2019 Piano Teacher Planner for a New Year Headstart

It can be hard to know where to start when it comes to setting goals and resolutions for a new year. Look ahead with me using this piano teacher planner and guide to get ready for a rockin’ 2019!

For me, great planning is cathartic and satisfying. It helps me to feel settled and in control, especially at a hectic time of year like December.

Use this piano teacher planner to get all your ideas and targets down on paper so you can sit back, relax and enjoy some mince pies instead of fretting about what’s to come next year. 😋

Take stock and reflect

The first step in any sensible planning exercise is to get a clear picture of where you are now.

You wouldn’t set a goal of performing 20 pieces at a solo recital next week without first checking how many you already had up to performance level. Let’s not do that with your business either.

Asking yourself questions and actually writing down the answers can give you a new perspective.

I recommend answering these questions to get started.

1. How many students do you have?

2. What is the age range of your current students?

3. What is the level of your current students?

4. What was your gross income this year before expenses?

5. What was your net income this year after deducting expenses?

6. What was your average take-home income each month, after taxes?

7. Are you teaching at home, in a commercial location or travelling to your students? Do you like teaching at this location?

8. How many hours are you teaching each week?

9. How many hours are you doing admin/preparation for lessons each week?

10. Are you happy with these hours?

All of these questions are in the Piano Teacher Planner worksheets which you can download below. 🙂

Vibrant Music Teaching members click here to go directly to the download.

Decide where you want to go

Ok, so now we know where we are on the map…where do we want to go from here?

One of the magic things about running your own business is that YOU get to decide what it perfect looks like for you.

Don’t chase more students just because it’s what you should do. Don’t hire another teacher just because you can. Take the time to look at the horizon and make sure you’re heading the right direction.

1. Are you happy with the demographics in your studio? If you would prefer to be teaching more students at a certain level/age?
2. How many hours (total) do you want to be working each week?
3. Keeping in mind the amount of time you normally spend on admin/preparation, how many teaching hours does this equate to?
4. What take-home income each month, after taxes, would you be satisfied with?
5. What would your gross income need to be to achieve this? Use the figures in Stage 1 to guide you.
6. If there is a big disparity between your current income and what you want to be making, how are you going to bridge that gap? For example, would you like to teach more students, teach group lessons or hire another teacher to work for you?
7. What other changes do you want to make in your studio? How should it look different 3 years from now?
8. Knowing this, how should it look different in 1 year?

I like the 3-year time frame for planning like this. 10 years is too far off to picture, and so much will change before we get there.

By planning for 3 years away first, you can easily see what you need to do in 2019 to start along that road.

Work out the practical steps

If you want to go somewhere, you need to get moving. And you need to do it one step at a time.

After you’ve decided what you want your studio to look like by the end of 2019, you can (and should!) plan specific steps to get there.

For example, if you need more students to achieve your goals, you’ll have to try some new marketing ideas or maybe upgrade your piano studio’s website. If your goals include moving out of your home studio to give your family some space, you need to set action steps around finding a commercial location to rent.

Schedule action steps

Whatever your steps are – you need to prioritise them to get them done. We’re all busy, so saying you’ll do these things “at some stage in 2019” isn’t going to cut it.

Take out your favourite planner app, diary or calendar and set a date. Make a realistic deadline for each action step and set sub-deadlines if needed for bigger goals.

Commit to your dates and treat them as if they’re set in stone. You’ll thank yourself at the end of 2019 when you’re that much closer to the piano studio of your dreams.

Download the Piano Teacher Planner

This planner will walk you through the steps of reflecting and looking ahead to get ready for a new year.

Vibrant Music Teaching members click here to go directly to the download.

How do you plan for a new year of piano teaching?

Do you think about your business in this way? Do you make resolutions or set goals for your studio?