The Performing Arts School Entrepreneur

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: opus1.io ✨ Catch all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories and actionable insights from industry leaders.

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.

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: opus1.io

✨ Explore all episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast for more stories, strategies, and insights from leaders across the industry.

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.

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.

In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin talks with Chris and Hannah George, founders of Onstage School of Music in Charlotte, NC — a husband-and-wife team who went from professional orchestral performers to leading one of the largest privately owned music schools in their region, now serving nearly 1,000 students across three locations.

What began as a leap of faith in their first year of marriage — taking over a struggling studio with fewer than 10 teachers — became a decade-long journey of rebuilding from scratch, reinventing systems, and redefining what it means to grow a school together.

Chris and Hannah share lessons every studio owner (and founder couple) can relate to: 🎻 From conservatory to classroom — shifting from elite performance mindsets to teaching 5-year-olds 🎯 Hiring "sticky teachers" — why degrees don't guarantee retention, but energy and joy do 🛠 Admin breakthroughs — moving operations remote (to the Philippines) to fix the hiring bottleneck 💬 Growing as partners — learning to respect each other's strengths in business and in life

From repainting their first studio by hand to planning franchise-level systems, Chris and Hannah open up about marriage, mistakes, resilience, and relentless improvement. Their story is a masterclass in building something that lasts — not just a school, but a team and a legacy.

👉 Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: opus1.io ✨ Explore all the episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast — packed with stories, strategies, and inspiration from leaders across the industry.

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.

In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin talks with Tracy Morris, founder of Morris Music Academy in Jacksonville, Florida, about his journey from teaching out of his home with no money and no plan to leading one of the most recognized music schools in his city — and taking students all the way to Carnegie Hall.

What started as a few private lessons and a "crawl, walk, run" lease agreement has grown into a thriving academy known for excellence, creativity, and heart — twice voted Best Music School in Jacksonville.

Tracy shares lessons every music school owner can learn from his rollercoaster journey: 🎸 How to launch your school with nothing but drive and determination 💡 Why "follow-through" beats talent every time 📣 Creative, low-cost marketing strategies that actually work 🚪 Hiring lessons learned the hard way — including a few wild stories 🏆 How saying yes to big dreams (like performing at Carnegie Hall) transforms your school's culture

From side hustles and setbacks to standing ovations, Tracy's story is a masterclass in resilience, purpose, and the power of believing in what's possible.

👉 Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: opus1.io

✨ Explore all the episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast—packed with stories, strategies, and inspiration from leaders across the industry.

In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin talks with Jonathan Jacobs, founder and executive director of Rawkstars, Inc., a nonprofit that provides free instruments, lessons, and performance opportunities to kids who need them most.

What started as a simple idea to make music accessible to every child has grown into a 20-year movement — serving over 400 students, providing more than 12,000 hours of free lessons, and building partnerships with Guitar Center, Boys & Girls Clubs, and youth facilities across Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Jonathan shares powerful lessons from two decades of impact: 🎸 Why he believes music is a basic human right — not a luxury 🏫 How Rawkstars partners with local stores and teachers instead of opening physical locations 🎵 Using licensed music therapists and "music as therapy" to reach at-risk youth 🚀 Building sustainable funding through partnerships, grants, and community "fan club" donations 💡 The story behind bringing music programs into juvenile facilities — and what he learned from seeing music change lives behind bars

From appearing on The Kelly Clarkson Show to mentoring incarcerated teens through songwriting, Jonathan's story is a powerful reminder that music can heal, connect, and transform lives.

👉 Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: opus1.io

✨ Explore all the episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast—packed with stories, strategies, and inspiration from leaders across the industry.

In this episode of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast, host David Martin sits down with Benjie Kushins, co-founder of Art & Soul School of Performing & Creative ARTS, to unpack how he and his wife Lauren built a thriving multi-disciplinary arts school from humble beginnings teaching in local classrooms.

Benjie shares the lessons learned through 20 years of growth, grit, and creativity: 🎨 How they turned school partnerships into a sustainable business model 🏫 Why going to the schools was smarter than waiting for students to come to them 💡 The leap from home-based business to a 2,000 sq. ft. studio (and the stress that came with it) 👩‍🎨 Building a culture of collaboration, trust, and multi-talented teachers 📊 The systems and software that made scaling possible — and why Opus1 is at the center of it all

From operating out of their home while raising kids to launching Art Fundamentals, a curriculum now used by schools nationwide, Benjie's story is a masterclass in vision, resilience, and the power of building something that truly serves your community.

👉 Learn more about how Opus1 helps performing arts schools simplify growth: opus1.io

✨ Explore all the episodes of the Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast—packed with stories, strategies, and inspiration from leaders across the industry.