Merging Passions: How Sweet Music and Consulting Brings Together Teaching and Helping Businesses Grow

In the past few months, I’ve decided to consolidate my two main focuses—music and marketing—into one unified business: Sweet Music and Consulting. This wasn’t just a business decision; it was a personal one, driven by the things I love most about my work—helping people grow.

On one hand, I’ve been fortunate enough to teach music to students of all ages, guiding them on their journey with instruments like the violin, mandolin, and others. Watching my students improve, gain confidence, and truly connect with music is something that never gets old. It’s not just about teaching technique; it’s about creating a space where someone can express themselves, whether they’re playing their first notes or preparing for a performance. The bond I form with students as they grow musically is one of the most fulfilling aspects of my life.

On the other hand, I’ve also enjoyed helping small businesses, nonprofits, and musicians navigate the challenges of marketing, web design, and business development. What excites me in this area is the creativity and problem-solving it involves. Every business is unique, with its own story and challenges, and I get to help them articulate that story and reach their goals. It’s about finding solutions that feel authentic to them, whether it’s building a website, crafting a marketing strategy, or introducing automation to free up their time. The fact that I get to work with so many driven, passionate people makes this work even more rewarding.

By combining my music education background with my consulting work, I’m able to provide both sides of my business with the same energy and enthusiasm. It allows me to offer customized solutions for musicians and business owners alike, whether they need lessons or a strategic plan for growth. This consolidation has also made me more available for the people I work with, ensuring I can give them the time and attention they deserve.

Looking forward, I’m excited to see how Sweet Music and Consulting will continue to evolve. This isn’t just about services—it’s about forming meaningful relationships with clients and students, understanding their needs, and growing alongside them. I believe that the best part of my work is the connection it fosters—whether I’m helping someone master a song on the violin or guiding a business through a tricky marketing challenge. At the end of the day, that’s what makes this journey so special.

I’m incredibly grateful for the trust my clients and students have placed in me, and I can’t wait to keep building on these relationships in the future. Here’s to growth, creativity, and making the most of every opportunity!

From DOS to Digital Marketing: My Journey in Web Design and Small Business Consulting

I began my career in an unexpected place—the shipping dock of Bread & Circus in the 1980s, where my size made me the perfect candidate to unload Coleman Beef trucks and drive deliveries into Boston. But my journey soon took an interesting turn. My curiosity for computers led me to teach myself MSDOS and Lotus123, which opened the door to a whole new world of possibilities.

Back then, spreadsheets were revolutionary. I didn’t just use them; I taught our department managers how to streamline inventory management with Lotus123, and even helped our bookkeeper use it to pay bills. Those early experiences in problem-solving set the stage for my later work in web design and digital marketing.

By 1993, I was managing Dr. Hauschka Cosmetics USA, where I got certified in NOVELL, LAN, and built out the company’s first intranet. It was a major shift, and I learned how valuable networks and digital tools could be in transforming how a business operates. That same year, I began learning HTML and Web Design, a decision that would change my life and open up a world of opportunities.

The Early Days of Web Design

In 1998, I started my own web design and marketing company, Sweet Consultants (now ASO Ventures). One of my first clients was the Apple Hill Center for Chamber Music. This was before YouTube and modern video compression tools, so I wrote custom code to compress videos for the website—a critical feature for their donors to access multimedia content. I realized how empowering the internet could be for small businesses and nonprofits to connect with their communities in ways they hadn’t before.

Over the next decade, I worked with a diverse range of clients—from musicians to nonprofits and small businesses. Some projects stand out. I traveled to Egypt in 1999 to play in a world music festival and came home with three new clients! One was Sambaland from the Berkshire Batteria, and another was Gaia, a world music band. Through these projects, I honed my ability to bring artistic visions to life online, learning how to marry creativity with functionality.

The Rise of E-commerce and Digital Marketing

As my web design business grew, so did the demand for integrated e-commerce solutions. In 2001, I was hired by Stamell Strings in Amherst to build their website, complete with a shopping cart and a platform for showcasing high-definition pictures of violins. This project wasn’t just about selling violins; it was about elevating the customer experience. The site had to convey the craftsmanship and beauty of each instrument, a task that required more than technical skills—it required an understanding of the product and the people who love it.

