tell you much about Chip and Joanna Gaines beyond their names. My sister, however, is a huge fan. When she heard I would be in Waco, TX last week to speak at the Texas Music Teachers Association Convention she insisted I go…