For theatre... online, non-professional, amateur
UNDERSTANDING CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

UNDERSTANDING CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR

Image: Denise with Duncan Banatine who invested in Razzamataz after she appeared on the BBC’s Dragon’s Den in 2007.


The pandemic has caused consumers to live differently, buy differently and think differently. It has also massively changed people’s priorities, which is why as a business we have learnt to adapt to their ever-changing needs.

Razzamataz Theatre Schools is a franchise network that places customers at the heart of all we do. As the franchisor, we advise, support and train franchisees across the UK on how to run their theatre schools. The key lesson that we instill in them is that they must connect with their customers and their communities.

While this has always been at the heart of our ethos, it is even more relevant now with people placing a greater emphasis on supporting local businesses. We must also appreciate that parents and families have gone through a very difficult year and we must be able to show them our support and that we truly care about them and their children.

As a Head Office, we ensure that we are always communicating with our franchisees and, in turn, encourage them to communicate with their customers. From a practical point of view, this means we ensure that we provide lots of template documents and social media updates so franchisees can personalise them easily to their own school.

With more than twenty years’ experience of running theatre schools and working with franchisees, I’ve learnt that in business, hard work always pays off. We have franchisees who have no experience in the performing arts industry but are still really successful. The only thing that our most successful theatre school owners share is their commitment to learn, positive attitude and their desire and drive to be successful.

I also firmly believe that you won’t be successful in your business in you are not truly passionate about it. Although I’ve been doing this for more than twenty years, I still get really excited when new opportunities present themselves. To work in a sector that combines performing arts and children’s education is a real privilege and I will never take it for granted. The franchisees that we invite into the network must share this passion; we can give them all the training and practical guidance they need to run a theatre school but the commitment to improve young people’s lives through performing arts must come from them.

Finally, I strongly believe that you must be open to change and adapt where necessary. This year has shown us all that there can be huge rewards if you are willing to adapt to the situation around you. If you truly believe that your business can benefit the community don’t be afraid to shout about it. Children and families need the support of activity providers now more than ever so keep communicating the positive benefits with case studies and testimonials to show the many ways in which we can provide increased opportunities for young people.

Email: franchise@razzamataz.co.uk
Telephone: 07821 122242
Website: www.razzamataz.co.uk


What is a franchise?
Walk along any UK high street, pick up any product or think of a service and chances are that they will be part of a successful franchise brand. A franchise is a business that gives the right to another person to sell goods or services using its name in exchange for a franchise fee. In return, that individual will receive training, marketing and support to become part of the network.

Different levels of investment
Every franchise has a different level of investment. Brands such as McDonald’s, Domino’s and Starbucks can cost up to £300,000 pricing it out of reach for many people. Razzamataz is a low investment franchise, costing between under £8,000 to under £10,000 although the return on investment is excellent.

How much money can I make?
Franchisees at Razzamataz report six figure turnover and 70% gross profit. Unlike many other franchise networks, the management fee is just 10%. As a long-term investment, the franchise offers huge potential. One franchise school is currently on the market for sale for £200k, having been purchased ten years ago for just under £10,000.

How to fund a franchise
Razzamataz Theatre Schools has been a successful business for more than twenty years. This means that many high street banks are willing to lend to potential franchisees because individual success has been proved time and time again. Razzamataz has easy access to funding via Barclays, offering many people the opportunity to join the network.

Finance options
Barclays has a specific department to help franchisees. Whatever bank you choose to go with, make sure this is the department you speak to. Services offered at Barclays include:
Funding for start-ups, multi-operator and re-sales.
Loans tailored to your unique franchise requirements.
Free banking for twelve months to help you get your franchise off the ground.
Bespoke pricing, pre-determined lending rates and unsecured finance options.

Where to start researching your franchise
The Internet and social media is a great first point of contact. After that, you need to dig a lot deeper and meet the franchisor and other franchisees. Discovery Dens are informal meetings between the franchisor and potential franchisee to learn more about each other and whether they are a good fit. Before embarking on a Discovery Den, it is advisable to do some initial research so you can get lots out of the meeting and leave with a clear understanding of whether you want to take the next steps.

