12 Things I Did To Build My Business Freshmen Year of High School

Do you remember being afraid to try something in school or early in your life because you feared you might fail at it? Most teenagers choose to fool around rather than exert themselves. Halfhearted, lazy effort gives them a ready-made excuse: “It doesn’t matter. I wasn’t even trying.” — The Daily Stoic, p 25

I started playing piano around 9. I’m no Mozart, but I can play decently. Decent enough to teach it to others for 10+ years. My parents saw this and encouraged me to start up a music business. As the years went by, my music business expanded to include educational services. Here’s how I did it.

1. Obliterate fear, or get comfortable with it.

I’m an introvert that knows how to fake extroverted-ness if necessary. Still, starting a music teaching business was traumatizing to me; persuading people to buy my services (music lessons) was scary, and frankly, I was scared to teach music — something I never did before.

“Not only are you capable, the profesor is asking for something very simple: just begin the work. The rest follows.” — Ryan Holiday

After my first client meeting, though, I felt something powerful: I was supposed to be teaching music all along. This feeling was a sign of how teaching would become one of my most consistent passions.

2. Outsource what you don’t like and where you lack skill.

My mother handled clients and administrative work initially, especially since I was younger. She made people feel comfortable and confident about 14-year-old teaching them music. Over time, I took over everything.

3. Continually market your product/service.

My father had access to a business printer at his work. Over the years, he printed hundreds of signs for me to use to advertise my music lessons.

Back in the day, signs carried more advertising weight. Hence, I put out signs and flyers everywhere — within a 30-mile radius — around my place of business.

Did I always feel like putting the signs together and being that sketchy person at night putting out signs? No, but I did, and I’m thankful for my father for being an excellent partner in crime. He drove, and I put the signs in the ground with the hammer. Sigh. Good memories.

4. Never cease investing in yourself.

Purchasing the poster boards, the sticks, the nails, and the screws to put out the signs took monetary resources. As I reflect, I don’t recall shopping that much — except for food since I’m a foodie. Much of my money went into savings, investments, travel, and my business.

If I hadn’t been willing to invest in my business, I would have no clients. I needed to market my services to get clients, meaning I had to invest upfront money.

5. Quickly show the value of your product/service.

In the first client meeting, I had a 5 step process:

Step 1: Introductions

Step 2: Review the curriculum I use

Step 3: Conduct a music lesson to analyze student skills and give them a taste

Step 4: Play a song to showcase my skills (aka instill confidence)

Step 5: Close the deal (sign up the student — hopefully)

I always played a song for my students to show them I could actually teach and play the piano. If I didn’t play something random by ear, I played a song called “Comptine d’un autre été” by Yann Tiersen.

I remember hearing the song being played randomly at my friend’s (another fellow musician) place. I walked over to the piano and asked the young woman if she could show me how to play the song. She graciously said, “yes.” At that moment, I learned the song and never stopped playing it since. That lesson I asked from that random person became my gold-winning song used in many of my client meetings. People love this song.

6. When you find something intriguing, dive in.

Who would have thunk I could play a song like “Comptine d’un autre été” by Yann Tiersen, but I could if someone showed me how (utilizing my other gift — learning and playing music by ear).

Certain songs throughout my life have made me pause. Those are the songs I write to; those are the songs I learn.

But more importantly, there will be opportunities that appear in your life; these opportunities may reveal themselves through curiosity, a conversation, a song, an event, or something you may not expect. If you find something that tickles you, tickle it back. You never know how it may impact your future success.

7. Give people a taste (a freebie).

The first music lesson I gave to my clients was 100% free for many years. This free lesson reeled in hundreds of clients. Once I got them through the door, all I had to do was give them a valid reason to sign up and write a check; this was always the easy part due to my 5 step process (see number 4).

8. Get clients to commit in advance.

It was standard practice for my clients to pay for their weekly lessons a month in advance.

Why?

Clients tend to be more faithful, committed, and invested when they’re paying for something in advance.

My requirement: Students must invest in their education.

Each client had to pay for their music books. However, I made the trip to get the books for my clients (which they also paid for); this ensured I didn’t spend out of my pocket money on clients who may or may not stick with the program.

When people invest in their education, they tend to be more committed.

9. Remain adaptable and customer-first.

If a client ever needed to reschedule, pay for lessons weekly or bi-weekly (due to financial constraints), I made it happen. If clients ever forgot their wallet, I would teach their kids while they ran home to get it.

Furthermore, no client was the same. I taught all ages, races, religions, and skill levels, which means I had to adapt to my client or not have the client.

10. When you see an opportunity, follow it.

I started taking piano lessons early, but eventually, I dabbled into guitar lessons. Guitar will never be my first instrument, but I can still teach it (suggestion: learn piano before guitar; it makes learning 10 times easier).

Not only did I add guitar lessons, but I also added tutoring and mentorship, which has remained an active side hustle for me to date.

At 11, I started publishing books and articles, doing public speaking engagements, and writing curriculum; I had a knack for teaching, and I am passionate about it. I will never forget something one of my friends told me to do: monetize my passions. Of course, not every passion should be monetized, but many can be.

11. Don’t allow your lack of skill to impede you.

I’m no Mozart or Jimmy Hendrix. However, I can still teach fundamental (beginner) to intermediate level piano and sometimes advanced. I can also play by ear, but that’s something you can’t really teach.

Initially, I felt intimidated by starting a music business. Hearing Ludovico Einaudi (elite pianist) play and then me, well, that’s a big difference, but I’m glad I taught anyways. I’ve been able to help hundreds of students — of all ages — learn music throughout the years, and I’ve gotten them farther than they were before they took lessons under me.

Lastly, I didn’t have to depend on my parents for money growing up. I was able to pay for a lot of my stuff (including bills), which taught me something early on: invest in financial independence and entrepreneurship.

12. Continually embrace entrepreneurship.

Many kids work regular jobs at a young age, forgetting that the most rewarded people are those that fall into two groups:

- Investors

- Business owners / Entrepreneurs

As a young kid, my parents continually offered me entrepreneurial opportunities that I latched onto. I knew from an early age my preferred method of work was non-traditional (entrepreneurship) than traditional (work for someone else).

You have more control over your life, opportunities, and time when choosing the entrepreneurship route. There’s nothing wrong with working for someone else, but there’s nothing compared to running your show when it comes to the one thing we devote much of our time to throughout our lives.

Another advantage of being an entrepreneur is you’ll only work for someone else because you want to, not because you have to.

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