In this episode of Dream Business, Dream Life, Emma is joined by Madeleine Cordes, founder of Maddie4Music, to explore how music can transform lives, build confidence, and create deep community impact while still being a sustainable, purpose-led business.

Madeleine shares her journey from a corporate career to building a thriving music business alongside it, driven by a desire to give people access to music they may never have had. From community choirs and adult learners to care homes, dementia support, and rehabilitation settings, Maddie4Music is about far more than learning to sing...it’s about wellbeing, belonging, and finding your voice.

The conversation dives into the powerful role music plays in memory, confidence, and emotional expression, including moving stories from care homes, dementia care, and brain injury rehabilitation. Madeleine also reflects honestly on running a passion-led business, setting boundaries, learning when to say no, and growing sustainably through delegation.

This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in purpose-driven business, creative entrepreneurship, community impact, or the profound link between music and wellbeing.

Key Topics Covered:

• Building a purpose-led business alongside a corporate career
• How music supports confidence, wellbeing, and self-expression
• The impact of music in dementia care and brain injury rehabilitation
• Creating accessible music opportunities within the community
• Running community choirs and care home music programmes
• Lessons learned from building a passion-driven business
• The importance of boundaries, balance, and saying no
• Growing a business through delegation and collaboration
• Why music can unlock memories when words can’t

Maddie4Music is a music education business set up in 2010 in East Kent and led by Maddie Cordes, offering community choirs, wellbeing singing workshops, lessons in piano, singing and violin for adults and young people and entertainment in care homes and day centres. Maddie is passionate about sharing her expertise in the community to help develop confidence and skills through music making. Maddie4 Music was awarded a community award by Deal Town Council and highly
commended by mental health charity MIND. The business has also been nominated in the 2025 Kent Dementia Awards for its creative local initiatives.

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