The Fourforty (440) with Eric Branner

By Eric BrannerBusiness Entrepreneurship

The Fourforty (440) with Eric Branner episodes

October 29, 2025The Path of a Pioneering Educator: Rob Hampton on Purpose, Joy, and Pricing
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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
1 hr 4 min
October 21, 2025Curiosity, Courage, and Connection: Angelica Cortez on Leading with Intention
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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
1 hr
October 14, 2025Artistry, Entrepreneurship & Building a Life in Music with Brenda Earle Stokes
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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
58 min
October 07, 2025Dr. David Cutler on Innovation, Demand, and Redefining Success in Music
In this episode, Eric sits down with his longtime friend Dr. David Cutler... composer, author, and Distinguished Professor of Music Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of South Carolina. David is one of the world’s leading voices in arts entrepreneurship and the author of The Savvy Musician 2.0, The Savvy Music Teacher, and The GAME of Innovation. Together they explore how musicians and creatives can thrive by creating demand, defining distinct identities, innovating boldly, and reimagining what a sustainable creative career looks like. Packed with stories, strategies, and inspiration, this conversation is a masterclass for artists and entrepreneurs alike.
Learn more about David's work here.
The Savvy Musician
Facebook
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
1 hr 8 min
September 30, 2025Paths to Paid Work for Pianists: with Rachel Ehring
Pianist, educator, and conservatory director Rachel Ehring joins Eric to unpack the real career paths pianists can take beyond solo work. Rachel runs St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts and coaches pianists in collaborative skills through YouTube, workshops, and her online course Dynamic Accompanying. She shares how to find and land modern gigs, why sight-reading is a superpower, live-launch vs evergreen lessons learned, and the mindset to say yes… then figure it out. We also preview her new workshop, The Pianist’s Gig Map, designed to help pianists get paid work in 2025.

Learn about Rachel here.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelehring/

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@collaborativepiano

Online Courses: https://dreamlavender.podia.com

Workshop (Oct 2025): https://skilled-trailblazer-7766.kit.com/ec2f7153d7
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
40 min
September 23, 2025David Chang on Music, Mindset, and Building an Impactful Business with Joy
Pianist, teacher, and entrepreneur David Chang shares his journey from discovering his teaching gift at 13 to building one of the most successful adult piano programs in the U.S. We dive into his unique methods for learning, his philosophy of “business as art, life as art, self as art,” and how mindset and creativity fuel a joyful, impactful business.

Learn more about David's work here
Thumbtack: https://www.thumbtack.com/-Brooklyn-NY/service/3736296
Landing Page: https://davidchangmusic.lpages.co/lessons/
Website: https://www.davidchangmusic.com
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@davidchangmusic
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davidwchangmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/davidwchangmusic
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidchangmusic
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@davidchangmusic
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
1 hr 5 min
September 16, 2025Building Thriving Music Studios with Kelly Riordan
In this episode, Eric sits down with musician, pedagogue, and music business strategist Kelly Riordan, co-founder of Outside the Bachs. Kelly helps teachers design profitable studios, attract students through organic marketing, and refine their operations to run smoothly. She shares insights on setting and sticking to policies, identifying your ideal student, building community over competition, and using authentic social media to grow your reach. Packed with encouragement and practical strategies, this episode is essential listening for music teachers who want to build thriving, sustainable studios.

Learn more about Kelly's work:
www.instagram.com/kellyriordanmusician/
www.tiktok.com/@kellyriordanmusician
www.instagram.com/outsidebachs/
www.facebook.com/OutsideTheBachs
www.youtube.com/@outsidethebachsofficial
Public FB group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/privatemusicinstructors
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
1 hr 4 min
September 09, 2025Steve Treseler’s Entrepreneurial Blueprint: Follow Your Interests, Show Up, Add Value
Seattle-based saxophonist, composer, and teaching artist Steve Treseler joins Eric to explore the building blocks of a joyful and long-lasting career in music. Steve shares how he designed a portfolio life as a performer, educator, and author…while keeping his enthusiasm and curiosity intact.

In this conversation, Steve shares his approach to micro-entrepreneurship, why showing up and adding value leads to authentic networking, and how to find the unique skills that set you apart. He also reflects on inflection points in his career, the importance of mindset, and the marketing flywheels that sustain creative work over time.

Whether you’re a student just starting out, or a seasoned teacher looking for inspiration, Steve’s story offers practical tools and encouragement for building a music career on your own terms.

Links from our conversation.
Steve’s Music & Projects
Steve on Instagram
Damien Jurado – Ralph A. Hughes (‘25) YouTube
Seth Godin – Startup School Podcast Apple Podcasts
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
55 min
September 02, 2025From Piano Bench to Publishing Desk: Davis Dorrough’s Creative Journey
In this episode of The Fourforty, Eric sits down with Davis Dorrough, Piano Editor at Alfred Music. Davis is a third-generation pianist, teacher, and composer. He brings creativity to every corner of his work, whether that’s polishing new piano publications, scouting talent, or teaching students in his own studio.
Davis shares his inspiring journey from growing up in a family of pianists to landing his role at Alfred through a serendipitous chain of events. He pulls back the curtain on the publishing process and shares how a piece goes from submission to finished book. He also shares lessons he’s learned from working with celebrated composers like Dennis Alexander, Catherine Rollin, and Wynn-Anne Rossi.
We dive into his recent projects(Sagaland, Sandpaintings, Rare Recital Treasures II), the importance of balancing classical training with contemporary skills, and what today’s students really want from music. This conversation is for anyone curious about creativity, publishing, and the future of piano education.
Learn more about Davis here
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
53 min
September 02, 2025Owning Your Career as a Musician: Welcome to The Fourforty Podcast
In this solo episode, host Eric Branner shares why The Fourforty Podcast exists and what musicians and teachers can expect each week. Learn why every musician is an entrepreneur, and how embracing business skills alongside artistry allows us to build thriving careers and stronger communities.
🌊 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: @makemusicstudio
Learn more about MakeMusic Studio (Formerly Fons)
9 min

About The Fourforty (440) with Eric Branner

From the publisher's feed

The FourForty Podcast is where musicians and music teachers share their journeys as educators, entrepreneurs, and creative leaders. Each conversation explores the real work of building a meaningful…