The Tutor Podcast

Neil reflects on his 25-year journey as a private guitar tutor, sharing insights on the pivotal decisions that shaped his career and life. He emphasises the importance of taking risks and pursuing passions, highlighting how small choices can lead to significant opportunities. Neil discusses the deeper emotional needs of his students, recognising that their desire to learn often stems from personal struggles. He underscores the rewarding nature of one-on-one teaching, where meaningful connections are formed, and lives are transformed.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Embrace Opportunities: Reflecting on pivotal decisions, such as starting to teach guitar, highlights the importance of seiing opportunities that can lead to significant life changes and personal fulfilment. Life's Regrets: Many people regret not pursuing their passions or trying new things rather than regretting actions they took. It's essential to take risks and explore what truly makes you happy. Teaching as a Lifelong Journey: Teaching is portrayed as an endless game without a finish line, where both the teacher and student continuously learn and grow. This perspective keeps the experience fresh and engaging. Personal Connection: One-on-one teaching fosters a unique bond between the tutor and student, making lessons a special time for both parties. This personal interaction is often more rewarding than teaching larger groups. Impact Beyond Skills: The role of a tutor extends beyond imparting technical skills; it involves helping students navigate their personal challenges and emotional wounds, ultimately leading to transformative experiences in their lives. BEST MOMENTS "Those decisions that we make are just the hinges in life. They swing open big doors. They open escape routes of opportunity." "I don't want to lay down to die someday and think, I wish I'd done that, about anything."  "Teaching and helping my students is my game. It's a game with no end."  "Every single individual is damaged and hurting, but in slightly different ways."  "Imagine if schools made their pupils feel that way about being in class. What a revolution that'd be."  VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

In this episode, Neil explores the concept of motivation, specifically focusing on the distinction between "away from" and "towards" motivation. Building on the last episode's discussion, Neil emphasises the importance of creating a compelling vision for the future that draws you towards your goals, rather than merely escaping undesirable situations. He encourages listeners to vividly imagine their ideal life and to document at least 100 positive reasons for taking action to achieve that vision. This episode serves as a motivational guide, urging tutors, teachers, and coaches to harness the power of a clear and inspiring future to propel their businesses forward. KEY TAKEAWAYS Motivational Direction: Understanding the difference between "away from" motivation (escaping undesirable situations) and "towards" motivation (moving towards desired goals) is crucial for sustained action and growth. Compelling Vision: Creating a vivid and detailed vision of your future life is essential. This vision should encompass how you want your life to look, feel, and be, serving as a powerful motivator that draws you forward. Daily Revisit: Regularly revisiting and refining your vision helps maintain focus and encourages consistent action towards achieving your goals. Personal Reflection: Writing down at least 100 positive reasons for taking action can clarify your motivations and help you understand what truly matters to you, beyond societal expectations of success. Life by Design: Emphasising the importance of designing your life according to your own values and desires, rather than conforming to external pressures, leads to a more fulfilling and authentic existence. BEST MOMENTS "Motivation away from something is a great starter to action, but it rapidly falls off once you've escaped from the unpleasant thing." "Build yourself a compelling vision of your future, of how things will look, feel, smell, taste and sound, when everything is perfect and when you've achieved your goals." "What you're concerned with is your life. Not what everybody else thinks is a good way to spend the rest of your days on this spinning ball of mud." "I designed a life to suit myself and my own personal pleasures and passions. I imagined a compelling vision of a future life that I'd love to live." "This exercise helps you to clarify your reasons why you're even thinking about life, business and your future at all." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil talks about the concept of human motivation through the lens of "away from" and "towards" movements. Drawing on his 15 years of experience as a certified NLP practitioner, Neil explains how these two motivational systems influence our actions. He shares a vivid thought experiment that illustrates the urgency of escaping discomfort while also highlighting the importance of having a clear vision of what we want to achieve. Listeners are encouraged to create a list of potential negative outcomes if they don't take action in their tutoring businesses, using this as a powerful motivator to spur them into action.