Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh Ross.
Hi Josh, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I started teaching music when I was 13. I remember putting up a flyer at a local TCBY ice cream store, and I remember teaching my very first student, who ended up taking lessons with me for over five years.
I have known since a young age that I wanted to be a full time musician and music teacher. I am so thankful for my parents for investing in years of music lessons for me. Though my parents are not musicians, they encouraged me and supported my passion for music.
I was not always passionate about music. I took piano lessons for several years, and my interest in piano continued to go down. When I was 9 years old, I told my dad that I wanted a guitar. He cleverly told me that if I practiced piano consistently for a year and let me fingers grow, he would buy me a guitar. My dad was true to his word and on Christmas, he bought me a guitar. Learning guitar ignited my passion for music and led me to learn over 10 different instruments over the next decade.
I began teaching at thirteen and continued through high school and college. After graduating college, I took the leap to pursue music full time. I moved back home with my mom, taught from her house, and eventually saved enough to buy my own house with my wife. Then I began teaching from my own home. It felt so amazing to teach from my own space. Yet, I always knew I wanted a studio. So after two years of teaching from my house, we had so many students coming to the house that neighbors began to complain. The City of Troy came by and told me I had two weeks to stop teaching from the house.
So then, I found an amazing studio five minutes from my house and began teaching there. And a few years later, we have an amazing community of instructors and students.
I am so grateful for my family, friends, mentors, and others who supported me and inspired me to chase my dream.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
Hahaha. It has not always been a smooth road.
Most of the struggles were internal. But there were some external struggles as well. As I began teaching more and more students, there were more and more challenges. I had to find ways to stay organized, I had to find ways to appeal to students with varying interests, and I had to discover how to run a full-time business.
Once I had over 70 students coming to my house every week, it became tougher to separate work and home life. My wife was not always fond of all the noise and cars coming over all day long. haha.
Then when I got a studio space, I had to make sure to cover the rent. As we continued to grow, I had to learn how to lead a team effectively, which challenged me to be much more than just a musician. I had to also become a manager and business owner.
There have been countless struggles along the way. But each challenge gave me an opportunity to learn more and grow stronger.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We help ordinary people become the confident musicians they want to be. We teach piano, voice, guitar, and songwriting.
We specialize in transforming lives and inspiring students to develop a lifelong love of music. We respect tradition, yet we challenge the boundaries of old ways of thought by continually innovating and improving how we teach and serve our students. Many people tell us that when they come into our studio, they feel joyful. Many tell us, they feel at home. Some tell us that they never want to leave.
We seek to provide a positive learning environment, a supportive community, and an individualized teaching approach that fosters lifelong relationships, learning, and a fulfilling life.
My proudest achievements include:
1. Seeing a student perform a song with confidence and competence with a smile on their face.
2. Talking to a teacher who is inspired that all their students made tangible progress this week
3. Seeing people grow as musicians and as people over the years
Are there any important lessons you’ve learned that you can share with us?
Enjoy the journey.
I have developed this philosophy that I incorporated into our mission statement which we feature prominently on our front desk:
1. Love yourself first (it’s hard to love anyone else if you don’t)
2. Love others (makes life more enjoyable)
3. Love your life (the ultimate reward on a daily basis)
4. Inspire others to live their lives (you get to share your joy and live with others who are a joy to be around)
Each student teaches me to be a better teacher and leader. My students and my team inspire and challenge me to be my best.
Contact Info:
- Email: info.jropro@gmail.com
- Website: www.jropro.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1503071786608358
