About Jeff

Jeff Mazza is a writer, entrepreneur, and longtime small‑business owner with more than three decades of experience in niche retail. For nearly 30 years, he ran Royal Music in Toms River, New Jersey — a small, character‑rich shop known for pianos, home organs, and the kind of hobbyist instruments most retailers overlooked. What defined the business wasn’t the inventory; it was the people. Retirees learning music for the first time. Families buying their first piano. Students who needed someone to believe in them.

During those years, Jeff performed more than 500 solo concerts to support the American Cancer Society and became a trusted voice on customer experience, ethics, and the emotional side of retail. His work has appeared in MMR Magazine across multiple decades, always with the same through‑line: tell the truth, treat people well, and never lose sight of the human being on the other side of the counter.

Jeff is the author of the upcoming book Sometimes Poop Floats, a collection of stories and lessons drawn from serving thousands of customers over 30 years. His writing blends humor, candor, and the kind of insight that only comes from decades of real‑world experience. He also publishes occasional creative projects under a pen name, including a book exploring reality‑TV culture and casting — a separate lane for storytelling and experimentation that stays intentionally distinct from his professional work.

A graduate of Rutgers, Jeff lives at the Jersey Shore with his wife and two daughters. Outside of writing, he’s a runner, a soccer coach, and someone who’s happiest near water — rafting, scuba diving, or anything with movement and a little bit of risk. Whether he’s building a retreat, writing a book, or helping someone choose their first instrument, Jeff’s work is grounded in a simple belief: people remember how you make them feel. His goal is to make that feeling warm, honest, and real.