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding Motivation: Human motivations can be categorised into two types: "away from" (moving away from something undesirable) and "towards" (moving towards something desirable). Both play crucial roles in driving action. The Power of "Away From" Motivation: This type of motivation can spur immediate action in response to discomfort or pain. It serves as a powerful starter system that can help individuals escape from negative situations. Transitioning to "Towards" Motivation: Once the immediate crisis is alleviated, the "away from" motivation may lose its effectiveness. It's essential to shift focus towards positive goals and visions to maintain momentum and drive progress. Practical Exercise: A suggested exercise involves writing down 100 negative outcomes that could occur if one does not take action to grow their business. This list serves as a motivational tool to highlight the urgency of making changes. Daily Reflection: Reading the list of negative outcomes daily can create a sense of urgency and discomfort, effectively harnessing the power of "away from" motivation to encourage proactive behaviour and decision-making. BEST MOMENTS "The immediate away from movement will get you out of trouble. And the towards movement will get you towards what you really, really want." "That away from motivation is a great spur to fast action. It's life's do this or else threat crisis system." "The more uncomfortable, scary and gut level you can make it, the more powerful it is." "If I don't grow and scale my business, then these bad things could happen to me." "Notice how those two systems work. The away from is the starter motor that got you out from under the tree." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil discusses the importance of evaluating personal habits and recognising what truly works in your tutoring, teaching, or coaching business. Building on the previous episode's theme of exploring unconventional methods for better results, Neil emphasises the necessity of self-reflection and honest assessment. He encourages listeners to regularly ask themselves if their current practices are effective and aligned with their long-term goals. Through personal anecdotes, including his experience with co-owning music shops, Neil illustrates the value of discontinuing unproductive activities to make room for more fulfilling and profitable endeavours. This episode serves as a motivational call to action for educators and coaches to identify and eliminate what doesn't work, ultimately leading to greater success and satisfaction in their professional lives. KEY TAKEAWAYS Evaluate Your Habits: Regularly take inventory of your habits to determine what is working for you and what isn't. This self-reflection can lead to valuable insights and improvements in your personal and professional life. Embrace Honest Self-Assessment: When assessing whether something is working, be honest with yourself. The answers you may not want to hear are often the most important ones to pay attention to. Stop What Doesn't Work: Identify and discontinue activities or habits that are not serving you. This creates space for new opportunities and strategies that may yield better results. Learn from Experience: Reflect on past experiences, such as the decision to close the music shops, to understand that not all ventures will be fulfilling or profitable. Use these lessons to guide future decisions. Make Room for Growth: By letting go of unproductive habits or ventures, you open up time and energy to pursue activities that align more closely with your passions and goals, ultimately leading to greater satisfaction and success. BEST MOMENTS "When was the last time you actually sat down and took inventory of your own habits? I didn't think so. Most people don't take time out to reflect or self-examine very much." "The answer you don't like is the answer you must pay most attention to."  "Those uncomfortable no's are a gift, because you now know what not to do in order to make space for what you must do."  "If you don't know what isn't working, you'll probably keep on doing it... which won't leave you the space and time to try something which has a better chance of success."  "Continuing to run the shops was going to burn time. And that was an opportunity cost we were no longer willing to pay."  VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil shares insights from his extensive experience in the tutoring and teaching business. He recounts a recent session with a seasoned guitar player who, despite decades of experience, struggled with fundamental techniques due to conventional learning methods. Neil emphasises the importance of questioning the mainstream approaches to learning, highlighting that a staggering 90% of guitar learners quit when following traditional routes. He encourages listeners to explore alternative perspectives and disciplines beyond music education to enhance their teaching methods. This episode serves as a call to action for tutors, teachers, and coaches to continuously seek innovative ideas and improve their practices for the benefit of their students. KEY TAKEAWAYS Questioning the Norm: It's essential to continually ask yourself if your current methods are effective. If they aren't working, explore alternative approaches rather than seeking better versions of a failing scheme. Common Mistakes in Learning: Many guitar learners struggle due to fundamental errors, such as improper guitar positioning and lack of understanding of chords and scales. These issues can lead to frustration and hinder progress. High Quit Rates: Approximately 90% of people who start learning guitar through conventional methods end up quitting. This statistic highlights the ineffectiveness of mainstream teaching approaches. Interdisciplinary Learning: Breakthroughs in teaching and learning often come from fields outside music education, such as physics, psychology, and anthropology. Exploring diverse disciplines can provide valuable insights and improve teaching methods. Continuous Improvement: There is a duty to look beyond traditional methods and constantly seek new knowledge and techniques. This ongoing quest for improvement can enhance both teaching practices and student experiences. BEST MOMENTS "Why would a presumably competent player in his 60s start taking guitar lessons?" "For 50 years, he's been making life hard for himself... All that heavy finger pressure makes everything harder than it needs to be." "90% of people who start and pursue the conventional route fail; they quit. That's just insane." "If what you're doing isn't working... start looking for different." "We have a duty and a right to look beyond the narrow lane of our discipline." