We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Forest Wilson a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Forest thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Looking back, do you think you started your business at the right time? Do you wish you had started sooner or later

I taught for other schools for many years before I branched out and started my on business and teaching studio. That was a great experience, and in the end I’m glad I waited to go solo. I learned a lot during those early years. You really can’t put a price on experience. It takes a while to find your voice as a teacher. I feel like I’ve really come into my own in recent years, and I’m able to approach a wide variety of students with an open heart, and an eye for their personal strengths. I don’t think I would have had as much success had I started teaching independently with less real world experience.

Forest , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I offer private and group lessons for Guitar, Banjo, Mandolin, Bass, Ukulele, Dobro, and Lap Steel. I pride myself in customizing every lesson to fit a student’s learning style and interests. Over the last decade, I’ve taught students at all skill levels and all ages, and I’m proud to have watched many of my students become skilled musicians and cultivate a lifelong appreciation for music.

I began studying music myself in formal classes at my high school, and after a couple of years of study, I was lucky enough to receive a full scholarship to the Hornby Island Blues Workshop in British Colombia. Studying Blues, Jazz, Americana, and Music Theory through my scholarship truly inspired me and set me on the path that I’m on today as a full-time musician and teacher. Over the years, I’ve been lucky enough to perform with many wonderful musicians in and out of the state of Alaska, while teaching many wonderful students during the week.

I teach Mondays through Thursdays from my own private studio at Alaska Music and Sound. And I tend to perform or purse other interests on the weekends. It’s an incredibly fulfilling job to teach someone whether once or for many years, and I cherish getting to share my passion with all types of people. I feel very lucky to work in this field.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I do a really good job, I try to be patient, and I prioritize being kind to people. I rarely advertise, and mostly people find out about my instruction from my being involved in the community. I perform quite a bit and talk to people and let them know that I teach music lessons. I think the most important step to growing your business is to provide a great product, or a great service, with integrity. If you do honest, and skilled work, the rest can fall into place. This is of course just my personal experience. But I stand by the principle that as long as I continue to grow as music teacher, put a lot of effort into my lessons, and make sure my students are heard and treated with dignity, then everything else will fall into place.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

During the pandemic I had to go from teaching all of my music lessons in person to teaching them on zoom. This was quite the pivot. I’m sure many can relate to this one in their own businesses. I can’t thank my students enough for sticking with their lessons, and studying with me on a computer screen during such a wild and unprecedented time.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.forestwilsonguitarist.com

Image Credits
Forest Wilson