We recently connected with Renee Nutwell and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Renee, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear about the things you feel your parents did right and how those things have impacted your career and life.

One of the things I have to give my parents credit for is how they prepared me financially. I was raised looking at the cost of different activities or different possessions. I was encouraged to think critically and always look for a lower cost while maintaining quality. While they both have more traditional careers as healthcare workers, they openly shared why they worked with a certain hospital and picked up extra work with private companies at various times through my childhood. We often had conversations about finding a job you love so you never work a day in your life AND ways to look for things that people needed so you could step in and serve. My parents treated themselves like a business and taught me no one will care more about my money than me.

As I started out in my career as a violin instructor and freelance musician, this background really encouraged me to analyze my pricing and keep my operations scrappy! I had already spent most of my life keeping expenses low, I knew how to prioritize more lucrative opportunities over others and it has continued to serve me well as I’ve taught and performed in many different situations over the last twelve years. I can confidently say I have a stronger positioning than most music teachers I personally know simply because they gave me that financial awareness so early on.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My name is Renee Shaw Nutwell and I am the violinist and owner of Shaw Strings. My primary work is teaching students of all ages violin and viola using the Suzuki method. This method focuses on teaching music the way a child learns a language, through consistent exposure and encouragement. Parents and caregivers take on an active role in the process as we nurture the students to develop the patience and skills necessary to become a better person, not just a musician. The founder of the method, Dr. Suzuki is quoted as saying “Teaching music is not my main purpose. I want to make good citizens. If children hear fine music from the day of their birth and learn to play it, they develop sensitivity, discipline and endurance. They get a beautiful heart.”

The parental involvement aspect of the Suzuki method particularly speaks to me because I long to help others create loving and encouraging relationships within their families. I love how my teaching allows me to see students grow from ages as young as 3, 4 or 5 and up through adulthood. Seeing parents watch their children and being able to point out how much progress their child has made is one of my greatest honors.

All of that to say, teaching violin is my primary work and I consider it a true calling.

Aside from teaching music, I perform freelance in my area with some local professional ensembles and for social events. Online I love to encourage and challenge other musicians and music teachers in their own businesses. Sometimes that means I show other teachers how I plan my studio or teach a certain skill. Other times it means I’m sharing how I handle tough situations with students and studio families. I aim to encourage other teachers to really find ways to make a living through music.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

Maybe this is my teaching background coming through, but to have a world where creatives thrive, we need to show our children that we value creativity. The arts are not an extracurricular, they are not frivolous activities. Individuals need to support the arts by sharing the work of creatives and paying the appropriate dues to them for their time and skills. Children pick up on the attitudes of the adults around them, so where ever you can show them that attending concerts is worthwhile, do it. Whenever there is a new art exhibit, take them to see it.

At times I’ve had students ask why we need to pay for certain things – Whether an orchestra concert field trip or dues to our recital accompanist and I always tell them that this is how we should appreciation for the work they’ve put in. It starts on an individual level.

Start an appreciation and respect for the work creatives do early on with children and lead by example.

Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?

I wish I had thought to look at parallel industries earlier on! These days I love to follow visual artists and general educators to get inspiration. Oftentimes I’ll watch what they do in their businesses and think of a music spin I can try in my own business, it’s so fun! Another way I get training and inspiration as a business owner is by subscribing to the Small Business Administration’s Score email trainings. Starting out I had no idea that the SBA offers so many free and low cost resources for small business owners, but I encourage anyone who feels uncomfortable with the business side of our creative pursuits to check them out! Odds are they have a training perfect for any question you may have.   

Contact Info:

• Website: www.shawstrings.co
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/shawstrings
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/shawstrings
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@shawstrings

Image Credits
Lauren Moy Photography (For branding images)