The Performing Arts School Entrepreneur

Hosted by David Martin, the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur podcast brings you inside the journeys of music and performing arts school founders who turned passion into thriving businesses. Each episode features real stories from leaders who’ve scaled their schools, built strong cultures, and found sustainable ways to grow—without losing sight of their mission to inspire the next generation. From lessons in leadership and hiring, to parent engagement, marketing, and the systems that keep schools running smoothly, you’ll hear practical strategies and fresh inspiration designed for music and performing arts school owners. Brought to you by Opus1, the all-in-one platform built to help music and performing arts schools simplify operations, strengthen culture, and scale with confidence.

Build Around the Parent: Dave Simon on Pricing & Groups 10/09/2026

Build Around the Parent: Dave Simon on Pricing & Groups Dave Simon has seen the music school industry from almost every side. Over 17 years he grew his side gig teaching bass lessons into a 350-student rock school. He created the Kids Rock and Junior Rockers group programs, which schools around the world now license. He hosted the Music Lessons and Marketing podcast, and today he works with Ensemble Performing Arts on the acquisition side. In this episode, host David Martin and Dave talk about what it takes to build a school that can run, and sell, without you. Dave explains why owners should raise their school the way a parent raises a child to become an adult. He covers why so many schools undercharge for lessons while overpaying staff, and how putting group programs first changed his margins. He also shares the first thing he’d do if he opened a school tomorrow: build it around the parent, not the owner. Show Notes Raise your school to leave home: Your job is to prepare the school to run without you. Owners who build with an exit in mind run their schools differently from day one. Get your name out of the boxes: Draw your org chart and count how many roles have your name in them. Then rank which ones to hand off first, so you can lead like a coach instead of playing quarterback. Price for the experience you deliver: Dave recommends keeping 50–60% of lesson revenue with the school. He often sees schools sending 60–70% or more to teacher pay. Retain teachers with culture, not just pay: Belonging, a raise ladder tied to student retention, and public recognition of great teaching all keep good teachers around. Flip the model with groups first: Every new student aged 4–11 at Dave’s school started in a band program. About 70% of students ended up in bands, and private lessons became the destination for the most driven students. Speak to parents’ real worries: Talk to parents directly, then reflect their concerns in your messaging, including their child’s emotional well-being. Make every touch point feel premium so your price confirms the impression. Don’t sit out AI: Dave compares holding off on AI to the schools that waited too long to get a website or email. Falling behind limits your ability to impact kids. Whether you’re stuck doing everything yourself or planning an exit, this episode gives you a clear framework for building a school that’s more valuable, more profitable, and less dependent on you.` /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/43238773

From France to Chicago: Thibaut Bannelier on Music Schools Across Cultures 07/14/2026

Grit & Continuous Learning: Marla Morrison on Building Two Schools 06/30/2026

The Music School Flip: Tong Liu on Buying, Growing, and Selling Music Schools 06/04/2026

Roll-Up Revolution: Jeff Homer on Acquiring and Scaling Music Schools | Ep. 21 05/20/2026

