Hello and welcome to a series of blog posts exploring the questions piano teachers often ask when they start a piano studio. And one of them is about commuting to a student’s house. In this article let’s see when you would consider travelling to your student’s house to be a viable option and why.
Do you want to commute?
Piano teachers start piano studios for various reasons. However most of the time it is to make a living. Surely you know why you are teaching the piano. But what would you like your piano studio to be? Please do this simple thought experiment. Imagine your piano studio 5 years from now. Think in terms of the number of students, number of working days, monthly revenue, etc. What is your long-term plan for the piano studio? Do you want to be a travelling piano teacher then?
Commute to Start
You may or may not plan to commute to your students’ homes long-term but in reality, many piano teachers do when they start. When you want to get your first bunch going you agree to many conditions. And travelling to their homes might be one of them. Commuting to students’ homes is one of the ways to fill your schedule.
Commute to Overcome
Sometimes you cannot immediately accommodate piano lessons in your own house. It might be due to a lack of space, parking, or limits of the property you own or rent. Sometimes teaching from your current home may not be possible at all. In those conditions travelling as a short-term solution makes perfect sense. It will help to get the word out and start bringing money in.
Transition from Commuting
Every time you accept another remote student, think twice. If your ultimate goal is to teach from the comfort of your own home, then you should always keep an eye on the number of students you travel to. Even though travelling might be a viable option to start, it is way more manageable if students come to your place instead. Think about the overheads of commuting and all the additional time that is required. And once you start seeing a high enough number of on-site students you can stop accepting the remote ones. What about the existing students?
When You Stop Commuting
If travelling is temporary then ending it is inevitable. You must be ready for that day and communicate that clearly to your students and their parents ahead of time. Always remember what you want for your piano studio and for yourself. When you believe in your long term-plan, students will likely follow and continue lessons in your house. Others will leave, but don’t worry as new students will take their place.
We hope you like the article. If so feel free to share its link on social media and talk about it with your fellow piano teachers. Our team at Start Piano Studio loves feedback. Enjoy your teaching!
