This month we talk to Sarah Cressall founder of The Creation Station.  She's a very busy lady with a fantastic award winning franchise opportunity. Which is where we'll kick off with her interview....

What awards and national recognition have you gained?

Our activities are rated 5-Star by our customers and we're members of the British Franchise Association.  Our awards are:

Winner Most Supportive Franchise and Top Franchise Award – Working Mums 2018

Winner Sylvia Anderson Award for Creativity 2017

Winner Best Franchise Children’s Services – Best Franchise Awards 2017

Winner Best Website – Franchise Marketing Awards 2017

Winner Excellence and Innovation – Children’s Education Services 2017

Top three out of 5,000 companies in Richard Branson’s Impact Award 2016

Winner Best Creative Play Award 2015

Finalist Festival Supplier Awards 2015

Winner Best Woman Franchisor UK 2012 - EWIF Awards

Winner Best Franchisee Marketing Support 2012

Wow!  So your business has been a huge success.  Can you tell us who is typically suited to being a franchisee?

Our successful franchise owners come from a wide range of backgrounds, from teachers, HR managers and bankers to stay-at-home mums, child minders and marketing managers. They share our values about inspiring imaginations and nurturing potential and wanted a more flexible and rewarding career.  The key characteristics of our successful franchise owners are someone who is proactive, likes working with kids and adults, wants more flexible working and wants to run a successful business.

What are the benefits of being a franchisee ?

When you invest in your own Creation Station leading creative arts and crafts franchise there are many benefits, these include:

You are investing in a tried and tested business model so you have a blueprint, training and support to run your own successful and flexible business. 

Your business has HUGE potential. We provide our activities for newborns to 99 year olds so there are many income streams which include: baby tiny treasure keepsakes, baby, toddler and family creative classes, birthday parties event entertainment, adults crafting events, after school and school workshops, workshops in care homes and intergenerational workshops plus retail sales too. You can run these award-winning activities in your own exclusive area and develop your business at a rate and pace that works for you and your own family or personal commitments.

• Your own microsite with an easy  online booking system for customers. Plus a business management platform to see your registers, income and costs.

What is your business model ?

The Creation Station is a mobile business  and you can run it by yourself. If you wanted to scale  we can help you take on staff but you don’t have to. With so much scope to inspire creativity within your community we work with you to develop the right business plan and model that will fit around your own life commitments too.

What training and support are available ?

We have a structured programme of training and a whole range of support activities and systems to help you. This means you don’t have to worry if you’ve never ran a business before, most of our successful franchise owners had never ran a business before either.

5 days comprehensive training on all aspects of running your business, from marketing, running classes and business development.

One to one buddy support for the first three months.

Monthly webinars.

Online training courses.

Your own micro website and business admin.

Your own regional super manager with one to one super calls.

Your own regional group to connect with others in your area.

National inspiring imaginations franchise conference -which is also brilliant fun. J

What hours would I need to work ?

A lot of our franchise owners have kids and have to juggle many activities in a day. One of the great things about running your own Creation Station is that you choose your own hours. We say you do need to commit a minimum of twenty hours a week, of course the more time you can work, the more you can grow your business.  

What advice would you give to someone looking to buy into a franchise ?

It’s hard work running a business, so you need to be sure you are prepared to put the work in to make a real success of it. However if you are proactive and prepared to work hard you can achieve a huge amount by running your own business. Many of our franchise owners now have the flexibility and income they wanted. In an independent franchise satisfaction survey franchise owners rated the Creation Station 5-Star in in 2018,2017,2016.

We recommend you download the information pack, speak with the team, go along and meet them and meet franchise owners at a discover event, do some market research and work on a business pan.  

What’s the best thing about running your own Creation Station?

Here are a few comments from some of our franchise owners:

*This is my eighth year of running my own Creation Station and it’s given me what I hoped for and much more. I wanted to change my career from banking to something more flexible and rewarding. I’ve been able to be there as my girls have grown up and attend all the school events. I’ve grown my business steadily and I provide lots of events now for the community. It’s great to be known as the Creation Station lady! The business has grown and developed so much since I started and  its wonderful to be part of something that is making such a difference to so many kids and adults. I love what I do and am so pleased I stumbled upon this  opportunity as it really has been perfect for me and my family”.  Lisa Hagg inspires imagination in Bournemouth  

“After a long career in teaching,  I decided to  invest in The Creation Station. I wanted to work for myself whilst having a great support network behind me. I can honestly say that the support I am getting from head office is second to none. Nothing is too much trouble and no question goes unanswered. I’m now in my second year and have already surpassed my own expectations. I have over one hundred kids in my after school clubs and I’m still able to enjoy time for myself and even get to go out on a school night!  There is more I want to do and I’m really enjoying my journey and I know that there is plenty of support from The Creation Station team when I need it”. Emma McCalla-John inspires imagination in Harborne Birmingham.  

How can I find out more ?

To find out more, download a  Creation Station information pack.  If you feel this could be the right opportunity for you, then book in a Discover Chat  with our head of franchise awards Maggie Seager.

Email address or contact number