Drumming up business
Rhys Thomas, 21, runs Drumming Solutions – a new company offering top-class private tuition in South Wales.
What is Drumming Solutions?
We’re a company that offers private drum lessons, and we’ve released some resources for people to learn to play the drums on their own. We also teach drums in schools and lead out-of-school activities and workshops for disadvantaged and disabled children. We run teambuilding workshops for workforces as well. I started the company a year ago with my business partner, Mark.
Have you always wanted to do this?
As a kid I knew I wanted to either be a footballer or a drummer. I always had a goal to work for myself and have my own business in the drumming world. I hated school; I’m more practical than academic. I didn’t get very good grades and my parents suggested I leave school and go to college to do plumbing. They wanted me to think about my career, but I was sure I could make money in drums. I knew I wanted to do it and I knew I could succeed. So I stayed in sixth form until I was 18 so I could go to drum school.
The thing that frustrates me about education is they tell you the only way to succeed in life is to go to university. But there are other options. I love the freedom within my job, and it pays well. I worked to pay for everything and I haven’t got any debts… some of my friends are graduating now with £30,000 debts over their heads.
How did you set up the business?
When I left school I spent two years at drum school with NEXUS. In my second year I began thinking about how I would earn a living, and realised that I didn’t want to do anything apart from drumming. I approached my friend Mark with this business idea, which I put together while I was studying in 2007. I said, ‘This is what I want to happen, do you want to come on board and be a part of it?’ We published a teaching book, which established the name and brand design of the company, and then ventured into teaching. Mark had a lot of useful contacts, since he had been teaching drums privately in the area for three years.
Did you have any struggles at the start?
The legal issues of starting up a company were difficult, because it was like we were stepping into the unknown. We meet with a business advisor over coffee, and he told us how to register the logo and business name and sort out the tax. Once that was established it was a relief. We got into trouble once because we weren’t aware of the regulations. It’s a struggle getting your head around the small print. I was educated in Welsh all my life, and I couldn’t write very well in English until I went to drumming school.
But the business went really well and after 4 or 5 months we were so busy we employed a part-time administrator, who deals with all the taxes and balancing the books. We’re also taking on a new employee in January, another drum tutor who is moving to the area to work for us.
What do you think it takes to set up your own business?
I think anyone can set up their own business. You need support and encouragement because sometimes it doesn’t go to plan or costs are more than you thought. I run the business as a partnership, so it’s great to have somebody to talk to about it. That’s really helped. Anyone can do it if they’ve got the support. I don’t class myself as a business man and I don’t know how I managed it, but somehow it’s working. If I can do it, anyone can.
What advice would you give to someone in a similar situation?
If you’re starting a business, I would say build it up slowly, don’t go headfirst into everything. Don’t go getting loans to buy a property – have the money first. Only spend what you can afford, and if family can help, that’s great. You’ll need encouragement. Get advice from whoever you can, and find a business advisor if possible.
If you don’t know what to do, find out what you love doing and work out how to make money through it. There are thousands of people out there who make it work. But it has to be something you’re passionate about. I love drums, I love teaching kids, and so I love my job. You have to love it and put your life into it to make it the best it can be.
Written by Rhys Thomas. Posted on 19th November.
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