Foundation story August 2024 - Oh my Voice: vocal training for beginners and professionals

Maxie, what is so special about Oh my Voice?
We offer all styles from opera to rock, pop, jazz and metal. As a classically trained soprano, I find it important and enriching to think outside the genre box, both artistically and pedagogically, and I am constantly educating myself in this regard.
I love discovering the potential of voices and showing other people techniques that will help them develop vocally and perhaps also personally.
I am now not only the founder, but also an employer and have a great team. Friedo is a classical baritone, Klara and Toja are breathing, voice and speech coaches with a therapeutic background, and Toja has also specialized in popular styles. This allows us to offer everything that is fun in a professional way, whereby physiologically healthy voice training is particularly important to us. Everyone has their own vocal material. Our job is to challenge and encourage this. You don't have to sound like your musical role model, but rather develop your own potential. And that is often a whole lot more than you thought.
Ultimately, our goal is for our students to not only receive musical and technical training, but also to develop self-confidence and enjoy singing. We want our students to have a great time and leave class with a smile on their face.

Whois the target group?
Anyone who enjoys the voice and wants to work on their voice professionally or privately. We have everything from absolute beginners to professional classical and pop musicians. Many people whose speaking voice is in demand on stage, for lectures or as teachers also come to us. In future, I would like to offer team-building activities with music and voice. Singing brings people together, requires courage, curiosity and the will to try things out. It promotes taking a step back and standing out as well as working together in a group - all important qualities for a good team.

How did the idea of founding the company come about?
To be honest: I just really wanted to do it! I wanted to turn what I think is great into my profession under my own conditions and values: Singing, voice and pedagogy. As a freelance singer and singing teacher, I was often a lone wolf. My desire for further development and teamwork grew, so I started to think about a concept. Oh my Voice is also the consequence of my career to date. In the industry, people are still often underpaid, and I wanted to do the job that I'm passionate about and that I love in a way that would allow me to make a living from it - and not at subsistence level. I didn't just want that for myself, but also as an employer. I want a team around me that shares this passion for music and passes it on.
Another important aspect for me was and is the network. For me, music means togetherness, networking and connection, not competition. With Oh my Voice, I want to create a space in Hanover where musicians can learn from each other and grow, in order to help promote the musical cultural scene. My own singing school now gives me the opportunity to freely shape the company and realize my vision.

Where does Oh my Voice stand economically?
We are absolutely aware that we are not going to get rich from this, but that is not the main focus either; we do it with too much passion for that. Nevertheless, we all have many years of training behind us, we teach professionally and with passion - that must and should be appreciated. We have transparent pricing models - even the trial lesson costs something. This is how we achieve commitment. Anyone who catches fire books further individual lessons, which usually turns into a ten-lesson card, followed by an annual contract. 80 percent of people who book a trial lesson continue. They use the time as "me-time" to break out of their everyday lives and work on their voice in a safe space. This is now working so well that we have recently moved into larger premises and will soon be able to add some great things to our offer.

What tips do you have for otherfounders?
Check out hannoverimpuls, take advantage of all the offers and network with other founders. Don't let the first headwind blow you over, build resilience and become stress-resistant. Deal with unpopular topics such as law and taxes early on. Be happy that you are creating a company according to your standards and dreams. Stay curious and above all - get started and don't plan down to the last detail. Done' is always better than 'perfect'.

© Oh my Voice

Oh my Voice

Owner Maximiliane Reichart
Egestorffstr. 9
30449 Hanover

Classrooms:
Königswortherstraße 23a

30167 Hanover

Tel.: 0151-28909448

kontakt@ohmyvoice.de
www.ohmyvoice.de

How did hannoverimpuls support you?

I arrived there with a certain plan and had a bunch of ideas. The first meeting with Anke Pawla was about presenting and sorting out my ideas and getting feedback. Then, with Anke's support, I wrote the business and financial plan and was able to ask my questions to the specialist departments. Anke also helped me to ask the right questions in the first place and to find out who I needed to address them to. In my opinion, that was one of the most difficult things of all.

How was the collaboration with hannoverimpuls?

As the name suggests - stimulating. Here you get honest feedback and help from people who are not only nice, but also competent. Hanover is such a cool city with so much creative energy. The focus here is on networking and working together. Thanks to hannoverimpuls, my network has grown and I've made lots of new contacts.

Anke Pawla, Project Manager Start-up and Entrepreneurship at hannoverimpuls aboutMaxieReichart:

When you work with someone who knows about voice, your own voice immediately takes on a different weighting. Maxie not only brings a lot of experience with her, but also makes you curious about what your own voice can do. It's great to see that Oh my Voice has been so well received.