117: It Might Be Time to Get Some Help with Adella Carlson

Running a music studio involves far more than teaching lessons, and sometimes the administrative side of the business can become overwhelming. In this episode, I'm chatting with Adella Carlson about virtual assistants, delegation, automation, and the systems that help music teachers spend less time on admin and more time doing the work they love.

• Adella shared how burnout led her to create a virtual assistant business for musicians.
• How virtual assistants support the administrative side of music businesses.
• The importance of delegating tasks that do not directly generate income.
• She described how virtual assistants can help with social media and website management.
• How inbox and calendar management reduce daily stress for business owners.
• Why strong systems create more time for teaching, performing, and practicing.
• The value of having a trusted partner behind the scenes.
• Adella described how delegation can reduce burnout and improve work-life balance.
• Why musicians often become the bottleneck in their own businesses.
• The importance of charging rates that reflect your true value.
• How repeatable systems reduce decision fatigue and mental load.
• Adella encouraged teachers to automate billing and payment collection whenever possible.
• She shared how SOPs help streamline recurring studio tasks and events.

Links Mentioned

• Find out more about TopMusic Local Music Teacher Meetup with Rachel Ehring
• Adella's website:www.adellacarlsonstudios.com
• Adella's Instagram Page:@themusiciansassistant &@adellacarlsonstudios
• Adella's TikTok Page:www.tiktok.com/@adellacarlson

Today's Guest Clarinetist Adella Carlson is the founder of The Musician’s Assistant, a virtual assistant service that supports entrepreneurial musicians and arts organizations building sustainable, long-term careers in classical music. Through her work, Adella serves as an operations and administrative partner for music businesses, helping clients streamline systems, manage projects, increase revenue, and create space for more meaningful artistic work of their own. Alongside her work in arts administration, Adella maintains an active performing career as a soloist, chamber musician, and orchestral clarinetist throughout North Carolina. She is a founding member of the Chaos Incarné Clarinet Trio and a section player in the Piedmont Wind Symphony, as well as subbing regularly with various regional orchestras. Adella holds a Master of Music in Clarinet Performance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro and a Bachelor of Arts in Music Performance from Eastern Connecticut State University, where she graduated summa cum laude from the University Honors Program. Her primary clarinet teachers are Chris Howard, Andy Hudson, and Anthony Taylor. About Rachel Ehring Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.

• Visit her website at RachelEhring.com
• Visit her Instagram page: @rachelehring
• Visit her YouTube channel: @dreamlavendermusic6694
• Visit her Etsy shop at Dream Lavender Music

Thank you for tuning in! Consider implementing the ideas from this podcast by writing several actionable steps for your teaching practice if it’s inspired you. If you enjoyed today’s show, please leave us a review on Apple Podcasts, which helps other teachers find our show. Stay updated by subscribing to this show, and get automatic delivery to your device every time a new episode goes live! We publish on Fridays weekly. TopMusicPro 14-Day Free Trial Heard about TopMusicPro Membership? As a valued podcast listener, I’d like to offer you a special chance to try our community free for 14 days. You can access a treasure trove of teaching resources, professional development courses, and creative lesson ideas. Click the link below to access your exclusive 14-day free trial for our Studio Membership. TOPMUSICPRO MEMBERSHIP 14-DAY FREE TRIAL