Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in music education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with John Hildebrand, Owner of Drumroll, located in Vancouver, BC, Canada.

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

My business is private one-to-one drum lessons for students of all ages. My clients are primarily school aged children and teens who've been enrolled by their parents. I also have a fair number of adult students.

Tell us about yourself

I've been playing drums from the age of 11, receiving professional instruction throughout my development, including a Bachelor of Music in Percussion Performance from UBC. After several years of playing in bands and touring internationally, my focus turned to teaching. I spent many years working at some of the biggest teaching studios in the lower mainland. There came a time when I realized I needed to build my own teaching business in order to gain better control of my future.

At this time, it's been five years since beginning this journey of developing my own teaching business, and I now work exclusively for myself. While running my own business is more time-consuming than simply working for someone else, I wouldn't have it any other way. The motivation to put in all that extra time comes from the fact that this business is mine, and I want it to succeed so that I am not relying on others to provide me with work. Plus, I love drums and teaching people who also love drums!

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

The biggest hurdle and accomplishment in the development of my business would be creating an effective website. I began with zero knowledge of how a website is built or how to get it to rank high in searches. Wanting to do it myself meant that there was a steep learning curve and many, many mistakes and frustrations along the way. It took me close to a year to make a website that was getting me the results I was looking for, but I now have the knowledge and experience to ensure that it stays that way.

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

For me, the hardest thing about having my own business is the fact that I do it all myself. I am a one-person operation, so I'm responsible for everything. Web development and maintenance, advertising, communication, scheduling, video production of student performances, and, of course, teaching. Loving what I do makes it all worth it!

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

Researching the competition is number one. You can learn a lot about what to do and what not to do by looking closely at others in your area of interest.

Having an effective website is an absolute must:

  • Be articulate and in-depth in your description of what you have to offer.
  • Put in the time to be sure your website is fully optimized for search engines.
  • Treat your website like a garden and tend to it regularly, going back to improve and optimize it.

Finally, make sure that your clients have the best experience possible and that they leave feeling like they really gained something from you.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://drumroll.ca/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drumroll_lessons_studio/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-hildebrand-777ab9132/

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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