Turning a creative idea into a real product takes far more than a great design. In this episode, we're chatting with Claire Rehmke, founder of Musically Minted, a small business creating fun, musically accurate products for music teachers. We go behind the scenes of designing, manufacturing, and launching products, from her early lessons learned to her current best sellers. Claire also shares practical advice for teachers who want to create their own physical or digital products.
- Claire shared how virtual teaching in 2020 sparked Musically Minted.
- How a sticker-only start grew into apparel and accessories.
- She left classroom teaching in 2023 to go full time.
- Why Pantone colors matter when ordering manufactured products.
- The challenge of long sample timelines and 100-piece minimums.
- Some products, like sublimated items and pressed apparel, are made in-house.
- Best sellers include the birthday sticker roll and musical moment notepad.
- This year's holiday launch features Nutcracker and winter wonderland themes.
- Her digital shop offers worksheets, classroom decor, and rhythm resources.
- She learned Procreate entirely from TikTok tutorials.
- The importance of staying organized as a business grows.
- A teacher's story about feeling seen captures her mission.
- Why a brand-new product can take about a year to develop.
- The value of planning every detail of a physical product first.
Links Mentioned
Today’s Guest
Claire Rehmke is a music educator, artist, and founder of Musically Minted, a small business creating fun, musically accurate products for music teachers. She started Musically Minted in 2020 while virtually teaching elementary music from her apartment in Washington State, after realizing she couldn’t find the cute, music-teacher-specific products she wanted to wear and use herself.
Before taking Musically Minted full time in 2023, Claire taught K–6 general music, multiple elementary choirs, and a 4th grade marimba ensemble. She studied Music Education at Pacific Lutheran University, earned her master’s in Music Education from Kent State University, and completed all three levels of Orff Certification through Portland Orff.
Today, Claire still hand-draws every Musically Minted design and runs the business from her home alongside her husband, Daniel, and a small team made up largely of fellow music educators. Giving back to the music education community is a big part of her mission, whether that’s supporting music education organizations, helping teachers access professional development, or purchasing supplies from classroom wish lists. Above all, Claire wants music teachers to feel seen, supported, and celebrated.
About Rachel Ehring
Dr. Rachel Ehring is a pianist, teacher, music administrator, and lover of piano teaching gadgets. She holds a DMA in Collaborative Piano from the University of Colorado Boulder and a MM in Accompanying from the University of Kansas. She currently serves as Director at St. John’s Conservatory of the Arts in Orange County, CA. Previously, she held positions at Concordia University Irvine and Henderson State University. Rachel is passionate about empowering music teachers to create engaging and exciting lessons for students of all ages. When she isn’t playing the piano, you might find Rachel reading books with her son or walking her beagle Frieda.
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