Even in times of uncertainty and hardship, babyballet® has continued to welcome new franchisees to its ever-growing network. During a difficult period for children’s extracurricular services, the education industry and, most of all, the arts, babyballet has demonstrated that so long as you have passion and the right support, nothing should stand in the way of pursuing your dreams.

This has been made possible for the three newest additions to the babyballet family. Miss Becky, babyballet Crewe, Miss Hollie, babyballet Reading and Henley-on-Thames and Miss Ellie, babyballet Wilmslow and Macclesfield are all at different stages of their babyballet journey. But with the help of a close support network and strong organisation, they continue to prove why joining babyballet is the ideal option for anyone looking to start their own business.

Becky McCosh launched babyballet Crewe in August, following an incredibly difficult period endured as a result of her career in midwifery. The pressures placed on the healthcare industry, amplified by the pandemic, made Becky revise her options as her two children grow up. Missing out on valuable time with her family has never been an option for Becky, but after periods where she might have gone days without seeing her son because of her job, she knew she had to invest in something that would help her become her own boss. And with her daughter, Ava already being a babyballet star, it was an easy decision for Miss Becky when the opportunity was presented to her to take over babyballet Crewe.

Miss Becky believes her long-term future is with babyballet, “The pandemic has really taken a toll on me as a midwife, I love the job but it’s no secret how stressful it has been working in the NHS throughout such a challenging time. In stark contrast, it has been lovely to be a part of a community like babyballet, where everyone has a smile on their face and is enjoying some real quality time with their children. I ultimately want to transition to my babyballet business being my full-time occupation – I’m really motivated to make this work. I used to dance myself, so coming back into this world with my daughter in this way and sharing these experiences is wonderful.

“The support from everyone at babyballet has been amazing. At every stage of the journey so far, I’ve had so much to thank them for, and it has alleviated all of the stresses of launching my own business. From writing my business loan application, to helping deal with the day-to-day operations at my location, everyone at head office has been incredible. And from day one, they really instil the mission and ethos into you, so you feel like you’re a part of the family straight away and you can really get behind everything we do as a community. If you’re thinking about joining babyballet, you should 100% do it. It’s changed my life dramatically! I know in a couple of years I’ll have an amazing work-life balance and I’ll be my own boss. I’m already in a much better position to enjoy my time with my children as they grow up – all because of what babyballet has offered me.”

Just one month later and over 150 miles away from Miss Becky, Miss Hollie launched babyballet Reading and Henley-on-Thames. As well as equipping franchisees with specialist training that enables them to take control of their own work-life balance, babyballet gives professional performers the opportunity to harness their experience to inspire the next generation of performers. With over 80 babyballet franchise businesses running across the country, the network is made up of an eclectic mix of entrepreneurs, performers and artists, all of whom are given the support to reach their full potential and business goals.

“I trained to be a professional Musical Theatre Performer but the industry is competitive and employment is not always consistent. I’ve never been happy working a typical 9-5 job and knew I had to find a career doing something that I was passionate about. Having first been introduced to the world of babyballet as a Saturday teacher two years ago, I knew from the beginning that this was something special. I had to find a way to become a bigger part of it,” explained Miss Hollie.

The babyballet support network not only helps new franchises flourish but allows franchisees and teachers the room to strike a healthy work-life balance. Franchisees are equipped with specific training and resources to help them manage the franchise to suit their own schedules.

“There is so much to learn when setting up a new business that the training is ongoing. But from the initial application back in February all the way to where I am today, I cannot fault the constant support and dedication of everyone associated with the company. Once you know about babyballet, you truly realise it’s so much more than just a dance class! I know I can build a successful career on the foundations of the babyballet brand and support network. I’m grateful every day that I turned my life around and decided to invest in babyballet.”

The newest addition to the babyballet family is Ellie Johnson, who is currently in the process of setting up babyballet Wilmslow and Macclesfield and intends to open her doors to a new cohort of babyballet stars at the beginning of 2022. After finishing her brilliant career dancing on cruise ships in 2016 and subsequently retiring from live performance in 2020 as a result of the pandemic, Ellie became inspired by the prospect of using her knowledge and experience in a more sustainable way. ‘Miss Ellie’ joined babyballet as a teacher in Wilmslow and is now preparing to use her five years of experience with the brand to succeed in her own business.

Miss Ellie said, “Having worked with babyballet for five years now, choosing to invest in my own franchise was an easy decision. I like the idea of having an established brand behind me – from the word go, everyone at head office and in the support network has been amazing. The structure, ethos and mission are all things that mean a lot to babyballet – they’re brilliant aspects of the brand you really become invested in.”

The babyballet programme is designed to fit well within the UK Government’s Early Years Foundation Stage framework, with classes providing the opportunities for babies and children to learn and develop key life skills in a healthy and safe environment. Their pre-written syllabus ensures that teachers don’t have to worry about planning or creating choreography and can focus on doing what they do best – teaching dance.

“Teaching a fantastic syllabus and seeing the rewarding experiences for the families involved are what I love most about babyballet. And since the process of becoming a franchisee has started, I’ve been introduced to the expanded global network and have been able to see just how important babyballet is to people all over the world.

“I can’t fault the experience I’ve had so far. As any business owner finds, I’m sure there will be obstacles along the way, but I know I have the support I need. If you want to run your own business and have a passion for working with kids, babyballet is the place to be!”

For more information on how to become a babyballet franchisee and what’s involved, please click here!