Stagecoach welcomes a record 29 franchisees
Published: 05 October 2017
Stagecoach Performing Arts is celebrating as a record-breaking 29 new franchisees complete their initial training so far this year.
This comes at an exciting time for the performing arts franchise, as new franchisees have just launched their schools in time for the September term.
Lucy Symon, who came from a mainstream teaching background before becoming a franchisee, will be welcoming students to her school in Chelmsford.
She says: "The training at the head office in Walton-on-Thames was a great opportunity to get fully stuck in to the business side of things. Being introduced to people from each department allowed us to get a good understanding of how the business works and who can help us do what. It’s comforting to know that there’s someone at the other end of the phone who can help you with any business-related problem.
"It was also a fantastic opportunity to meet other franchisees who are at the same stage. We’ve started a WhatsApp group to keep in touch and it’s lovely to be able to share ideas and ask what may seem like a silly question to a more experienced principal!"
Today, Stagecoach has a network of more than 300 franchisees operating over 680 schools offering 1,780 classes in eight countries. Having launched in 1988, the performing arts franchise teaches 40,000 children every week and has seen one million students walk through its doors over the past 29 years.
Andy Knights, chief operating officer at Stagecoach, says: "Stagecoach is proud to welcome 29 new franchisees into the network – we’re looking forward to seeing what they can achieve.
"The passion many of them have for the performing arts stands them in good stead, but experience in the performance sector isn’t crucial for our franchisees. Provided you are passionate about improving the lives of children and have the desire to develop a successful business of your own, you’ll enjoy the work and rewards of being a Stagecoach principal."
