After a year like no other, so many more people are reassessing various parts of their lives. One of the biggest areas for change will be in people’s careers. But to retrain and start something entirely different or launch a business is not an easy option. You still have to eat and pay the bills. But there is a way that you can transition out of one career and into another. Franchises come in all shapes and sizes and at Razzamataz, we help you find a way to run your own theatre school while continuing to work in your previous role to be able to maintain your lifestyle. 

 

How to run a franchise on a part time basis  

The operational set up of Razzamataz Theatre Schools is ideal in the flexibility that it offers. Franchisees are only required to physically be at the school when the classes are going on, which is normally a Saturday. Of course, there is more to running a theatre school than simply hiring teachers to deliver the classes. There is the marketing, sales, social media and admin tasks to consider, but these can be done to fit in with the franchisees’ other commitments. 

 

How to make the transition to run your own business

Razzamataz Theatre Schools has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry. We have developed a fully comprehensive operations manual, support and marketing materials and in-person and Zoom training sessions for franchisees. We encourage new franchisees to consider exactly how they can fund their lifestyle while building their business, often recommending they look to work part-time. We understand how long it takes to become profitable and the different milestones that you will hit. We have various ‘Growth Training Hubs’ to lead franchisees through the different stages of their business to ensure they stay on track but can continue to fund their lifestyle. 

 

A side hustle that can grow

Buying a Razzamataz franchise doesn’t mean making a full-time commitment. For people that want a ‘side hustle’, it’s perfect undertaking. Perhaps you are a parent or care for a relative, maybe you are a freelance worker, the important thing is that your theatre school can grow at the pace that you want. Many of our franchisees started out by wanting a small business to supplement their income, some want a franchise where they can keep the security of their part-time employment and others have big dreams and want a business that can grow with them over the years. All of this is possible with Razzamataz Theatre Schools. 

 

Lifetime value 

What’s more, your students will grow with you. We take children from the age of six months through to 18 years and have plenty of examples of children that stay with their local Razzamataz for years on end. Although you may need to put in the work to recruit each student, the lifetime value of that student within the Razzamataz school system set up is huge. 

 

What to ask the franchisor 

Not every franchise has the same flexibility as Razzamataz, so if that’s important to you, ensure that you have an honest conversation with the franchisor. Find out who else is in the network and do they manage to have a successful franchise combined with another type of work. It’s also important to note what are the growth opportunities for the franchise; this may start out as a part time business but where could it lead. We have franchisees who are leading large teams of teachers and staff members with student numbers of more than 600. 

 

 

 

Corporate marketeer to Razzamataz Principal 

Hayley Limpkin, Founding Principal Razzamataz Medway 

“I launched Razzamataz Medway in September 2010 after working in a lead marketing agency for seven years. I decided to swap the

busy corporate life because I always dreamt of owning my own theatre school. I was tired of the long London commute and the lack of work/life balance and having studied franchising as part of my Masters, I was really interested to explore this further. What led me to Razzamataz was its strong and credible brand and what keeps me so motivated are the endless opportunities the brand offers franchisees, which in turn we can offer our students. Making the decision to change careers was something I thought long and hard about. It took a couple of years to finally make the leap and initially I continued to work while I got Razzamataz off the ground. It was hard work but I needed to continue to fund my lifestyle so I was prepared to put the hours in. More than ten years down the line, the school has grown so much that I made the decision to take on a business partner, Emily Miller, who is the co-owner and Lead Principal of Razzamataz Medway. I have two young children, one of whom had a very serious illness in 2014. I strongly believe that if I had continued in my corporate career, there would have been no way that I could have continued to work after his diagnosis. The wonderful thing about being in a Razzamataz franchise is that we can build our own teams and create the flexibility that works for every individual.” 

Busy entrepreneur to Razzamataz Principal

Jessica Chandler Smith, Principal Razzamataz Brentwood, Romford, Hornchurch and Thurrock 

 

“When I was younger, my theatre school meant so much to me. It was the one place that I could really feel at home and truly be myself. It was always on my mind that I would like to run my own school one day and when I met the Razzamataz team, I decided to take the plunge and launch Razzamataz Brentwood in September 2017. At the time, I had a dog grooming business and a ‘Princess’ business as well as working in a school part time. Although I was very busy, Razzamataz meant so much to me that I put all my energy into it. After about a year and a half, I was able to give up working at the school and during lockdown, I sold both the dog grooming and Princess business, because I opened additional Razzamataz schools. I now run Razzamataz Romford and Hornchurch with my sister Felicity on a Friday and Razzamataz Thurrock is launching in September, which I will run with my singing teacher Kasey. We are also launching Saturday classes in Romford in September. I feel really grateful for where I’m currently at; I love working with my sister and also one of my best friends and the support that Razzamataz offers means that you are never on your own. I now want to support more Razzamataz teachers and staff to open their own schools. I’m so passionate about Razzamataz and it’s the one job that doesn’t really feel like work. If this is something that you want, then go for it. Believe in yourself and your passion because people may try to put you off but you only get one life so do what makes you happy. I would also say that if you are working elsewhere, try to have a part time job that doesn’t require too much of your energy so you can really focus on building your business.”

 

Join our network 

Multi-award winning Razzamataz Theatre Schools has been busy recruiting new franchisees throughout the pandemic and territories are selling fast. In 2021, they were also delighted to be named as Best Franchise in the WorkBuzz Best Franchise Awards, sponsored by Lloyds Bank. In fact, in the Franchise Satisfaction Benchmark provided by WorkBuzz – a leading independent franchise consultancy that helps reputable franchisors to improve franchise network performance and growth, Razzamataz scored another five star rating from its franchisees. Some of the high scores included: 100% for initial training, 92% for The System, 100% for products and services and 91% for shared goals. 

We are currently looking to launch more theatre schools across the UK and overseas. If you would like to find out more about our ambitious growth plans and be part of multi-award-winning Razzamataz Theatre Schools network, drop Charlotte a line from our friendly Head Office team to book on to one of our virtual Discovery Dens.

Re-sale opportunities

Occasionally franchise territories come up for re-sale due to a change in the franchisees’ personal circumstances or simply because they have decided to sell their asset and reap the rewards of their hard work. These re-sale schools very rarely stay on the market for long, so if you are interested, don’t delay in contacting us. Re-sale schools in:

• Horsham, West Sussex
• High Wycombe, Berkshire
• Paisley, Renfrewshire 

 

Find out more and secure your place on a Discovery Den click on the link: https://www.razzamataz.co.uk/franchise-opps/book-discovery-den/