All success stories

TopMusicPro Teacher Success Story: Judi van Dyke

My biggest win with TopMusicPro has been increased student retention and increased income. I have a lot more confidence in how I am teaching, and I have the resources I need when I do have questions.

Judi’s Results

  • Increased student retention rates
  • Higher levels of income
  • A greater sense of community
  • More confidence

How TopMusicPro helped Judi validate her methods and find new and engaging teaching strategies

  • An active online community
  • A vast library of resources
  • Access to industry experts
  • Proven business tools and strategies

What was your life like before TopMusicPro?

My name is Judi van Dyke, and I teach from my home studio in Ankeny, Iowa.

You need a certain amount of confidence to go against the flow of what has always been done. I needed the confidence to introduce myself as a different type of piano teacher.

My teaching style is quite different, and when I started with TopMusicPro, I got the validation that there are many right ways to play the piano and that there are many right ways to be in the world.

How has the TopMusicPro community helped you?

I had not been using games to teach theory, and it is so much more effective, especially for concepts with newer students but even for the older students.

Then I made the change where we give monthly groups. There is more camaraderie, friendship, and support.

My student retention has gone up significantly to almost 90%. It is typically low for businesses like this, more like 35%, so this is a big achievement!

For me, retention means getting at least to level two where you are a proficient reader of music and music theory.

What are your favourite resources from TopMusicPro?

One of my favourite resources is by Nicola Cantan, which is a program for building your own website.

Walking through that resource helped me to think about how I present myself professionally. I was able to highlight the things I am best at so that I get a good match with my students.

It helped me to line up my values and goals with my actions so that I sign up the students who are a good match, and we end up being a good fit for each other.

Is TopMusicPro worth the investment?

TopMusicPro is absolutely worth it because you will get a return on your investment. You will see increased studio income, increased retention, and better metrics all round.

When you have more to offer, you are able to charge a more reasonable fee for your time. As a piano teacher, you have so much of your life invested into your business that you really need to be paid appropriately.

Being able to clearly show what you offer increases your ability to charge a good fee and make a decent living.

Would you recommend TopMusicPro?

I would recommend TopMusicPro to anyone running a music studio. There are so many resources for all kinds of music teachers, not just for piano.

There is also a lot of small business help, and small business can be so overwhelming. It is hard to know which resource to choose, which app to use, or which program to use.

With TopMusicPro, you get solid advice along with an explanation of why you should be doing certain things. It helps you to choose what works for your business.