Smart Women in Music (SWIM) launched last year as the brainchild of three music industry leaders: Robin Walenta of West Music (and NAMM chair), Crystal Morris of Gator Cases and Dede Heid of Heid Music. During “Breakfast of Champions” at The 2019 NAMM Show, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond spoke with them about the organization’s mission and vision.
During his career at Yamaha, Chris Gero has overseen the growth of the company’s artist relations and founded Yamaha Entertainment Group of America. At “Breakfast of Champions,” he spoke with NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond about the importance of artist relations and how it’s evolved. He was also joined onstage by Yamaha artist and bass legend Nathan East.
Heart co-founder and guitar legend Nancy Wilson received NAMM’s 2019 Music for Life Award during “Breakfast of Champions.” There, NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond interviewed her about her artistry, the importance of branching out as a musician and how she keeps the creative fire burning.
Adult students can be an untapped customer base for your music lesson program, but they require a much different approach than other students. Here, Jonathan Shue, education director of Dusty Strings Music Store & School, shares expert tips, best practices and ideas for helping potential adult students warm up to the idea of taking music lessons.
Wentworth Music has expanded its lesson program from 90 to nearly 1,000 students—and in a mid-size city of less than 200,000 people. Here, NAMM Top 100 finalist Noel Wentworth from Wentworth Music shares the eight strategies that made this possible. He dives into proven ideas for student retention, team development, teacher interviews, lesson do’s and don’ts, and more.
Is your music business simply “doing social media,” or are you using social media to achieve your objectives and increase your business? In this session, online and social marketing authority Ben Blakesley walks you through the four steps required of any social media marketing program. Don't waste time and opportunity on ineffective tactics. Discover how to provide real value for your business.
Keeping good teachers in your music lesson program can be as important as keeping your students and customers. When Melissa Loggins of Music Authority lost a handful of instructors recently, she had to adjust how she worked with her teachers. Find out how she improved her teacher retention in just 5 minutes a day, and how you can, too.
In many cases, classifying music teachers, repair techs and other employees as independent contractors can literally bankrupt your company. In this eye-opening NAMM U session, music industry accountants Alan Friedman, CPA, and Daniel Jobe of Friedman, Kannenberg & Co. illustrate the potential cost of a labor audit gone wrong and steps you can take to prevent it.
We all have slow weeks (and months) from time to time, but sitting back and hoping things get better is not a viable plan. Here, industry veterans Bob Popyk, Music Trades Magazine columnist, and Alan Friedman, a partner at Friedman, Kannenberg & Co., offer creative and inventive ways to keep your costs down and profits up during the slow periods. Find out how to drive store traffic and sales when times get tough.
What’s the X-factor in successful music lesson programs? How do the savviest lesson studio operators handle the most common issues—makeup lessons, retaining students and new signups? Go behind the scenes and find out at this fast-moving NAMM U panel with three music-lesson rock stars, all NAMM Top 100 Dealers: moderators Cindy and Rand Cook of The Candyman Strings & Things, Mike and Miriam Risko of Mike Risko Music, and Robin Sassi and Kimberly Deverell of San Diego Music Studio.