Posted:10-October-2024
Breaking barriers and building businesses for ambitious mums
Starting a business comes with its share of challenges—balancing finances, finding the right support, and navigating the complexities of day-to-day operations. For mums, these hurdles can feel even higher when trying to juggle the demands of family life alongside entrepreneurship.
That’s why two ambitious mums have chosen to begin their entrepreneurial journey with Razzamataz Theatre Schools. Offering a flexible business model and comprehensive support, Razzamataz is helping them realise their dreams. Their journey began with an in-depth training week, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to succeed while balancing both business and family.
Gemma Da Silveira is the new franchisee of Razzamataz Liverpool South and mum to three daughters. She is currently Head of People & Culture for a finance company having worked in HR for the past 12 years. However, Gemma has wanted to run a children’s theatre school for many years and is delighted that she is going back to her passion and putting her performing arts degree to good use.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long but it was the combination of my best friend suffering with cancer last year and my impending 40th birthday which made me realise life is short so why not now,” says Gemma. “Razzamataz has a really warm family feel, the people are great and I love that there is a focus on building children’s confidence, which is very important to me.”
Like many Razzamataz franchisees, Gemma entered the role without prior business experience. However, the training is designed to be comprehensive, ensuring that everyone can succeed. The training, systems and support covers all aspects of the franchise, from daily operations to marketing and customer engagement. The sessions include a step-by-step guide to managing finances, building a customer base, and maintaining high teaching standards amongst many other things. Regular one-on-one mentoring, and access to a network of successful franchisees offer additional resources to help grow the business and provide a reassuring network of friendly and helpful colleagues.
“The amount of structure and support that Razzamataz offers has reassured me that I have joined the right business who will support me to be successful,” adds Gemma. “I’m also looking forward to bringing my own unique touch to the school and although I may be nearly 40, my three daughters keep me up to date with all the current trends so the school will be brimming with energy and fun.”
Witnessing the profound impact that participation in performing arts had on her own daughters was the catalyst that led Helen Kozak to find out about becoming the new owner of Razzamataz Manchester South. But it was the agreement from her daughter Liza that she would be a co-owner alongside her mum, which sealed the deal.
“Razzamataz appeared as a fun and meaningful business and from the very first conversation with the Founder Denise and the Head Office team, we got a feeling of one big family,” says Helen. “The training is very thorough and well structured. We feel like we are guided step by step and it’s also very reassuring to know that even after the training, we can still always get support if needed.”
The training is as hands on as possible and includes a visit to another Razzamataz school to meet the Principal and see everything in action which was hugely motivating for Helen and Liza as Helen explains: “We gained more confidence to run our school after visiting another Razzamataz school during training. This motivated us to reflect on how our current classes run and the areas in which we can improve. It also was inspiring to see the potential growth our school could achieve.”
Many within the Razzamataz network have gone on to become multiple territory owners, running several schools and classes as well as all the additional opportunities that the franchise provides including performance opportunities in London’s West End and educational enrichment trips to Paris, New York and Dubai.
“I’m thrilled to welcome new franchisees into the Razzamataz network and it’s an exciting time to be joining us as we approach our 25th anniversary, which we shall be celebrating in Paris,” says Denise Gosney, MD and Founder of Razzamataz. “As a mum myself, what I love is that we can offer parents a flexible and financially rewarding career path, allowing them to achieve success while still being present for their families. With our proven model, extensive training, and ongoing mentorship, we make sure every new franchisee feels ready to inspire the next generation of young performers to grow in confidence and life skills."
Interested and want to know more about Razzamataz?
The Razzamataz profile outlines all aspects of their franchise opportunity and allows you to contact them for further information or to ask a question.
