MagiKats Franchisee Sarah Bell-Woods: “It allows us to manage our working and family life perfectly.”

Sisters Sarah and Holly, who run the MagiKats Hove Tuition Centre have now renewed their franchise contract again after ten years in the network.  They opened in October 2012, in a business centre over shops. Almost ten years later, and they have reflected on why MagiKats has worked so well for them.

Flexibility has been the key. Initially, the sisters were able to start and grow the business alongside other work. In more recent years, Sarah has been able to start and grow a family whilst continuing to develop the business. She’s about to go off now on family leave for a few months with her second child.

So, renewing into their third, five-year term allows to keep that continuity in their lives.

In February 2020, the pair moved into a retail site, following months of planning and setting up – then Covid hit. Sarah said, “We were so excited to move into new premises, complete with courtyard garden for summer sessions, when the Covid lockdown forced us online. Now, however, we are back and really loving seeing our students enjoying workshops in person once again.”

They have got through the last couple of years through a combination of tenacity and the support of the franchisor. The nature of the MagiKats model is multi-sensory learning, however, so as soon as they could they were back in the centre and open again.

When asked what being a MagiKats franchisee has given them, Holly said;

‘’We have a yearly routine, the spine and structure around the business and our lives.  We have grown as business owners over the last ten years, and it has allowed us to grow as people and eventually have the confidence to take on premises, build a team of mentors, and manage our working and family life perfectly.”

They hope to find some time (around baby being born), to celebrate ten years of MagiKats Hove in October 2022.

Sarah and Holly are not alone in their longevity in the MagiKats network – several franchisees are still going strong after more than a decade. One of its original franchisees, Stefanie Kosky from MagiKats Stevenage is now entering her 16th year! So why does Stefanie love running her MagiKats Tuition Centre so much? It’s flexibility again.

Stefanie’s workshops run almost all year round, but her setup allows her to take time off whenever she likes, leaving her staff to keep things ticking over in her absence. This includes breaks to travel to the Caribbean to see family at Christmas. So, the message is clear – MagiKats gives you flexibility!

If you’d like to explore how running your own MagiKats business might help you find more balance in your working life, then do get in touch.