Roll-Up Revolution: Jeff Homer on Acquiring and Scaling Music Schools | Ep. 21 Jeff Homer didn't grow up in music education. He came from 10 years in finance, investing in small and mid-size businesses, before a job in Denver led him to a music school owner looking for a business partner. That chance encounter sparked something he couldn't let go. Today, Jeff is the founder of Ensemble Performing Arts, a national roll-up of music and dance schools with an audacious goal: 250 locations by 2030. In this conversation, host David Martin sits down with Jeff to unpack the business model behind Ensemble's growth, what Jeff looks for when acquiring schools, and why an outsider's perspective turned out to be one of his biggest assets. From valuation methodology and acquisition process to teacher retention, marketing strategy, and the power of follow-up, Jeff brings a clear-eyed, data-driven lens to an industry he has come to deeply admire. In this episode, you'll learn: An outsider's advantage. Jeff came from finance, not music, and turned that into a strength. While music school owners excel at teaching and student experience, many struggle with HR, marketing, and financial operations. Jeff built Ensemble around centralizing exactly those back-office functions so schools can focus on what they do best. What Ensemble looks for in an acquisition. Jeff uses three primary screening criteria: geographic fit (major metro markets where they can eventually own multiple schools), size (typically $750K or more in revenue as evidence of product-market fit), and culture (schools built around joy and individualized learning, not rigid conservatory models). The onboarding moment is the most vulnerable. Jeff describes the post-acquisition onboarding as the highest-risk period. His approach: keep messaging simple, emphasize continuity, validate what the team has built, and hint at career growth opportunities rather than leading with change. Increasingly, he sends regional managers who joined via acquisition to deliver that message firsthand. Growth beats cost-cutting every time. Ensemble's primary lever for improving school margins is enrollment growth, not expense reduction. Because fixed costs are already covered, adding a single student can carry a 50% incremental margin. Going from 200 to 250 students can, in some cases, double profitability. How music schools are valued. Jeff walks through the concept of seller's discretionary earnings (SDE): stripping out personal expenses, estimating the cost to replace the owner's time, and then applying a market-rate multiplier. For most schools, that multiplier lands in the 3 to 3.5x range, with larger schools trending toward the higher end. Teacher retention drives student retention. Jeff is clear that retaining great teachers is the real engine of long-term student retention. Ensemble monitors teacher pay as a percentage of revenue, invests in career progression, and treats compensation growth as a strategic priority rather than an afterthought. Follow-up is the biggest unlock most schools are leaving on the table. Jeff describes the gap between the average school's approach to a new lead (a single thoughtful email, then forgotten) and a system-driven approach with speed, sequence, and multi-channel outreach. In his experience, systematizing follow-up is the most accessible and impactful improvement any school can make. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/41349765

The Rock School Secret: John Kozicki on How Community Drives Music School Retention (Ep. 20) 05/05/2026

The Rock School Secret: John Kozicki on How Community Drives Music School Retention (Ep. 20) John Kozicki has one of the more unconventional paths in the music school world: corporate marketing background, punk rock touring years, two music schools built and sold, and now co-host of the Rock School Proprietor podcast. In this episode, John joins David Martin for a wide-ranging conversation about what it really means to build a music school around community and purpose. John shares his philosophy on what he calls "the rock school secret" (why students in band programs stay longer and engage more deeply than those in private lessons alone) and makes the case that the instrument is really just the conduit for something much bigger. He also gets candid about brand identity, the importance of knowing who your school is actually for, and why copying another studio's marketing is a fast track to churn. In this episode, you'll hear: How a bad experience with piano lessons as a kid shaped John's entire approach to running Michigan Rock School today. The origin story of John's first music school: quitting a corporate PR job without another one lined up, stumbling into guitar teaching to pay for a wedding, and gradually realizing this might actually be the thing. The "rock school secret": students participating in band programs have significantly higher retention than those in private lessons alone. John explains why community and performance create a deeper connection to music, and why that keeps students enrolled longer. Why John believes the instrument is just the conduit. His firm belief: everyone comes to music for a reason that runs deeper than wanting to learn guitar or piano, and great instructors and studio owners tap into that. How Michigan Rock School's marketing leads with community, socialization, and belonging. John explains why the benefits that keep kids in team sports are exactly what a well-run music program can offer. John's hiring philosophy: he looks for instructors he'd want to be in a band with. The reasoning goes deeper than culture fit, it's about whether that person can build the kind of trust with students that feels different from every other adult in their lives. His candid advice on brand identity for music school owners who don't have a marketing background: identify the two or three current families you always have the best conversations with, figure out what you talk about, and build your marketing from there. Why copying what a competitor is doing will attract the wrong students and drive up churn. Your marketing has to match who you actually are. The evolution (not transition) from teacher to manager, and how COVID was the unexpected moment that forced John to fully embrace his role as the person steering the ship. What's next: John's plans to make Michigan Rock School's rock band curriculum available to other schools, an ongoing songwriting book project, and continued work on the Rock School Proprietor podcast with co-host Mandy York. Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools build community and retention: Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories, strategies, and insights from leaders across the industry. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/41047230

What's Working in Music School Marketing: Kaena Miller on Ads, Creative, and Optimizing Your Budget 04/13/2026

