We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Aysha Tenouri. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Aysha below.

Alright, Aysha thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. One of the most important things small businesses can do, in our view, is to serve underserved communities that are ignored by giant corporations who often are just creating mass-market, one-size-fits-all solutions. Talk to us about how you serve an underserved community.

InstruMix is a wellness program that was designed for seniors in long-term care communities. Unfortunately, this is often a forgotten about and very underserved group of people. I’ve seen firsthand how staff turnover in these places is a real big issue, and the residents surely pay the price. I’ve walked into many communities that smell unsanitary, where residents are sitting in dirty clothes, just sitting and staring at the TV or out a window. With so many people needing such a high level of care, and staff shortages being commonplace, it’s no mystery why this is happening.

It matters because these people deserve the same quality of life and happiness that every person deserves. It is so sad to know so many people are living in sub standard conditions, and it is my company’s mission to enhance physical, mental and emotional well-being through the power of music and movement. We create fun, engaging experiences that improve quality of life and bring joy to individuals of all ability levels, including those living with dementia and Alzheimer’s.

We achieve this by partnering with family members, personal trainers, senior care communities, wellness centers, and other organizations. Through comprehensive training, ongoing support, and access to our curated choreography, we empower others to bring the benefits of InstruMix to their communities, and enrich the lives of those they serve.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I got into the fitness industry as a teenager. I grew up playing all kinds of Sports and ended up getting a job as a gymnastics coach at the age of 15. I went on to create a small business teaching toddler music and gymnastics. It wasn’t as successful as I hoped, so ended up going back to school and obtaining a master’s in Mental Health and Rehabilitation Counseling along with a handful of certifications in holistic health practices such as ayurveda Thai massage and yoga therapy.

I was getting pretty burnt out working with children during my master’s program, and it was actually a suggestion from my mom that took me down the route of creating the InstruMix program. She said take your instruments from your old business, and create something fun and engaging for seniors in nursing homes. I thought she was crazy, but I figured what was the harm in giving it a shot. After that first class I fell in love with working with seniors! They’re just so grateful and kind and appreciative for all of my time and energy. After that, there was no turning back. What makes the InstruMix program so unique is that we use percussion instruments in our classes! We move the arms and legs, getting some physical exercise, but it’s not only fun and engaging, it also provides a whole new level of stimulation for the brain. Most of us are well aware of the benefits of playing an instrument, and now all of those benefits are accessible to people of all ability levels, even seniors with low mobility or cognitive decline.

When I first began, I was solving a problem of the long-term care community by providing a fun and engaging wellness program that not only stimulates the physical health but also the mental health of their residents. I began hiring and training other instructors and expanding my reach to more and more communities in my surrounding areas. Once my team reached my personal capacity for management, I shifted my services slightly to be able to expand my reach and now I help individuals gain the skills and tools necessary to create their own business bringing this wonderful program to seniors in their communities through our online certification and licensing program.

The thing I’m proud of the most, is how this program has touched the hearts and lives of so many people. I love that it’s so much fun for both the participants and the instructors. I’ve received countless testimonials from activities directors about how powerful the program has been for their residents. I’ve listened to so many residents share their excited stories of improvement with me. And so many instructors have shared how impactful the experience of teaching InstruMix has been in their lives. I feel grateful that I have the opportunity to make such a positive impact in the lives of so many people all while doing something that I love, spreading Joy through Music and Dance!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

There was one point in time where I was really struggling with management. I really wanted to grow my team but it seems as my team got bigger, so did the amount of problems that I was dealing with on a daily basis. I went through a period of about 8 months to a year where I had a revolving door of instructors. Every month I would have one to three open positions. I felt like I was constantly training and interviewing, and just couldn’t catch a break. I hired a business mentor, and then I eventually hired a manager because I thought I just didn’t have what it took to hire good people. But after only 6 months, my manager resigned as well. I was back to the management role, and although I temporarily had a short break, I was alone again and needed to figure out how to do the whole management thing. But I didn’t give up, I was sure this business was going to be my career. I kept reading books about leadership and improved my processes, and soon things started to calm down. I realize it wasn’t about “ finding good people”, it was about nurturing people and supporting them so that they can evolve into the best InstruMix instructor that they could be!

Any advice for managing a team?

My advice for managing a team is, when you catch yourself frustrated with behavior, always look at yourself first to see in what ways you can better support your team to help manage those behaviors. When I made this shift, it alleviated a lot of frustration I was feeling personally, and I noticed a big boost in morale from my team members. Automate as many things as possible, including regular check-ins with your team members. In my personal situation I deal with a lot of team members that I do not see on a regular basis. This means that without regular check-ins, a lot was being left unsaid and slipping through the cracks. When I stopped to create a check-in form with some questions that would help me identify some frequently encountered problems, not only did it give me more insight on ways I can help my team, but they also felt more supported and cared for. This directly translated into a higher morale and a deeper connection with my team.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instrumix.org/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/instrumix/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/funatyourfacility
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aysha-tenouri-5b104816b/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@instrumix6266