We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Meghan Farris a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Meghan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Owning a business isn’t always glamorous and so most business owners we’ve connected with have shared that on tough days they sometimes wonder what it would have been like to have just had a regular job instead of all the responsibility of running a business. Have you ever felt that way?
As a former teacher, I made the decision to leave the classroom after much contemplation. Without a full-time position lined up, and being a single mom, I knew I needed to be responsible for my child. Taking on a few part-time positions, including teaching music lessons, helped me make ends meet with my savings.
About a year ago, I realized I needed to either commit to teaching music full-time or move on. Music has always been a significant part of my life. It was when I found a storefront in my town’s downtown square in March that I knew it was where I belonged.
Looking back at this past year, it has been a whirlwind, but I am proud to say I am now a business owner. While it may be easier to have a regular job with benefits and a stable income, I wouldn’t love it as much. Every day, I get to explore music in different ways and experience the joys with my community members. I just was able to help a mom surprise her son with his own cello and I loved when I was able to help an older gentleman have confidence in his singing for the first time of his life.
This journey as a business owner has been challenging, but it has also been rewarding. I haven’t made every correct step but I love looking around at my store and seeing that it is all mine. I have learned a lot about myself and my community, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement I have received. Drawing from my family’s experience with a business in town, I have applied those lessons to my own venture.
I am excited to see how far this business will take me and the new opportunities it will bring. This adventure is not easy, but it is still an adventure, and I look forward to continuing to grow and explore new horizons.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Meghan Farris, and I am a single mom and lifelong resident of Lebanon, Indiana. I developed a passion for music at a young age, but it took time for me to receive support for my talent. When my son was two years old, I decided to further my music education at the University of Indianapolis. I earned my bachelor’s degree in music with honors and became a teacher, which I thoroughly enjoyed as I witnessed students explore and embrace different styles of music.
Despite my love for teaching, I felt a calling to provide more support for students. With ADHD, I always sought to learn new instruments when I grew bored. I majored in piano and voice but have a deep love for handbells. I also enjoy playing trumpet, flute, baritone, and percussion.This need to learn and teach led me to start my own business, initially offering music lessons but growing to include selling a variety of musical items in town. My store sells wind, and string instruments, sells guitars, rents school instruments, and offers musical accessories, sheet music, vinyls, CDs, cassettes, and more. The community was reaching out trying to find ways to access music when the nearest store was too far away or they didn’t understand what was the best item to purchase. We converted our Family class space into the Music Store only 6 months after opening. I have been overjoyed at the response from the community with this.
In addition to selling musical items, we support local vendors who create music-themed items. Everything within the store whether jewelry or t-shirts has a connection music. We even feature watercolor artwork created by a local Elementary Music Teacher, Midnight Bloom. We also sell gifts, thank you notes, ornaments, and other items to meet our community’s needs. As a small business, we maintain a personal touch, helping customers within their budget and understanding level. We also give back to the community by supporting local causes and productions. You will always see us at our students’ community performances to show them they are supported in their talents.
Our business, Farris Wheel Music Studio & Store, pays homage to my family’s history with a ferris wheel logo representing my father’s side and a sunflower representing my mother’s side from Kansas. We are dedicated to serving our community and providing a safe space for the next generation to explore and appreciate music. We are a small town business with big dreams and a commitment to family and community support.
Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?
One of the most effective strategies I have discovered is actively engaging with the community, whether it be through in-person interactions or on social media platforms. For instance, we have maintained a presence at local farmers markets, which has allowed us to keep our lights on and attract potential customers who are walking back and forth from their cars. In addition to attending local events and distributing information, we have also set up booths where we sell products from our vendors and give out candy during Halloween. We consistently share our message and products online through various social media platforms that the community frequents. We are in the process of adding in a referral program for our studio to help gain new students and future customers.
Can you talk to us about how you funded your business?
The initial funding for my business came solely from my savings. Although this seemed like a great idea at first, I am proud to say that we have expanded into a music store without accumulating any debt. This decision presented many challenges in generating income for myself. I am proud of how far I have come and of being debt-free, but I now realize that this was a major mistake that I wish I could change. I have explored grants in hopes of finding support for a female-owned music business, but have had little success. Balancing three other jobs has been a daily struggle, but I am ending the year with a debt-free business. It was a new concept for me to understand that it was okay to take out a loan to start my business. I am now seeking a loan to assist with the expansion of the music store, but I am also proud of myself for being able to look back and see that I have paid for everything myself. This physical proof serves as evidence of what I can accomplish independently.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://farriswheelmusicstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/farriswheelmusicstudio/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FarrisWheelMS
Image Credits
Photos Taken of store and events by owner, Meghan Farris and son Miles Couchman.