Sam Rao, CEO and Founder of Practicia

Sam Rao is a multi-discipline musician, entrepreneur, and developer of Practicia, an innovative app platform that helps students and teachers make practicing more fun and productive. As a musician, Sam studied composition and conducting at Oberlin Conservatory and the Aspen Festival. As an entrepreneur, he co-founded his own music school which grew to be one of the largest in Northern Ohio.

Everyone knows that practice makes perfect, and no doubt you’ve heard the old adage, “how do you get to Carnegie Hall? Practice, practice, practice”. Ah, but practicing a musical instrument can be the bane of any student and a frustrating topic for teachers and parents alike. I’ll confess, I hated practicing the piano as a kid (and I still hate it as a professional). It’s just one of those “necessary evils” that you have to suck up and do, just like eating your veggies or sticking to your exercise plan, right? As a music educator himself and the co-founder of one of the largest music schools in Northern Ohio, Sam understands the challenges of practicing well. As the CEO and founder of Practicia, he’s introducing a radical new approach to help students and teachers make practicing a musical instrument profoundly more productive and – dare I say – fun? – with some really interesting accountability and gamification tools.