Propelled into the national spotlight after its memorable appearance on BBC’s Dragons’ Den, Razzamataz Theatre Schools has spent the past 25 years championing entrepreneurship and transforming young lives through performing arts. To celebrate this milestone, the award-winning franchise decided it was time to “pay it forward” by giving an aspiring business owner the chance to build a thriving future of their own. Now, the winners of the Future Founders competition have been revealed, securing not only a Razzamataz franchise, but also a £10,000 grant to supercharge their business journey.
Meet husband and wife team Ben and Rachel who will be launching Razzamataz Burton On Trent in 2026 and hear about their journey so far.
Why did you apply
Rachel: “I had worked as a teacher at Razzamataz Mansfield and Nottingham for several years and I loved it. The ethos is so inclusive, it’s not just about teaching children dancing or singing, it really looks at how we can help develop them as young people.
Ben: “I used to be a performer but when Covid hit, I decided to move into a completely different industry and I’m now an accounts manager. This has taught me so much and given me great leadership skills but I had always wanted to have my own theatre school. Rachel is so positive about Razzamataz and the Future Founders competition was a great chance to get back into the industry I love alongside my current role.”
What research did you do into franchises
Ben: “Although Rachel was very familiar with Razzamataz, we both wanted to look at theatre school franchises to compare. As more of an outsider, I could really see just how much Razzamataz supports students and gave them a place that they could really belong to. It’s not really about ensuring they all go on to perform professionally but giving them the best opportunities to help them grow individually.”
Rachel: “I knew about Razzamataz from a teacher’s perspective but when I looked into other franchises, I was even more impressed with the setup of Razzamataz and the way the territories are split. Speaking to so many existing franchisees and hearing how positive they were about the support, the culture and the network really reassured us that this was the right decision.”
Why did you decide to enter the Future Founders
Ben: “It was simply a great opportunity. We knew we wanted to invest in a Razzamataz franchise from all the prior research we had done. To win a franchise and a budget for marketing would really just the icing on the cake but it also really made us think about being business owners through the in depth application process.”
How did you prepare for the Future Founders
Ben: “We committed to spending a lot of time on the application process taking several weeks to complete it. We knew we had lots to say so during the pitch we wanted to make sure we were fully prepared to give ourselves the best opportunity for success.
Rachel: “We learned so much during the process; not just about the brand but also about ourselves and what we wanted out of being theatre school owners. It really challenged us to think clearly about the time and commitment needed to run a school. By the end of the process, no matter what the outcome of the Future Founders was, we knew we wanted to join the network.”
What was the Pitch process like
Rachel: “We actually really enjoyed the pitch evening. Of course we were very nervous beforehand as we didn’t know what to expect but as soon as it started we were able to get into our stride and talk about our passion for the business, our vision for the future, and why we felt we were the right fit. The panel were really welcoming and encouraging, which helped settle our nerves and made it feel more like a conversation than a pitch. It was clear that they all wanted you to succeed and weren’t trying to catch you out.”
Winning and future plans
Ben: “We were very surprised to have won but of course we were over the moon. It was actually Rachel’s birthday weekend and we were already with family and friends so had a double celebration. We were really proud of ourselves for totally committing to the process and very excited for the future.”
Rachel: “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind since we won but we are very excited to start moving forwards in the process. We have very strong views on how we want the school to be a truly inclusive place that is open to all children, not just those who are the strongest performers. We will be providing top-class training but in a non-competitive way, helping to develop not just confident performers but well-rounded individuals. We also want to focus on the community and provide a service for families too. It’s about ensuring that everyone feels like they are part of something special.”
Onboarding, support and training process
Ben: “It’s been really good; the Head Office team are very responsive. As I’ve not worked for Razzamataz before, they have invited me to several events to understand more about the company including the recent Creative Development Day. I didn’t really know what to expect but came away even more excited to join brand. I’m also attending the West End gala show at the Shaftesbury Theatre to watch the students in action.
Rachel: “We are very excited about the week-long training and are open to learning as much as we can. The support we’ve received already has been fantastic, and we’ve met so many people in the network who have been incredibly welcoming, happy to share their experiences, and generous with their advice. It’s reassuring to feel so supported as we start this journey.”
Advice for the next hopeful Future Founders
Rachel: “Believe in yourself and then just do it. We could have easily talked ourselves out of applying thinking that maybe we weren’t what they were looking for but if you put in the work, then it’s such a great opportunity.”
Ben: “Prep is really key and take your time over the application. Use the time to thoroughly research Razzamataz and to think about what sort of school you would want to build. Razzamataz offer lots of opportunities to connect and find out more through the Creative Development Days and Discovery Dens, which will really help you to discover if you are the right fit.”
A word from the judges
The Future Founders competition was judged by a panel of respected industry experts, each bringing their own entrepreneurial and leadership experience to the table. The panel included Denise Gosney, Founder & Managing Director of Razzamataz Theatre Schools; Hayley Limpkin, Strategic Business Coach and Angel Investor; Ben Ofoedu, British singer-songwriter; and Cheryl White, CEO of leading home care franchise Apollo Care.
Denise Gosney says: “The Future Founders competition was created to uncover people who truly understand what Razzamataz stands for. Ben and Rachel stood out not only for their passion and preparation, but for their shared vision of inclusivity, community and nurturing confident young people. They demonstrated a clear commitment to building a school that puts children and families at the heart of everything they do, and we are incredibly excited to welcome them into the Razzamataz network as franchise owners.”
Join our award-winning networkIf you are curious to find out more, contact our Head Office or book in a Discovery Den: https://www.razzamataz.co.uk/discovery-dens/