What's Working in Music School Marketing: Kaena Miller on Ads, Creative, and Optimizing Your Budget In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Kaena Miller. Kaena is the founder of Red Blind Media, a digital marketing agency that has developed a specialty working with music schools across North America. What started as a COVID-era project quickly grew into a full-time agency, and Kaena brings a rare, data-backed perspective on what's actually driving enrollment growth today: which ad channels are working, what creative performs, how to measure results, and what most school owners are getting wrong when it comes to their websites. Show Notes: This episode features a practical conversation with Kaena Miller, founder of Red Blind Media, about the digital marketing strategies that are driving real enrollment results for music schools right now. Host David Martin and Kaena dig into the platforms, creative formats, and budgeting frameworks that Redline has tested across more than a dozen school clients, offering school owners a clear-eyed look at where to invest their marketing dollars and how to evaluate whether those dollars are working. Why Google and Meta remain the core channels, and why chasing newer platforms like TikTok rarely pays off for local music schools Where to start if your budget is under $1,000 a month, including why Google is the lower-lift entry point and when Meta becomes worth the added investment in creative What's working on Meta right now, from studio tour videos and elevator pitches to always-on offers, and why letting the creative do the targeting outperforms manual audience-building The role of offers in driving conversions, and why you should always be running some kind of promo, even if it's not tied to a holiday or seasonal event How to think about cost per lead and customer acquisition cost, including real benchmarks Redline sees across their client base and how to evaluate ROI against student lifetime value Why tracking is everything, and why most school owners shouldn't try to set it up themselves The attribution challenge, and how to triangulate between ad platform data, Google Analytics, and simple survey questions to get a clearer picture of what's actually driving leads What makes a high-converting music school website, including the value of real photos, recital videos, and making your offer immediately obvious to a first-time visitor The biggest website mistakes Kaena sees, from keyword-heavy walls of text to outdated designs that undermine first impressions before a family ever picks up the phone 👉 Learn how Opus1.io helps performing arts schools simplify operations and grow with confidence: ✨ Catch every episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for real-world insights from school owners shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/40862080

Premium Pricing, Strong Retention, and the In-Home Advantage — Nicole Kovar on Building Piano & More 02/26/2026

Premium Pricing, Strong Retention, and the In-Home Advantage — Nicole Kovar on Building Piano & More In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Nicole Kovar, founder and executive director of Piano & More, a Northern Virginia–based in-home music school, and creator of the nonprofit initiative Play It Forward. What started as a side hustle after grad school quickly turned into something much bigger. Nicole didn’t set out to build a school. She simply filled her own schedule with in-home lessons, and, when her waitlist grew, it was parents who encouraged her to hire and train other teachers in her approach. Today, Piano & More serves families across Northern Virginia with a premium, highly structured in-home model and strong student retention to match. In this conversation, Nicole pulls back the curtain on what it really takes to build a scalable in-home studio: 🎹 From “accidental entrepreneur” to structured operator — the mindset shift required to move from solo teacher to school owner. 💰 Raising rates from $25 to $100 per lesson — why underpricing causes more pain than most owners realize, and how premium pricing filters for better families and better outcomes. 📊 Tracking what matters — how implementing stronger systems and weekly metrics changed how she views retention, margins, and long-term growth. 📅 No makeups, clear policies — why structure protects both profitability and professionalism. 🤝 Building teacher culture without a physical location — monthly meetings, social events, and why teacher retention (not student retention) is her biggest focus. Nicole also shares how adopting modern studio management software exposed weak policies, forced operational clarity, and ultimately strengthened her business foundation: a reminder that growth requires structure. And beyond the business, she talks about Play It Forward, her nonprofit program partnering with Title I schools to provide free keyboards and weekly lessons to students who otherwise wouldn’t have access to piano education. If you’ve ever considered an in-home model, struggled with pricing, or felt stretched too thin by loose policies and inconsistent systems, this episode is packed with practical insight and honest lessons from a school owner who built it step by step. 👉 Learn how Opus1.io helps performing arts schools simplify operations and grow with confidence: ✨ Catch every episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for real-world insights from school owners shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/40242795

From Patchwork to Platform — Lawrence & Jasmine Yu on the Systems Shift that Helped Symphony 9 Scale 02/26/2026

