We had the good fortune of connecting with Tracy Stuever and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tracy, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
I wanted a place where people of all ages could come to learn music and have a creative outlet to improve their quality of life. Music touches people on many levels and I can’t imagine my life without a higher appreciation of this beautiful form of art. I wanted to reach as many people as possible by offering a wide variety of options. Some people want to learn music from a technical standpoint and become strong music readers with a high understanding of music theory. Other people just want to learn to play from their heart. Some people want both. I wanted to grow the business so I could bring in different instructors from different backgrounds to try and create an environment that could meet the needs of as many different kinds of people as possible. My thought was never to become rich, but to live every day being thankful that I get to play music and teach others to play music for a living. I have centered the business philosophy around having fun and always putting the well being of the individual student above everything else.

What should our readers know about your business?
I think what sets us apart from other music schools is our center on fun and community based performance. Aside from formal recitals with award ceremonies, I keep our students and teachers out in the community performing as much as possible at festivals, street shows, and retirement homes. I love it when people walk by our stage area and go “hey wow, those are kids up there!”, I’m proud of how many children and adults come for music lessons but leave with improved confidence and a deeper sense of self worth. I got to where I am today by never giving up and working hard and it was not easy. I got to where I am today through slow, patient, warm market growth and being a good teacher. It all started with just me in a single tiny classroom. As I taught more and more students who were happy with the lessons, they would refer more and more people. I eventually started adding more teachers and the warm referrals started to compound. Now we have 10 teachers and 4 classrooms and hundreds of lessons are taught per week. I’ve had to overcome many challenges along the way. Having my lease terminated by the city who wanted to repurpose my space for their own desires after 10 years with minimal notice was really difficult. I could not find anywhere new to rent that was affordable and would allow the noise of a music school. I finally found somewhere but it was roughly 2.5 times more expensive than my old place. It was a huge risk that could have cost me my livelihood but I refused to give up and close down. I had to raise prices and hope for the best but my clients stood by us and we have made it one year in our new location so far. The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is to not let people take advantage of my kindness. I didn’t start this business to become rich, but I also can’t lose money keeping it open. It can be a tough situation when people cancel their lessons at the last minute or don’t want to follow the policies that safeguard the music school business model from financial ruin. I had to learn to be tough yet empathetic at the same time. I want the world to know that Stuever Studios is a true homegrown small business that values the community and is a positive presence.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I have young children at home so I haven’t gone out much in the past 10 years. I’m sorry I’m not much help with this question. I will say I’ve had a nice time listening to live music at small venues such as The Earl, 529 and Eddie’s Attic.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to shoutout to Larry Weidel. When I graduated college with a degree in music education but couldn’t get a job as a teacher in a public school I was devastated. I gave up on my dreams of being of a music teacher for a living and got a job working in his office as an office manager and executive assistant. Larry Weidel is a master of business and entrepreneurship and during my time working with him I learned more than I could have ever imagined about how to work hard for yourself and grow a successful business. He even let me open my first music school in the back of the office. As my studio grew I eventually quit my job there to pursue it full time.

Website: https://www.stueverstudios.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stueverstudios

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StueverStudios/

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