George grew up in Atlanta and started playing the piano at a young age. As he grew older, he moved on to focus on guitar, bass, and cello in high school. “I benefited from living in a neighborhood of cool people and great friends. My parents supported me with whatever I was passionate about. Work hard, be a good person – those were the expectations,” said George. This constant support helped fuel his creativity and the entrepreneurial spirit he knew he had.
George was recruited to play soccer at Davidson College, receiving a scholarship to attend. After 2 years, he quit soccer and joined a band, pursuing a music major. “I wanted to be a musician. So, I had to figure out how I would make a living. When I stopped playing soccer, I focused fully on music and got a job teaching at a local studio.”
George played in a jazz trio at various venues in college. He was a member of a band called Green Eggs and Jam, the band of choice for parties and official functions at Davidson. That band has continued to play for parties and weddings across the country, now called Otis Wedding. After college, George cut his teeth as a professional guitarist and bassist, playing for years in many groups around Charlotte and the southeast. While he doesn’t perform as much as he once did, playing live music remains one of his favorite things in the world to do.
“My friend Dean Williams and I decided to start a business where we hire great teachers and send them to people’s homes instead of a studio for lessons. That didn’t require a bunch of capital, and there was a relatively low risk if we failed. So, we started Bold Music in 2013. At first, Dean and I were doing all the teaching, and Dean also had a day job in digital marketing.
“As we built the business, we wanted our company to be different. We wanted to be part of the gig economy and wanted musicians on our team to feel valued while giving them the freedom to pursue their own dreams. I would have loved our company to have existed for me in college.”
“We are creating the ability for dreamers to pursue their dreams,” continued George. “We help empower musicians to work in their craft and pay them a premium, which allows them to focus on that dream. In turn, we are giving students access to the best talent available. It is a privilege to take lessons from musicians of our caliber. We believe this creation of opportunities supports the growth of the arts overall.”
Bold Music’s business model handles all the administrative functions for their teachers, making it easier for them to connect with students who match their skills. Offering both at-home and virtual lessons, they began to attract students across the Charlotte area.