From Patchwork to Platform — Lawrence & Jasmine Yu on the Systems Shift that Helped Symphony 9 Scale In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Lawrence & Jasmine Yu, co-founders of Symphony 9 School and a powerhouse duo blending elite musical training with modern school leadership. Jasmine is an internationally trained violist (UC San Diego, San Francisco Conservatory of Music) with a performance career spanning orchestras in the U.S. and abroad. Lawrence is a composer, pianist, and music technologist with deep experience in curriculum-driven instruction, film/game composition, and the operational side of running a music education business. Together, they share the unlikely origin story of Symphony 9: a six-month negotiation during COVID that took a school’s asking price from $250,000 down to $15,000 — and a “no transition” handoff that dropped them straight into ownership on January 1, 2021. What followed was a crash course in policies, systems, teacher leadership, and the reality of building a culture families and staff can trust. In this conversation, Jasmine and Lawrence break down the lessons every school owner should hear: 🎼 From accidental acquisition to intentional growth — what it’s really like to inherit “the good and the bad,” clean up inconsistent pricing, and set policies that some families won’t like (but your business needs). 🧾 Rebuilding the back office — why “Google-calendar patchwork” and manual invoicing break down fast, and how better systems protect your time, your team, and your sanity. 🤝 Running a school as a married couple — the visionary vs. integrator dynamic, the pressure points that cause conflict, and how that friction can actually make the business stronger. 👩‍🏫 Hiring teachers who aren’t “you” — why you can’t expect staff to match owner-level passion, what great teaching looks like in practice, and how retention becomes the ultimate scorecard. 📣 Marketing that actually moves the needle — what’s worked (local community events, visibility, referrals) and what’s been tougher (ads, flyers), plus how they’re thinking about the next stage of growth. If you’ve ever thought about buying a studio, rebuilding systems, raising rates, or scaling without losing your culture, this episode is packed with real-world insight – the kind you only get from owners who lived it. 👉 Learn how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: ✨ Catch every episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more insights from leaders shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/40242680

Designing a School That Feels Like a Brand — Katie Crist on Luxury, Systems & Selling the Music Box 12/09/2025

Designing a School That Feels Like a Brand — Katie Crist on Luxury, Systems & Selling the Music Box In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin talks with Katie Crist — founder of The Music Box in Lafayette, Louisiana — a school she grew from a one-room vocal studio into a full-scale academy known for its elevated design, polished systems, and extraordinary student experience. Years later, she sold the Music Box at its peak, in a rare “top-of-the-mountain” entrepreneurial exit — and today she coaches studio owners across the country. Katie’s approach to building a school was anything but typical. Influenced by her decade-long career in commercial music — including singing jingles for Barbie and performing on major national stages — she brought the glamour and intentionality of the LA music industry into a children’s studio in the Southeast. In this conversation, Katie takes us behind the scenes of how she built a school that felt more like a boutique brand than a teaching studio: ✨ How design became a growth engine — from investing in flooring before she had 40 students, to color-themed lesson rooms, fresh flowers on tuition week, and a lobby designed for moms to exhale. 🎤 Bringing “real music industry” to kids — annual recording studio albums, red-carpet concerts, and bold venue choices supported by parent sponsorships. ⚙️ Systems that created freedom — how switching to Opus1, building a detailed operations manual, and delegating front-desk control transformed her schedule and her sanity. 🧩 Training that actually works — ensuring new staff could perform tasks identically to her by documenting every step, clarifying expectations, and removing ambiguity. 📈 Preparing to sell — reverse-engineering financials, understanding adbacks, hiring a valuation analyst, and achieving a rare top-value exit at the height of her school’s success. Katie’s story is a masterclass in elevating the everyday — transforming a small-town lesson studio into a premium brand, then building the systems and leadership required to let it thrive without her. This episode is packed with wisdom for any owner ready to refine their space, streamline their operations, or start thinking about long-term value. 👉 Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: opus1.io ✨ Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories, strategies, and inspiration from leaders across the industry. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339850

Accidental Entrepreneur to Community Leader — How Ruthie Smith Grew Music Speaks Studio Through Groups, Partnerships & Culture 12/09/2025

