So if it's OK with you, I'd like to just go ahead and state the obvious. This year is starting off a little bit, uh, shaky. Things are financially uncertain, globally confusing, and, if you live anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains, really friggin' cold.

This uncertainty might be making you feel a bit down about being a self-employed music teacher at this particular time. Perhaps you feel a little foolish going it alone right now. Maybe you feel the urge to start pounding the pavement (even in this awful job market) for a more stable gig at a company or school where you'd have a better chance of weathering any storms headed your way.

My advice? Stay right where you are, doing what you're doing.

I mean, I don't want you to starve or miss a mortgage payment or anything. So if you're looking to grow your business to stay ahead financially and need a step-by-step plan to do so, check out my studio building online course, STAT.

But if you're financially OK and just feeling a bit anxious about the future, take heart, steady yourself, and remember why you started teaching privately in the first place.

And, also, this.

Here are 3 reasons you should feel great about being a private music instructor right now:

1. You’re employing yourself. Can we just take a moment here and acknowledge how AMAZING this is?? In today’s uncertain world, you are more than just a professional badass; you’ve taken on the responsibility of making your own way in a world that really needs courageous and self-reliant entrepreneurs right now.

   
   

   Yes, it can be hard and a bit scary from time to time.

   
   

   But consider this: in a world where dependable jobs with companies are disappearing at an alarming rate, you have taken the bull by the horns and are making your own way, financially and professionally.

   
   

   Whatever you build - no matter how long it takes or how many challenges you encounter along the way - is YOURS, and it can’t be swept out from under you at the whim of a company that decides it's time to tighten its belt.

2. Kids really need you right now. According to a recent Gallup poll, “a record-low 35% of Americans are satisfied with the quality of education that K-12 students receive in the U.S. today.” And let me quickly point out that this is due to many factors not at all related to the excellent quality instruction that many (underpaid, underappreciated) public school teachers provide.

   
   

   For starters, class sizes have steadily grown, giving students less individualized time with teachers and fewer opportunities to benefit from one-on-one guidance and support.

   
   

   In this climate, what private music teachers offer is particularly valuable. We are capable of filling an important gap in a child’s education, providing them not only with the opportunity to learn an instrument but also with all the instructional and emotional benefits that one-on-one instruction provides.

   
   

   If no-one has sung your praises recently for providing this critical service to our nation’s youth, let me step in to applaud you and remind you of your immense value.

   
   

3. The personal connection you provide is invaluable. In a world where AI influence is exploding, in-person connection is especially important to combat isolation and develop and maintain interpersonal skills. This connection is especially critical for kids who are trying to find their way in an increasingly digital world.

   
   

   And this is where private music teachers excel. The one-on-one relationships we establish with our students are consistent, supportive, and - possibly most important of all - real.

   
   

   Even on those hard teaching days where you’re not at your best, just showing up with a smile and a word of encouragement has a direct and positive impact on your students.

   
   

   Private music instructors are, in many ways, the quiet superheroes of our students’ lives, providing a consistent and positive personal connection in a rapidly changing world.

I hope these helped you feel great about being a private music teacher right now. In times like these, it's often best to take the long view, and remember that the career you're building takes time and persistence.

But private teaching is also a deeply meaningful and noble pursuit, and can be both a financially stable and rewarding career in a time of so much uncertainty.

If you've decided THIS IS THE YEAR to take your music business to the next level, join me in The High Value Music Studio online course where I share my proven studio business framework, the Growth Blueprint, and give you step-by-step instructions to increase your income (without teaching more) and build a studio you love.