Conversations with Meg Parsighian and Andre Aidian

Today we’d like to introduce you to Meg Parsighian and Andre Aidian.

Hi Meg and Andre, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2015, Meg and I came up with a plan written on a simple napkin to go into business to create and open up the most unique boutique rehearsal studio in Southern California. It was that very evening PA Rehearsals Studios was born and we never looked back. From the start, we had trust and a friendship that ran deep. I had always envisioned owning and creating a rehearsal studio from the ground up. When I met Meg, I shared my creative vision of my passion to open up a facility that not only catered to high-end clientele but to all creative visionaries from the simple songwriter, garage bands to the young artist in bloom. My background as a touring musician and Meg’s background in business, finance and art was the perfect marriage. Although our strong suits were very different, it turned out to be the perfect blend. I had toured the world and rehearsed at many studios but in my personal opinion most were lacking that creative intimacy.

So we hit the ground running and dove in deep. Everything you see in our rehearsal studio was built with blood, sweat and tears. We were completely hands on building and designing from the ground up. We got really creative adding personal touches such as real drum side tables for our seated lounge area, a Marshall cabinet lined front desk and hand-painted murals drawn by Meg. After the build-out and design was completed, in 2016 the doors opened at PA Rehearsal Studios. Our dream was finally realized. We held a grand opening and had interest from over 400 musicians wanting to attend. Needless to say, our guest list filled up quickly. The build-up to our current clientele took effort over a few years to let people know we existed. Soon enough however the bookings became nonstop. Up until the Pandemic hit we were catering to every level of musicians including A-listers not only local but international as well. It was a sad time not having the studio open however we are seeing more and more clients coming back as the world slowly reopens.

The one thing I can say I am most proud of is when clients appreciate the hard work we have put into our studio. Not only from our client service that we strive to perfect but from this amazing creative space we are able to share. We strived hard to create a space that is warm and inviting so that when the artist steps into our rehearsal studio, they can close the door and forget the world outside.

Looking back, I can truly say we are very happy with our design. We currently built out this 4,600 square foot facility to accommodate six rooms with two stages, Digital Boards including recording capabilities using Protools and Logic. We provide our rehearsal studios not only for rehearsals but have seen an influx of use for Artist Interviews, Live Recordings, Live Streaming, Video Shoots as well as Product Endorsement Advertising.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Starting a business definitely comes with its obstacles, challenges and even more so when you’ve never done it before. Even after drafting a solid business plan there were days where it was smooth sailing and many others that made us question what the hell we got ourselves into. Being a first-time entrepreneur at this scale, we made lots of mistakes such as unforeseen costs in our build-out as well as our timeline to be up and running. We had not secured enough funds to see us through. We were literally bleeding money. There were many times we thought we were going to lose it all. We were starting to pile up debt not even having enough money to add a few of the studio soundproof doors, yet we were weeks away from opening up the rehearsal studio. As for our business marketing and advertisement budget, we hadn’t even tackled that yet. This is where choosing the right business partner comes into play. Keeping us afloat became a challenge. It was scary. You put your whole life on the line. Your time, your emotions, your money and you’re all invested in. It’s in those hopeless moments you dig deep. You have faith in that one little spark of passion that inspired this dream. Meg and I shifted into gear. I am proud to say I researched, built and relied on good friends to help me build those soundproof studio doors. I fully dedicated my time in between my touring gigs and finishing up the build at the studio. Meg luckily still had her day job as a finance manager in the auto industry. She worked long and hard hours supplying the shortage of cash we needed until the business was back on track. Honestly, she saved us. I am very thankful for her. She worked equally as hard as I did to make PA Rehearsal Studios a dream come true.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Let’s just say we are living the dream. Driving into work on a clear sunny California day or stuck in freeway traffic makes no difference. There is a feeling you get when you open up the doors to your own business that feels like success. Meg and I split our responsibilities equally focusing on our talents and background that determined our duties in running the studio. I’m responsible for the daily studio setups as well as overseeing personalized sessions which require the recording capabilities available in our rooms. In addition, I handle all the maintenance required to make sure the studio and gear is functioning properly at a full 100% at all times. You definitely have to be on your feet multitasking and being able to cater to your client’s needs on the spot. For Meg, it comes natural for her to handle all the administrative duties that come with running a business. Being highly organized, she handles all our business marketing, advertising, oversees and manages our online booking as well as handling all the financials. She admirably took it upon herself to learn how to build the studio website and established our business marketing brand. Although we work hard and put in long hours at times, it doesn’t feel like work. The sounds, the atmosphere of musical vibes flowing throughout our studio every day soothes the soul. To this day, we still get musicians that make the hair stand up on your arm. You walk by a room to get a mic and it puts a smile on your face for the short minute you stop to listen. There is a lot of brewing talent out there waiting to be heard. We are so proud to be able to provide PA Rehearsal Studios as their intimate creative space.

Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
The best advice we can give to someone is to go after what you want or you will never have it.

A dream is just a dream unless you make it a reality. If you imagine it, you can create it. Have a good plan, passion and be resilient. When you hear these words, they sound like just words but it really is just that simple. In order to be successful, you have to take chances and step outside of the box. Be prepared to be paralyzed by fear, elated with pride and never stop believing in reaching your goal. This is our story. Just as you, we have read many until we decided to make it our own.

Pricing:

• $12 per hour
• $19 Per hour
• $25 Per hour
• $40 Per hour
• $50 Per hour

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://parehearsalstudios.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pastudios/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1518745255092990
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ULMAb2k0M_FomZBPt5AFYg