Today we’d like to introduce you to Brian Carrion.
Hi Brian, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started playing professionally at 19, performing in Houston bars and restaurants. Music took me to Dallas and Nashville, into bands, recording projects, and shows overseas. I loved performing, but I also kept coming back to teaching. Helping someone figure out a song and realize they could make music themselves was always rewarding.
When the pandemic shut down my live shows in 2020, I started finding more students. I began with three and grew to about 30 in the first year. That became Best Lesson Ever. I taught in people’s homes, then worked out of a small room, brought on other teachers, and eventually opened a storefront in Friendswood.
I wanted to build the kind of place where a student could walk in with a song they loved and find a teacher who took that interest seriously. That is still how we approach lessons. We use the music students care about to help them build skills, get comfortable making mistakes, and find the confidence to perform.
Today, I’m also bringing my interest in technology into the school. We’re building better tools for the team and developing Practice Challenge to connect lessons with practice at home. Students can earn practice credits and rewards, while parents can follow their progress. It’s exciting to bring my interests in music, teaching, and building things together in one business.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Going from working musician to business owner has been a big learning curve. I knew how to play a show and teach a lesson. Learning to manage a team, organize the business, and make good decisions with my time has taken a different set of skills.
Balancing work and family has also been a challenge. I love what I do, and I can get very absorbed in a project, but I also want to be present at home. That has pushed me to think carefully about how the school runs and where my time is most useful.
It’s a big reason I’ve become interested in better systems and practical uses for AI. I want our staff to spend more time helping families and doing the work they’re good at. I’m still learning, and conversations with other music school owners and business mentors have helped a lot.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Best Lesson Ever is a music school in Friendswood, Texas. We offer private piano, guitar, voice, drum, violin, bass, and ukulele lessons for kids and adults, including complete beginners.
We start by getting to know the student and the music they enjoy. A favorite song gives someone a reason to keep trying, and a good teacher helps them build the skills to play it. We want students to feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and finding their own sound.
Our membership includes 12 performance opportunities each year, with students invited to perform when they’re ready. Every lesson room also has recording tools, so students can record, listen back, and hear their progress.
We’ve also developed Practice Challenge, which is included with membership. Students earn credits for practicing and redeem them for prizes. Parents can follow progress and weekly teacher updates. It gives families a clearer connection between the lesson and what happens at home.
I’m most proud of the emphasis we’ve put on confidence and encouragement. Learning an instrument asks you to be a beginner in front of someone else. We want to make that experience welcoming and give students opportunities to share what they’ve learned.
Readers can book a free trial lesson through our website. We also offer free beginner guitar and piano lessons and worksheets through Practice Challenge.
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
One that really sticks with me is figuring out songs from Ren & Stimpy by ear on a tiny digital piano when I was about 10. I was curious about the sounds and wanted to work out how to play them myself. That connection between hearing something you love and wanting to make it yourself is still a big part of how I think about teaching music.
Pricing:
- Free trial lesson for new students.
- Weekly 30-minute private lessons: $199 per month.
- Weekly 45-minute private lessons: $285 per month.
- Both memberships include Practice Challenge and 12 performance opportunities per year; month-to-month enrollment.
- $49 sign-up fee, waived when you enroll on the day of your trial.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://bestlessonever.com/friendswood
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bestlessoneverfwd
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bestlessonever
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/89949094/admin/dashboard/
- Twitter: https://x.com/bestlessonever
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@bestlessonever
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/best-lesson-ever-friendswood
- Other: https://bestlessonever.com/practice-challenge/
