Empowering Leadership and Innovation with Stacey Ryan of School of Rock In this episode of Between Two COOs, host Michael Koenig interviews Stacey Ryan, the COO of School of Rock, a global music school franchise. Despite common beliefs, the School of Rock predated its namesake 2003 film, with Stacey clarifying that the film was, in fact, inspired by the school’s real-life operations. Stacey discusses the significant impact of the global pandemic on the business, highlighting the shift to remote music lessons as a major innovation that the School has retained post-pandemic. She emphasizes the importance of community and mental health support for students, demonstrating how challenges like COVID-19 spurred innovation and team cohesion within School of Rock. Additionally, Stacey delves into operational challenges, the franchise model, and strategic international expansion. She also speaks on her personal journey, shedding light on creating frontwoman.org, a nonprofit focused on empowering women leaders across industries. Throughout the episode, Stacey shares insights on leadership, the value of community, and the transformative power of music education. 00:00 Welcome to Between Two COOs: Meet Stacey Ryan 00:28 The Real School of Rock: Beyond the Movie 00:52 Empowering Women Leaders: The Mission of frontwoman.org 02:10 Navigating Challenges: The Pandemic's Impact on School of Rock 05:27 Innovating Through Crisis: Adapting to a Pandemic World 08:58 Building a Community: The Power of Music and Belonging 12:49 Operational Excellence: Stacey's Approach to Efficiency 22:28 Expanding Horizons: International Growth and Master Franchising 31:25 Empowering Future Leaders: The Vision Behind frontwoman.org 40:40 Closing Thoughts and Future Directions