I’ve always enjoyed owning my own business. Even when I was a junior high school student, I had my very own business: a friend and I sewed hair bows and sold them to the ladies at church for a dollar. Of course, the bows were pretty hideous and the ‘business’ didn’t last very long, but it did get me started on my journey of entrepreneurialism. I tried selling makeup, and selling term life insurance, and then selling makeup again. I’ve tried a few other things along the way, too, but I always came back to the thing I do the best: teaching piano lessons. Through all my business attempts, both failed and successful, I’ve learned a number of things that helped make my piano teaching business become more successful.
Find a need and fill it. The best, most successful businesses are those that find a specific need and fill it using passions, skills, and abilities. In my case, the ‘need’ is people who want to learn how to play piano. I am passionate about people and music.I fill the need by providing piano lessons in a comfortable environment that are fun and tailored to the the individual student.
Have solid policies. Of course you want to give your customers the best service possible. Without them, you wouldn’t have a business at all. But you also need to be able to protect yourself. So have good, solid policies that are fair to you and fair to your customer. Just make sure that your customers are aware of your policies. My policies let my students know what I expect of them (regular attendance, timely payment) and what they can expect of me (unique, fun lessons, and a dedicated time just for them).
Keep learning. If you’re not learning something new, your business will get stale. In my case, I am always learning a new piece of music or a new skill so that I can relate better to my students. I can share with them the struggles of practicing, getting frustrated with something hard, and the great feeling of success when a piece is completed.
Set goals. This year, I set a goal that I wanted to add ten more students to my piano studio. I’m ten percent of the way there! I have a long way to go, but if I hadn’t set any goals, I wouldn’t have any new students. I have a few more potential students in the works, too, and since I have policies and goals in place I’m in a good position to accept them as new students. Goals help your business to grow, so try to set attainable goals that help you stretch.
Don’t give up! Piano studios aren’t built in a day, and neither are any other good businesses. It takes time, energy, and commitment to build a solid, financially secure business. Choose something you love and are passionate about and then stick to it. The freedom of owning your own business is worth it!