Meet Claire Armstrong | School of Rock Owner & Digital Product Leader

We had the good fortune of connecting with Claire Armstrong and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Claire, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I was born and raised in a small town in California’s Central Valley to artist/musician parents. My mom was a hippie graphic designer, and my dad was an underground comix artist and old-timey multi-instrumentalist. Though not entirely entrepreneurial or business-focused, they found success running the Couch Potato fan club after my dad coined the term “Couch Potato.” We had a home office with an early computer, photocopier, and lots of merch.
Growing up, I was drawn to both technology and graphic arts. I dabbled in guitar and bass, played clarinet in school band, and tried to get groups together without much luck. I hung out with punk rock bands and got into shows underage by playing a song or two. Working at print shops, I designed flyers for friends’ bands and taught myself to make websites for them. I learned the DIY approach to merch and zines while supporting the community.
After graduating college with a graphic design degree, I moved to LA and entered the tech scene by helping build the first iteration of Drum Channel, an online drum learning platform for DW Drums. Meeting big-name artists as a huge music nerd meant constantly keeping my cool around them. My tech career progressed, but I was always drawn to creating technology that supported music creation. I spent eight years at Fender Musical Instruments building Fender Play, Fender Tune, and Fender Tone, among other apps. Wanting to expand my business acumen, I returned to school for small business management and earned a second degree.
Coming out of the pandemic with a new baby daughter, I had a desire to work for myself and build a business that benefits its community, not just shareholders. My background in music appreciation, music learning technology, punk rock community building, and entrepreneurial spirit led me to start my School of Rock franchise in Eagle Rock. It perfectly blends my background and passions in my neighborhood of 15+ years, bringing performance-based music education to inspire the next generation.

What should our readers know about your business?
School of Rock Eagle Rock is where my passion for music education meets my belief that businesses should serve their communities. What sets us apart is our performance-based approach—instead of traditional isolated lessons, students learn by playing in bands and performing live shows. Coming from both the tech world and punk rock community, I understand that music is about connection and confidence as much as technique.

I’m most excited about watching kids discover their voice, literally and figuratively. There’s something magical about seeing a shy kid transform when they’re on stage with their bandmates. Having spent eight years building music learning apps at Fender, I know the power of technology in music education, but nothing replaces the energy of live performance and peer collaboration.

Getting here wasn’t easy. Leaving a stable tech career during a pandemic with a newborn daughter was terrifying. I had to learn franchise operations and figure out how to build a music school that reflected my values—prioritizing purpose before profits. The DIY ethics I learned from the punk scene actually helped here; you lead with kindness and share knowledge and support to build your own confidence.

My biggest challenge was trusting that my unconventional background was actually a strength. Learning grassroots community building through local music scenes, then gaining corporate experience at major musical instrument companies—I worried this path was too scattered. But I’ve learned that this diversity lets me speak both the language of business and authentic music community.

What I want people to know is that businesses can be catalysts for community growth. We’re not just teaching kids to play instruments; we’re giving them tools for confidence, collaboration, and creative expression that they’ll carry forever. In Eagle Rock, my neighborhood for over 15 years, I’m building something that makes our community stronger, one performance at a time.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would spend most of our time in Northeast LA! We’d do a lot of meandering and hanging out along Colorado Blvd in Eagle Rock, and York Blvd and Fig in Highland Park. We’d definitely hit up Villa’s Tacos, Cacao, and Homestate. We’d go to a show at the Lodge Room, The Goldfish, or Highland Park Bowl, or maybe some karaoke at The Fable. Definitely a puppet show at Bob Baker Marionette Theater and a movie at Vidiots. We’d shop at Big Bud Press, nooworks, and Leader of the Pack Vintage. And spend some time in the outdoors at Descanso gardens, or on a hike, or letting the kids run around a playground.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to shoutout my family for supporting my endeavor of starting up my School of Rock franchise. I’d like to thank the Pasadena SBDC for their guidance, as well as the book The Franchise MBA by Nick Neonakis. I’d also like to thank School of Rock corporate for setting up such a strong framework for me to follow to build my confidence as I start up!

Website: http://eaglerock.schoolofrock.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/schoolofrockeaglerock

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairearmstrong/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/schoolofrockeaglerock