Today we’d like to introduce you to Roman Cortez IV.
Hi Roman, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I started playing piano at a young age and quickly developed a passion for music. Over the years, I trained in classical piano, performed at venues and community events across San Antonio, and spent countless hours refining my skills. My only piano teacher was someone who classically trained me for eight years and pushed me to take music seriously. I’ve had the opportunity to perform at places and events including the Tobin Center, the DoSeum, the San Antonio Ragtime Festival, the Chalk Festival, Texas Public Radio events, and multiple community performances around the city. Outside of piano, I’ve always been interested in business and entrepreneurship, even from a young age.
At 16 years old, while being homeschooled and balancing school responsibilities, I realized I could turn my musical background into something bigger and started RC Piano Studio. What began as casually helping beginner students and friends grew into a real business focused on personalized piano instruction and building confidence through music. I’ve also been fortunate to have supportive parents who always made sure I stayed consistent with my goals and encouraged me to pursue both music and business seriously.
Now at 17, I continue growing RC Piano Studio while balancing school, teaching, and learning more about entrepreneurship and marketing. My goal is to create an encouraging environment where students can genuinely enjoy learning piano while developing real musical skill and confidence.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It definitely hasn’t been a completely smooth road. One of the biggest challenges has been balancing school, piano, teaching, and building a business at the same time. Being homeschooled gave me flexibility, but it also meant I had to rely heavily on self discipline and consistency without a traditional structure pushing me every day.
Another major challenge was learning how to turn a skill into a legitimate business. Beyond teaching piano, I had to figure out things like finding students, scheduling, marketing, and building trust with families. On top of that, there were legal and administrative steps like forming an LLC, registering a DBA, setting up business banking, understanding taxes, and making sure everything was compliant and properly structured. A lot of that information is written in a way that assumes you are older or already experienced, so figuring it out at my age was difficult and required a lot of research and patience.
There were also practical challenges in creating a proper learning environment. I wanted the studio to feel organized, professional, and comfortable for students, so I had to be intentional about how everything was set up. Even small things mattered, like making sure the space stayed clean and distraction free. My dad also helped by keeping the area clean and supporting the setup, which made a difference in making the environment more welcoming for students.
There were also moments of self doubt and periods where balancing everything felt overwhelming. However, I kept pushing through and stayed focused on building consistency in both my education and my business.
Looking back, those challenges helped me grow a lot. They forced me to become more organized, more disciplined, and more intentional about how I run both my education and my business.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
RC Piano Studio is a modern piano education business that offers personalized one-on-one lessons through in studio, mobile, and online instruction. The studio primarily works with students who are just starting off or are beginners looking for structured, encouraging, and consistent piano lessons.
What sets RC Piano Studio apart is its modern approach to music education and customer experience. Unlike many traditional music businesses, the brand focuses on clean marketing, organized communication, flexible lesson formats, and a professional learning environment. The studio also uses a subscription based system where payments process automatically each month, making the experience simpler and more convenient for families.
The studio specializes in building strong fundamentals through classical piano technique, music theory, rhythm, and proper playing habits. Lessons are personalized to each student’s pace and learning style, with a strong focus on taking concepts slowly and refining skills until the student fully understands the material before moving forward. The goal is to help students build long term confidence and real musical ability rather than rushing through songs.
Brand wise, RC Piano Studio is most proud of creating an environment that feels both professional and approachable while keeping lessons personalized and student focused. The business aims to make piano education more accessible, flexible, and engaging for modern families.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
What makes me truly happy is witnessing the exact moment a student’s frustration turns into a breakthrough. There is a distinct “lightbulb moment” when a complex rhythm suddenly clicks, or a challenging melody finally flows effortlessly. Seeing a student’s face light up with pride and realization that they finally achieved something they initially thought was impossible. That is incredibly fulfilling.
Pricing:
- Free Meet and Greet Lesson: Free
- 30-Minute Weekly In-Studio Lessons: $120/month
- 45-Minute Weekly In-Studio Lessons: $160/month
- 30 Minute Weekly Mobile Lessons: $140/month
- 45-Minute Weekly Mobile Lessons: $180/month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rcpianostudio.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1MKc8cXeHr/
- Youtube: https://youtube.com/@rcpianostudio
- Yelp: https://yelp.to/OPwAldi9o6
