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As a multi-award winning franchise, Footlights was created in 2005 by trained actress and teacher Jo Fisher whose initial mantra was ‘Inspired by Children…Created by professionals. Jo loves the theatre and after excelling in her own training at drama school she wanted to create affordable, accessible performing arts training to children and young people aged 3yrs-18yrs and she did exactly that. Although Footlights is Manchester’s (UK) leading stage school we have now developed our brand across to the Midlands, West Yorkshire, Lancashire and beyond and have many more opportunities not only around the UK but the Globe and we want YOU to be part of it.
Learn more about Footlights here
In this week's Franchisor Q&A, we take a look at the theatre franchise and we learn just how they have adapted and thrived in spite of the threat of COVID-19.
Q1. What makes your franchise standout?
Our founder has been a teacher for over 20 years and knows children (your clients) and will encourage and support you in maximising not only your potential but theirs too. We don’t ‘just’ franchise, education, theatre, tv and film inhabits our world. We own a 150 seater theatre in Media City, Manchester. Our Managing Director writes and directs professional plays, as well as project managing all our teams. Our senior leadership team and the MD are on hand at Head Office five/six days a week, we don’t just run stage schools, we work in primary schools and high schools (your target market) and have built excellent relationships with professionals along the way so we know how to train you to reach your clients. You can rest assured you are in safe hands with the right people by your side.
Q2. Why is it worth investing in your brand?
If you have enjoyed working from home and being in control of your time then this is the franchise model for you. You can earn as much as your job per month if not a lot more by working just a few hours per week instead of grappling the 9-5 and juggling your work and homelife. If you have young children this is the perfect family business. You’ll be investing in a tried and tested brand that has thrived through two recessions already and is still trading through the current pandemic. We are experts in the field of stage schools, so jump on board and take control of your life.
Q3. How is your franchise adapting to the current COVID-19 crisis?
Within 48 hours of the government announcement we switched our face to face model to online learning so that not a minute of business has been lost. Our franchisees were given immediate training on how to train their staff in pre recording teaching sessions and also ‘how to deliver effective teaching and learning LIVE.
We provided processes so that across the organisation all our franchisees were delivering live sessions for all the family across social media and conference call platforms. Their clients REGULAR 55 MINUTE weekly lessons were running across all franchisees and company owned units - with homework and feedback. In conjunction with one of our key educationalists we set up Google Classrooms for each student across the whole of Footlights to access their full length Acting, Singing and Dance lessons. They could/can take part in the classes, complete assignments, submit them for feedback and even receive a certificate of achievement for the hours they have/had studied.
Q4. What extra support and assistance are you offering your franchisees during this time?
We are as always offering the opportunity to new franchisees to speak to our current franchisees by phone or by conference call platforms to get a real insight into the business. We aim to provide up to date training and processes from July 2020 for those wishing to launch in July 2021, so any new franchisee is fully trained in the organisation and how to run their business by launch date. We offer online courses as well as face to face when it is safe to do so in all our systems and a certificate of achievement after each module is completed. We also have access to the British Franchise Association weekly Franc
hisee Power Hour for current franchisees and any new ones coming on board. We have a private Facebook franchisee advisory group and of course the Founder is still available 7 days per week throughout this pandemic.
Q5. What plans do you have for the franchise over the next few years?
We have rocketed in the last 12 months with 6 franchise outlets open with over 50% are oversubscribe with a hefty profit. We aim to complete our target of 20 franchises by the end of 2021. We have two brand new units opening in 2021 already one in Cheltenham and one in Scotland. By the end of 2023 we will have over 40 in operation.
Q6. What skills are important for your franchisees to have?
You need to thrive on your personality and have a love of face to face contact with people. You need to have energy and a will to succeed. The children that will come to you need to feel special from the moment they walk through the door, to the final second they walk out. We are looking for Motivated individuals who enjoy education and performing arts. You also must have a healthy hunger for the bottom line – this is a business above all else.