In this solo episode, Eric explores gratitude as a critical skill for musicians, educators, and creative entrepreneurs. Practice a guided meditation,  hear stories from the studio, and craft your own gratitude statement. 

This one is especially for the days when your hands hurt, your students aren’t practicing, or a few families just left —and for remembering why you chose this musical life in the first place. 🌊

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

In this episode, Eric talks with guitarist and entrepreneur Anthony Sloan: co-founder and CEO of the Sloan School of Music.

What started as a family idea grew into a two-location music school, retail operation, and community hub offering more than 30,000 lessons a year. Anthony shares the full story: building a business with friends, creating a welcoming “coffeehouse” atmosphere, attracting and retaining great teachers, and crafting meaningful performance opportunities for students.

They also discuss the importance of clarity in leadership, Anthony’s experience in the Goldman Sachs 10K Small Businesses program, and his new venture MelodyMap, designed to help families find trusted music teachers with ease.

A must-listen for music educators, studio owners, entrepreneurs, and anyone building community through creativity.

Learn more about Anthony, Sloan, and MelodyMap here.

www.sloanschoolofmusic.com  

www.melodymap.io

Facebook.com/sloanschoolofmusic
Instagram.com/sloanschoolofmusic
Youtube.com/sloanschoolofmusic 

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

Drummer, educator, author, and industry leader Joe Bergamini shares how he built a resilient, multi-hyphenate career spanning Broadway pits, international touring, best-selling drum books, and more than 35 years of private teaching.

We talk about confidence, nerves, community, curriculum, mentorship, the realities of gigging, and Joe’s “three-legged stool” model for a sustainable life in music.
 This episode is a roadmap for any musician or teacher who wants longevity, purpose, and steady growth in an ever-changing musical world.

Learn more about Joe's work here.

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Instagram

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🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

Today I’m talking with Josh Gillis, founder of Catfish Alley Studio in Columbus, Mississippi. Josh is one of the kindest, most curious, and most future-leaning educators in the Fons community. He’s building a modern, community-centered music studio that blends interest-based teaching, student experiences, founder-led marketing, and emerging technologies.

We explore Josh’s journey from teaching in his sunroom to running a multi-teacher music school downtown, his daily framework of offer, value, and asset, why consistency beats perfection, and how he creates student experiences that feel more like concerts than recitals.

We also dive into future tech, from VR practice tools to blockchain use cases… what it means to build a studio that’s ready for the next decade of music education.

Connect with Josh here

https://www.facebook.com/gillis.josh 

https://www.instagram.com/joshgillis

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

How do you stay joyful and grounded when you’re teaching, performing, and leading at a high level?

In this episode, Eric talks with Kevin Chance, President of MTNA and Associate Professor of Piano at the University of Alabama about presence, purpose, and the realities of a life in music.

Kevin shares stories from his recent sabbatical in Chile, his upbringing in Alabama, and the mentors who shaped him. He shares wisdom and insights about performance anxiety, burnout, boundaries, and why he identifies first and foremost as a teacher.

You’ll walk away with fresh perspective on practice, performance, and what it really means to make a difference in your students’ lives every day. 

Learn more about Kevin's work here.

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🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

Marketing mentor, voice teacher, and choral director Allie Tyler joins Eric Branner to explore how to grow a creative business without losing your joy. From running The Voicepreneur Program to directing a non-audition community choir in the mountains of Colorado, Allie shares hard-won wisdom about seasonality, courage, intuition, and loving yourself through every phase of entrepreneurship. A must-listen for teachers and creatives ready to build success that actually feels good.

Learn more about Allie's work here.

www.thevoicepreneur.com

Instagram The Whole Voice & The Voicepreneur

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

In this solo episode, Eric shares three vivid mentor stories. Pete (artist–entrepreneur), Terry (the open-hearted teacher), and Bryce (the student who became a guide) to unpack what mentorship is, how it shows up, and why becoming both mentee & mentor creates a virtuous cycle in our lives. You’ll hear practical ways to recognize mentors, cultivate intergenerational relationships, and know when it’s your time to step up for someone else.

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

Guitar teacher and Heartwoodguitar.com founder Rob Hampton joins Eric to share how a simple shift in mindset changed his life and career. Rob talks about The Jam, his all-day student concert that’s anything but a recital, and opens up about pricing, burnout, authenticity, and what it means to build a teaching life you love.

Whether you’re a music teacher, coach, or creative entrepreneur, this episode will help you re-evaluate what your time is worth...and inspire you to keep building with heart.

Learn more about Rob here.

www.heartwoodguitar.com

YouTube

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

How do we make arts education thrive in a world that’s changing faster than ever?

Eric interviews Angelica Cortez, Executive Director of the Suzuki Association of the Americas. She shares how curiosity is a leadership tool, the power of music to keep us human, and what it really means to serve teachers, students, and communities with intention. They trace Angelica’s journey from trumpet player to arts leader, discuss her work with YOLA and El Sistema USA, and look ahead at the role of AI, access, and collaboration in the future of music education.

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons

How do you build a creative career that’s sustainable and joyful?

In this episode, pianist, vocalist, composer, and educator Brenda Earle Stokes joins Eric Branner to share practical lessons from her journey of balancing artistry, entrepreneurship, and education. After two decades in New York City, Brenda “downshifted” her life... moving home to Canada, redefining success, and finding renewed inspiration in simplicity and structure.

You’ll learn how she built The Versatile Musician, a thriving 1,200-video membership, by focusing on process over perfection; how to apply an engineer’s mindset to teaching and creative systems; and how to stay curious, consistent, and courageous over the long haul.

Whether you’re a music teacher, entrepreneur, or creative professional, this conversation will help you design a career that works... and a life that feels aligned.

Learn more about Brenda on Instagram IG @brendaearlestokes and @pianoandvoicewithbrenda

And YouTube Piano and Voice With Brenda

🌊 Connect with us:

• Join a supportive community for teachers & creatives at the Fons Family Facebook Group
  a supportive community for teachers & creatives
• Follow on Instagram: @getfons
• Learn more about Fons
• TikTok: @getfons