As the UK slowly comes out of lockdown, a franchise theatre school is proving to be a popular investment. Many entrepreneurs are tempted by the idea of running their own business but are put off by the gamble that is involved. With a franchise, you enjoy the benefits of being your own boss but you take far fewer risks.
What franchise sector should you invest in?
Post pandemic, it is important to invest in a sector that has performed well through previous downturns and has a proven business model. It is
also important that you invest in a sector that has good growth opportunities and one that people are interested in.
Dragons’ Den backed Razzamataz Theatre Schools can say that it hits all of these crucial points. With more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, it has faced previous downturns but has come out stronger each time. One of the reasons is that parents will continue to invest in their children, above and beyond all else.
How to survive the financial crises
“In previous financial crises, we have felt very little impact because we are relatively low cost for families and provide a service that is so beneficial to children,” explains Denise Hutton-Gosney, MD and Founder of Razzamataz. “Now more than ever, parents are keen to improve their children’s physical and mental health and we have years of experience in doing just that. More people are talking about the benefits of performing arts, how to improve fitness and the rise in children’s mental health issues than ever before. What we do at Razzamataz addresses all of these major concerns, which is why we have so many more people interested in running their own theatre school.”
Growth of children’s activities
So far in 2021, five new schools have joined the network with many existing franchisees growing their original territory. The new schools are in; Leighton Buzzard, Thurrock, Chelmsford, Radlett and Romford. An existing franchisee has taken over a new territory in Dumfries, the Penrith franchisee has expanded to a new location and the Torbay school has changed ownership.
“Children’s activities are one of the fastest-growing industries, especially those that address the needs of current concerns for parents,” adds Denise. “The risks are low and the returns are high and not only do franchisees generate a good income for themselves, they truly do something that improves their local communities and the welfare of young people living in them.”
Razzamataz Theatre Schools provide a strong blueprint for success. The initial training, ongoing support and extensive opportunities to grow your business has meant that people from a diverse range of backgrounds are able to successfully run their own theatre school.
Who can run a theatre school franchise
“It is not necessary to have a background in the arts or have any previous experience of running a business,” says Denise. “There are many different elements to operating a successful school but we ensure that every franchisee has all this knowledge allowing us to select franchisees from recent graduates through to parents returning to work and former professional performers. The important thing is that each franchisee has a passion to run their own business, believes in our ethos of using performing arts to empower children and has a positive attitude.”
One of the many reasons why people decide to step out of the ‘rat race’ and run their own business, is to have a better work-life balance. Running a Razzamataz school has allowed many working parents the opportunity to do something they love while still prioritizing being there for their children.
“As a business, we very much believe that family comes first,” adds Denise. “One of the major benefits of running a Razzamataz school is the flexibility that it offers. The only set time you need to attend is when the school is running. Other than that, franchisees can set their own work schedules so they can do the school run, meet friends for coffee on a sunny day or even run another business alongside Razzamataz.”
What questions to ask a franchisor
- How long has the business franchised for?
- What affiliations do you have?
- Can you meet existing franchisees?
- What support and training will I receive?
- What are the options for business growth?
- How much is the franchise fee and what reserves are needed?
- What fees do I need to pay to the franchisor?
Multi-award winning franchise
The new franchisees join the ten new Principals who joined the network in 2020. Even during the pandemic, Razzamataz was able to continue to grow the network and continue the high level of support and training.
Franchisee satisfaction is a top priority for multi-award winning Razzamataz. In 2021, they were 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.
Join our network
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. Razzamataz is delighted to announce its new partnership with Barclays for your franchise finance needs. Click here to contact our friendly team
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:
Click here to book your virtual discovery den
