From Google Calendar to Growth: How Michael Hemsworth Built a Thriving Music School

What happens to growth when passion meets persistence — but your systems can’t keep up?

That’s the story of Michael Hemsworth, founder of New Song School of Music, who joined David Martin on The Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast to share his journey from teaching piano in his living room to running a multi-location music school with 500+ students, a performance hall, and even a “Music Bus.”

Michael’s story resonates with every music school owner who’s tried to scale with duct-taped systems — and it’s proof that growth becomes sustainable only when your tools catch up with your vision.

For years, Michael managed his school using just Google Calendar and QuickBooks — and somehow made it work.

“We were years—many years—on Google Calendar and QuickBooks,” he says. “We got to 400 students before realizing the cracks were showing.”

Each teacher had a Google Calendar to manage lessons, invoices lived in QuickBooks, and communication ran through Gmail. There was no link between scheduling and billing, meaning missed invoices and manual reviews were common.

Michael laughs about it now, but that setup reveals a universal truth: you can only run on duct tape for so long before you start tripping over it.

As his school grew, Michael realized his time was being eaten up by manual tasks instead of mentorship and music. That’s when he turned to Opus1, looking for a system that could connect the dots — scheduling, billing, communication, and reporting — all in one place.

The transition wasn’t instant. Migrating data and retraining staff took time. But the results were transformative: fewer clicks, fewer errors, and a stronger sense of calm across his entire team.

“The relief of scalable systems is permanent,” he says. “We finally had a tool that matched the vision.”

For Michael, growth isn’t just about adding students — it’s about deepening culture. He’s built a community rooted in values like radical candor, consistency, and kindness. But he’s also clear: those values only stick when systems reinforce them.

With Opus1, his teachers could maintain the same parent communication standards, consistent lesson notes, and shared policies that define the New Song experience — whether at the main campus or a satellite studio.

That consistency fuels trust, both within his team and among families.

Michael’s journey isn’t just inspiring — it’s instructional.

If you’re running your school with separate calendars, payment platforms, and endless spreadsheets — you’re not alone. Michael’s story is proof that there’s a better, calmer, more connected way forward.

Catch the full episode of The Performing Arts School Entrepreneur Podcast hosted by David Martin, available now on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you listen.

And while you’re there, explore all the episodes packed with real stories from performing arts school owners who’ve learned how to scale with purpose.

Learn more about how Opus1 helps schools like yours simplify growth and strengthen culture: opus1.io