Scared of the word “Franchise”?
I find that many individuals in our industry are put off by the word ‘franchise’ some even scared and I am not surprised. When I googled the word franchise I was fairly unimpressed with the description and if I was a teacher, budding entrepreneur or actor interested in the concept I would be very put off researching a franchise after reading the description about what it is. It was totally uninspiring and I can categorically say that I do not see my drama franchise, Little Voices, as a chain store and it certainly isn’t free!
This is what I read on Wikipedia:
Franchising is the practice of the right to use a firm’s business model and brand for a prescribed period of time. The word “franchise” is of Anglo-French derivation—from franc, meaning free—and is used both as a noun and as a (transitive) verb. For the franchiser, the franchise is an alternative to building “chain stores” to distribute goods that avoids the investments and liability of a chain. The franchisor’s success depends on the success of the franchisees.
Franchising consists of two elements: Support and a System. The Royal Bank of Scotland explained helped me to educate other about what a ‘franchise’ really is using these two words. They were highly impressed with the amount of support that we give at Little Voices. Franchising is the applied use of a tried, tested and proven model that works within a safe environment of those that have all the answers and can support you to success. Our model started eight years ago and is certainly tried and tested!
The success of my franchise is absolutely about the success of our franchisees but then I only choose the very best to work with us. I will not recruit franchisees who do not absolutely believe in what we do, our ethos and have Little Voices in their blood. So in my opinion, you cannot blame a franchisee for not succeeding you can only blame yourself for choosing the wrong person.
It takes a special, highly motivated, focussed, goal driven individual with a passion for drama and all things performing arts to be successful as a franchisee for me and I am really comfortable turning people away that are not right for us.
My passion for Little Voices seeps through our organisation at all levels and to be the best performing arts organisation nationally means that we need to be working with the best and all of us being focussed towards the same goal with the same ethos for quality and excellence. I really care and our franchisees really care, our tutors really care and therefore our pupils are happy and well taught. It is why year upon year we continue to grow and parents are confident in our centres.
I can’t comment on other drama franchises but I can comment on ours and our expectations. However I find that many people need to be really educated on what franchising means and what to expect. Franchise is not pyramid selling or network marketing it is the support and use of a system that works in your area.
If you want to ask any questions or find out exactly what we do email your questions to jane@littlevoices.org.uk