Accidental Entrepreneur to Community Leader — How Ruthie Smith Grew Music Speaks Studio Through Groups, Partnerships & Culture In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin welcomes Ruthie Smith, founder and CEO of Music Speaks Studio in San Diego, CA — a fast-growing music and arts school serving 300+ students through private lessons, group classes, and visual arts programming. What began with a few piano and vocal lessons in her living room has grown into a thriving multi-teacher, multi-program studio with deep roots in the local community. Ruthie never set out to build a school — she calls herself an “accidental entrepreneur.” But through curiosity, coaching, and community, she discovered how to turn her love for teaching into a sustainable business that impacts students across San Diego. In this episode, Ruthie shares the strategies, mindset shifts, and pivotal moments that shaped her growth: 🎒 Humble beginnings — teaching while wearing her baby, juggling motherhood, and realizing her “side gig” had real traction. 👥 From solos to systems — hiring her first teachers during COVID, overcoming the fear of “they won’t teach like me,” and building a staff culture rooted in collaboration, shadowing, and shared standards. 🎹 The power of groups — shifting from one-on-one lessons to small groups, using games and peer interaction to boost engagement, and reserving prime hours exclusively for group classes. 🔁 Flex credits that actually help you grow — her innovative make-up policy that increases retention and funnels students into new programs like art, band, and workshops. 📈 Breaking 100 students — Ruthie’s best advice for owners feeling stuck: double down on what already works, lean into referrals, and make sure you’re discoverable online. Ruthie’s story is equal parts strategic and heartfelt — a blend of entrepreneurial grit, community-driven growth, and a deep commitment to making the arts accessible. Whether you’re navigating your first 50 students or scaling past 300, this episode is packed with real-world strategies you can apply immediately. 👉 Learn how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth and run more efficiently: ✨ Catch all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories and actionable insights from industry leaders. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339810

Rethinking Piano Education — Tim Topham on Creativity, Modern Students & Teaching That Actually Works 12/09/2025

Rethinking Piano Education — Tim Topham on Creativity, Modern Students & Teaching That Actually Works In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Tim Topham — international speaker, author, and founder of TopMusic, one of the world’s most influential platforms for modern music educators. Through books, courses, membership programs, and global teacher training, Tim has helped thousands of piano teachers rethink how they teach in a fast-changing world. Tim’s flagship book, No Book Beginners, challenges one of the oldest assumptions in piano education: that you must teach reading on day one. Instead, he advocates a “sound before symbol” approach that builds creativity, musicality, and motivation — and the results are remarkable. Some parents even report they “can’t stop their kids from playing.” In this conversation, Tim breaks down the shifts every studio owner and teacher needs to understand: 🎹 Why traditional teaching is failing modern students — and why “teach the way you were taught” no longer works in a world of shorter attention spans and limitless technology. 🧠 Student-centered instruction — how to balance student choice with teacher expertise and why autonomy is now essential for motivation. 🎧 The first lesson without a method book — creative frameworks that build rapport, deepen musical understanding, and keep beginners excited from day one. 👪 Educating parents (before expectations derail lessons) — why teachers should intentionally onboard parents and Tim’s brilliant idea for a “watch this first” video during the first lesson. 🚀 The business mistakes he sees everywhere — from relying solely on word-of-mouth to outdated websites to avoiding marketing because “I’m not a business person.” ⚙️ Systems that free your time — why successful teachers embrace software for onboarding, payments, communication, and scheduling (and why writing checks in 2025 is holding you back). From redefining beginner lessons to helping teachers reclaim their passion, Tim offers a refreshing, practical roadmap for educators and studio owners who want to stay relevant, inspired, and effective with today’s students. 👉 Learn how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify operations and improve student experience: opus1.io ✨ Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories and strategies from leaders shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339725

Reinvention, Resilience & Rapid Growth — Dr. Talonda Thomas on Scaling the New York Musician Center to 1,100 Students 12/09/2025

