Four years ago, the world was living with the harsh realities of the COVID-19 pandemic – in the UK, a new three-tier system had been introduced before the nation would inevitably end up in another lockdown by 1st November. Many businesses were impacted, and in-person meetings became a thing of the past.
Fast-forward four years and children’s services franchise, Stagecoach Performing Arts, is celebrating a triumphant return to in-person franchisee training. The first franchisees to benefit from this significant reunion are new recruits Adekemi Opoola, Jessica Ramplin and Lauren Roberts. Here, CEO Andy Knights reflects on what has proven to be a welcome return to face-to-face training and the value it brings to newbies in the network.
It has been an absolute pleasure welcoming Adekemi, Jessica and Lauren into the Stagecoach community. When they arrived at our head office in Woking for their training, there was this palpable sense of excitement – both from them and our team. We have all missed the energy that comes from face-to-face interaction. Being able to sit down with new franchisees, share ideas, answer questions in real time and get to know each other on a personal level is something that virtual sessions, for all their convenience, just cannot replace. At Stagecoach, we are all about people. We teach children how to perform, but we are also performing our own roles as mentors, and that means forming strong, meaningful relationships with our franchisees.
In-person training allows us to not only focus on the technical aspects of running a Stagecoach franchise but also to truly understand the goals and visions of each individual. We are here to support them in building a business that reflects their personal definition of success, and there is no better way to do that than with real, face-to-face time. Technology has done wonders for us in staying connected, but there is a richness to in-person interaction that you cannot replicate on a screen. You get the nuances of body language, those spontaneous moments of insight and creativity – things that are so crucial, especially in the early stages of joining the network.
This return to in-person training feels like a milestone. The isolation of the pandemic was hard for all of us, but it taught us the value of human connection in a way we maybe did not appreciate as much before. For Adekemi, Jessica and Lauren, being able to meet the head office team, and each other, created bonds that will strengthen as they build their businesses. It is also great to see how that sense of community is growing, not just here at head office, but across the entire Stagecoach network.
It is an exciting time for us. Two of the four territories these three dynamic franchisees have invested in are brand-new schools, and we have seen tremendous growth across the UK. Just in 2024, we have had 34 new investments, with 31 existing schools being taken over by both new and experienced franchisees. The momentum is incredible and, as we look towards 2025 – with more in-person seminars, our ‘In The Spotlight’ forums and, of course, our annual conference – it is amazing to reflect on how far we have come.
As much as modern technology has made it easier to stay connected, nothing beats the real-world benefits of face-to-face interaction, especially in those foundational moments when a franchisee is just starting out. A strong start, built on real relationships, lays the foundation for long-term success. And I could not be more excited to see where Adekemi, Jessica and Lauren go from here.
