

Today we’d like to introduce you to Josie Just.
Hi Josie, 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 backstories with our readers?
I met Jillian Rae in 2009 while teaching at Schmitt Music. She and I both had dreams of opening our own Music School someday (as well as a bunch of other things in common), so we started hanging out and formulating plans to start our Music School. We found the perfect space in the fall of 2010 and signed a lease to start in January 2011. Knowing we had 6 initial studios to work with, we found some other teachers who wanted to teach with us at the new space and started working out details that we all agreed upon in terms of studio policies and studio fees. We got the keys on January 1st, 2011, and spent two weeks painting and decorating our new Music Lab home. Lessons began in the third week of January, and we’ve been growing our community. When we first opened, we started with 6 studios, 4 teachers, and 50 students at the Music Lab (students we had already been teaching). We have since expanded to add the business space below us, so we now have 12 studios, 20 teachers, and over 300 students.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It has not been a smooth road. Has any business ever had a smooth road?! Initially, when we realized we needed some money to make our space a “music school,” we tried to apply for a small business loan and were denied. So we started furnishing the space with all our furnishings or donated things. We held a fundraiser, which helped us raise $5,000 to go towards things we needed. We bought pianos, a computer, a printer, furnishings, and soundproofing materials. That helped a ton. We’ve since held multiple fundraisers to help support things we need for the Music Lab to run smoothly, and in hindsight I’m thankful that they denied our business loan! We’ve had to downsize when we couldn’t afford all of the needed space and temporarily moved some lessons into our homes. The landlord has retroactively raised our rent which has caught us by surprise in which we have had to put in a lot of our own money to make ends meet. So there are always some bumps in the road financially. In 2017 Jillian Rae decided to leave the partnership which left me having to run the Music Lab on my own. With a newborn and a 2-year-old I wasn’t sure if I could make it all work, but my husband was very supportive and willing to help in as many ways as possible. Without his support I might have called it quits, but knowing he had my back made pushing forward a lot easier. And of course the pandemic was tricky to navigate, for everyone. But we were able to pivot to online lessons, so that was HUGE for us.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
At the music lab, we provide private and group instrument lessons to all ages and in all styles of music. All of our instructors are experts in their instruments and performing musicians. Because of this, we can provide our students with many performance opportunities and a chance to collaborate with other students and form bands and ensembles. I’m very proud that we have a team of dedicated teachers who are not only amazing musicians and teachers but also great people. As we began creating the Music Lab, our goal was to have a positive, inspiring, and creative place for students and teachers to be. We wanted our space to be completely supportive of the teachers, which would also help the students thrive. Happy teachers, happy students!
Along with our private lessons, we also offer Labs and Camps that are more ensemble-style classes where kids learn how to not only play together as a group but also create and write original music together. I wish I had had these opportunities as I was learning how to play the piano as a kid. At the Music Lab, we love to have more frequent monthly performances and host them in a more “open mic” style to take away a lot of the anxiety that comes with yearly performances where students are expected to play “perfectly.” The fun part of making music is being creative; if there is a lot of anxiety, we lose sight of the creativity.
Do you have any advice for those just starting?
Many people would get discouraged and overwhelmed with starting a small business because it is very hard. And we had many overwhelming moments where we thought we might not make it much longer. But you keep taking another step forward, and you’ll find the rewarding moments are just around the corner. My only advice is to do what you love and go for it.
Pricing:
- Private lessons range from $27-$40 per half hour lesson.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.musiclabminneapolis.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musiclabminneapolis/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musiclabminneapolis
Image Credits
Thea Volk