With its 250th location, worldwide success, and a host of high-profile partnerships, the School of Rock franchise is as appealing as ever
Content partnership*
School of Rock, the top music franchise in the world, recently celebrated reaching a milestone in its 20-plus year history: the opening of its 250th location, which continues to solidify the brand as a major player in both the education and music business sectors. It’s on track to open in excess of 30 new locations this year alone, with steady, continual growth planned for the next five years.
Partnerships with titans of the industry – Atlantic Records, Twentieth Century Fox, Fender and Berklee College of Music, for example – have further cemented School of Rock’s status as an international franchise to watch. The opportunities the brand provides for its students and franchisees continue to grow as time goes on, making it a premier franchising option.
A unique approach
School of Rock’s monumental global success is based, partly, on its proprietary and patent-pending curriculum. Traditional music education approaches rarely
teach students how to perform with other musicians. They focus instead on teaching music only through one-on-one lessons. The School of Rock Method is different. The brand combines one-on-one instruction with group rehearsals and live performances. This integrated approach teaches students techniques and theory while also helping them apply those skills when performing with other musicians. This method results in remarkable musical proficiency.
“School of Rock’s unique teaching method combines song-first individual instruction and group rehearsals,” says Rob Price, CEO. “This creates a rapid sense of individual accomplishment and group identity. Students love the experience and we have remarkable net promoter scores as a result.”
Fan favorites
The hands-on curriculum that is the backbone of the School of Rock experience is held up by iconic songs that unify the brand’s worldwide franchisees and students. Artists like David Bowie, The Beatles, and Bruce Springsteen echo through the halls of every School of Rock location, regardless of whether students are learning in America, Africa, South America, or the Asia Pacific region.
“Music consumption and live music is a growing market,” says Price. “More and more evidence is amassing that music helps build intellectual and social skills, so we think that demand will grow.”
The popular nature of the concept’s curriculum also ensures ongoing and international brand awareness. Latin American School of Rock locations will often teach songs in Spanish or Portuguese to reflect their local market, but when posting viral content online – sure to reach hundreds of thousands of potential customers on popular social media sites – they’ll share the international, recognizable favorites.
Latin America, specifically, is also leading the way with School of Rock’s international growth, as a master franchisee within the dense and highly cultural country of Brazil recently signed a deal to open 117 new locations, in addition to the 33 already underway. The Brazilian arm of School of Rock has always been especially successful, and Brazilian students have a presence at amazing festivals such as Rock in Rio, which is broadcast worldwide.
Undeniable talent
But the international appeal doesn’t stop there. A large part of the global School of Rock experience is the brand’s AllStars program, an annual celebration of talent that sees the top one per cent of students tour North America at iconic venues, while they get a taste for the true rockstar experience.
The latest AllStars tour saw kids from countries all over the world – South Africa, Australia, and Brazil, to name a few – play at some of the hottest locations across the United States, as well as favorites in Canada and, soon, worldwide. The program sees School of Rock students play at the largest festivals in the world; a living, singing, rocking testament to the brand’s successful methods. Musicians are introducing the next generation of rockstars to venues that other programs simply couldn’t offer them, and they’re having an amazing time doing it.
No experience required
While School of Rock utilizes some of the world’s most talented musicians to teach its students about the power of music, franchisees aren’t required to have a musical bone in their body. Many entrepreneurs come to the business with no prior experience in music education, or teaching of any kind. Instead, they all have a common goal: to help kids of all ages to achieve their rockstar dreams.
Franchisees can also be as involved as they would like. While some partners are in the schools every day, managing the typical goings-on, some prefer to identify excellent teams and entrust them to run the minutia of the business.
“We have a brand that has been established globally and reinforced through two decades of operations,” says Price. “Music education is a massive and persistent market, and we have remarkable opportunities for growth.”
AT A GLANCE
Name of franchise: School of Rock
Established: 1998
Number of franchised outlets: 250
Location of units: North, Central, and South America, Africa, and Asia Pacific
Investment range: $192,150 – $422,100
Minimum required capital: $100,000 (liquid) / $300,000 (net worth)
Contact: franchisingopportunities@schoolofrock.com or +1 866-840-2179
