Meet Michael Carpenter Jr

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Michael Carpenter Jr. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Michael, thank you for joining us today and sharing your experiences and acquired wisdom with us. Burnout is a huge topic these days and so we’d love to kick things off by discussing your thoughts on overcoming or avoiding burnout

A small business owner needs to wear many hats. When I opened my music school, Carpenter Music Academy, in late 2024, I had already been a professional musician for almost two decades. Burnout is very common for artists and business owner’s alike. Each day presents a new challenge: marketing strategies, client relations, teaching, all while moving towards big picture goals. The diversity of my days helps combat burnout. It is far from routine, which keeps me on my toes. I take a weekly online Spanish lesson with an amazing instructor from Oaxaca, Mexico. These lessons keep me mentally engaged in something other than work.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Carpenter Music Academy opened in late 2024. The school represents the accumulation of everything I’ve learned from thirty-plus years of taking lessons, performing, and teaching. The main focus is making everyone of all ages feel comfortable. Everything from the design of the studios, the art, the lobby, and the staff represent this. My fianceè Alexis and I set out to give the school character that represents all the artists (past and present) who have shaped me. We wanted the design and layout to feel like an actual music recording studio. Musically, Carpenter Music Academy is equally comfortable teaching a 5 year old piano or a 65 year old music production. I feel that some schools can be too stuffy and push their style of music on the clientele and I wanted to steer clear of that. I wanted to created a place where anyone can get a better understanding of any style of music they enjoy. Creating a musical community is very important to me. It allows students of any age to have access to new instruments to try, other musicians to meet and collaborate with, and performing opportunities to grow into their musical personalities. We are 100% artist owned and operated, therefore every decision the business makes comes from giving musicians a better experience. We offer one and one lessons, and group classes for any age and any instrument-including mixing/mastering and production.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Resilience, patience, and timing, I believe all three play a role in the successes Ive had in life. Resilience, in my opinion, is such an important trait for any business owner to possess. Starting any endeavor is difficult and the ups and downs are almost by the hour. Knowing that you will be knocked down, but still moving forward is paramount. Patience goes hand in hand with resilience. Try not to force something if it doesn’t feel right. Timing is acting on an opportunity when it does feel right. Together, these three traits have helped mold me into the musician, teacher, and business owner that I am

Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?

Feeling overwhelmed is common. There are a few different approaches I utilize to minimize the duration and intensity of the feeling. I take a step back, look at the problem, and start with a small goal. It can be as minimal as a 5 minute task. Anything to remind myself that forward progress, no matter how big or small, is still forward progress. Another technique I utilize is to put the problem in perspective. Most of the time, seeing it as something temporary will give mental clarity, and make navigating through it much easier.

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Bryan Hugo Iglesias

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