167 - Mimi Zhang on Being a New Teacher in a New City

A new cohort of our Business Building 101 course is starting this week! If you’re launching a studio, rebuilding after a move, or just want to build a more intentional, financially sustainable business, this course is designed to help you do exactly that—with clarity, structure, and support.

And today’s guest is a perfect example of what can happen when you combine a fresh start with the right tools.

Mimi Zhang is the 2024 grand prize winner of our Studio Launch Grant competition. As part of her prize package, Mimi received a $1,000 startup grant, gift cards to Alamo Music and Alfred Publishing, and enrollment in the Music Studio Startup Business Building 101 course, and more—all of which she put to great use as she launched her studio in a brand-new city.

When Mimi won the grant competition, she had just finished grad school, moved across the country, and was starting from scratch. In less than a year, she grew her studio from just three in-person students to nearly 40, added group classes, implemented strong business systems, and started building the studio she really wanted.

In our conversation, Mimi shares the strategies that helped her grow quickly and sustainably, the mindset shifts that made a big difference early on, and how she’s continuing to evolve her studio now that the foundation is in place.

A full transcript and resources from this episode can be found at MusicStudioStartup.com/episode167.

Music Studio Business Building 101: Summer 2025 cohort starting this week!

MSS Entrepreneurs Hub + Mastermind

MSS Studio Launch Grant Competition

Business Finance for Music Teachers