Reinvention, Resilience & Rapid Growth — Dr. Talonda Thomas on Scaling the New York Musician Center to 1,100 Students In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Dr. Talonda Thomas — founder of the New York Musician Center, one of Long Island’s largest and most decorated music schools, now serving over 1,100 students and preparing for national franchise expansion. Talonda’s journey is a story of bold decisions, constant reinvention, and the kind of leadership that turns a small teaching studio into a high-impact, multi-location brand. What started as a few lessons in a Queens apartment has grown into a powerhouse academy shaping the next generation of musicians — and soon, the next generation of school owners. In this conversation, Talonda shares hard-won lessons every school owner can learn from: 🎹 Starting from scratch — signing a building lease with zero students and no roadmap, and learning to build a school one relationship at a time. 📈 Growing fast… then growing smart — how she navigated early missteps like high-interest loans and turned them into systems and decisions that fueled long-term growth. 🔥 Crisis moments that test you — including COVID shutdowns, staffing emergencies, and even a fire marshal closing the school mid-lessons — and how she rebuilt trust and momentum afterward. 👥 Leadership that inspires loyalty — building a 60-teacher team, nurturing community, and creating a culture where people want to stay and grow. 🏗️ Why franchising became the next chapter — and what it takes to turn a thriving local school into a scalable, repeatable, franchise-ready model with zero guesswork. 💡 Fearless decision-making — her philosophy of pressing “go” even when it’s uncomfortable, and why courage is often the owner’s most valuable asset. Talonda’s story is practical, energizing, and refreshingly honest — offering a blueprint for growth that blends heart, discipline, and world-class systems. Whether you're launching your first studio or reimagining what’s possible for your established school, this episode is packed with clarity and inspiration. 👉 Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: ✨ Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories, strategies, and insights from leaders across the industry. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339625

Bars, Big Stages & Building Musicians — Jon E. Gee on 50 Years in Music and the Soul of a Great School 12/09/2025

Bars, Big Stages & Building Musicians — Jon E. Gee on 50 Years in Music and the Soul of a Great School In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Jon E. Gee — touring bassist for John Mellencamp, former bandmate of Ted Nugent, co-founder of Carmel Music Academy, and one of the most seasoned working musicians to ever appear on the show. With a career spanning 50+ years, Jon has played every kind of stage — from smoky bar gigs to international arenas — and has taught students who now tour in national acts across the country. Jon’s story is equal parts grit, heart, and hilarious behind-the-scenes honesty. From getting mocked in grocery stores for dreaming big to spending 22 years playing in bars before his first major break, his journey offers a rare look at what it really takes to make it as a musician — and what it takes to teach the next generation to thrive. In this conversation, Jon opens up about the lessons every school owner, teacher, and musician should hear: 🎸 Why bars are the best training ground — learning crowd work, refining your craft, discovering what audiences will actually pay for, and getting real-time feedback while someone else foots the bill. 🎓 From world tours to beginners — the surprising challenges of running a music academy, including hiring struggles, work ethic shifts, and reconciling artistry with the realities of business. 👥 Building a culture that keeps teachers — how Jon learned to move from command-and-control leadership to asking for input, giving teachers ownership, and creating a community that collaborates instead of competes. 🎶 Teaching vs. performing — why the best players aren't always the best teachers, and why caring about students often matters more than virtuosity. 💼 The hardest parts of running a school today — retention, front desk consistency, shifting attitudes toward work, and navigating generational differences with humor and humility. Jon’s perspective is raw, refreshing, and profoundly real — a rare blend of rock-and-roll storytelling and practical wisdom for anyone shaping the next generation of musicians. Whether you run a studio, teach lessons, or just love a great origin story, this episode leaves you inspired to think bigger and lead better. 👉 Learn how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth and elevate communication: opus1.io✨ Catch every episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more insights from leaders shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339560

Systems, Scaling & Self-Belief — How Jen Hickle Built a 600-Student School and a Coaching Empire 12/09/2025

