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

Alright, Ana thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

Interestingly, I decided to “launch” my business when I got really sick. I had reached a point in my health journey where working from home became almost necessary in order to make some income. After leaving public music education, I had been teaching private music lessons for a few months, mostly because a few friends had asked me to. But as time went on, I started to see there was a real demand for it in my community. Plus, I genuinely enjoyed getting back into teaching, especially music. That’s when the idea first began to take shape.

Still, the thought of putting myself out there scared me. I knew that once I took that step, there would be no turning back. I also dreaded the idea of updating my professional info online and creating promotional content for my business—it felt like such a huge task. It wasn’t until I became really sick and had to spend a lot of time in bed that I decided to seize the opportunity. I spent that time getting creative, and that’s when everything started to fall into place. The rest is history.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I grew up in a musically-inclined household with a strong love for singing, so from a young age, I knew I wanted to pursue something in music. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the financial means for private lessons, so I didn’t receive “formal” music education until I was older. However, my involvement in church music gave me a solid aural foundation that helped me along the way.

When I graduated high school, I decided to pursue a degree in Music Education at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where I finally received the music education I had longed for. After graduating, I gained valuable experience as a music educator, working at Eagle Ridge Middle School and Burnsville High School, where I taught general music, choir, and musical theatre. I really enjoyed working with large classes and ensembles—the energy from those environments is something you just can’t replicate.

That said, I’ll admit that it sometimes felt like there was so much to teach and not enough time to cover it all. I always wanted to dive deeper into certain topics with my students and explore the subjects that truly fascinated me. I also worked with some incredibly talented students who had so much potential, and I wished I had more time to work with them one-on-one to focus on their specific goals.

The shift to private lessons actually came about due to health reasons, but it ended up being a perfect opportunity to offer more personalized instruction. In this setting, I could really target the individual needs and goals of each student. While I now spend most of my time teaching private lessons, I still enjoy working with larger groups through group music lessons, which I currently offer to local churches.

I think my experience as a classroom educator sets me apart because, in the three years I spent teaching in that setting, I truly saw it all—the highs, the lows, and everything in between. As a Latina who didn’t grow up with many musical opportunities, I can also relate to families from similar backgrounds who are looking to improve their own or their children’s musical experiences. I understand the challenges they face, and that personal perspective helps me connect with my students and their families on a deeper level.

How’d you meet your business partner?

I met Alyssa Feltes, my business mentor, while we were in college at the same university. She was studying Music Performance, and I was focused on Music Education. Even though she was a year ahead of me and we didn’t share many classes, we instantly clicked, and our friendship grew from there. Over time, we collaborated on several projects and quickly realized how well we worked together. We’re both determined, creative, and hardworking, so we fed off each other’s energy.

After graduation, we stayed in touch, supporting each other as we navigated the challenges in our careers—she as a private instructor and me as a public school teacher. When I decided to shift directions in my career, it was Alyssa who guided me through the transition, sharing the wisdom she had gained over the years in the field. I am truly grateful for her friendship and mentorship, as her support has made all the difference in helping me get to where I am today.

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

My teaching has been the most effective way to grow my clientele. When students see that I teach well and that the value of what they’re learning is worth their investment, they’re quick to refer others to me. I don’t say this to brag as getting to this level of skill and confidence has come from a lot of successes and failures. But I do believe it’s important to acknowledge when you’re good at what you do, especially if you’ve worked hard for it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://amlmusicstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/amlmusicstudio/
• Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/people/AML-Music-Studio/61565359517570/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-m-leyva-342567191

Image Credits

Leobardo Leyva, Light Bending Media