Meet Levi Austin Bradford of Neighborhood Arts & Music School in Frisco

Today we’d like to introduce you to Levi Austin Bradford.

Levi, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I had the amazing opportunity to purchase the music school when I was 22 years old.

I was a studio rat, recording artists, arranging compositions, engineering recordings, and developing artists to fulfill their vision. I started as an instructor in the school and built a wonderful teaching studio. At the time, I had left a recording studio in Athens, TX to pursue this opportunity in the metroplex. I remember reaching out to the previous owners about renting the facility to build a recording studio. They asked me to put together a business plan, so I worked day in and day out to provide a stimulating offer. I submitted it and prayed to the good Lord that an opportunity would open. One summer day, after months of silence, I rode my moped up to the local coffee shop to discuss studio rent with the owners, (so I thought.) The coffee conversation majorly switched gears when the owners offered to sell me the whole business, which at the time was an after school lesson facility catered towards private music lessons. By the time I turned 23, the business was in my name and we were off to the races.

I cannot claim the success of NAMS on my own. It took countless hours and relentless dedication from dozens of gifted mentors, staff members, and clients to build NAMS into what it is today. This upcoming year we will celebrate 10 years of business! By this point, we have taught thousands of students about the gift of music, we have launched an amazing art program, we have recorded thousands of songs for the school and for the entertainment industry, we are building a world class studio facility, and we are doing it all in pursuit of music and art – Hallelujah!

We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Owning and running any small business is not what it seems. There are and will be major struggles! We’ve been through a lot… money problems, systematic errors, poor communication efforts, lack of resource, bad vision, etc. Though it all, we’ve been able to sustain, get back up, and push forward in the pursuit of music and art. At the end of the day, we’ve been blessed to get the right people on the bus and drive it where we feel called to go – onward!

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Neighborhood Arts & Music School story. Tell us more about the business.
We have dedicated our environment and culture to create an atmosphere where music, art, and the pursuit of it is at the center. NAMS is not just a lesson facility and recording studio, it’s a COMMUNITY! It’s a place where you can be accepted, encouraged, and free to explore the gifting inside of you. All classes and lessons at NAMS are designed to show the student what is possible in the creative arts. If you don’t know what’s possible, how can you determine where to go? NAMS operates on a non-curriculum based lesson format, meaning that each lesson is catered to the needs, desire, and skill set of the student. Imagine a blank slate, a relevant teacher to show you what’s possible, and a lesson format built for you to explore. Music is a mystery. It’s emotive, it’s spiritual, and it has the capability to change hearts. It’s important because it’s good, and it’s good because it is. We hope you’ll join us on the pursuit!

Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Luck – isn’t there plenty of books and quotes on luck out there? I’ll leave you with Thomas Jefferson’s words: “I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.”

Pricing:

• 30 minute private lessons – $145 per month
• 60 minute private lessons – $260 per month
• Recording Studio – $75 per hour

Contact Info:

• Address: 8102 Stonebrook Pkwy Ste. 200 Frisco, TX 75034
• Website: www.namsfrisco.com
• Phone: 2144364000
• Email: info@namsfrisco.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/namsfrisco/

Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.