The benefits of running your own theatre school are clear: making a significant difference to young people’s lives, creative freedom, the flexible hours, a profitable business and it’s fun to name just a few. But what if you don’t have a professional background in the arts. Can you still run a theatre school even if you are not a performer yourself?
The short answer is yes, but only if you have the support behind you because running a theatre school is more complex than it looks.
The benefits of running a theatre school
Running a theatre school could be just the change that you are looking for. Now the UK is emerging from lockdown and life is starting to return to normal, many people are reconsidering their lifestyle choices. The option to work from home, when and how you want to, with the flexibility to work around your family or other commitments is something that people are now no longer willing to compromise on.
What it takes to run a theatre school
Every single Principal, staff member and teacher at Razzamataz 100% agree that performing arts is brilliant for all children. Having a passion for the arts is non-negotiable but we don’t believe you need to have a background in it to be successful. In fact, we have proved this numerous times because many franchisees in the Razzamataz network have no professional performing experience. Their experience, enthusiasm and determination to run their own business together with the Razzamataz training and support systems has given the opportunity for many people to fulfil their theatre school ambitions.
Transferable skills
Regardless of your experience in the arts, at Razzamataz we look for franchisees who have excellent people skills. You will need to put customer service as your top priority and we can teach you all the skills that you need in PR & Marketing, recruitment, business plans, child safety, audits and so much more. We believe that whatever career that you have come from, you will be able to transfer your skills with the right training and support.
Lifestyle
One of our top performing franchisees is turning over in excess of £250k so if you have the will to succeed then we have all the support and training to help you to get there. Whether that’s through yearly Conferences, regional meetings, Zoom support calls, free training sessions and regular webinars there really is no end of options available.
Support from a franchise
The good news is that you don’t need to have had previous experience if you go down the franchise route. What you will need is a can-do attitude, bags of enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.
Fashion buyer to Razzamataz Principal
Felicity Clifton, Principal Razzamataz Romford & Hornchurch
“I adore children and communicate with them better than adults most of the time! I want to make a difference in their lives through building their confidence. I also love to sing. Music has really helped me navigate tough times in my life and I found so much love for the theatre as an adult. It’s magic and I want to be part of creating it. I’m also very much over the London commute and lack of work-life balance. I knew that all of my experience of management in big and small companies would be the right foundation to run my own school but being part of the Razzamataz network is more than I could have imagined. I’m honestly amazed and inspired. You never have to feel alone and are always being pushed forward to try new things. From the moment I saw Denise on Dragons’ Den I thought she was an absolute inspiration but never in a million years did I think I would be lucky enough to represent Razzamataz in Essex. The way that she led us through the pandemic so confidently with such a clear strategy meant so much to us. I didn’t feel scared to launch during a global pandemic. There is always someone to reach out to with any questions. I have learned so much from the Zoom trainings, especially for social media. Sometimes it’s the small touches like getting a Razzamataz goodie box through the door for the Conference that makes you feel so connected. I was stuck indoors for my day job with little interaction from my colleagues and things like that really picked me up when I felt quite lonely. I would say to others to assess your skills honestly and learn as much as you can before you launch. I’m good at coming up with processes and implementing them to make things more efficient. I can look at a process and figure out how to do it differently to save time.”
Primary school teacher to Razzamataz Principal
Lyndsey Winstanley, Principal Razzamataz Liverpool South
“I loved working with young people but wanted the flexibility that comes with running your own business and working from home to allow me to be able to drop and pick up my daughter from school. I had worked managing Teaching Assistants before and lesson planning was something I did all the time. The only thing I didn’t have experience in was business. Being in a franchise is so important when you have limited or no experience in running a business. The help the Razzamataz network offers is second to none and everyone is so friendly and always willing to offer advice and support. If you are passionate about owning your own business and love working with young people then go for it. The network will support you every step of the way.”
Accountant to Razzamataz Principal
Claire Walford, Principal Razzamataz Yeovil
“When my children were young, it was important to only take on a job that allowed me to be in the school
playground at both ends of the day. I also wanted to be able to use my accountancy/business skill set. A theatre school specifically wasn’t actually on my radar. However, my sister was working as a dance teacher at Razzamataz when the opportunity came up to take over the school. I’ve always loved performing arts, but it would never have crossed my mind that I could run my own theatre school until I looked into Razzamataz and understood that as a franchise, they would offer you a tool box of training and support that would teach you all you needed to know. Working as an accountant meant that I got involved in many different aspects in a business including marketing, sales and even some IT. I had been working in a managerial capacity and understood how to recruit people so although I didn’t have strong performing arts skills myself, and wouldn’t be able to actually teach the classes, I felt confident that I had the knowledge needed to recruit the best people and I already had a good idea about how to actually run a business. I’m also never afraid to learn or challenge myself which has proven invaluable. By choosing the franchise route, it was possible to start a business even though I didn’t have a background in it, which was very exciting. Without Razzamataz, I definitely wouldn’t have even thought this could be an option for me but by being part of the network, I have access to everything I need to know. The training continues to build at Razzamataz and it is responsive to the changing nature of business, for example pivoting online. The network is a very collaborative environment too. While we are like-minded in our belief that performing arts can teach children amazing life skills, we all bring different experience and skills to the table which we happily share to develop best practice. We all learn from each other and everyone is very happy to share their success and also what went wrong so we don’t all have to make the same mistakes. If you have an interest in promoting children’s confidence and wellbeing and want a flexible business opportunity that is terrifically rewarding then Razzamataz is a great option.”
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.
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
Email: franchise@razzamataz.co.uk
Telephone: +44 7821 122242
FB: @RTSLtd
Instagram: @razzschools
Twitter: @razzschools
You Tube: https://www.youtube.com/c/RazzamatazTheatreSchoolsLtd
LinkedIn: Razzamataz Theatre Schools
www. razzamataz.co.uk