I do not have a boss. I do not have any employee or employees. I do not give checks every other week and I do not have to worry about anybody but myself. But it means that I need to combine many many different skills to be able to run my business.
I could bore you with a list but this will get too long and too tedious so I’ll give you the main points.
Maybe first is to be able to play the instruments I am teaching. That’s the basis of all my interactions: helping people with their music. I practice my piano and drums everyday. No skipping.
Being able to teach is also vital. I had to think how to approach different levels of players. I also had to think about the age of the pupil. A 5 years old will be handled very differently than a 60 years old. Heck, I could say that a construction worker is different than a philosophy teacher.
There is reading. That’s essential. Reading people, I mean, because nobody learns the same and has the same interest. A 40 years old mum will understand things differently than a 17 years old boy. More than that, the lesson can go a million different ways depending on the mood of the student as well as mine (I am not neutral, I am human and participating, even leading the interaction). That’s my first duty when people step into my place: trying to know where they’re at.
There is also budgeting. How to invest in my business to make it grow? Should I get the latest gizmo, the latest technology that promises wonders? Should I take vacations? Should I buy a car cash or take loan? Should I take a risk or play it safe? What about healthcare, retirement, disability?
There is maintaining. That one is big. Having a clean studio, keeping myself in shape, staying courteous and open, being in a good mood, not being drunk or high or hangover, not being stressed, having all of the teaching documents at the ready, the internet working, having a clear mind when people step in. It is a constant upkeep. That one is treacherous because there are so many factors to consider and take care of and it’s in question every day.
There is advertising. Being able to attract new customers is a non-negotiable part of being self-employed. You can sink a whole budget into it. I am fortunate that my students rarely quit and therefore, I rarely have to fill up an empty spot. Still, I do need to understand the basics of advertising in order to survive.
I am, of course, scratching the surface here. There is much more to mention, from the trivial (what am I wearing today?) to the extremely important (Never be a con man), but I think you get the gist of it. Hence the title of this blog.