What to expect from a Discovery Den at Razzamataz
Currently, all Discovery Dens are held virtually. You can meet the team from the comfort of your own home. However, this doesn’t mean the experience is any less thorough and you are encouraged to ask lots of questions and you will find out more about franchising in general, what training and support you will be given at Razzamataz and to find out if you are suitable to run your own theatre school.

What to expect

  • Meet the Head Office team.
  • Meet other franchisees.
  • Speak to our Founder Denise.
  • Learn more about franchising.
  • Find out about being a theatre school owner.
  • Get the inside scoop on Dragons’ Den.
  • Tips for would-be entrepreneurs.
  • Find out about new opportunities.
  • Huge savings and discounts available for the right candidates

What to ask the franchisor
Denise Hutton-Gosney is the MD and Founder of Razzamataz Theatre Schools. She has been a franchisor since 2007, giving her years’ of experience supporting franchisees. These are her top tips on how to prepare and what questions to ask:
Visit the franchisor’s website and read through all prospectuses and marketing material. Check out social media and in particular, testimonials from customers and other franchisees.
Have a list of questions prepared before you go. At Razzamataz, our Discovery Dens are very thorough and we usually cover all questions during the presentation but it is best to be prepared.
Think about your own skills and experience and what you can bring to the role. At Razzamataz, we have a stringent vetting system to only recruit the very best to ensure the high standards of our schools.

Why franchise when you could be an independent?
This is a question that is often asked before people truly understand what it takes to run a theatre school. Michaela Crumpton, franchisee Razzamataz Bristol North and South says: “Many people have said to me ‘why are you part of a franchise?’ ‘Why not set up independently’. These are all great questions and to an outsider it would be the obvious thing to be independent. But let me explain why I believe I’ve survived a year of turbulence and feel stronger. Being part of a franchise has been like having a whole family holding me up. Looking at many of our independent competitors, they have either vanished or been dormant for the last twelve months. I can’t recommend Razzamataz enough. Their support has been incredible and it even inspired me to take on another school during lockdown.”

Join our team
Join our multi-award winning team. We are looking for dynamic and passionate partners to own a Razzamataz Theatre School! Contact us on 07821 122242 or by visiting franchise@razzamataz.co.uk and speak with us about our business opportunity to become a Razzamataz Principal today.

All training is done remotely from the comfort of your own home!

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
Paisley, Renfrewshire
Horsham, West Sussex
Derby, East Midlands

Facebook: @RTSLtd ~ Instagram: @razzschools
Twitter: @razzschools ~ LinkedIn: Razzamataz Theatre Schools
YouTube: www.youtube.com/c/RazzamatazTheatreSchoolsLtd

Franchise lingo If you are new to franchising, here are some of the main terms that you need to be familiar with:
Franchise: the right given by one business to another to sell goods using its name
Franchisee: a business that agrees to manufacture, distribute or sell branded products under the licence of a franchisor
Franchisor: a business that gives franchisees the right to manufacture, distribute or sell its branded products in return for a fixed sum of money or royalty payment
Operations Manual: a document that contains all of the information necessary for the franchisee to be able to operate the business.
Exclusive Territory: a geographically defined area inside which a franchisee can operate.

Happy Birthday, Razzamataz! (Your News)

Happy Birthday, Razzamataz! (Your News)

A day & night of joyful celebration was the perfect way to welcome Razzamataz Theatre Schools to its twentieth year in business.

The franchise theatre school celebrated turning twenty with a glitzy and glamorous birthday party surrounded by principals, teachers and special guests.

The conference event was held at the spectacular Atmosphere Venues in Millbank, London, which was then followed by an awards ceremony, dinner and dancing onboard a luxury Thames Charter taking in some of the most iconic vistas of the capital.

Founder & MD, Denise Hutton-Gosney, kicked off the event in true party spirit, welcoming guests with party hats and competitions. The rest of the day followed suit by reflecting on an incredible twenty years and the friends made along the way.

Special guest speakers motivated and helped franchisees consider the year ahead in business and how to enjoy this incredible milestone, both personally and professionally. Penny Power (OBE) and her husband built the first social network for business people. It became a global online and offline home for over 650k business owners until it could no longer compete with the giants of LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and they lost the business in 2012, after fourteen years.

Penny, awarded an OBE in 2014 for the work done, has gone on to write two business books; Know Me Like Me Follow Me and Business is Personal. She shared her personal journey with Razzamataz franchisees and gave them the tools and mindset to build the life they want in business.

