Just in time for the holidays, our newest Kidcreate Studio is now open in San Antonio, Texas! Our marketing team was lucky enough to sit down with Franchise Owners Shannon and Stephen Schumacher for an exclusive interview. Keep reading to discover why they chose to open their own art franchise for kids with Kidcreate Studio!
Shannon and Stephen officially opened their new Kidcreate Studio on December 12. Despite everything happening with COVID, the duo and their new art franchise for kids still saw a huge turnout and welcomed families from all over the San Antonio area to get messy, socially-distanced style! In Shannon’s words, “The studio couldn’t be in a better location!” The studio is right across the street from a Dunkin’ Donuts, which coincidentally has a lot of customers that are parents, many of whom happen to have their kids in the car! “Oftentimes parents pop across the street to check us out after their trip to Dunkin’,” remarks Shannon.
This opening represents months of hard work and dedication coming to fruition for the couple. Shannon and Stephen signed their studio’s lease agreement during the third week of March 2020. Mere days later, the country was shutting down and the economic climate wasn’t looking the brightest for the future. However, Shannon and Stephen stuck to their gut feeling and knew that their art franchise for kids would open and that it was worth it. “Everything really worked out like it should have,” says Shannon. “These past months have given us a lot of time to reflect on the business model and to perfect how we’re going to operate during COVID.”
The duo credits the support from the Kidcreate Studio corporate support team as playing a big part in their successful grand opening. As with much of the Kidcreate model, the Kidcreate support program has had to adapt to the virtual realm as a result of COVID-19. However, Shannon describes the support she has received as “amazing” through every step of the process, from initial training to daily calls after the grand opening. “Everything has been laid out for us by the corporate support team throughout every step of the way,” Shannon describes. “It hasn’t been hard and there’s been no stress with the daily operation of things.”
When asked what the best part of owning an art franchise for kids with Kidcreate Studio was, Shannon responded, “Getting to connect with everybody, especially all the parents and kids!” This is something Shannon and Stephen have gotten to do plenty of as parents and kids have flocked to their studio from all over San Antonio and the surrounding areas. Shannon went on to reflect on the practicality of the Kidcreate model and the fact that it is “easy to sell.” In her own words,
“When you tell parents, ‘Bring your kids here to have fun’ it makes it an easy sell. Parents want their kids to have fun, so it basically sells itself.”
An important part of the Kidcreate business model for Shannon and Stephen was the fact that it allowed for them to work together, something that was ideal for the duo. The two had worked together somewhat in the past within the real estate realm. After having their second child, Shannon was ready for her next career venture, having worked previously on a contractual basis. Stephen had always had an entrepreneurial spirit and suggested they look into franchising. By chance, the duo was making ‘slime’ one day with their daughter and she happened to make a huge mess. They wondered if there was somewhere to go where she could make a mess and not have to worry about it damaging their furniture. Kidcreate Studio was exactly what they were looking for and within a week of finding it online, they were already speaking with a brand representative.
To conclude, the couple reflected on the bright future for their art franchise for kids and their excitement for what’s to come. Already, they’ve experienced a large volume of business from referrals, be it from parents, kids, or the Dunkin’ Donuts across the street! With the end of COVID seemingly in sight, Shannon and Stephen are only expecting these numbers to grow and their Kidcreate Studio to help more and more kids get in touch with their creativity in 2021!
Does Shannon and Stephen’s story resonate with you? We’re currently offering franchising opportunities in select markets across the country. Leave your corporate career behind and get messy today! Visit our franchising site to get started!