Brooklyn Music Factory (BMF) is a Gowanus, Brooklyn-based small business founded by Nate Shaw and Peira Moinester. Launched in 2011, BMF offers band classes and private lessons for kids and adults, as well as a popular summer camp program. These programs have attracted a dedicated following and enable BMF to meet their mission of “Inspiring Musicians and Building Community.”

 

With COVID-19 forcing non-essential businesses to close, BMF had to leave their long-time space, look for a new home and redesign their business model and shift to online curriculum, lessons and classes. Nate and his team achieved this by engaging their talented teaching team to ensure they had both the needed technology as well as an understanding of how to engage students using an online format.

 

By embracing this new structure and the range of operational and accounting guidance from Pace University SBDC Business Advisor Sandra Cely, and combined with nearly $300,000 in financing support through the federal Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan program, Brooklyn Music Factory retained 23 jobs, while providing much-needed programming for Brooklyn children.