With branding and social media playing a large part in the Razzamataz business, franchisees were delighted to listen to Hannah Power, a personal branding specialist focused on supporting purpose-driven entrepreneurs to become powerful online leaders. Hannah’s goal is to inspire and teach as many people as possible to step into their light, share their message and lead their tribe. Her session inspired many franchisees to step out of their comfort zone online and share the Razzamataz ethos even further.

Emma Louise Campbell, Principal of Razzamataz Cambridge, said “The venues were incredible, speakers both informative and motivational, and so many ‘little touches’ throughout that truly made the day special.”

Other conference highlights came from the principals of Razzamataz schools up and down the country. Principal of Razzamataz Carlisle, Debbie Mitchell, has spoken a number of times on how to ‘Put On an Amazing Showcase’. This year she got her message over in an unforgettable way by changing the lyrics to The Lion King’s Be Prepared to offer a hilarious lesson in making sure no stone is left unturned when it comes to prepping for a big show.

Being part of the Razzamataz network enables principals to express their imaginative side. The Creative Awards celebrate all that our principals achieve through their work in their community and creatively. We were delighted that our guest judge Matt Lee Alliston, owner of The Stage and Production House, once again returned from the USA to share his experience and take on the task of sifting through such wonderful entries. “It is a privilege to be a part of these awards and I’m thankful to be working with the amazing team and phenomenally talented children of Razzamataz.”

The evening event on board a luxury Thames Charter was magical and provided the perfect backdrop to celebrate the award winners and their achievements. The awards were set up to highlight franchisees who go above and beyond in everything that they do and look to reward individuals who strive to add value to the Razzamataz brand at whatever stage of business they currently are.
“Thank you so much for the award,” says Michael French, Principal of Razzamataz Barnet and winner of the Future Fund Ambassador Award. “They really do mean so much to everyone and it’s such an amazing feeling knowing you are appreciated within the network.”

The evening event was attended by a host of special guests including Penny & Hannah Power, Richard Davies from What Franchise magazine, Charlotte Rutherford from The Stage newspaper, Sarah Canny and Claire Robinson from The Approved Franchise Association and Tessa Robinson from Club Hub UK.

“This was an incredibly special time for me and my team,” says Denise Hutton-Gosney. “We wanted the event to be memorable and reflect the support and fun that we have as a network. I’m very proud of the community we have created and the opportunities we have given to thousands of children over the last twenty years.”

Festive fanfare (Your News)

Festive fanfare (Your News)

Stagecoach Performing Arts likes to end the year on a high and 2019 was certainly no exception. At the famous Shaftesbury Theatre, students from around the world were congratulated for their dedication to the arts at the second annual Creative Courage for Life Awards.

250 students took to the stage, dazzling family and friends with musical performances from a variety of shows, as part of a festive gala performance.

The Creative Courage for Life Awards were launched in 2018 to honour those students who demonstrate compassion and dedication during their weekly performing arts sessions. Categories included Outstanding… Singer, Dancer and Actor, Teacher, Alumni and the coveted Overcoming Diversity Award.

Eight students from across seven schools were recognised, with one travelling with her family from Germany to receive her award. Winners were chosen by an esteemed panel of judges who watched hundreds of hours of recorded footage, from franchisees.

After the ceremony, hundreds of students staged a festive performance where nine schools were handpicked from regional and London showcases throughout the year to perform during the evening. Performances included a scene from 2019’s Summer Showcase The Sound of Music, an acrobatic-style spectacle, a medley of dance styles throughout the decades and even an alumni performance of Spice Girls’ hits.

Sarah Kelly, CEO of Stagecoach Performing Arts (350 franchisees) said: “I didn’t think anything could top 2018, after we celebrated our 30th anniversary, but 2019 has proven to be just as incredible as last year. Our gala and awards evening, in aid of Young Minds, has always been a real highlight of our year but this time it felt particularly special. It’s a great opportunity for us to come together and give everyone a pat on the back for another incredible year. Thank you to the franchisees, teachers, support team and all the friends and family who joined us on the evening. But, most importantly, thank you to our wonderful students for putting on a fantastic show.”

www.stagecoachfranchise.com

-