Today we’d like to introduce you to Vinny Cloutman.
Hi Vinny, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’ve been working in education since 2017 when I got my career started in a self contained K-1 special education classroom for primarily students who needed behavioral support. After that experience, I pivoted my path in education to work in with more families and students with special needs. My career included work in classrooms, homes, and community integration programs. I worked these jobs for years before I was able to parlay my success in education to specifically music education, and then again into teaching via a business that I now own entirely. Mission Music offers music education to all learners, with a specialty in working with students with special needs 🙂
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I feel like everything that happened along the way, even if it seemed bumpy at the time, made me stronger and fortified my conviction. Opening a business is really hard, there were days in the beginning where I’d teach at up to 4 different locations in one day. My car had only room for me in the driver’s seat because I had a guitar rig in the back, an 88 key digital piano in the passenger seat, and a trunk full of books and other things. Every day was at least a 10 hour work day and new business owners often don’t get paid from the business revenue at first; I was running this business during the day and working overnight shifts with special needs clients on weekends so that I could pay my bills. The work paid off massively though, in under a year we were able to secure a commercial lease in Oceanside for our first brick and mortar school. I know how solid my business is because of all we’ve endured this past year.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve played music for my whole life, beginning with trumpet in the school band in 4th grade and accelerating with guitar in 7th grade. When I moved out to California from New Jersey in my car in 2018 I basically only brought my music equipment and clothes. I knew when I got out here that I wanted to do something with music somehow, but making money with music is difficult. Luckily I was able to combine my professional experience in the field of education with my creative and artistic experience in music to create the business I have today. I would say this business is what I’m most proud of regarding my endeavors in music, every day I’m seeing my dream of sustaining my lifestyle by playing guitar come true 😁 My instruments are guitar, bass, drums and ukulele and I specialize in being able to modify music so that learners of any skill level or cognitive ability can take part in the joy of playing music.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
My business partner and girlfriend Theresa is the biggest person deserving of credit, she started this school with me and she’s what inspires me every day to get stronger and keep building this business. She’s a brilliant pianist and teacher and she’s holding down almost half the students enrolled in the school. She’s the head of our piano department and a cornerstone of Mission Music 🌹
Other than her, I want to thank everyone in our community for believing in us as we built this business from nothing! The families that stuck with us in the beginning put a lot of trust in us to keep going up and eventually open a school befitting of the top quality learning environment they deserve.
Pricing:
- $180 per month for weekly, 30 minute, private lessons
- Discounts available for longer lessons or multiple household enrollments!
- $25 for a guitar restring/spa treatment. If you have an old guitar that you want to feel brand new I highly recommend this 😉
- Rehearsal space will be available soon!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://missionmusicoside.org/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/missionmusicoside/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/missionmusicoside
Image Credits
Orion Lenz @seanineseven on instagram
