Emma MaCalla-John from Birmingham runs her own Creation Station franchise.

The former teacher explains the ins and outs of life as a franchisee, and talks about developing her business during Government lockdowns.

Emma MaCalla-John from Birmingham runs her own Creation Station franchise.

For 20 years I was a teacher but I always held on to the dream of running my own business. I wanted to find one where I could be creative and have a great work-life balance. I was keen to challenge myself by running a creative business and now I feel proud of doing something I’d never done before. 

During my time in the classroom, I worked with children of all ages, including those with additional and complex educational needs. These experiences certainly helped me when I took the plunge a few years ago to join the Creation Station‘s franchising stable. I now provide creative arts and crafts classes for toddlers, children, families and adults in Birmingham, including the areas of Harborne, Bearwood, Edgbaston, Quinton, Bartley Green, Woodgate and Kitwell. This is my story.

Having a supportive family certainly helps. My husband Marcus has always been fully supportive of my business. He even helps out occasionally with Arty Parties. As for my daughter Hannah, who’s 20, she’s happy that I am happy running The Creation Station. She thinks all of the creative activities look a lot of fun. But generally she prefers to keep her perfectly manicured nails away from the paint and glue!

With regards to taking the plunge, I wanted to own and run a Creation Station franchise from the moment I saw their stand at The National Franchise Show at the NEC in Birmingham. I did lots of research. I wanted to know if it was a viable business opportunity, and talked a lot with my family who reassured me that I should go for it. It was a little scary at first because there’s always a cost implication. However, I’m so glad I took the chance and went for it. 

But it was important for me to do plenty of background research on the Creation Station. I attended one of their ‘Discovery’ events. Back then I attended in person, although nowadays it’s all done virtually – online. The head office team were friendly and welcoming, and I was able to chat with existing franchisees. The owner of the company, Sarah, was there and I could see she was passionate about her business. She is still fully active in the Creation Station and keen to develop it further in the future.

It was then time to undergo my training. I had a fun-filled week with my fellow trainees. There was plenty of informative business training, we learnt about adopting a truly creative approach to our work and got involved with case studies. We also did a lot of chatting. Since then I’ve received three and a half years of invaluable support. Nothing is too much trouble for head office, not even the smallest of queries, and I have a great relationship with all of those based at HQ. 

The first couple of years went reasonably smoothly, then came the pandemic. It’s been a challenge and, at the very start, I really couldn’t imagine how I was going to continue running my business. I have always had a positive attitude and my motto is: ‘There’s always a way.’ This served me well and I received lots of assistance from head office who were great at solving problems and finding solutions. We had face-to-face sessions online, provided customers with craft packs and ensured that we were always there for our clients and customers. 

We remained creative. I was initially nervous running online sessions, because I prefer face-to-face interaction. However, I’m now confident using Zoom and delighted I can still inspire people online. It has actually created a new income stream for me, so that’s positive. 

During 2020, when we were faced with the first of the lockdowns, head office provided both financial and emotional support. We all had access to weekly Zoom meetings, and every couple of weeks had meetings on business growth. There were also regional Zoom get-togethers and plenty of tools to use via social media. We had access to other business training opportunities, such as the Entrepreneurs Circle. We also kept in touch with fellow franchisees, which proved invaluable for moral support.  

And if there was one thing I learned from this experience, it was the need to remain positive. You have bad days but there’s always someone there to help. Running a franchise means support, friendship, accountability and positivity. I am most proud of my attitude and resilience. I have spent a lot of time focused on connecting with individuals and businesses. I have upskilled myself on different aspects of business, using my time to read and research.

I’m often asked ‘What was your best memory of the past year?’ And I’d have to say helping two young boys benefit from online sessions. These two boys, called Khyra and Rumi, were part of my Create Club sessions last summer. They are best friends and, prior to Covid-19 restrictions, I worked with them in person. Neither of the boys enjoyed being in large groups and, at the start of lockdown, Rumi had terrible social anxiety using Zoom. This impacted greatly on his school work and self-confidence. The two boys really enjoy Create Club and are curious about our products, and they enjoy experimenting with unique pieces of art. These fun moments have helped them to engage with the whole online learning experience. It has been wonderful to see their development in recent months.    

But 2020 is over and the New Year is more than two months old. During 2021, I have set myself some challenging goals. I am looking forward to doing more online and face-to face-events. I already have 11 schools in position, with enquires and bookings as good as ever. It’s going to be another busy year, that’s for certain.

About Creation Station: Since 2002 they have inspired 1.5 million children and adults with their award-winning arts and crafts classes, parties and events. They offer creativity for all ages, with sessions delivered by skilled, caring and personable franchise owners who make a huge difference to children, families and communities all over the nation. From their Woodbury headquarters in Devon, the business is spearheaded by founder Sarah Cressall and her three sons.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Emma MaCalla-John
Emma MaCalla-John
RELATED ARTICLES