Getting to Know Jacie Sites of Sites Music School & Violin Shop
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EastIdahoNews.com is highlighting hardworking people who make our local businesses a success. Every Sunday, we’re Getting to Know YOU!
1. Name, job title and company: Jacie (pronounced Jackie) Sites, Owner of Sites Music School & Violin Shop.
2. What does your company do and what are your responsibilities? I teach fiddle, violin, cello, guitar and mandolin to my private music students. I am the head teacher and curriculum designer for our shop and studio. I teach music lessons, plan concerts and events, write and arrange music and plan musical trips and adventures for our older students.
3. Where were you born and when is your birthday (don’t need to include year)? I was born May 19 in Portland, Oregon the day after Mt. Saint Helens erupted.
4. How long have you lived in eastern Idaho and what city do you live in now? I have lived in eastern Idaho for just over 20 years and live in Rigby.
5. Tell us about your first job after high school/college. My first and only job has been teaching music.
6. What is the best business decision you’ve ever made? The best business decision I’ve made was to open our first violin shop, even though it was super scary at the time.
7. Tell us about your family. I live in Rigby with my husband Joe! We love playing music together, traveling and playing golf on the weekends.
8. Tell us about a movie or book that has inspired you the most in life. This is hard. I LOVE reading. I read a ton of non-fiction and I think one of my all-time favorites is “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.” I’m always looking to learn something new but this book really hits the basics of being a reliable and responsible person.
9. Tell us about a lesson you learned from a mistake you made in your career/business. In the beginning, I really compared what we were doing to others and tried to just copy what I thought I was “expected” to be teaching. However, over time I have learned to focus more on what my real strengths are and what I truly love doing. This means I teach much less traditional violin and focus on teaching the music that my students and I love to play instead.
10. What is a goal you hope to accomplish in the next 12 months? In the next 12 months, I hope to offer some of my music courses online for students who can’t come to Idaho to take lessons in person.
11. What is one piece of advice you have for someone who wants to do what you’re doing? If someone wanted to do what I am doing, I would suggest they develop their own unique style and interests and share what they love with others. Don’t worry about what you think others expect, just do what lights you up.
12. If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently? If I could do it all over again, I would trust my musical tastes and teach the music I love from the beginning.
13. Where is your favorite place to eat in eastern Idaho? I love to eat breakfast at Cafe Mikes at Pinecrest Golf Course. Mike cooks the best meal in town.
14. Tell us something surprising about yourself. I am a Grandmaster and multiple-time National Fiddle champion and had a No. 1 music book on Amazon last year.
15. How do you like your potatoes? I love potatoes ANY way! They are my favorite food and as long as they are cooked, I will eat them and ask for seconds.
If you have an employee or co-worker who we should get to know, email rett@eastidahonews.com.