My Music Workshop - Franchise Q & A

How was your franchise/opportunity originally conceived and started? 

My wife and I started My Music Workshop in 2009 from a shared background of being musicians and teachers. We had dreamed of creating a music teaching business and took the leap about 10 years ago. We expanded quickly in our area but expanding past our territory with our corporate location would diminish the relationship-based approach that we pride ourselves on. That is why we moved into franchising. 

What was your original vision for your company? How has that changed over time? 

Originally, we had created a vision and business plan to start a music school that catered to all ages. However, we first began offering preschool music classes at local preschools and it simply took off. We never looked back. From that point on we put all of our energy into creating a great and successful preschool music enrichment program. 

What do you believe is the single most important factor when choosing a franchise? 

For a person selecting a franchise I would say it’s aligning with the vision of the company and its offering. My Music Workshop franchisees must have a love for working with kids and for music, and be positive, enthusiastic people, the rest we can teach.

Why should someone choose your franchise over other similar franchises? 

Our concept is unique, it can be run from home, overhead is low compared to many others and we promote work/life balance. Additionally, our management team is passionate and committed to franchisees and helping them open and run successful business. 

What makes your industry attractive? 

The childcare industry takes in $48 billion annually. There are preschools and young children in almost every part of the country. Parents are always seeking great education programs for their kids. The benefits of music education are also enormous including showing better school grades and test scores, increased social skills, concentration, and so much more. 

What types of qualities do you look for in potential franchisees? 

It really comes down to a love and commitment to children and making their lives better. A person who loves working with kids is the first thing we look for. We also look for candidates who are organized, motivated to create success in their lives and who want to make a difference in their community. 

What do your franchise fees and royalties cover? 

Franchise fees cover initial training, start-up support, operations manuals, initial marketing support and templates, music and over 350 pages of curriculum, curriculum training, trademark and name use rights. Royalties cover ongoing support, use of the My Music Workshop website for their business and as a tuition collection portal, curriculum updates, ongoing marketing support, marketing materials, and a lot more. 

How do territories work for your franchisees? 

We work with franchisees to create an ideal territory for them. Each exclusive territory includes 70 preschools that they are able to market to as well as all the area within that territory to offer additional classes at other locations. 

Where do you see your franchise in 5 years and 10 years? 

We are honored and excited to grow as a franchise system. In 5 to 10 years we wish for each of our franchisees to be happy and successful with their businesses. We never want to grow to fast, the key to our franchise system is “franchise level economics,” we are only successful when franchisees are successful. We focus on quality over quantity. 

What is your favorite advice for new franchisees to help them succeed? 

Do everything with quality and care. From start up to conversations with students’ parents to the classes themselves. Put care into each thing that you’re doing and the rest will fall into place. 

What would you tell potential franchisees that may be nervous about the financial burdens of starting a franchise? 

Everything worthwhile takes risk. Our franchise system is priced so it isn’t intimidating to most people but those who have reservations about the investment should consider how that investment will pay off for them, especially in the long run. Our business model is about being profitable and running financially healthy businesses. All things considered the long-term revenue generation possibility should far exceed the hesitation to take the first step. 

On average, how long does it take to start a new franchise from the franchisees point of view? 

This can vary depending on the background of the franchisee but a franchisee can expect to be open for business in between 1-3 months. It is ultimately up to the franchisee as to their dedication to the start up activities necessary to get their business running. 

What was your background and experience before founding this franchise? 

Before My Music Workshop as a teaching business was started my wife (co-founder) and I were both teachers and musicians. We had both dreamed of starting a business that had positive impact on kids and our community. The My Music Workshop idea spawned from that. Over the course of the past 10 years, we did everything to make our program the greatest we could. From creating a unique music curriculum to writing and recording music to the ongoing tweaks and updates to the curriculum to honing our marketing approach, everything has been a labor of love.