From Solo Teacher to 700 Student Music School: Benjie’s Top Growth Tips

At first glance, teaching music at a small retail shop may not seem like the beginnings of a larger, thriving music school. But for Benjie Kushins, that was precisely how Art and Soul Music School started.

What began as a solo teaching effort grew into a multi-instrument music school that, 20 years later, nurtures the artistic talents of hundreds of students across Northern California.

Benjie's journey is not unlike many music school owners. It's a story of passion, evolution, adaptability, and smart strategy. Through ups and downs—including cash-flow challenges, the inevitable growing pains that come with business expansion, and the wise decisions that unlocked doors to growth—Art and Soul Music School has emerged not just as a studio but as a beacon in its community.

The school provides art, music, and dance lessons to both private students and public schools. This blend of educational reach with a strong focus on curriculum has sustained the school’s growth, even during tough times like the seasonal dips in summer when students are less available.

From Drum Lessons to Building an Empire

“I started as a drum teacher,” Benjie recalls, "teaching students in the back of a retail music store in Northern California."

 It was humble beginnings, to say the least. Like many educators who find their passion early, Benjie plunged into teaching, helping kids discover a love for music. Growing up in California, he had the privilege of participating in music programs from elementary through high school, experiences that helped shape his career. However, as he transitioned into adulthood and started thinking about building a life that included his love for music, he couldn't help but notice the declining investment in arts education, particularly in California’s public schools.

 Benjie's realization was stark: "A lot of the funding was gone from schools for the arts," he says, reflecting on the cuts that many communities were facing. “I really wanted to provide a service for those students.”

 Thus, Art and Soul Music School was born. Built on the foundation of filling that void in public education, Benjie’s vision was initially simple—teach wherever and whenever there was need. What came out of this was a long-term strategy to serve both private and public students, ensuring no child who wanted access to arts education would be left behind.

Serving Students Where They Are, The Secret to Mega Growth 

One of the defining characteristics of Art and Soul is its dual-reach strategy. Despite having its own brick-and-mortar studio, Benjie and his wife—who collaborates on the visual arts portion of their offerings—made a conscious decision to stay active in public schools.

Benjie explains: “We started with art and music [in schools], and we went right into teaching students who either couldn’t afford private music lessons or who didn’t have access to them.” The mission was deliberate: reach students where they are.

By offering instruction on-site in local schools, particularly in underserved districts, Art and Soul was able to introduce arts education to students who otherwise may never have had the opportunity. This approach paid off. Even after two decades, Art and Soul continues to expand—not just as an after-school program but as a fully-fledged arts education provider reaching hundreds of students weekly across multiple communities. Their offerings serve everyone from elementary children learning the basics to more experienced students ready to refine their artistry.

“We’re still in public schools because it’s just so important,” Benjie emphasizes. “It’s really rewarding, and that’s why we started and continue this whole journey.”

Day-to-Day Operations: The Nuts and Bolts of Sustaining Growth

While the passion for teaching and providing arts education remains central, running a successful school requires constant attention to day-to-day operations. Benjie admits that even after 20 years, a significant portion of his time is still spent refining the internal systems that keep Art and Soul moving forward.

 Every day brings its own series of meetings with the admin team, who are invaluable in handling the logistical and operational side of things. “Most days are spent working on refining systems,” Benjie says. This focus on creating processes ensures that new hires—whether they are instructors or administrators—know their responsibilities clearly and can be integrated into the team with minimal disruption.

 Systems have become crucial as the business has grown to include around 60 staff members. With such a large team, training, delegating, and maintaining standard operating procedures are necessities.

 “We have to make sure everyone is clear on their roles,” Benjie explains. “When we hire someone new, we need them up and running quickly, so we’re always working on systems to make that possible.”

 This constant attention to process improvement, whether by tweaking marketing strategies or upgrading onboarding procedures, keeps the business nimble and able to grow.