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil shares the second part in his journey from being a guitar teacher to building a multi-million pound investment property portfolio. He reflects on the pivotal moments that pushed him out of his comfort zone, including a life-changing cycling accident and the realisation that traditional teaching alone wouldn't lead to financial freedom. Neil discusses the importance of understanding net worth, the lessons learned from fellow property investors, and the value of investing in education and mentorship. He emphasises the significance of maintaining a passion for teaching while pursuing financial growth, encouraging listeners to believe in their potential to achieve similar success. Tune in for practical insights and inspiration to help you start, grow, and love your tutoring business. KEY TAKEAWAYS Understanding Net Worth: Net worth is defined as the value of all assets minus all debts. It's crucial to have a clear understanding of this concept to assess true financial health. Diversifying Income Streams: Relying solely on face-to-face teaching is limiting. Exploring investment opportunities, such as property, can create additional income streams and enhance financial security. Learning from Others: Engaging with experienced investors and seeking mentorship can provide valuable insights and help avoid common pitfalls in property investing. Investing in Education: Spending money on training and courses can be a strategic move to reduce risk and increase knowledge, ultimately leading to better investment decisions. Maintaining Passion: It's important to balance investment pursuits with personal passions. Success in business should not come at the expense of doing what you love, such as teaching or mentoring others. BEST MOMENTS "If I can give you some of what I found useful, maybe you'll find it useful for yourself."  "I realised that to become a millionaire, especially as a guitar teacher, teaching face to face, one to one, was never going to cut it."  "I later realized I was subconsciously putting pressure on myself, making sure that the cost of doing nothing... was so enormous as to terrorize me into action."  "Whatever you do in property, don't do anything that takes you away from that. Because that's somebody else's dream life, and you already have yours."  "It was possible for me and it's possible for you. If I can do it, if I can make this happen for myself, chances are you can do it too."  VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil Camerow shares his personal journey from being a guitar teacher to becoming a millionaire property investor. The episode begins with Neil recounting a life-changing bike accident that made him realise the vulnerability of being self-employed. This realisation led him to explore alternative ways of generating income, ultimately leading him to venture into property investment. Neil candidly shares his experiences, mistakes, and successes, emphasising the importance of financial stability and multiple streams of income. The episode ends with a teaser for the next episode where Neil promises to delve deeper into his journey and provide valuable insights for listeners interested in following a similar path. KEY TAKEAWAYS Diversifying Income Streams: Neil highlights the importance of diversifying income streams by sharing the speaker's experience as a guitar teacher and property investor. This strategy can help individuals generate multiple streams of income and build financial stability. Learning from Mistakes: Neil emphasises the importance of learning from mistakes in the journey towards financial success. By sharing his own mistakes, Neil aims to help others avoid similar pitfalls and make informed decisions. Long-Term Financial Planning: Neil underscores the significance of long-term financial planning and the need to make money work for individuals even when they are not actively working. This approach can lead to financial security and independence. Seeking Alternative Income Sources: Neil's story serves as a reminder to explore alternative income sources beyond traditional employment. By investing in income-producing assets or starting a business, individuals can create additional revenue streams. Taking Action: Neil encourages listeners to take action towards their financial goals and consider different avenues for wealth creation. By sharing personal experiences and insights, Neil motivates others to pursue their aspirations and build a successful financial future. BEST MOMENTS "I want to share my story, how I became a millionaire guitar teacher and property investor over several years from zero to where I am today." "I want to be really clear that this is not an outline of a get rich quick scheme or an idea and leave that to the internet scammers and the con artists who are out there." "I was just soothing the bike into a nice right-hand curve when the front wheel unexpectedly washed out from underneath me." "I started to read about it, to listen to podcasts and audiobooks about it. I asked questions of a couple of people I knew who owned rental properties." "If that's something you can picture for yourself and your family, join me on the next show and I'll tell you what I did. So maybe you can do the same." