Fast-growing children’s franchise The Rock Project celebrated a high-flying franchisee at its annual conference.
The award, given to south-west based Andy Collins was the first of its kind and came in recognition of the former RAF serviceman’s success in building four schools.
MD of The Rock Project Stuart Wynne said: “Andy was one of the first franchisees to join The Rock Project and he has grown his business systematically over the years.
“He is incredibly organised and has developed a solid franchise with dedicated tutors and a high student retention rate. He’s also a real team player who is always happy to offer advice and support to other franchisees.”
The award comes in a milestone year for The Rock Project, which celebrated both its tenth anniversary and 40th school opening.
Andy, who has schools in Portishead, Ashton, Clevedon and Nailsea described the award a ‘real honour’.
“When I left the RAF, I had considered teaching, but I also wanted to run my own business,” he said. “The Rock Project was the perfect fit for me as it combined the two. It’s incredibly rewarding to watch children develop both as musicians and in confidence, so getting an award as well is the icing on the cake.”
The Rock Project specialises in teaching children to play guitar, bass, drums and sing in small groups before coming together to play as a band.
Having started in North Wales, the franchise now has schools across the UK and this year opened its first franchise in Ireland.
Along with the award, Andy has been promoted to regional manager for the South West to support other franchises in his area.
His advice for others running a children’s franchise is to keep the sessions fun, but keep the business-side organised and professional.
“I have a great team of music tutors, many of them have been with me from the first school,” he said. “The school time is busy, so we meet regularly outside the sessions to share ideas and get to know each other better.
“That time has helped us to work together better and that in turn make sure that our students get the most out of The Rock Project,” he added.
