by Rachel | Business Ownership
Today marks my 8th “first day of work” after summer break at Music Therapy Connections, but this year is different. I have a new office, studio, and coworker, so it almost feels like I’m starting a brand-new job. Luckily, I’ll be surrounded by the familiar faces of my clients and their families; a girl can only handle so much change at once.
It’s always an adjustment, going back to a regular jam-packed schedule after a low-key summer. Having only worked 4 days a week, and for only a few hours each day, returning to my full client load this week will be a bit of a challenge. But since I survived it last year — after taking maternity leave the entire summer — I am feeling pretty confident in my abilities :)
This fall I’ll have more help with Parker during the day, which will allow me to get more work done during daylight hours so that I can relax with my family at night and on weekends (the majority of which I spent burning the midnight oil last year). I know that the idea of w0rk-life balance is a bit of a myth, especially when you own a business, but my goal this year is to get just a little closer to achieving it.
My agenda for day 1 on the “new” job: hang out with Parker until 9 when his sitter arrives, meet Katey at the bank, head to the new office/studio to put the finishing touches on my room, go home for lunch with Parker, return to work, see students from 3-7 pm, and finally, hightail it back home. Tuesdays will get a little crazier once I add my early childhood class in two weeks, so I’m going to enjoy the extra little bit of downtime before then.
As apprehensive as I am about all the changes going into effect today, I’m pretty stoked. I feel so fortunate that I’ve been able to grow my little business into what it has become, and I have high hopes for another great year. Starting…now!
by Rachel | Business Ownership
This is a season of change for my private practice. What started as a tiny little side hustle for me back in 2007 has blossomed into a full-time business for not one, but TWO music therapists. I couldn’t be happier to have Katey Kratz as a partner in what is now Music Therapy Connections, LLC.
Along with our new name, partnership, and location, it was only fitting to update our look as well. My father-in-law graciously offered his photography services, and our new photos make this whole venture feel officially official! Over the course of this month, I’ll be busy updating our business cards, brochures, and web presence, but the first stop was our Facebook page.
Now that we have new photos (because, you know…priorities), our focus is on the look of our new studios. The furniture and equipment have been purchased, moved in, and mostly assembled, so now it’s time to find a home for the rest of our supplies and put the finishing touches on our new space.
We have a lot of work to do before we welcome students on Tuesday (eeek!) but I’m optimistic that it will all get done. I’m trying to resist the urge to post progress photos — we love how it’s shaping up so far! Stay tuned for a first look inside the Music Therapy Connections, LLC studios.
by Rachel | Professional Development
For the 4th summer in a row, my Music Therapy Round Table colleagues and I devoted a few days to what has come to be called the “MTRT Summit” — where we focus on brainstorming and planning for the following year.
This year we convened in northern California, where our newest colleague Matt Logan lives. While we spend a good majority of the long weekend sitting around his table with our laptops open, we did find time to enjoy some delicious food and wine (in Napa Valley, no less!).
I arrived early Friday evening, so Matt and I went out to dinner and started doing a little preliminary planning for the weekend. Michelle and Kimberly’s flight had been delayed, so they didn’t end up getting in until 11 pm. I was already asleep by the time they got to the hotel! We had a super early morning on Saturday, which began with coffee and breakfast at a yummy diner in Berkeley.
Next we met up with Matt’s friend and photographer Tara, who took photos for our website and promotional materials. She was great to work with, and it was a bonus that we got to hang out on the water at the same time. I can’t wait to see the photos after she edits and sends them next week.
After the photo shoot, we headed to Matt’s house for a long day of work. And by “work” I mean bouncing ideas off of each other, setting goals for the year, coming up with new projects, and enjoying the awesome company. We only see each other in person twice a year, so it hardly feels like work even though we are super productive and our brains hurt afterwards.
It’s really amazing how much we can accomplish when we are all together in the same room! One of the very best parts of our yearly summit is recording the podcast, since we’re used to doing it via Skype. Being able to read each other’s cues, make eye contact, and really just chat without having to worry about any potential technical difficulties is a breath of fresh air. This month’s episode is one of my favorites.
The best way to avoid the afternoon slump? A delicious lunch followed by a quick wine tasting. When in Rome, right? We were all ready to get back to work following our excursion, and ended up ordering pizza later that night because we were on such a roll and didn’t want to stop working. That’s when you know you love what you do :)
Our last full day together! Matt made us a delicious breakfast on Sunday morning, and then we picked up right where we had left off the night before. We finished recording both podcasts, mapped out our new content, did quite a bit of writing, and came up with topics for the entire next year. Whew! We more than earned an afternoon in Napa Valley, which is where we headed as soon as our work was done.
Matt took us to his favorite winery, Judd’s Hill, where we learned all about lots of different kinds of wine (and of course, tasted them too). The weather was gorgeous and it felt so wonderful to sit in the sun. The view wasn’t so bad either — miles and miles of vineyards with mountains in the distance. Next we had lunch and then enjoyed another tasting at a different spot before heading home.
All good things must come to an end, and for us, that was the next morning. Michelle, Kimberly and I headed to the airport at 5 am to catch our flights, but not before taking one last photo. I had a looooong day of flying, followed by a two hour drive home. After being away from my son Parker for the first time since he was born, it was pretty sweet to see him when I walked through the door.
I can’t wait to share with you everything we have planned for Music Therapy Round Table and Music Therapy Pro this year. Not only that, but our summit inspired me to make some big plans for my own personal businesses (Listen & Learn and Music Therapy Connections) as well. Now I just need a few more hours in each day to carry them all out! ;)
by Rachel | Uncategorized
A little over a year ago, the lovely and talented Kat Fulton introduced me to a guy by the name of Chris Guillebeau. I can’t thank Kat enough, because Chris has been a huge influence on the way I live my life and build my business.
Chris’ blog is called The Art of Non-Conformity, and there he writes about how to change the world by achieving significant, personal goals while helping others at the same time. His articles never fail to inspire me, especially since he practices what he preaches. Talk about goal-setting: Chris plans to visit every country in the world during a five-year time period; so far he’s been to 149 out of 192 with two years remaining in which to complete his mission.
So when he debuted his Empire Building Kit last spring, I didn’t hesitate for a minute before taking the plunge. Case studies, video interviews, transcripts, and a 365-day email series (the longest in history) designed to help me build my business in one year by doing one thing every day? Yes, please.
That was in May. Today marks day #255, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve hit “reply” to thank Chris for another valuable idea or nugget of information. And you know what? He’s responded every single time. Amidst his world-traveling, writing a bestselling book, and generally just being awesome, he’s found the time to personally cheer me on.
I love working on my business (which is comprised of my private music therapy practice/teaching studio and Listen & Learn, of course), but what I love even more is seeing positive results. And although I may not have achieved empire status just yet, I’m on my way.
Any other emperors out there? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the kit. And if you want to join us, read on.
