Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in music education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Julie Stone, Owner of Sopranojam Music Studio, located in Lancaster, PA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
At Sopranojam Music Studio, we are building confident people who view their singing voices in a healthy way and use them to bless others! We serve children through classes and camps, teens and adults through lessons, classes, coaching, and performing opportunities.
Tell us about yourself
I have been a lifelong singer, performer, and worship team member at my church. Though I had recognized talent as a young person, I never felt fully confident in my abilities. I suffered from very debilitating nerves, which affected my ability to audition and give the performances of which I knew I was capable. I lived in constant comparison (as many singers do!) and never could measure up in my own perfectionistic eyes.
I earned a degree in Music Education and Vocal Performance, and it was in the studio that I began to see that I wasn't just helping people learn and understand their voices from a technical and artistic vantage point. I came to realize that I needed to equip them with the truth about their voices and ways to shift them into healthier mindsets in addition to providing opportunities for them to build courage. Though I work with all ages, part of building my business has been me focusing on one group at a time. I am currently focusing on providing singing and voice education for students ages 6 and up through classes, and a signature summer camp called Discover Your Voice Camp.
I am LIT UP when my students choose to take one more baby step of courage toward the things that feel scary and intimidating to them- be it taking a turn to sing a line of a song in front of their small class or going through with their first or next audition or singing the song that was "too high" for them a few months before! It is amazing to witness the beauty of courage at work as it shapes us into people who aim higher and higher in music and life!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
I am definitely a small business, and I continue to take baby steps toward the future. Sometimes that progress feels very slow, but recently I had a conversation with my daughter, who is almost 13 years old. She came to me and told me about an exchange she had with a classmate. "What is your mom's job?" My daughter said, "She owns a music studio." Then she told me, "Mom, it was really cool to get to say that you own a business." I'd say that my biggest accomplishment as a business owner is showing my own kids that you can build your own business, income, and future while impacting others through your own experiences and struggles. I'm blessed, indeed!
What's one of the hardest things that comes with being a business owner?
I think running up against my own mindset issues has to be one of the hardest parts of owning my own business. The fact is that I have limited thinking that I often don't see right away, and my business is a reflection of that. Having to work on myself, work on my business, and in my business is a lot to juggle!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- "Everything is figureoutable." You can do it if you decide to. You just have to figure out the next step. (Stealing this one from Marie Forleo!)
- Serve others with integrity, and you will do more than make money. You will have an impact and a legacy.
- Trust that where you are today is preparing you for tomorrow. Don't rush the process.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.sopranojamstudio.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sopranojam
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sopranojammusicstudio/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
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