It’s that time of year where parents and students alike are gearing up for summer. Vacations are being planned, plane tickets booked and everyone looks forward with great anticipation to relaxation and good times. What most people are not gearing up for are summer music lessons. I’ve heard many arguments both for and against summer [...]

Problem This year I am celebrating 10 years of being a music studio business owner. In 2002, I opened my studio and had 17 students within the first year. I now carry a load of about 40 private students. My dilemma is that I am completely full, teaching six days per week, but just a [...]

One of the challenges in scheduling piano lessons is that most of my clients are school aged children.  This means that by the time a student gets out of school and over to my home studio it is typically 4:00.  Most school aged children–especially the younger ones I tend to work with–are at their best [...]

Are you an independent teacher? Do you have a small studio? Do you wonder how and when to change you hourly rate? Here are a few thoughts on determining a rate and scheduling increases that I use in my courses for teachers.

At one of my recent teaching association meetings, we discussed how even studio owners and music teachers are feeling the affects of the bad economy.  As families tighten their belts a bit more and look for ways to lower their budget, some of their children’s extra curricular activities are seen as unnecessary luxuries.  Use some [...]

I used to panic when summer hit.  My students all assumed they had the summer off from piano lessons (as that was typical practice where I lived).  While a few students were still interested in taking lessons during the summer, the drastic drop in income always took some adjusting and required me to budget throughout [...]

Do you offer make-up lessons? Do you require 24-hour advanced notice? Are there make-up lessons built into your semester or yearly calendar? Do your make-up lessons ever bleed over into summer lessons eating away at your precious summer income? Do make-up lessons make you feel stressed, overworked or manipulated?

At this time of year, I have taxes heavily on my mind. Perhaps you, too, are busy preparing your 2011 returns before that dreaded April date, or maybe you’re way ahead of me and have already taken care of everything. While being a self-employed studio owner can be a bit of a pain come tax [...]

At the top of my list of to-do’s over the holiday break? Whipping my studio into shape for the new year. It was badly in need of reorganization after the end-of-semester frenzy — and I’m pretty sure mine isn’t the only one! That, of course begs the question: is your studio ready for 2012? I [...]

The holidays are my favorite time of year, especially in the studio. I love working on festive pieces with my students and recording holiday songs for them to give as gifts. And of course, the break is refreshing not only for students, but for me as a teacher. However, as a business owner, the holidays [...]