L to R: Hal Leonard’s Larry Morton, Myrna Sislen and NAMM President and CEO Joe Lamond.
it gives you tremendous freedom to think outside the box, as long as you don’t go into debt and lose everything. Also, being a classical musician is great preparation for being an entrepreneur. As a musician, we are never aware of how much money we make an hour. If we were, we’d go crazy. This is perfect when you own a small business and work pretty much 24/7. Oh, and did I mention that the former owner had lost $4,000 a month for the previous five years? As our accountant said, “You are buying the Titanic and the ship is sinking.” But she had an amazing inventory, mostly print. The doors opened, and I have not lost one penny in 17 years. So, ultimately, I would say that, metaphorically, the train stopped, the door opened and I got on. That is the choice I made, and I never regretted it … well, almost never. In 2002, only 1 percent of music store owners were women who were not related to a man in the business. It was a challenge. Once again, I found myself in a male-dominated industry, and once again, I was not about to let that fact discourage me. In the beginning, manufacturers would not talk to or sell to me. Fortunately, I met another woman owner, Liz Reisman of Creative Music in Monroe, Conn., and we formed a two-person buying group. It wasn’t long before we became a force to be reckoned with. And now, women owners in the music industry are a walloping 2 percent. The WiMN: What are some of the ways you’re attracting and encouraging young people to start (or continue) learning a musical instrument during the school year and during their breaks? Sislen: The interesting fact for us is that almost half of our 630 students are adults who need just as much — if not more — nurturing and encouragement to start and continue lessons. Adults are even more passionate about creating music than younger people and children. Our goal is to create a place where both older and younger students feel absolutely safe to express themselves when MUSIC & SOUND RETAILER
learning to play an instrument. We recognize that it takes courage to expose yourself and your feelings when you take a music lesson. To that end, we have many student recitals during the year, Halloween and holiday recitals, Valentine’s Day recitals, and of course spring recitals. In addition, my favorites are the adult recitals and our family recitals. Teachers also play with students when necessary to help them feel comfortable. In the summer, we have rock band camps and songwriting camps for 10 to 15 year olds. In our rock band camps, we encourage nontraditional instruments like cellos, violins, French horns, flutes, violins and violas. The WiMN: What are some ways female musicians will feel welcome in your store if they’ve not always felt comfortable walking into other music stores? Sislen: From the beginning with Middle C Music, I wanted to create a space that was safe, comfortable and nurturing. Of course, selling stuff is always important, but not my paramount goal. If you create a wonderful space, people will come and buy. That has been the case for the last 17 years. As a woman owner, it is natural that women customers and musicians are welcome. It is also expressed in the décor of my store and more importantly in the culture of inclusiveness we all work to create. The WiMN: Because of your influence on other women in music and the example you’ve set, you’ll be honored at this month's She Rocks Awards. How are you feeling about that distinction? Sislen: I can’t express how honored I am to be chosen for a She Rocks Award! My entire career has been one of championing women in music and business. I would like to think I have done this by example, but even more importantly, I have dedicated myself to mentoring, encouraging, sharing ideas and being there for other women in the music industry. And yes, to show the men that we are their equals. 63