By Katie Kailus, Photos by Lucy Beaugard
After purchasing its first existing music business in early 2019, Ensemble Music Schools now boasts some 72 music stores and music schools nationwide. Lead by founder Jeff Homer, Ensemble hopes to continue to purchase one-to-two locations a month. The secret to its success? Maintaining the business’ name, staff and branding, while enhancing back-end operations. F or most MI retailers looking to transition out of the business, only a few options exist. Pass the business down to the next-generation family member, train a left a squishy job at Bain Capital in New York City to purchase Dana V Music in Louisville, Colorado.
“When I worked at the investment firm, a lot of what I did involved helping a company that had a product or service that was in demand and growing stand up infrastructure to support growth,” Homer said. “I would find whatever the company did that was unique — sort of its special sauce. But, a lot of the infrastructure that needs to be built is very common between companies, and I got a lot of repetitions of doing that and scal-
staff member as a replacement or close up shop completely. Few retailers sell their businesses, and those who do, have traditionally turned to Music & Arts — the B&O-focused, Guitar Center sister brand — as it’s seemingly one of the only music-specialized buyers. Until about five years ago, that is. In January 2019, 28-year-old, Harvard-educated Jeff Homer
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