CHAPTER 3: Building Blocks

In this chapter, we’ll look at the first 2 points on your quick-start checklist: where you live, and where you teach from. If you’ve already got his figured out, or think you have enough information about it from my examples in the last chapter, feel free to skip to Chapter 4.

Even if you’re settled down, you’ll probably still find the following helpful. It’s good to know how your location and studio impacts your teaching practice.

Building Block 1: A Place to Live

I’m lucky to live in a city that is awesome to live in and that has a high demand for piano lessons. Whatever you’re teaching, this is what you want.

Consider these two things:

1) Do I like where I live?

2) Does my local economy support piano lessons.

Don’t put off getting started, but if you don’t have any money saved and don’t like where you live, I suggest saving some money and making the transition first. Don’t put it off. Everyone hates moving, but it won’t get easier as you become more established.

I’ve taught in three different states with very different cultures, so here are some impressions and things to keep in mind as you’re mulling this over:

1) The rate at which you can acquire students is greater in some locales than others.

In very rural areas you’re going to find it tough to find new students at first, but if there are a lot of families around and not many teachers (especially for in-demand stuff like piano lessons) you’ll have a long-term advantage as your name spreads.

2) The amount people will pay varies from area to area.

The amount you can charge in an affluent area with lots of children will easily outstrip what you can make in a sparse country area. In my experience, some places will pay 4 or 5 times as much for a good teacher as others! To state the obvious, the higher rated cities economically are going to be a better bet in this regard.

You can locate any number of teachers in many areas around the country online: just do a search and phone them up. Ask them the going rate, the commitment to the arts (or whatever you’re teaching) in town, any thoughts about teaching in that area, etc. I promise you’ll get a great amount of information by doing this, and most teachers are more than willing to talk with you, so don’t be shy.

3) The culture of an area affects what you’ll be doing.

If you want to teach yoga for example, let’s face it: some areas of the country are going to appreciate your expertise more than others. Like I mentioned before, some areas of a city will cater more towards a certain crowd as well. Families near competitive schools, for example, are going to tend more towards having serious music students, whereas in other areas of town you’ll catch more adults on their way home from work. You get the idea.

4) Your support network will vary from locale to locale.

For example, where I live, there’s a very strong community of music teachers. If you’re just getting started in an area, becoming part of local organizations can be a real boon. This is another thing you can ask about as you do some research and call around.

At the risk of being repetitive: You’re going to put a lot of yourself into your studio, so make it in a place you’ll want to stick around. But on the other hand, balance that with getting started soon! Whatever you do, never forget your long term goals, and keep moving ahead.

Building Block 2: A Place to Teach From

Let’s talk about where you actually teach from. There are two main things to remember about this in the initial stages:

First, don’t seek perfection, or anything even close.

When I first started teaching, I was way too concerned with what everyone thought of my teaching accommodations. I suppose I thought that they reflected on my ability as a teacher. I didn’t want to be thought badly of, so I rented a very nice house, spent a huge chunk of money on a nice piano, and the works.

This was a big error on my part. Like I mentioned earlier, one of the most successful teachers I’ve ever met started his practice on an electronic keyboard in a small apartment. Outside of the arts, strength coach and iconoclast Elliot Hulse started his business from the back of his van (which he currently lived in!), coaching people in local parks with outdoor exercises.

You don’t need to go into massive debt and have the finest accommodations available at the start of your practice. The most important thing is just this: start simple and start somewhere. People are a lot less judgmental than you think.

Second, be creative and open-minded.

The worst thing you can do at the beginning of your practice is to limit yourself. I can speak from experience as a pianist; many of us start out as “jacks of all trades”. This means years of accompanying, playing in restaurants, and, yes, driving to your students.

As a rule of thumb, never turn down an opportunity – not at this stage in the process. Unless it involves something illegal or illicit, you aren’t above it. I promise you’ll learn more from playing wedding gigs and in noisy restaurants than you will in a posh music studio. And what’s more, you’ll probably get some students and connections out of it.

Your greatest disadvantage when you start out is that you aren’t well networked or well known, and that you don’t have many resources. Take stock of your advantages though because you have them in spades: low prices, convenience, and flexibility that more established teachers with busy schedules can’t offer.

For example, you can charge lower prices than the more “famous” teachers in the area and offer students the convenience of lessons without leaving home. Tons of families are willing to go for a lesser-known teacher if it means one less activity and obligation on their overcrowded schedule.

Be creative in finding a teaching space as well! Many teachers are willing to rent out their studios when they aren’t using them. Call several teachers in town and see if this is an option. They may have never thought of it, but it’s worth asking.

Can you find a church, private school, or music shop to work from? Some churches are actively looking for people to rent their space, whereas others are less likely to pitch in. When I first started teaching in Austin I got several students by teaching after hours at private school nearby. You never know unless you ask.

For Pianists: Buying and Renting

Don’t be afraid to try resources like craigslist and other secondhand sources. Be wary though of your purchase. For pianists it is always a good idea to have an excellent technician evaluate the purchase. Most will do this for a small fee.

One option many people don’t know exists is that of renting a nice piano from a music store. Depending on your agreement and rates, renting an instrument can be a great boon at the beginning of your practice, but consider your options carefully. In many cases it will be smarter to pay much less for an OK instrument to begin with, rather than rack up rental fees over many months.

Since it always gets asked at this point, how about going to work for an established music school? I have mixed feelings about this. The upside is that you can quickly acquire new students. The downside is you get a huge pay cut and aren’t allowed to take these students with you if you jump ship.

I say do it if you need the money, but don’t view this as your long term strategy. Being locked into a school position, while providing some stability, isn’t going to give you the flexibility and “upward mobility” that you want.

In sum, do it if you must, but please continue to expand your studio from home. Don’t be lulled into complacency!

If you’ve followed along this far, you’ve made a great start to getting the Building Blocks of your studio in place. Feel free to check off the following two points in your checklist:

• “I live in a place that I enjoy with an economy that will support my teaching.”
• “I have a place to teach from.”

In Section Two we will spend a lot of time on that all important third check point: your website and professional presence. See you there!

Section One Key Points

• Understand the life cycle of a teaching practice: Building Blocks – Attract Students – Teach – Reassess
• Know where you want to live based on the economy and type of students you will attract.
• Know your ideal teaching space, but don’t expect it right away. Get started with what you have.