Choir Ninja, with Ryan Guth

Coda, with Dr. Donald Beebe and Maryann Beebe, Jon & Robbin Rose, and Don Crafton, and Adam Rabung

Episode Summary

This is the final episode of the Choir Ninja Podcast. As always, the goal is to bring value to you choir directors, so Ryan gives you a chance to get to know the people behind the companies that have supported this show. Listen to their origin stories, their goals, and what motivates them to make the choral world better everyday. Ryan also has a special farewell for Choir Nation, and a reminder that there is enough pie for everyone.     [Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android] Show Notes: Donald Beebe and Maryann Beebe, from Sheet Music Deals Donald started playing piano as a child, and loved the music store. PhD in Renaissance Studies from Yale Shifted to accounting Passion for early music combined with the desire to get music inexpensively led to the creation of Sheet Music Deals. Customer care and service is cornerstone of their business. Typical turnaround time is 2 weeks. They promote Arts Partner relationships, where they work with artists to promote each other’s work. Choir Nation, what are you looking for in your music store? What experience are you looking for? Donald wants to hear from you! Jon and Robbin Rose, with My Music Folders Jon and Robbin started a community choir. By coincidence, their first rehearsal was the day after 9/11. They were expecting 60 people to show up; double that number came to the first rehearsal. They started buying folders for their own choir, bought more than they needed to get a discount, and then sold the extras to other choirs. They sold out so fast, they decided, “Let’s do this again!” Their business has grown from one choral folder to band folders, orchestra folders, and choir robes. They have worked with several notable clients to custom design the folder they need for their specific needs. Jon and Robbin are musicians. They use their own products, and are constantly testing and revising their products. Since they buy and sell directly, the money that the save on not having a distributor gets invested in quality. They never cut corners on quality. Folders mean something beyond the most utilitarian use. You can get a personalized folder to commemorate a particular achievement or event, like a choir tour. They are launching “Song a Week,” a music subscription service that will link new composers with new music to high school choir directors. Membership give you a new piece each week, with the right to reproduce as many copies as you want for your choir. The selections will be curated to provide music appropriate for the season. Look for www.song-a-week.com, launching soon. Don Crafton and Adam Rabung, with Sight Reading Factory Don needed something to help his choirs strengthen their sight-reading skills. What he wanted didn’t exist, so he designed what he needed. A mutual friend connected Don with Adam, a programmer whose job would be to translate Don’s ideas into a computer program. Their first customers were passionate about the product, so much so that they wrote messages of appreciation, with suggestions for improvements. Ryan’s assistant, Stevie Berryman, is awesome and Ryan is helpless without her. Choir Nation is also awesome. Thanks for going along on this journey. Remember: sharing is important. This is not a zero sum game. There is enough pie for everyone. It is our job to make the pie bigger. A win for you is not a loss for anyone else, and vice versa. You have the ability to do so much good in this world. People just need an invitation, and to know that you care. People need you; they don’t know it yet, but they need you.   Resources/links Mentioned: Choir Nation group on Facebook (What should a sheet music retailer do?) Sponsored by: Introducing Sheet Music Deals!     Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!)     My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!) WHILE YOU ARE THERE, PREORDER CHOIRS ARE HORRIBLE!    

Episode Notes

This is the final episode of the Choir Ninja Podcast. As always, the goal is to bring value to you choir directors, so Ryan gives you a chance to get to know the people behind the companies that have supported this show. Listen to their origin stories, their goals, and what motivates them to make the choral world better everyday. Ryan also has a special farewell for Choir Nation, and a reminder that there is enough pie for everyone.

[Subscribe on iTunes] [Subscribe on Android]

• Donald Beebe and Maryann Beebe, from Sheet Music Deals
• • Donald started playing piano as a child, and loved the music store.
  • PhD in Renaissance Studies from Yale
  • Shifted to accounting
  • Passion for early music combined with the desire to get music inexpensively led to the creation of Sheet Music Deals.
  • Customer care and service is cornerstone of their business. Typical turnaround time is 2 weeks.
  • They promote Arts Partner relationships, where they work with artists to promote each other’s work.
  • Choir Nation, what are you looking for in your music store? What experience are you looking for? Donald wants to hear from you!
• Jon and Robbin Rose, with My Music Folders
• • Jon and Robbin started a community choir. By coincidence, their first rehearsal was the day after 9/11. They were expecting 60 people to show up; double that number came to the first rehearsal.
  • They started buying folders for their own choir, bought more than they needed to get a discount, and then sold the extras to other choirs. They sold out so fast, they decided, “Let’s do this again!”
  • Their business has grown from one choral folder to band folders, orchestra folders, and choir robes.
  • They have worked with several notable clients to custom design the folder they need for their specific needs.
  • Jon and Robbin are musicians. They use their own products, and are constantly testing and revising their products.
  • Since they buy and sell directly, the money that the save on not having a distributor gets invested in quality. They never cut corners on quality.
  • Folders mean something beyond the most utilitarian use. You can get a personalized folder to commemorate a particular achievement or event, like a choir tour.
  • They are launching “Song a Week,” a music subscription service that will link new composers with new music to high school choir directors. Membership give you a new piece each week, with the right to reproduce as many copies as you want for your choir. The selections will be curated to provide music appropriate for the season. Look for www.song-a-week.com, launching soon.
• Don Crafton and Adam Rabung, with Sight Reading Factory
• • Don needed something to help his choirs strengthen their sight-reading skills. What he wanted didn’t exist, so he designed what he needed.
  • A mutual friend connected Don with Adam, a programmer whose job would be to translate Don’s ideas into a computer program.
  • Their first customers were passionate about the product, so much so that they wrote messages of appreciation, with suggestions for improvements.
• Ryan’s assistant, Stevie Berryman, is awesome and Ryan is helpless without her.
• Choir Nation is also awesome. Thanks for going along on this journey.
• Remember: sharing is important. This is not a zero sum game. There is enough pie for everyone. It is our job to make the pie bigger. A win for you is not a loss for anyone else, and vice versa. You have the ability to do so much good in this world. People just need an invitation, and to know that you care. People need you; they don’t know it yet, but they need you.

Resources/links Mentioned:

• Choir Nation group on Facebook (What should a sheet music retailer do?)

Introducing Sheet Music Deals!

Sight Reading Factory (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for 10 free student accounts!)

My Music Folders (Use promo code “NINJA” at checkout for “last column” or best pricing - usually reserved for bulk purchases only!) WHILE YOU ARE THERE, PREORDER CHOIRS ARE HORRIBLE!