Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sandy Pulido, Owner of It’s Piano Time, located in San Pedro, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
I am the owner of Mrs. Sandy’s Piano Studio / It’s Piano Time. I help people learn piano comfortably with competence, confidence, and courage. I teach students as young as 6 years old through retired adults in private and group lessons in my studio and online.
Tell us about yourself
I first got started teaching 20 years ago when I was in college. When I graduated, I got an office job completely unrelated to music but always taught piano on the side. I soon was working 40 hours a week and teaching 15 students in the evenings and on the weekends. After realizing I couldn’t keep up with this crazy schedule, I made the leap to do what I loved most: leaving my desk job to teach piano full time. Then I grew my studio, finally settled down, got married had two kids. Despite COVID, I continued to teach online. I started a TikTok Piano channel @itspiano.time which to date has grown to over 60k followers. The next project I’m working on is creating a self-paced piano course.
What motivates me everyday comes down to the basics - just seeing my students’ progress and having them learn and feel more confident in their playing than in the previous lesson. For me, helping my students work out and secure a trouble spot is seriously a boost of serotonin!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
To have had this business for over 20 years and to have students who stay with me on average a minimum of 5-8 years. It’s always rewarding to see how much they’ve accomplished and grown when I look back at their journey of learning piano.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
Making the leap to go for it. It’s very easy to get bogged down with doubt, especially when you’re in the thick of getting it all setup. You’ll have these thoughts but ironically feel like you can’t do it. With passion, you’ll always feel the drive to keep going.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Invest in knowledge, whether reading or listening to books, getting a course, taking classes, getting a mentor, etc.
- Be decisive. You’ll never know which is or was the best path. Pick one and stick to it.
- And most important - fit in personal “me” time. You can’t work on fumes. Recharge your batteries and relax. Then you’ll have more energy to put towards your passion.
Is there anything else you'd like to share?
When you start building your business, remember that the most important thing you can do is build a relationship with your initial clients. Once you have that, the news will spread, and you’ll never run out of loyal customers.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://itspianotime.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/itspianotime/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-pulido-08b6aa1a/
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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