Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in music education but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Sean Campbell, Founder of Music Lyceum, located in Santa Monica, CA, USA.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Music Lyceum is the world’s first and only piano tablature learning system and the first company to offer a patented alternative to traditional piano sheet music. Through Music Lyceum’s piano tablature – a system of notation that clearly shows the player where to place their fingers upon the instrument – students are able to learn their song of choice using a color-coded system that clearly indicates which note to play, exactly where to play it, and with which hand and finger to play each note.
Music Lyceum customers are anyone interested in learning the piano in a new, fun, and easy way. From children or adults who had never played the piano before to those who used to play the piano and want to get back into the joy of playing a musical instrument, Music Lyceum is for everyone.
Tell us about yourself
When I was young, my mother gifted me an appointment with a psychic who told me I was destined to be a teacher. Initially, I was confused by the image of myself in a classroom with chairs and desks and never thought of myself as a traditional classroom teacher.
Twenty years later, I was asked to teach a piano lesson to a young boy and girl, and my teaching career began. I went on to teach piano, guitar, ukulele, harmonica, and bass to sixty students a week, and I found that I loved it – it didn’t feel like work to me. Working with so many people of all ages and backgrounds with one common love for playing music was incredibly fulfilling. I decided to open my own music school in 2018, The Music Lyceum in Santa Monica, California, where I birthed my new piano learning method.
While teaching a student Fur Elise by Beethoven – a complicated song to read on sheet music but a simple song to play – I found the need to figure out a way to convey which notes to play without him having to read the sheet music. I began writing out the notes on a piece of paper, along with which hand and fingers to play them, and with that, he learned the song at a pace that would have been impossible if he had learned it through reading traditional sheet music.
By inventing the Music Lyceum Piano Tablature, my students are able to learn through visualization. My motivation comes from seeing my students excel at playing the piano through a method that works for them and grants them the satisfaction of playing the piano at a faster pace and with great accomplishment.
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
My biggest accomplishment is comprised of smaller but significant accomplishments made throughout the way of creating my business. Seeing my idea scribbled onto a piece of paper and watching it come to life through graphic design was the first. Then, becoming a businessman, attracting financing, and launching the website. The entire process is an accomplishment. But the biggest of all was the journey of becoming a teacher. Having never taught music before and being thrust into the environment, adapting quickly and giving my students an intuitive style of learning to match their needs is the greatest accomplishment of all.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The most prevalent struggle as a business owner, for me, is the absence of downtime. As a business owner, I’m “on” twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. It comes with the responsibility of being available every day for my students, clients, and employees. Although there is no such thing as “a weekend” for me, it’s still the most fulfilling job.
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Believe in yourself and your product. You have to believe that the product or service you are bringing to the market is of great value, and others will believe it too.
- Have patience. Starting a business is no easy feat and takes time. Take your time and be patient with building a strong foundation for your business.
- Do something you love. Following your joy and inspiration leads you to where you’re supposed to be.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://musiclyceum.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiclyceum/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiclyceum/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sean-campbell-264bbb19b/
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