Around this time, I also became more involved in digital marketing. I went back to college to get certifications in online marketing, and over the years, I helped businesses develop comprehensive marketing plans, especially those in niche industries like human and animal hair products. The marketing landscape was evolving quickly, and I made it my mission to stay ahead of the curve.

Building Community and a Business

In 2008, I opened Sweet Music, combining my love of music with the lessons I’d learned in business and marketing. I imported supplies for luthiers and launched the first mandolin orchestra in the area, establishing Mandolin New England as a nonprofit organization. The work was fulfilling but also highly dependent on personal connections and in-person experiences.

Then came COVID-19, which shut everything down. Like so many small business owners, I found myself at a crossroads. My momentum was gone, but instead of dwelling on the losses, I turned my attention to new skills—particularly Generative AI.

Entering the World of AI and Consulting

The last few years have brought challenges, but they’ve also presented new opportunities. I’ve been exploring how AI can be used in small business marketing and consulting. Generative AI has revolutionized how businesses can create content, manage customer interactions, and streamline operations. It’s like the next iteration of what I started back in the '80s with spreadsheets and DOS.

Additionally, there’s been renewed interest in the luthier supplies aspect of my business. The potential to reignite that part of my career is exciting, especially as I continue to integrate modern marketing tools with traditional craftsmanship.

Looking Forward

I’ve learned that no matter what technologies come along, the key to success in web design, marketing, or any small business is understanding the needs of your clients. Whether I’m designing a website for a world music festival or consulting a nonprofit on their digital strategy, it’s always about listening, adapting, and finding the best tools for the job.

It’s been a long journey from the docks of Bread & Circus to the world of AI consulting, but every experience has added another layer of expertise to my career. Today, I’m more hopeful than ever that I can continue to help businesses—and musicians—thrive in this new digital landscape.

Check out my Consulting page

A Strange Trip

In 1997, I was National Sales Manager for a natural products company.  I traveled a lot for the business: New York every other week, Boston every week, and once a month, to meet with key accounts in other states.  I would drive down to Bradley Airport and fly to some city somewhere, rent a car and drive to a meeting with some store owner somewhere.  What fun!  No seriously, I enjoyed it.  

On one of these trips, I flew into Denver Airport, rented an Isuzu Trooper and drove up to meet with some key accounts in Boulder and Aspen.  I had an appointment the next day in western Colorado, so I decided to stay over in Aspen and get an early start the next morning.

Outside of Glenwood Springs, I picked up I70 on the way to my meeting in Grand Junction that afternoon.

There was a long tunnel through the mountain that I passed through.  On the other side, the highway sloped down in a long straight line off towards the distance.

I saw one of those Airstream campers, you know the stainless steel cylindrical trailer, coming towards me.  I didn't make much of it because there were a lot of campers in this part of Colorado, it was a common sight.  As it approached though I began to notice something weird.  There was no vehicle pulling it, at least I couldn't see anything.  I though, well it must be an old-fashioned bus-camper.  

But then it got even closer and I saw that it wasn't even on the road!  It was climbing up I70 about 25 or 30 feed over the road!  I pulled over to the shoulder and got out of the Isuzu.  I was flabbergasted and a little bit in shock.  This was before cell phone cameras or even digital cameras and I'd left my disposable camera in my backpack.  There wasn't time to take a picture!

The object went slowly overhead.  It had no windows, no lights and made no sound.  In retrospect, there was no passing sound or wind as it went overhead.  

I chalked it up later as an illusion.  The heat was almost unbearable that morning and the ground was shimmering in the way it does in the heat.

The object kept going up I70 to the tunnel, then quickly flipped up over the mountain and that was the last I saw of it.  I never saw anything like that again.

I wasn't hungover or stoned, I wasn't sleepy, and I had had 4 days to acclimate to the elevation.  What could it have been?

Perhaps I will never know