Looking for Marketing Idea's? Check out Build a Music School's 25 Marketing Idea's Guide! 

The Seasonal Cash Flow Dilemma

No matter how successful a music school becomes, cash-flow management during the summer months remains one of the most consistent challenges. Art and Soul Music School has been no exception.

“Our enrollment is high from September to May, like most people,” Benjie says. “But then June, July, and August hit.”

Benjie is referring to the well-known seasonal drop-off in student participation. While kids may flock to the school during the academic year, everything changes during the summer break. Many families prioritize travel, camps, and other seasonal activities over ongoing lessons.

Yet, the school's overhead—rent, utilities, salaries—remains constant. How does one survive such a revenue drop? Benjie has the secret. 

Innovating for the Summer

Benjie offers two strategies they've adopted over the years to counteract these seasonal dips:

Summer-Only Programs: To maintain engagement, Art and Soul introduced specialized summer camps that cater to students with shorter courses, allowing for flexibility. These summer camps have grown popular both within their own studio and through partnerships with local community centers.“Summer camps have been huge for us,” Benjie says. “We run five- to six-week sessions to fit the summer schedule and partner with other institutions to reach more kids.”

Planning for the Downtime: Benjie stresses the importance of financial planning. “Every month, we squirrel away money,” he shares, emphasizing the need to set aside funds that can sustain payroll, rent, and other expenses during the revenue dip.

Simple changes, like tweaking makeup policies during the summer to retain students, have also contributed to making these months less financially daunting.

The Power of a Mastermind Group

One of the most significant pieces of advice Benjie offers for those running or growing a music school is to find a community of like-minded individuals—and one of the best ways to do that is by forming or joining a mastermind group.

Benjie chose to join the #BAMSQUAD, the world's largest private school community. 

A mastermind group, composed of business owners facing similar challenges or pursuing similar goals, provides support, accountability, and new perspectives. Regular sessions allow members to share solutions to common challenges, insights into strategic growth, and lessons learned from failures.

Benjie reflects, “I wouldn’t have gotten here without the help of my mastermind group. Surround yourself with other owners—they’ve likely faced the same challenges. It’s not just about strategy; it’s about moral support too.”

Mastermind groups also promote collaboration, helping reduce the sense of isolation that can plague small business owners. Whether you’re working to refine your systems or tackle seasonal cash flow issues, the collective wisdom of a mastermind group can provide a powerful advantage.

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How a Failing Music Store Built a Mega Music School 

Benjie reflects on his early decisions, noting a pivotal moment when the music store he was teaching out of went out of business. With his income source at risk, he and another music teacher saw an opportunity to keep their students by seeking out a new teaching location, leading to the eventual creation of the Art and Soul that exists today.

Benjie's advice? “Don’t go it alone. Joining a mastermind group or surrounding yourself with other music business owners made all the difference for me.”

Benjie’s Vision for the Future

While cash flow and day-to-day operations are key, the heart of Art and Soul’s long-term success remains passion—passion for teaching and for reaching students who wouldn’t otherwise have exposure to music and art.

Art and Soul Music School's journey proves that, with commitment, a mastermind network, and careful planning, a small music school can expand not just in size but in impact.

And for those looking to replicate Benjie’s success, his advice is clear and timeless: "Never stop refining your systems. Stay connected to why you started, find your mastermind group, and keep pushing forward."

What is Build a Music School?

Build a Music School is a membership-based platform designed to help music school owners grow profitable, sustainable studios while improving their work-life balance. Build a Music School has  a huge library of over 500 training videos, covering everything you will ever need to know about growing or running a music studio. Members also get access to a private Facebook community for networking, monthly mastermind sessions with industry experts, one-on-one coaching & much more

We work with music school owners of all levels of business, from solo teachers to large studios, providing actionable strategies to boost profits, reduce workload, and streamline operations. The program is built around a supportive community of music school owners who share resources and experiences, helping each other succeed.  

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