Hiring isn't about filling a teaching slot. It's about protecting your culture.

In this episode, I sit down with Luisa Rodriguez-Haag, Recruitment Manager at Ensemble Performing Arts, to unpack the biggest hiring mistake music schools make — and how to fix it before it costs you retention, morale, and your brand reputation. You're not just hiring someone to teach. You're hiring someone to represent your promise to families. We break down what separates a "warm body" from a true culture carrier and why skill alone isn't enough.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why teaching is a transfer of emotion, not just information
• The red flags of a misaligned hire
• How to interview for values, not just availability
• Why rushed hiring leads to turnover
• How culture-first hiring strengthens retention and referrals

If you've ever made a desperate hire or struggled with turnover, this conversation will reshape how you interview.

Because your brand walks into the room every time your teacher does.

This episode is a heartfelt tribute and a powerful reminder of what truly makes a music school memorable. After the passing of Greg Hipskind, founder of QC Rock Academy, Dave reflects on the quiet but profound impact Greg had on his students, families, and community. Not through flashy ads or clever funnels, but through generosity.

In this episode, you'll discover how generosity can become one of the most effective (and overlooked) marketing strategies in your music school.

You'll learn:

• Why the most talked-about music schools give students experiences, not just lessons
• How "talk triggers" turn ordinary schools into word-of-mouth machines
• Why generosity doesn't have to be spontaneous—and how to systematize it
• Simple, realistic ways to build community outside the lesson room
• Why the impact of generosity won't show up in spreadsheets—but will show up in retention and referrals

If you've ever wondered how to make your school stand out, keep students longer, and give parents something genuinely worth talking about—this episode will shift how you think about growth.

January isn't just another enrollment push. It's your launchpad for the entire year.

In this episode, Dave breaks down how music school owners can turn January sign-ups into long-term, emotionally connected families who stay through summer and beyond. This isn't about more ads or better discounts—it's about building the kind of experience families don't want to leave.

You'll learn how to use January momentum to create retention systems that quietly do the heavy lifting all year long.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• Why January is one of the most powerful (and overlooked) enrollment windows of the year
• How January enrollment directly impacts summer retention, and what most schools miss
• The real reason families pause lessons in the summer (and how to prevent it)
• Simple, repeatable ways to create emotional connection at scale
• How small, consistent touchpoints turn students into long-term members of your community
• Why systems, not memory, are the secret to sustainable retention

If you want students who stay past the honeymoon phase and parents who see your school as part of their child's identity, this episode lays out the playbook.

davesimonsmusic.com