Stagecoach Performing Arts Schools has made some significant changes over the last couple of years in preparation for further global expansion. CEO, Sarah Kelly has taken the franchise through a rebrand involving eight countries and over 300 franchisees.
“Our head office operation is in Surrey, England, and whilst we have a thriving franchise network in the UK, we also have franchisees in Europe, Canada, Australia and South Africa. We’re now looking to expand again and have recently tested the market in China with huge success.”
For almost 30 years, the Stagecoach model has been proven and refined to become one of the UK’s leading performing arts opportunities. Franchisees build a team of passionate and enthusiastic musical-theatre teachers, qualified to bring out the very best in their students.
“Our network operates over 680 schools offering nearly 2,000 classes across four continents, soon to be five! But it’s more than numbers to us, our franchisees have helped unlock the potential of more than one million students since Stagecoach opened in 1988. It’s our exciting and varied framework of teaching and development that means ‘Creative Courage for Life’ isn’t just a slogan, it’s our primary mission.”
Stagecoach schools provide a thriving, nurturing and supportive environment for creative learning. Franchisees can choose to take on one territory or grow a much larger business as an area developer.
“Whether you concentrate on a Stagecoach business close to home or have big plans to develop over a much larger area, we will support you in your market. Creative Courage for Life resonates with parents. Every day we hear how our students have become more confident, blossoming with a more positive mindset. It doesn’t matter where you are in the world, those are the attributes parents want their children to have and take into their future lives.”
Stagecoach has growth plans and is actively seeking franchisees and area developers in existing markets as well as new markets like Asia.
“This summer’s workshops in Beijing have shown us the untapped potential in Asia. In partnership with Chinese theatre production company, Seven Ages, our UK specialists trained a group of local teachers to deliver an abridged version of our performing arts school experience to two groups of children. Each summer school produced a performance of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Matilda, the first time the show has been licensed outside the UK.”
“Seven Ages has been bringing Western comedic musicals to China since 2012, proving the possibilities for growth in this market are enormous but we needed to test what long-term opportunities exist for Stagecoach. We hope to find a franchisee to open our first school in China before the end of the year but our recent test shows that Creative Courage for Life resonates with parents almost everywhere. Our Chinese students started day one in a quiet huddle but soon began to grow in confidence, they gave a polished performance and left with improved communication skills and a huge sense of achievement.”
A tale of two countries with one passion
Edward Mercieca and Tosha Doiron have more in common than you would think, for business owners living over 4,500 miles apart. Both have an unquestionable passion for performing and are now inspiring young people in Canada and Malta whilst building valuable businesses. Here are their stories of how the Stagecoach Performing Arts franchise works for different people in two very distinct locations with the same objective… Creative Courage for Life.
Edward Mercieca first found performing arts through his wife, and business partner, Marika. With a corporate career in marketing for Malta’s only independent brewery, acting provided a creative outlet for Edward during his free time. When Edward and Marika were looking at ways to expand a small theatre school they had set up locally, they found Stagecoach and became the franchisee for Malta and Gozo.
“Stagecoach came along at the perfect time for Malta. During the late nineties, performing arts opportunities for children were few and far between in the area. We’re so passionate about the theatre and were looking to improve our own quality of life by investing in our own business. It was a win-win scenario.”
Twenty years on, Edward and Marika’s business has expanded to over 60 classes, employing 25 teachers and welcoming hundreds of students every week to their classes. Business expansion came naturally to marketing-minded Edward and he feels incredibly grateful for the financial freedom Stagecoach has provided his family.
“We’ve worked extremely hard to put Stagecoach Malta on the map and our team offer an impeccable standard of teaching. Two out of our three children work with us and I’m excited to see where they will take the business. Ultimately, I’ll retire and our business will financially support them in the future.”
Tosha Doiron started Stagecoach Oakville, Ontario, in September 2012 and is a relative newcomer compared to Edward! Five years into the business, she has grown to 15 classes. Tosha manages to also fit in being a professional actress and university lecturer alongside family time with her husband, Julius, and two sons under the age of four.
“I’m busy all of the time, but I do it because I love it. I’ve always had a passion for performing arts and my career lead me down the route of teaching. I decided to start my own Stagecoach franchise as I had spent years working for them as an acting teacher and I love the way Stagecoach nurtures every child individually.”
Aside from the pride which comes with being Principal to over 200 students, Tosha has built a stable life for her young family, investing in their future in the best possible way.
“We recently bought out first home, something which couldn’t have happened without Stagecoach. We’ve even managed to start saving for our children’s education. Being able to look after my family is really important but I’m only fully content when I see my students thriving too.”
Stagecoach has franchisees like Edward and Tosha in four continents and are looking for similar passionate people to share the vision for Creative Courage for Life to more students across the globe.
AT A GLANCE
Name of Franchise: Stagecoach Performing Arts Schools
Established: 1988
Number of franchised outlets: 300
Location of units: UK, Europe, Canada, South Africa, Australia
Investment range: From £14,995 + VAT
Minimum required capital: £8,000
URL: stagecoachfranchise.com
Contact: +44 (0)1932 256 207
franchiserecruitment@stagecoach.co.uk
