Marah Whitaker of Cleveland, Tennessee, took her love of music and became a successful small business owner while still in high school.
Marah Whitaker knows how to carry a tune and says that being her own boss is music to her ears.
Whitaker, 18 and winner of the Southern Champion Tray Young Entrepreneur Award, owns Miss Marah’s Music, a piano school in Cleveland, Tennessee.
“I have been taking piano lessons since the second grade, and there are no words for the tremendous impact my music teachers had on me,” Whitaker says. “As someone who has been passionate about music since I started talking, I realized how worthwhile instilling a passion for music in others could be.”
She started teaching young children how to play piano when she was a junior in high school. For Whitaker, it’s all about the music.
“Music brings joy into life, and I wanted others to feel that joy,” she says.
Whitaker takes her business seriously, creating lesson plans, gathering sheet music and finding games to teach children piano skills and have fun at the same time. She collects fees for lessons and piano recitals and says being her own boss has its perks.
“I love the freedom of making my own decisions and having the final say in every aspect of the business,” Whitaker says. “I also love that I get to wake up and do something I love as a job; that in itself is very rewarding and worthwhile.”
Along the way, Whitaker’s business has grown, as she targets middle and high school students as well as younger children.
“Since I am a younger piano teacher, I feel as though I am relatable to my students, due to the fact that I was in their shoes not long ago,” she says. “I want to be a relatable mentor along with being a piano teacher, and not only teach music lessons, but life lessons as well.”
Expanding her student base presented challenges at first, Whitaker says.
“My biggest challenge has been learning how to deal with a versatile group of students,” Whitaker says. “Some of them have had slight learning disabilities or may have trouble listening at times due to young age and being energetic. However, as time goes on, I learn about the best methods and techniques that work for each individual, and that makes the challenge easier with hard work and patience.”
Being a student and being her own boss hasn’t been easy either, but Whitaker has a foolproof plan to make sure she takes care of business.
“You have to turn off the social media, work hard, be determined, and do your best at all times.”
Whitaker plans to attend Lee University in the fall to study public relations with a minor in church music or business. She plans to continue teaching piano while continuing her education, and winning a young entrepreneur award has given Whitaker some help to meet her goals.
“I am thankful that NFIB believes in my business enough to offer me a scholarship,” she says. “I will use this scholarship to further my education, and I am so grateful for that opportunity. I am blessed beyond words for the award.”
