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

Hi Karen, other than deciding to work for yourself, what was the single most important decision you made that contributed to your success?
The best decision I made was hiring my first employee. I feel like that is when Ztunes Music truly started. I was working 2pm-8pm all weekdays and had children in school. Because of that, I never got to see my kids except for breakfast and a kiss goodnight. I decided that I needed a change, but loved bringing music to the community and working with the kids. My youngest son had an amazing preschool music teacher who I brought on to take over teaching some of my piano students. A few months later, I was able to find local office space that gave an opportunity for growth and built a location out of my home for music lessons – Ztunes was born!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Ztunes Music is Atlanta and Decatur’s community music school where students find lifelong inspiration and joy through learning and performing music. Our community built us. By investing in and building relationships with our local school music programs, we are able to partner together to create stronger overall musicians. Ztunes wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the local public school music teachers. Our teachers are chosen because they are both fantastic musicians AND educators. A passion for music education is strong in every room and I love seeing the secret handshakes, the celebrations, the performances, and the connections that are happening every day. A private music teacher is special because they give 30-60 minutes of one-on-one attention to students. This develops strong relationships and accelerates musical progress. The connection between a private music instructor and their student is special and something we don’t take lightly.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love Atlanta and Decatur! Some breakfasts would include B Side, Sun in my Belly, and Flying Biscuit. We couldn’t miss lunch or dinner at Ponce City Market, Paolinos, and a Mano (can you tell I’m Italian?!). We’re a big sports family so would go to an Atlanta Braves or Hawks game – two of my family’s favorite teams – in between watching my kids play baseball and basketball. And, you can’t forget a visit to the Woodruff Arts Center to see the Atlanta Symphony, a show at the Alliance, and a visit to the High Museum.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Shoutout to the Moms of Atlanta and Decatur. There’s an AMAZING facebook group called DAMES that has literally built mine and many businesses in the area. My business was built out of community and the mom network is strong!

Website: www.ztunesmusic.com

Instagram: @ztunes_music

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

Image Credits
Karen Headshot – Mark Hill

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutAtlanta is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.