“If you are buying into a brand, it must align with your own beliefs and there should be plenty of opportunities that you can tap into to help build your business.”
Profile: Rebecca Scott, age 25, lives in Durham and is shortly to become the new franchisee of Razzamataz Durham. She has a First Class BA Honours Degree in Event Management from Sunderland University and has just completed her intensive week-long franchise training.
How did you hear about Razzamataz?
Razzamataz has a high-profile in Durham and after leaving university, I saw a job advertised for a dance teacher. I’ve been at the school for two and a half years teaching lots of different age groups.
What business experience did you have?
My mum joined amateur dramatics as a child, and I followed suit and I’m currently a member of the committee on a local charitable theatre group. This is really the only business experience that I have because after I joined Razzamataz, within a few weeks we had gone into lockdown and the events industry totally shut down.
Have you always wanted to run your own school?
I never planned to run my own theatre school, but I have loved theatre for so long that when the job at Razzamataz came along, it felt like a dream come true. I never thought it would go any further than this but when the current Principal Alison told us she was selling, there was a little part of me that thought with my love of theatre and my degree, could this be something I could do.
What attracted you to the franchise sector?
I knew very little about franchising but at my initial meeting with Alison, I asked how much support you get from Head Office, and I was told that you get as much as you need. Although I’m only in my training week, I’ve found that this is the case already and there is always someone to speak to if I have any questions.
How was the process of deciding to become a franchisee?
There have been some challenging moments because this is all so new, but it is a lovely challenge and I’m excited to push myself to see what I can achieve. I’ve had so much support from Alison and Head Office that it hasn’t been overwhelming and although it is a lot to take on, I just need to drop someone an email if I need any clarification.
How has the initial training and support been?
It’s very intense and there is a lot to take on, but it has also been excellent, and I’ve learnt so much. Each section of running a theatre school is covered and everything is broken down into manageable chunks so I can digest each element. What is helpful is that the training is recorded so it is easy to go back over any parts of it to solidify your learning. As a teacher, you imagine there is more to running a theatre school than you see but I didn’t realise quite how much there is, so it is great to have Head Office there to guide me.
What are your goals
Most importantly I want a smooth handover for students and parents, so they continue to have a great experience at Razzamataz. There won’t be any sudden changes because the school is very successful. But I have plans to grow it and add on more classes to increase opportunities for our students. These include offering Razz Project Intense for students wishing to take their dance training up a level and school clubs to further increase the Razzamataz brand in Durham.
How do you hope Razzamataz will fit into your lifestyle?
“I’m excited that becoming a Razzamataz franchisee has allowed me to make the move back to my hometown. This is my opportunity to build the life that I want around my business.”
What are you most looking forward to in becoming a Razzamataz Principal?
“I’ve loved working for Razzamataz South Lakes and feel proud watching the children grow in confidence and seeing how the school positively impacts the community. Having my name as the school’s Principal is going to be so gratifying and I can’t wait to build a future for myself. Developing into a leader and building my school to keep offering children wonderful opportunities is very exciting.”
Did you have any initial worries or concerns?
“Investing my savings into Razzamataz is quite a bold move and being so young sometimes will be a challenge in terms of life experience. But through the training process, I know that I can turn my passion for performing arts into a profitable business. As a business owner, my life is going to be different, but I know there is so much support within the Razzamataz network.”
What advice can you offer others considering investing in a franchise?
“Think about what you want for your future. Although everything feels daunting in the beginning, I can imagine in six months’ time I can sit back and think why was I worrying. I look at the other franchisees in the Razzamataz network and believe that there’s no reason why I can’t be just as successful.”
“This is my opportunity to build the life that I want around my business.”
Join our team
We are looking for dynamic partners to own a Razzamataz Theatre School. If you are looking to make a difference in your local community to the lives of young people and you have a passion for performing arts, we would love to hear from you.
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:
- High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire
- Derby, East Midlands
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.
Email: franchise@razzamataz.co.uk