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil explores the importance of silence in our modern, noisy lives. Drawing parallels between sound and silence in music and photography, Neil emphasises the need for quiet contemplation and deep thinking. He guides listeners on creating a quiet space, disconnecting from distractions, and embracing silence to enhance focus and productivity. Neil shares practical tips, such as using noise-canceling headphones and scheduling silent time, to help listeners experience the benefits of silence. Through personal anecdotes and insights, Neil encourages listeners to explore the transformative power of silence in renewing connections with oneself and others.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Silence is essential: In a world filled with constant noise and distractions, taking time for silence is crucial for deep thinking and focus. Create a quiet space: Setting up a designated silent space free from technology and distractions can help in fostering creativity and concentration. Disconnect from technology: Turning off phones and other devices can prevent interruptions and allow for uninterrupted thinking and reflection. Start small: Begin with short periods of silence and gradually increase the time spent in quiet contemplation to build tolerance and reap the benefits. Listen to the inner voice: Embracing silence allows for introspection and renewal, enabling individuals to connect with themselves and their intuition. BEST MOMENTS "Silence is the other half of the music. Without the silence, the sounds that we make as musicians don't really add up too much."  "Notice how uncomfortable that is. You may suddenly seem to have an aversion to just being quiet."  "Personally, I always take a pen and paper into the quiet space with me, because I know that thoughts will emerge when all the noise dies down and they come out of the silence."  "Silent people generally command respect. Silence allows us to listen."  "If you do live in a very noisy environment, I suggest you buy either a pair of noise-canceling headphones or a pair of ear defenders." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil talks about the topic of sales in the tutoring, teaching, and coaching business. He challenges the negative connotations associated with sales, emphasising that selling is about providing the right solution to a customer's problem rather than manipulating them into a purchase. Neil's insights shed light on the crucial role of sales in running a successful tutoring business and how it ultimately serves both the customer and the business owner. KEY TAKEAWAYS Selling is not about manipulating or pressurizing customers, but about providing elegant solutions to their problems. Good sales involve listening, understanding, and solving the customer's needs in a professional and ethical manner. It is essential to have a win-win situation in sales, where both the customer and the salesperson benefit. Relational selling, based on ongoing relationships between buyers and sellers, is key to long-term success in business. Reluctance to sell may deprive prospective customers of valuable solutions and hinder the growth and success of a tutoring business. BEST MOMENTS "Selling is, as I understand it, the art of bringing together a customer who has a problem with the elegant, appropriate solution to that problem." "If you can't properly sell your excellent product or service to the right buyer, you are failing them." "Selling isn't holding a gun to someone's head and forcing them to hand over their money." "The very best sales pitch of all is when you get them to say yes to that better vision or concept of themselves." "Remember, I'm here to listen as well as talk. And obviously I don't have all the answers, so maybe if you've got answers that work for you, share them with me." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!

Neil talks about the concept of hard work and the grind of being an entrepreneur. He emphasises the importance of sustained effort and the invisible work that goes into achieving success. Neil shares personal insights and experiences from his 25 years in business, highlighting the sacrifices and dedication required to build a thriving tutoring business.  KEY TAKEAWAYS Hard Work Pays Off: The importance of putting in focused, sustained effort over a long period of time is emphasised as a key factor in achieving success. Invisible Work: The concept of "invisible work" or "secret work" is essential, this is the behind-the-scenes effort entrepreneurs put in. Maintain Momentum: Once success starts to show, it is crucial to keep pushing forward and not lose momentum, as regaining it can be challenging. Challenges of Entrepreneurship: The journey of an entrepreneur is one filled with hard work, sacrifices, and new challenges even after achieving initial success. Perception of Others: Others may not fully understand or appreciate the level of effort and dedication required in entrepreneurship, leading to misconceptions or judgments about choices and lifestyle. BEST MOMENTS "It's the kind of effort, the focused, sustained effort, often over periods of years that most people just won't do." "This is the hard graft of being in business. We do the work, that out-of-sight work, the secret work, if you like, means that we're slowly winning." "Fear taking your foot off the gas pedal. Dread losing your essential, vital momentum." "Their raised eyebrows and chagrined head shaking are clues that I'm on the right track, as far as I'm concerned." "How hard are you prepared to work over the next few years, this decade? Let me know guys." VALUABLE RESOURCES www.Neilcowmeadow.com info@neilcowmeadow.com  HOST BIO Neil Cowmeadow is a maverick peripatetic guitar teacher from Telford with over 19 years’ experience in the business of helping people. Learn how to start, grow and love your business with Neil’s invaluable advice and tips without the buzzwords and BS!