Best move I ever made

Introvox · #1 07-28-2006, 10:07 AM

I'm really excited about my new teaching season.

Last November, myself and a gtr teacher jumped ship from the music school we worked at. We had labour board issues...and subsequently won.

At the time I had 26 students a week, and the gtr teacher had 28.

The whole plan was conceived and executed within a week, once we set ourselves up, we posted a huge sign saying that we are now "teaching here".

23 of my students followed, (the other 3 were family of the former employees), and 27 followed the gtr teacher

After a massive marketing campaign, the flood gates just seemed to open...at our peak last season, I had 71 and gtr had 75...holy craporama

Already for Sept. I have 80 (my max) and an additional 12 on a waiting list, gtr has 80 also and 5 on waiting list

Basically this translates to a little over $60, 000 each from sept - june, and my reward is July and August OFF!!!!

This also doesn't include studio work or gigs, or video work, advertising stuff I do too.

The former music school has been a ghost town ever since...I recently heard their peak was 7 this year, they stayed open as they are in a mall and tied to a lease, a girl that works at the lottery kiosk in front of their shop, says the open at 11, leave at 5:30, and not one person has walked in the school or the music store (their markup is 150 - 200% beleive it or not)

Anyone thinking of doing the same thing...do it!, need any ideas?, I will gladly help

**Freddels** · #2 07-28-2006, 10:19 AM

80 students? So I'm assuming they're getting 1/2 hr lessons each.

What hours do you teach? How do you fit in 80 lessons each week?

Where do you teach? (out of your house or at another location?)

Introvox · #3 07-28-2006, 10:27 AM

Most are 1/2 hour....a few are 1 hour....we split on a commercial space 900 sq ft on the busiest street here...my expenses have never exceeded 600/month including, phone, hydro, internet, advertising, and snow removal.

Monday and Tuesday from 10 - 2:30 I go to a public school, and take the kids out of class 1 by 1 (total 18)

Mon - Fri, 3 - 9 (12 a day) total 60

Weekends I have the rest, plus any make up lessons owed are done on weekends.

80 was my dream figure, I still can't beleive I got there so fast.

btw, I am also a ARCT - RCM piano teacher, as well I teach voice, theory, and any other instruments, excluding drums and gtr....so they are not all bass students...most are piano/voice

tZer · #4 07-28-2006, 01:01 PM

Yay!

Good deal, man! Good to know there is a living to be earned doing this!

Congrats!

Introvox · #5 07-28-2006, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tZer

Yay!

Good deal, man! Good to know there is a living to be earned doing this!

Congrats!

Here in Ontario, Canada...most of the schools have stopped music programs...(which is just crazy, as there is now scientific proof that music lessons make you smarter (can improve a Math mark by 26%)

But, it actually woks to my advantage...with the scientific study now appearing in magazines and papers...parents are flocking to music schools....yeehaa