How This Music Business Grew Its Lesson Program to 700+ Students (and What You Can Learn From It)

If you’re a music store owner offering lessons, you might be sitting on the most valuable and scalable part of your business. Just ask Anthony Sloan and Bailey Kercheval, co-founders of Sloan Music School, a full-service music store and lesson center in Hagerstown, Maryland.

Since opening in August 2020, their store has grown to 700+ students across two locations, offering private lessons, rentals, retail, and repairs, all under one roof. But lessons? That’s the heart of their business, accounting for two-thirds of their total revenue.

In a recent podcast interview, I sat down with Anthony and Bailey to unpack how they built their lesson program so fast and what other store owners can learn from their success.

From Teacher Colleagues to Store Owners

Anthony and Bailey were longtime instructors at a local music school when they decided to branch out and build something of their own. With Anthony’s father joining as a Fender-certified repair tech, they laid out a plan to create a community-focused music store with lessons as the centerpiece.

They didn’t just add a few studios to the back of the shop. They designed a facility from the ground up: eight private lesson rooms, a large retail space, a stage, and a welcoming waiting area complete with a coffee bar, charging stations, and a projector screen.

250 Students in 12 Months? Here’s How They Did It

Opening a new business in the middle of COVID sounds like a gamble—but it turned out to be an accelerator.

“Parents were calling saying, ‘There’s nothing extracurricular for my kid to do. Are you open for in-person lessons?’” Anthony said.

Thanks to thoughtful safety measures and a welcoming space, the store opened with 80 students on day one, hit 250 within a year, and soon opened a second location.

So what drove the growth?

• Local instructors with strong reputations
• Above-market pay structures to attract talent
• A family-first experience with personal attention and intentional customer service
• A community atmosphere that made families want to stick around
  

Lessons First. Store Second.

While many stores treat lessons as an add-on, Anthony and Bailey took the opposite approach.

“We see ourselves primarily as a music school,” Anthony shared. “Retail supports the mission, but lessons are the driver.”

That mindset shift is key. Lessons aren’t just a revenue stream. They’re a recurring, high-retention business that feeds every other part of the store: retail, rentals, repairs, and reputation.

And they’ve built infrastructure to support that:

• An operations manual for teachers
• Quarterly best practices meetings
• A carefully defined set of core values that guide hiring and staff development
• A robust student experience designed to retain families long-term

Core Values that Build Culture and Retention

Anthony and Bailey developed clear core values that show up in every part of the business:

• Student & Family Focus
• Community Engagement
• Operational Excellence
• Employee Growth & Happiness
• Integrity & Respect

These aren’t just on a poster, they’re baked into hiring, onboarding, and day-to-day operations. New teachers get a full backstory of the business, a tour, and training on how to represent the brand and deliver an exceptional student experience.

They also require all teachers to do a 30-second recap in the waiting room after each lesson, an intentional moment to build trust and continuity with families.

Training, Support, and Standards—Not Just Room Rentals

Many music stores rent lesson space to teachers and leave it at that. Anthony and Bailey take a different approach.

“We don’t just say, ‘Here’s your room, good luck.’ We offer tools, support, and structure,” said Bailey.

That includes:

• Marketing support
• Admin support (billing, scheduling, communication)
• Training and coaching to help teachers build relationships and grow their student base
• Flexible rate structures so teachers feel invested

Teachers are treated like partners and the result is better instruction, stronger retention, and a more consistent customer experience.

Advice for Store Owners: Stop Treating Lessons Like a Side Hustle

If you’re running a music store and struggling to grow your lesson program, Anthony’s advice is simple:

“Hire great teachers who align with your values. Then invest in them. Make it easy for them to show up, do what they do best, and feel supported.”

Bailey added:

“Focus on community. If people feel welcome and connected, they stick around. That’s what drives everything.”

Bonus Revenue: Rentals, Repairs, and Retail

The school also offers rentals (via a partnership with NEMC), repairs, and gear sales. Smart additions that support the core lesson business.

Anthony pointed out that consistent presence in the schools, responsiveness to teachers, and community events helped them earn trust and carve out space in a competitive rental market.

Final Thoughts: Lessons are Your Growth Engine

Too many music stores treat lessons as an afterthought; something to offer because it’s expected. But this Maryland-based team flipped the script. They built a lesson-first business that powers everything else.

If you’re serious about growing your store’s education program, take a page from their playbook:

• Treat your teachers like professionals, not tenants
• Build a culture of values and community
• Support your instructors with training, tools, and leadership
• Design your physical space to retain families, not just serve students
• Don’t be afraid to scale—but do it intentionally