Daily Inspiration: Meet Geno Stroia

Hi Geno, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Well, I moved to Austin from Ohio in January 1992. I wasn’t sure I could play for a living with all of the immense talent in Austin, but I figured even if it didn’t work out, I’d be able to be involved in the music business in some way, shape, or form. In 2007, I co-founded Red Leaf School of Music with my friend, Dan Barrett. We had a blast, learned a lot, and had 3 great years together trying to figure it out. Ultimately, Dan wanted to make records (engineer and produce), and I wanted to continue playing live and running the school, so we amicably split around 2010 and are still at it in 2024.

Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
One thing I learned about playing music and running a music school is that there are two very separate words. Music – Business. You must have a handle on that concept and realize both are needed to make it for the “long haul.” Regarding Red Leaf, when Dan and I started, we had a traditional music school business model, which meant that we taught lessons, hired teachers (all working professional musicians, like us), paid them a percentage of the lesson fee, booked the students, managed the schedule as well as finding new students to feed the pipeline to keep it all flowing. That is a lot of managing. Most of us had to take time off to go on the road, etc., which accounted for a great deal of attrition and logistical challenges. And, at the end of the day, the teachers made half of what they were worth, and we weren’t making enough profit for the two of us to keep going. I changed the business model when Dan moved to start Rubicon Studios. I developed a “tenant teacher program that tailored itself to instructors who wanted to have their teaching practice, paying a “flat monthly fee,” and used Red Leaf as an umbrella to teach under. They keep all their teaching fees, set their rates, make their schedules via a Google Calendar, and have their profile/bio on our website. This works perfectly for teachers who want their practice but don’t want to teach out of their homes, etc. The model is similar to a beautician renting a space at a salon.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might need to be more familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a musician, instructor, and business owner. I play guitar,  sing/write songs, teach guitar and bass, and am owner/operator of Red Leaf School of Music. I do some studio/session work, play live shows, etc. – a little bit of everything to “glue it all together.” Multiple revenue streams, lol. One of the main gigs I’ve held for over 14 years is playing bass in The Damn Torpedoes (Tom Petty Tribute from Austin, TX).

What does success mean to you?
Success is taking the gigs and projects you “want” to take, not the ones you “have” to take. When I was younger, I’d meet these great older players; some were broke, bitter or both. I felt terrible for them but realized that I didn’t want to end up like that.  I wanted to have my fingers in a few different pies, so I didn’t have to rely on anyone or any “one” thing to make ends meet.

When you have “choices,” – to me, that is freedom, which equals success. Having love and passion is the essential ingredient that propels the rest.

Pricing:

• 60.00/hr