🕒 Estimated reading time: 4 min.
Maths and English can be tricky subjects for many students and finding the right type of one-to-one tuition can be tricky. Sarah Marsh and her family run the MagiKats franchise, which offers low-cost tuition focused specifically on Maths and English. Below, Sarah discusses the MagiKats brand, training and support offered to franchisees, achieving a healthy work-life balance and more in this month's Franchisor Q&A.
How did the MagiKats brand come to life?
MagiKats started when my family – Jan, Rick and Emma – and I decided the time was right to combine our skills and launch a tutoring programme for kids in our local area. Already involved in education, Jan noticed that there was a demand for Maths and English help that went beyond traditional private tuition – something that could be offered long term, with less pressure and at a lower cost than with the one-to-one approach. She turned to Rick, a software developer, and he helped put together a computer program for her use, which helped her organise her students and workshops. My sister Emma and I then joined as the business started to grow. Once word got out about the success they were having, the family found themselves approached by people from across the country (and Australia!) who wanted to do what they were doing and the MagiKats franchise was made!
There is no teaching experience required for running a MagiKats tuition franchise. What kind of people are you looking for?
Teachers are welcome, but for those coming from industry, it’s more about their attitude and enthusiasm for contributing to the development of the next generation. Strong English skills are important, although most MagiKats franchisees will not teach, they must be able to communicate well with the people living in their area. No matter what their background is, someone with the drive to work hard and make a successful business is the sort of person we welcome to MagiKats.
What is the best feedback you have heard about the MagiKats brand?
Only this morning, I was complimented on my integrity as a franchisor. We had been approached by a franchisee from another network who was unhappy with the support they were receiving and were looking to move into another franchise. I politely told them that they could not do this, as it would be a breach of their contract with their existing franchise and I would not want to upset another franchise professional by ‘stealing’ one of their franchisees. The person concerned was disappointed, but explained that this had made him even more determined to find a way to exit his current network – he did not believe they would have had the same attitude had the situation been reversed. There are lots of franchises out there and for us, we believe transparency and professionalism are two of the most important elements so it was great to hear something positive from a what could have been a very negative conversation.
What kind of training can prospective franchisees expect?
We have several stages to our training – the work that takes place prior to opening, five days of training at MagiKats HQ, close support for the first three months of operation and ongoing opportunities for professional development. We are in weekly contact with all new recruits and we also facilitate peer to peer support through our Facebook-style groups and discussion forums.
How do you help MagiKats franchisees achieve a healthy work-life balance?
It is important to us that we understand an individual franchisee’s goals. Some franchisees in our network are happy to be working part time, fitting in their commitments around the school run and/or looking after older parents. Others want to be able to afford the latest Mercedes and invest their profits into property. Whatever drives a franchisee is what we look to support.
What kind of marketing support and market knowledge do you offer?
We subscribe to the latest demographic data and use this to help craft a protected territory for each franchisee. Our network has access to the MagiKats shop, which contains a wide range of both evergreen and seasonal marketing materials. There is no substitute for local knowledge though, so it’s important that a franchisee puts in lots of time and effort promoting their MagiKats business to the heart of the community.
What is the main benefit of buying a franchise?
For me, it boils down to three key areas: know-how, proven business model and support. No franchise will be a success without lots of time and effort invested on the part of the franchisee, but if they do their bit then the franchise model will almost certainly guarantee success.
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