Meet Eddie Paik

We recently connected with Eddie Paik and have shared our conversation below.

Eddie, so good to have you with us today. We’ve got so much planned, so let’s jump right into it. We live in such a diverse world, and in many ways the world is getting better and more understanding but it’s far from perfect. There are so many times where folks find themselves in rooms or situations where they are the only ones that look like them – that might mean being the only woman of color in the room or the only person who grew up in a certain environment etc. Can you talk to us about how you’ve managed to thrive even in situations where you were the only one in the room?

I used that to my advantage. I reside in Northern Virginia, depending on who you ask is considered the Silicon Valley of the East or an extension of Washington DC. This area is so government and tech driven that almost everyone I know is in the IT field or working for the federal government, and everyone that meets me would think the same of me at first glance. Whenever I meet someone new and they ask what I do, I get the same mind boggled response every time when I tell them I’m a piano tuner. I guess people are intrigued and naturally drawn to these types of timeless professions. I took a very old and traditional job and integrated modern business practices to attract my clients.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

I created the business “Paik’s Piano House” to share with people the passion I have for being the support in the creative community. When starting out in the field I would often receive comments from first time clients about how refreshing it is to meet someone that truly understands and knows how to communicate with them about their piano needs. Other tuners would come in and spew out technical jargon and they would just feel overwhelmed or feel belittled about not servicing their pianos. I wanted them to see that I’m not here as a businessman, but here as an artisan and to create a comfortable atmosphere to work with my clients so they can create art and music. My wife is a professional pianist and we expanded on the business early on providing piano accompaniment services for students, schools and studios. The business is just me and my wife, the perfect piano duo. That’s how we decided on the name Paik’s Piano House.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Communication, transparency, ability.
I have a back story. Before finally having the courage to go all-in on my entrepreneurial journey I worked in the automotive industry for 16 years. I started out as a mechanic and worked my way up to team leadership roles. Towards the end of my career I was working for Tesla and my job was to find redundancy and inefficiencies in work processes, and improve customer experience. I understand the importance of constant communication with clients, transparency with what is to be done, and the ability to execute those services. All the best practices that I’ve learned and discovered from my previous career has all been implemented into my piano business.

The piano technology trade is quite unique. People often view it as an old fashioned type job. Picture an older gentleman with a tuning fork and tuning lever going from house to house tuning pianos. Service record keeping was in the form of signing their name and date on the piano frame with a pencil. Believe it or not, some tuners still do this. I respect the trade as an artisan and keep the true traditions of it alive, but incorporating my knowledge developed from my previous career.

Using an attractive and user friendly website, online scheduling and appointment reminders, easy and constant communication via text or email, online invoicing and bill pay, use of modern tools and technology for diagnosing and repairs. Between all this I make sure the line of communication is easy to get directly to me. No automated concierge or phone trees. I’m completely transparent with my pricing and repair process. All my rates are posted on the website and I explain to them what to expect before, during, and after every service appointment.
I enroll in technical seminars and courses whenever I can as I believe continued education is crucial to having the ability to provide the services my clients need. Last summer I was selected to attend a master course in piano action rebuilding in Scottsdale, Arizona hosted by Renner USA. Renner is one of the biggest names in the world for the piano industry.

What was the most impactful thing your parents did for you?

My parents immigrated to the US right before I was born. Being immigrants and business owners there is a lot of sacrifices made in order to just survive. I saw this growing up. When I was young I would spend all summer helping at my parents store while my friends were out having fun vacations. I know the sacrifices and all the hard work it takes to be successful, and I also know the reward that comes from it.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.paikspiano.com
• Instagram: paikspiano