From a teacher in a secondary school in Gateshead, Newcastle to a multi-unit franchisee in just a few short years. Meet James Pennell-Tutill who has successfully transitioned from the education sector to the performing arts industry. Together with his wife Esme, the couple are expanding their business to multiple locations.

 

James and Esme have been part of the successful Dragons’ Den backed network since December 2020 and are getting set to launch their second territory in Northumberland. Their story is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs looking to make a mark in the performing arts sector. We speak to James to find out about their exciting next steps with Razzamataz Theatre Schools.

A bit about us

Esme and I both worked at Razzamataz Newcastle alongside our full time jobs. I was the head of singing and Esme the front of house manager. I was also a teacher in a secondary school teaching French, Spanish, music and performing arts and Esme was finishing her Masters in clinical phycology. We always hoped to open a theatre school together one day but the reality was the opportunity arose much sooner than we were expecting. The Principal of Razzamataz Newcastle was moving away and putting the school up for sale. I was just 22 and Esme 23 and we did question whether we were too young and inexperienced but with such an opportunity, we felt we couldn’t just walk away from it.

 

How to build a business

We took over in December 2020, believing that the lockdowns were behind us. Within just a few weeks, we learned we were going back into lockdown and all our classes would have to be online. It was a huge pressure because most of the staff were furloughed so I had to teach everything. We had 54 students when we took over and today we are around the 270/280 mark. Our growth has been a real team effort and we decided right from day one that we would work collaboratively, giving every individual the opportunity to offer their input, giving us different experiences and a broad sense of perspective. This inclusive approach has allowed us to innovate and adapt quickly to the evolving needs of our students and the market. It has also created a strong sense of community and belonging within our team, leading to loyalty and a fun working environment.

 

Why open in a second territory

We have children travelling 30 minutes or more to come to Razzamataz but not every family is able to do this. We both share Razzamataz’s commitment to bring the joy of performing arts to as many young people as possible, which is why we decided to open in Northumberland. This is a much more rural area with smaller towns and there is just not the same opportunities for children compared to big cities. So we plan on bringing the experiences to them with guest workshops and lots of chances to perform to build confidence and resilience. We are going to open a main school in Morpeth, Minis and Juniors classes in Blyth and lots of Tots classes for little ones and their parent/guardian throughout the area.

 

Life after teaching

There were a few reasons why I left mainstream teaching but the main one was that I couldn’t envisage my career progression. When I looked to senior staff members, there wasn’t a role that I wanted to do. I loved interacting with the kids, inspiring them to buy into a passion but this is exactly what I do at Razzamataz. It’s all the things that I loved about teaching but without the politics or the feeling that I wasn’t progressing like I wanted to.

 

What do you love about your job

There is always something exciting coming up at Razzamataz throughout the academic year. Although there might not be the same opportunities for young people in the North East as there is in London for example, through Razzamataz, we can use our contacts to bring them and I get to do all the fun, creative stuff that I love doing. It’s incredibly rewarding seeing the impact of the work that we do for the children and on a business level, it has given myself and Esme financial freedom. I’ve now given up teaching and work entirely for the schools and also the Head Office and Esme works with me at Razzamataz but also advises the council as an expert for children with additional needs. Razzamataz has given us control over our own financial destiny which is a great position to be in.

 

Goals for the new Northumberland territory

We’ve recently attended multi territory training and that has given us clear goals for what we want to achieve. We will be bringing the same high level of performing arts training but also focussed on all the additional events that go above and beyond what is expected. This can be anything from West End musical theatre workshops through to fun event for families such as the ‘Parents Do Razz’ event.

 

Engaging with community

As a business, we collaborate with both national and local charities. We have two students with complex medical conditions, and we asked them which charities they would like to support. Together, we raised £1,500, which was evenly split between their chosen causes. By supporting charities, our name has become synonymous with community engagement and social responsibility. This commitment not only enriches the lives of those we assist but also strengthens the bonds within our team and with the broader community. We were recently approached by Newcastle Races for the children to perform at a Family Fun Day. This was fantastic in terms of PR, showcasing to the community the opportunities we provide for children. Additionally, it was an incredible experience for the students, who got to perform on a big stage, gaining confidence and a sense of achievement.

 

Advice to others and overcoming challenges

We are not business people in the traditional sense. Coming from an arts and teaching background, what do we know about accountancy, marketing, HR or people development? But because this is a franchise, the systems, support and training is all in place so we have been able to scale much bigger and much faster than we ever thought we would.

 

I’m a much happier person since leaving teaching full time and becoming a Razzamataz Principal. You only regret the things that you don’t do, rather than what you do. Being an entrepreneur is hard work but it’s very rewarding. If you have that fire in your belly and determination then being part of the Razzamataz franchise network is a wonderful opportunity to channel your passion into a thriving business. It offers a supportive community, lots of resources, and the chance to make a meaningful impact on the lives of young people.

 

Words to live by

I have a mindset that no one else is going to make things better for you, you’ve got to take control and do those things for yourself.

 

Make a difference to young lives in your community

Join us in time for our 25th Anniversary celebrations at The Eiffel Tower, Paris next September! Current fee is £12,995 plus VAT or ZERO upfront fee with a flat fee return, ask us about this! Every now & again we have resale opportunities, please contact us to find out more!

Training takes place regularly at the Razzamataz Head Office in the beautiful Lake District and Flagship school Razzamataz Carlisle. 

 

Choreograph your future with us: train, teach, own

Join us at Pineapple Dance Studios, London on Sunday 29th September, for a completely FREE professional development day & meet the founder & our team to talk about opportunities to train with us, teach with us, own with us!

 

Email [email protected] by 1st July for more information as places are limited!