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

Lucy, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Being a business owner can be really hard sometimes. It’s rewarding, but most business owners we’ve spoken sometimes think about what it would have been like to have had a regular job instead. Have you ever wondered that yourself? Maybe you can talk to us about a time when you felt this way?

Prior to owning Arioso Strings I worked as a free-lance musician for many years, and have also held a “regular” 9-5 job in the past. Even now owning my own business, I continue to perform within the Triangle Are of North Carolina as my schedule allows.

Owning Arioso Strings is actually very new to me – I purchased the business from my friend and colleague Mary Page Block and began running the operation starting January 1, 2022. While I am still learning so much about business ownership, it has been very rewarding so far and I’ve been able to draw on my previous work experience to help guide me through this new territory.

I think many of the benefits and challenges of business ownership are interchangeable.
I have the flexibility of working from home and completing tasks on my timeline, but it does mean I am completely accountable for carving out that time. I don’t have to worry about being told what to do or what decisions to make, so making those decisions carries much more weight in my mind. I think you get the idea.

Overall, I am happier as a business owner. I have always considered myself a hard worker and good employee, so being able to apply those skills to something of my own is really special.

Lucy, 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 began playing violin at 6 years old, and it quickly became a large part of my life. I decided to pursue music as a career, and attended Florida State University for a Bachelors degree in Music Performance. I then continued on to San Francisco Conservatory of Music to receive my Masters Degree, also in Music Performance. I moved to North Carolina in 2013 and began to teach privately as well as pursuing performing opportunities. I was introduced to Mary in 2014 and was playing regularly with Arioso Strings throughout that year. I also worked for several years at an instrument repair shop in Raleigh called Triangle Strings.

Mary came to me in 2020 and said she was getting ready to retire from the wedding business and wanted to know if I would be interested in taking over Arioso Strings. Throughout 2021 she’s been a wonderful mentor and friend, teaching me all the ins and outs operating this business.

Arioso Strings provides top quality string music for your wedding or special event. We can offer a variety of ensembles – String quintet, quartet, trio, duo, even a solo instrumentalist. I act as the liaison between the client and the musicians. I help couples choose the appropriate group for the occasion as well as the type of music they would like to be played. From there, I put together the playlists, organize the music, and make sure this is ready for our players prior to the events.

There are a few things that help Arioso Strings stand out as the best option for weddings and events.
First and foremost is the musicians that I work with. Outside of these wedding and events, our players maintain very busy schedules as professional musicians, including teaching and performing with local symphonies & chamber groups. We all play together often, and everyone cares about the quality of the music we make for each and every event. I’m very lucky to keep such good company.

I also have a very vast library of music available for our couples to choose from. This allows for a lot of flexibility when couples have very specific music selections they are looking for. My husband also holds a Doctorate in Music Composition, so if anyone would like a song specially arranged he is my go-to!

Ultimately, I want my clients to feel very comfortable putting their trust in me to help prepare beautiful music for their wedding or event. These are very special occasions and I take it seriously that they’ve chosen Arioso Strings above other vendors in the area. One of the greatest feelings is when I receive a note or email from a couple after their wedding telling me how beautiful the music was.

Let’s talk M&A – we’d love to hear your about your experience with buying businesses

Yes! I purchased Arioso Strings from my friend and colleague, Mary Page Block. Arioso Strings provides live string music for weddings and special events.

I began playing weddings for Arioso Strings (when Mary was still the owner) in 2014. Luckily Mary saw potential in me and I quickly became someone she hired often to play weddings! In 2021 Mary was ready to step away from Arioso Strings and came to me asking if I would be interested in taking things over. I definitely was, and in 2021 we negotiated a price and terms of purchase. I officially took ownership January 1st, 2022.

Prior to fully taking over, I spent all of 2021 working with Mary as my mentor to really learn the ropes of the business. I couldn’t have imagined a better way to transition into business ownership – I was able to have a full year to observe and process how this business works before it became my own. Time is such a valuable tool.

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

I became a business owner in 2022, but I also became a mother! Needless to say, it’s been a very fulfilling and busy year so far. My son was born March 1st, and I would say peak wedding season runs from March – June. Adjusting to both motherhood and business ownership simultaneously has been the most challenging thing I’ve done in my life. In those months, it isn’t uncommon to have between 3-5 weddings per weekend. I have to make sure all the music was organized and ready to go for each group playing, and also be in touch with the coordinators and couples via email to make sure our timelines line up for everything. This is a lot under normal circumstances, but I also had a newborn who constantly needed me for something. Though owning your own business gives you complete autonomy over your time, it also means there is no delegating these responsibilities to someone else. As we head out of October (another very busy wedding month), I definitely feel like I know have more experience to navigate this new life.

Contact Info:

• Website: http://ariosostrings.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ariosostrings/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ariosostringsnc/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtLnAz3fNTHeD7-Q1vSydEA