Today we’d like to introduce you to Forest Gillis.
Hi Forest, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Music has been there for me for as long as I can remember. When I was 8 years old, I began violin lessons. My teacher brought me to Bluegrass jams and fiddle competitions and helped me prepare for classical recitals and auditions. I began teaching in high school, under her guidance, when she had more students than she could teach. I love the challenge of figuring out people’s goals and motivations and finding ways for them to achieve their goals. After I graduated college and moved to the Twin Cities in 2020, I worked in different schools from arts to music to Montessori to Waldorf. I rediscovered my passion for teaching violin and fiddle and started with just a couple of students to now, 2 years in of dedicating myself to grow my business. I care about my craft deeply because of the power music has in bringing people together and helping them find their voice to express joy or pain, worry or passion.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Dedicating myself to teaching violin has been one of the most important things I’ve done because of the passion I have for it. I’m still working on building my student base, and I substitute teach during the day to make ends meet and stay connected to my community. Strings with Forest is a passion project more than a main source of income, but it is growing every month, and that’s been really exciting!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I strive to be the best teacher I can be, and that’s why I’ve been so curious about different schools and teaching methods. I draw from that background to collaborate with my students and figure out what and how they’d like to learn and set their goals. I work with beginners to intermediate players of all ages and backgrounds, and we decide on what songs to learn to work on different techniques or to move towards their goals!
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
Reflecting on the past couple of years, I am really proud of the time and energy I’ve put in. The advice I would give would be to go with the flow as best you can, and do other work to make sure your needs are covered while things grow.
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