This is your Perfect Part-time Business®

Our classes began modestly, meeting just once a week. However, the enthusiasm and demand quickly grew, and now we’re thrilled to offer sessions two days a week in the same venue.This adaptability is a highlight of the franchise model, offering scalability without the imposition of additional franchise fees.

The routine is well-established, with classes conducted efficiently two days a week and administrative tasks managed from home, fitting neatly within school hours. The strategic hiring of a bookings coordinator has further streamlined operations, handling incoming calls and bookings and allowing us to focus on other aspects of the business that can be done flexibly throughout the day or evening. Outside of the class, my main responsibilities include administrative duties, purchasing, and distribution, all of which I can manage remotely.
And for those times when life calls me away, be it to my children’s school events or to visit my family abroad, I have the peace of mind knowing that the classes can continue without interruption as I have the flexibility to hire someone to substitute me to work with the tutor. The storage facility in the venue is an extra bonus to store all the materials needed for the term for an uninterrupted running of the business without my presence.

Moreover, I’ve intentionally scheduled our courses to align with the family calendar, avoiding busy times like the summer holidays. The Seasons term operates for 42 weeks of the year, providing me with 10 weeks of vacation to enjoy summer and the holiday season. This deliberate planning ensures that I can be present for those precious family moments, reinforcing the very essence of what Seasons Art stands for – enriching lives through art while cherishing our loved ones.

Thank you for taking the time to read about my experience. I am proud to be part of a franchise that supports its members in achieving a harmonious work-life balance.

I’ve always been interested in art since my school days but never took it any further, so when I came across The Seasons Art Class, it seemed like a great way to start a business doing something I really enjoyed. As a single mum, I needed to work flexible, part-time hours, so it was ideal for me. I also needed to provide a certain level of income, which I certainly managed to do, and I’m very proud of my business and the success it has achieved over the years.

I’ve pretty much always been self-employed, and before starting with The Seasons Art Class, I was involved in the film and video industry. I was (and still am) a voice-over artist and worked freelance for both QVC and Ideal World as a guest presenter, which was huge fun—not to mention somewhat stressful as all the shows are live!

I think I’m a confident and outgoing person. I really enjoy social events and meeting new people. I enjoy a challenge and the resulting sense of achievement from a job well done. I don’t like to fail at anything! I hope I always give whatever I do my best shot.
Friends and family are hugely important to me. I have two daughters, both of whom are beautiful artists (much more talented than me!). I have a partner who has been a tremendous support over the years—he helps me set up my class every week. He came with me to my Seasons Art Class induction all those years ago and was absolutely invaluable during the pandemic, helping me to understand the technicalities of Zoom, encouraging students to give online classes a try, and showing me how to get my head around technology!
My classes are fun, relaxed, and enjoyable; there’s a warm and welcoming atmosphere with lots of good-natured banter and chit-chat during class. It’s very social, and everyone has a positive attitude towards the class and the projects we cover. I regularly bake for my students; lemon drizzle cake, banana, raisin and cinnamon loaf, and spicy ginger biscuits are among some of the favourites!

I love to see new students evolve and watch their talent develop. It’s extremely satisfying to see people who have never picked up a pencil or paintbrush produce beautiful artwork. I have some students who have been with me since my very first course, and I think people stay because they are doing something they really enjoy. The projects are very varied, with new techniques being introduced all the time, and students make friends with like-minded people.

My tutor, Liz, is very inspirational not only to me but to everyone who is lucky enough to work with her. I have learned so many new techniques over the years from watching Liz teach and demonstrate. She is an absolute star! I’m grateful for the friendships I have formed with my students over the years, and joining The Seasons Art Class franchise was one of the best decisions I have ever made!

I’ve been fortunate to buy a franchise area near to where I live, with my chosen venue being at the heart of that town centre which makes running the business and getting to my art classes a far simpler task.

As a single parent this opportunity has been ideal, allowing me to manage my responsibilities efficiently and effectively. I needed something with good flexibility whilst still being a professionally challenging whilst enjoyable operation to manage, which is exactly what this model provides through;

Hiring the venue only for the hours required, therefore minimising costs and allowing me to be on-site for just two days a week for art classes. All other administrative tasks, such as stock purchasing, and sending out curriculum/sign-up packs, are handled from home. This setup allows me to manage the business around my own schedule and retain that all important work-life balance throughout and outside of term times. I can post welcome packs and materials out when I’m out and about and spend more quality time with my daughter and any other personal commitments.

Enabling callbacks for prospective students via set up of an answer machine, so I can comfortably return calls at a convenient time for me during the day and/or early evening. Seasons also have Booking Managers available to help manage the call-backs and sales enquiries to maintain momentum at all times throughout any given recruitment period.
Comfortably accommodating responsibilities outside of class (administrative, purchasing, distribution etc) which can all be managed flexibly, on-the-go.

A 42 weeks per year business model, which gives me a full 10 weeks off to spend enjoying the summer holidays and taking a full break over the Christmas and New Year period.
Being able to hire someone (if required) to cover my place in the classes and work closely with the tutor, so I’m able to step back when needed or cover for any unavoidable life emergencies. This gives me massive peace of mind, knowing that the business can continue to run seamlessly even if I need to take time off. My venue has a large locked cupboard where all equipment is safely stored away, saving valuable time each week transporting equipment.

The whole operation, and the ongoing success of it is heavily reliant upon great team work, camaraderie, enjoyment and supporting each other to be successful. Even the cleaning of tools and packing away of materials is a team effort! This not only makes the day run more efficiently but also fosters a massive sense of community and shared purpose within the class which resonates with all who take part.

I schedule my courses to avoid the busiest family times, such as summer holidays. This way, I can always be present when my daughter is at home, ensuring that my work doesn’t interfere with really important family moments whilst allowing for being fully focused and committed when I’m working.
Last but not least, another significant advantage of this franchise model is the ability to scale according to demand. Additional sessions can be timetabled in and booked to accommodate more students. Beyond the obvious financial benefits this is a significant driver to building momentum and has the knock on effect of enhancing participation in future courses and attracting new starters. The beauty of this model is that it allows for growth without incurring extra franchise fees, making it a highly efficient and profitable venture with tangible social, community and skills development benefits for all involved, and more importantly – it’s really fun for everyone!