Case Study - Sarah Quilty
A love of drama
Sarah Quilty, a mum of two from the Wirral, has always had a love of drama and in her previous role as a primary school teacher she saw first-hand the benefits that drama has on young children. She shares her thoughts on what it's like to be a Pyjama Drama franchise manager.
"Drama is fantastic for children, putting their imaginations to work is what they do best and it gives them such confidence. In my previous job at school, I was also the Arts manager and as such I developed drama in the curriculum -- it was a huge success."
Benefits of being a Pyjama Drama franchisee
"There are so many! The hours are flexible, you get to be your own boss, the pay is very rewarding and the marketing materials are all there for you. As an ex-teacher it's lovely to work with children without all the extra pressures that come with teaching and as a parent it's great because if I want to, I can work term time and take the school holidays off. All the materials for each session have been developed for you and there is even advice online about how to deliver each session -- we also use our online forum as a place to network with our Pyjama Drama franchise managers which is great for support and as a way to share ideas."
Best part of the day?
"I love delivering the sessions and working with all the individual little personalities and it's so rewarding when the parents say that their children have been looking forward to coming all week. I've also loved dealing with the marketing and communication side of the business. I have learnt so much already."
Advice for anyone considering buying a children's activity franchise
"I'd say you should look for something that relies on you to deliver it rather than fancy equipment or props (this only keeps children's attention for so long). Also choose something you feel passionate about because that will give you more drive to succeed. It's also worth thinking about whether what you're going to be offering is unique in your local area. Finally, I'd say do your research about the franchise and find out what level of support is offered from directors. Good luck!"
