Nicole Kovar of Arlington, Virginia on Life, Lessons & Legacy

We recently had the chance to connect with Nicole Kovar and have shared our conversation below.

Nicole, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
I’ve been rediscovering my love for horseback riding. I’m a member at a local stable and take private lessons every week. Being a student again reminds me what it’s like to be on the other side of the teacher-student relationship, and it’s both humbling and rewarding. It’s become one of my favorite ways to recharge outside of work.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Nicole Kovar, founder of Piano & More, an in-home music studio that started completely by accident. What began as me teaching piano lessons for a few families quickly grew into a thriving business bringing music to hundreds of families across Northern Virginia.

I believe part of my success is my desire to build community. There’s nothing more meaningful to me than bringing people together and watching them shine through music. At Piano & More, we focus on making lessons fun, personal, and confidence-building so every student continues to keep music part of their life. We build lifelong musicians.

Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
Before the world told me who I needed to be, I was a storyteller at heart. I’d spend hours daydreaming, creating my own books and entire series of stories, and then writing little songs- soundtracks and lullabies-to bring those stories to life. I loved imagining worlds, characters, and the music that went with them. Especially if it involved horses and animals!

That love for storytelling and music never really left.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
Founding and running a small business without a mentor or roadmap was overwhelming. There were long hard months when it felt like I had poured out everything I had and still, things weren’t working. I remember wanting to give up, even saying the words, “I give up,” and really wanting to let it all go. But even as I said those words, I didn’t mean them. It’s just not in me to quit.

I can’t accept failure because I carry this core belief that there’s always a way to make it work. If you apply creativity with persistence, eventually you will find a door that opens. Which, by the way, both of these qualities are strengthened when learning to play an instrument.

One of the earlier examples of my life where I started to really understand the power of combining creativity with persistence, was initiated by my mom. My mom immigrated to the USA as a young adult and had to learn a new language and culture. Growing up, it was pretty common where she would need help understanding cultural slang or norms. She told me once, “If I don’t understand, don’t repeat what you just said. Don’t use the same words. Try to explain it with a different angle.” From a young age, this pushed me to expand my creativity when working with others. I learned to first understand where they were at and then apply examples they were familiar with. If I wasn’t successful in explaining a new concept the first time, I would seek another way to explain it. Sometimes it took a few tries and sometimes it took dozens, but eventually I would find a way that worked.

This process yields 3 high-quality traits that cannot be bought or rushed.
1. The first one is self-efficacy. My belief in my ability to be victorious is high. My success is guaranteed. As long as I don’t give up, I will find success.
2. Second, with every try, I refine and get better. Because this process takes up a lot of creative energy (which is expensive), you want to shorten the process. It forces you to retain connections and identify patterns, making you faster and better for the next time.
3. The third is, you earn other people’s trust and respect. People really appreciate it when you spend creative energy on them. Because creative energy costs 10xs more. They’ll remember that.

Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What important truth do very few people agree with you on?
The arts are essential to an elevated human experience. Everyone should be able to express themselves through an art form.

Too often, the arts get treated as a “nice-to-have” or something expendable when budgets get tight. But the arts like music, dance, theater, and visual storytelling are how we process our emotions, connect to each other, and understand ourselves. They build empathy, creativity, and resilience in ways that academics and data alone can’t. They even become lifelines for people during heartbreak or when rights are taken away.

Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I know they will say that I lived my life to the fullest and remained true to who I am, no matter the resistance. Every year my life expands and I’ve love to see more of this for others as well. I am building a legacy of a gift that keeps on giving. Keep the music going.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Piano & More
Nicole Kovar

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