Systems, Scaling & Self-Belief — How Jen Hickle Built a 600-Student School and a Coaching Empire In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Jen Hickle — founder of Rogers School of Music, creator of Never Alone Coaching, and the visionary behind the VA Academy. Over 25 years, Jen built her Minnesota-based music school from three neighborhood piano students into a seven-figure, 600-student operation, powered by systems, delegation, and a relentless commitment to excellence. After selling her school, she went on to coach entrepreneurs and train high-level virtual assistants who now support businesses nationwide. Jen’s story is equal parts strategy, grit, and heart. She started teaching as a high-school senior, discovered she loved both teaching and admin, and quickly turned a side hustle into a fast-growing business. But scaling quickly brought hard lessons — burnout, hiring challenges, messy partnerships, teacher issues, and the realization that great systems can save your sanity. In this episode, Jen shares the pivotal moments and mindset shifts that shaped her career: 🎹 From student to CEO — launching her studio at age 17, discovering she loved the business side, and scaling to 10 teachers before she even finished college. 📈 Rapid growth (and the mistakes that come with it) — raising prices dramatically, learning the power of clear systems, and navigating “too much, too fast.” 📣 Old-school marketing that worked — yard signs, flyers in mailboxes, neighborhood networking, and early newsletters that built connection and loyalty. 🌱 Culture by design — how she built a warm, kid-centered, flexible teaching culture that became her strongest differentiator. 🧩 The power of knowing yourself — why most business owners need to understand their strengths, shed shame around weaknesses, and hire to fill the gaps. ⚙️ Why systems sell businesses — how her SOPs, trained front desk team, and EOS-inspired operations made her school highly attractive to buyers. Jen’s story is a roadmap for owners who want to scale thoughtfully — and a reminder that self-awareness is the real unlock behind every thriving business. 👉 Learn how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth and streamline operations: opus1.io ✨ Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories and strategies from leaders shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339495

Building a School, a Marriage, and a Mission — Chris & Hannah on Growing Onstage School of Music 12/09/2025

Why Some Schools Grow Fast (and Others Don’t) — Breaking Down the Customer Journey with Rory Cain 12/09/2025

Why Some Schools Grow Fast (and Others Don’t) — Breaking Down the Customer Journey with Rory Cain In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Rory Cain, Opus1’s Vice President of Sales and Strategic Partnership and one of the industry’s clearest thinkers on marketing, enrollment systems, and predictable growth. Together, they unpack a powerful question: Why do some performing arts schools grow rapidly while others feel stuck — even when they’re doing “all the right things”? What follows is one of the most practical conversations ever aired on this show — a complete breakdown of the customer journey, from the moment a parent first becomes aware your school exists to the moment they become a raving fan who brings you more families. Rory outlines the five stages every thriving school must master: 🎯 1. Awareness — Why great teachers and beautiful studios don’t matter if families can’t find you — and why Google reviews are the new word-of-mouth in 2025. 📊 2. Consideration — How parents compare you against competitors and why your website must be a marketing tool (not just an information dump) designed to build trust quickly. 📞 3. Conversion — The most overlooked lever in school growth. Rory explains why “$7,000 is calling” every time a prospect reaches out — and how to build systems that follow up fast and close more enrollments. 🎹 4. Delivery — The part most schools already excel at: giving students an inspiring and rewarding lesson experience. This is where retention, culture, and long-term loyalty are built. 📣 5. Amplify — Turning happy families into your biggest marketing engine through reviews, word-of-mouth, social proof, and programs that create belonging — like bands, ensembles, and group experiences. This episode gives school owners a clear, actionable framework for diagnosing bottlenecks, improving marketing efficiency, and creating a growth engine that finally feels within their control. 👉 Learn how Opus1 helps performing arts schools strengthen every stage of the customer journey: opus1.io ✨ Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more strategies and inspiration from leaders shaping the future of arts education. /episode/index/show/afb2e610-8899-467d-979e-7e3f836dbc8d/id/39339185

The Journey from Classroom Chaos to Carnegie Hall — A Music Educator’s Leap of Faith 12/09/2025

Music as a Human Right — Jonathan Jacobs on Building Rawkstars, Inc. (Ep. 7) 10/13/2025

From Classrooms to a Creative Empire — Benjie Kushins on Growing Art & Soul (Ep. 6) 10/13/2025

From “Broke Musician” to 800 Students — Mike Lowden on Building Loud & Clear Music School (Ep. 5) 10/13/2025

Scaling with Purpose — Michael Hemsworth on Building a Thriving Music School (Ep. 4) 10/13/2025

Building a Business that Lasts — Ulf Geist on Scaling, Systems & Sustainability (Ep. 3) 10/13/2025

Brand, Bands, & Community — Justin & Jenna on Scaling Kid Row in Los Angeles (Ep. 2) 10/13/2025

Summer Survival & Growth — Laura Porter on Building Smart Systems for Seasonal Success (Ep. 1) 10/13/2025

The Performing Arts School Entrepreneur

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