Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Doreene Shurts, Founder of Doreene's Vocal Studio, located in Riverton, UT, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

I am a singing teacher, songwriting coach, and performance coach. I help clients of all ages sing with a healthy voice, find their artistry in writing, and discover the confidence to perform on stage.

Tell us about yourself

I have always loved singing, and I have been singing since I was 5 or 6. My friend had been taking singing lessons with a teacher in our city, and he encouraged her to visit a well-known teacher in LA. She came back with so much confidence in her voice, and we began studying the techniques he showed her with several other teachers who were masters in the technique. We dove all-in to the world of music and attended workshops and seminars on performing and songwriting, as well as becoming educated in all things singing. We traveled the country to learn from everyone we could. She began teaching first and then encouraged me to begin teaching also so that I could learn my own voice better. I spent a few years performing and writing while I learned more about the voice, but I discovered that I loved what I was learning enough to become a teacher full-time. That was 22 years ago. As I was working with clients, I found that most of them had issues with stage fright. They would work so hard on their voices but then be unable to sing in public. So I made a shift in my studio and decided to incorporate performing workshops so my clients could have a safe space to become confident on stage.

With clients outperforming more, I next discovered that several of my clients felt that singing covers all the time left them bored or unfulfilled and had a desire to write their own songs. So I made another shift and included coaching clients in songwriting. Now I focus on the trinity of becoming an artist (of any level). A healthy voice, writing original songs, and confident performing. My favorite thing is having a client who has always loved singing but had vocal issues (cracking, no range, fatigue) find the voice they never thought they could have. And then, feeling great with their voice, they continue the pursuit of music by writing and performing. When a client has a gig, and they say they were able to sing for 2 hours without pain or strain, all their own songs with confidence, I am elated.

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Honestly, my biggest accomplishment is that I am able to work as a singing teacher as my job full-time. I love my job! No more second jobs or side jobs! I love going to work every day (yes, every day). And that is all I ever wanted.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

Staying strong when things get slow or the clientele feels like it's dried up is very difficult. Singing lessons is a luxury, and when the economy slows, or people lose jobs, lessons is the first thing that tends to get eliminated. So keeping myself focused on those I can help and keeping my education going helps when I let the fear get to me. It's not always easy, but I remind myself that those clients out there still need my help, my expertise, and my friendship. And that helps keep me going.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

Top 3 things I wish I knew before starting a business:

  1. Have firm policies and procedures. I could have saved so much stress and heartache if I had outlined my studio rules from the beginning. Learning as I went was painful.
  2. Be confident with your choices. You know you are meant to be an entrepreneur, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. There was a time I let some bad experiences make me second guess my decision, and it took a while to come back from that.
  3. Always be learning. The more you stay relevant in your field, the more confident you feel. Also, don't be afraid to learn from colleagues in your field. Use their experience and education to help guide you. Find your tribe to help grow and guide your business.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://singwithdoreene.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/singwithdoreene
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/singwithdoreene/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/doreene-shurts-ba2681101/

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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