Private lesson businesses, music teachers, tutors, coaches, run into the same few friction points repeatedly: cancellations, makeup lessons, and payment timing. Writing policies down once, upfront, avoids relitigating them case by case with each student or family.
Cancellation and makeup policy. How much notice is required to cancel without a fee, and are makeup lessons offered (and under what conditions)? See the cancellation fee calculator for a fair, tiered structure based on notice given.
Package vs. per-lesson pricing. Many teachers offer a modest discount for pre-paid monthly or semester packages, this improves cash flow predictability and reduces no-shows, since the lesson is already paid for either way.
Break/holiday policy. Decide upfront whether packages carry over school breaks or need to be paused/prorated, and communicate it before the first payment, not after a family asks.
A short written studio policy sheet, given to every new student or parent at enrollment, prevents nearly all of the recurring disputes in this line of work.