Blog!

Every family is different. Some parents are naturally expressive and tactile, others are not. For some, being ‘silly’ and playful is second nature while others would prefer to read or spend time outside rather than pretend to be a dinosaur or have a princess tea party.

Over the summer, we asked our franchisees two questions:

1.) How satisfied are you with your work/life balance?

2.) How satisfied are you with the financial rewards of running your business?

How did they answer?

It's not the case that because a child does exactly what an adult wants them to do, they're cooperating. That's compliance, and it's a different thing. Cooperation is 'we're in this together' rather than 'do what I say', and children need to learn this skill and practise it regularly.

When new franchisees start, marketing their new business is normally the thing they're most worried about. I always tell them, 'We're not marketing experts, but we ARE marketing Pyjama Drama experts!' We know that if they follow the model we suggest, they will grow a financially viable business. Ultimately, marketing a franchised business isn't rocket science; after all, you're buying into a proven business model. Your franchisor knows exactly how to market the business, and so long as the training is comprehensive and the ongoing support is there, you should have no difficulties at all securing work.

As the year draws to a close, I'm taking a moment to reflect on what a fantastic year it has been for Pyjama Drama, both Head Office, and our franchisees. If you're someone who might be considering joining us as a franchisee, I hope it gives you an insight into the innovative, passionate and dedicated team you would be joining!

In a recent survey of our UK franchisees, nearly 80% responded that they were either "satisfied" or "very satisfied" with their income. This a great result, but what's more important to us is that we know the reasons why the few who are not satisfied, are in that bracket. For example, one franchisee has a young baby, and one has made a personal decision which leaves her with very little time to run the business. Franchisee satisfaction is incredibly important to us - that's why we don't shy away from asking important questions.

All businesses face challenges from time to time, and this can feel particularly difficult when you're running your business as a sole trader, as most of our franchisees are. That's why having the support of a franchise network is so helpful and can make all the difference to ultimate business success.

We love welcoming new franchisees into the Pyjama Drama family, and this week we have welcomed the lovely Lynsey Bowen-Carpenter who is buying an established franchise in Runnmede & Woking - and we know she is going to be brilliant!

Every single one of our franchisees is different...

Early Years settings put a lot of faith into resources such as toys, costumes, and role play areas, to engage children in imaginative play – but this could actually be limiting children’s imaginations and therefore limiting potential learning outcomes (not to mention wasting time/money). Let me illlustrate...

Drama training, without making anyone feel silly. Possible? Yes! It's a fine balancing act for sure, but we know that early years teachers often have a reticence (sometimes a downright fear!) about the idea of using drama in their practice. So how on earth do we teach EYPs to have the confidence to use drama and imaginative play with confidence?