Ruth Morris, owner of The Creation Station Aberdeen and winner of the Best New Franchisee 2014, shares her story of her first year running her own successful business.
Running my own Creation Station franchise fills me with confidence, excitement, ambition and satisfaction.
What began as an ambition to launch a small, flexible family-friendly initiative has become in only ten months an all-encompassing roller-coaster of ever increasing highlights.
I was seeking a new direction far flung from the local authority environment I was engaged in. Whilst in employment my children were in wrap around childcare for a decade and for me personally the financial rewards could never compensate for me not having time with my children.
Running my own Creation Station franchise has provided me with the opportunity to have the flexibility I want, to work with children and support families and to be creative, as well as being my own boss an benefiting from my own hard work.
I was awarded my Creation Station franchise in March 2013 and immediately began marketing and securing my first venues. Within a couple of weeks of completing training I delivered eight Easter launch events and as word spread I launched with six weekly Little Explorer and Baby Discover classes. Word kept spreading! So during the summer I provided forty four Family Fun holiday sessions, leading to the launch of a further three new classes in my second term. In the nine months from April-December 2013 I provided 252 classes for 2,474 individual child spaces, far exceeding all my expectations.
In terms of business growth I dreamed of working with 50 children weekly by my first summer, I imagined 75 children in my second term and believed it was pie in the sky to support 100 children in my third term. However the actuals have been much higher than my initial business plan. In January 2014 I was ecstatic to book 110 spaces in advance of classes, realising that dreams can really come true.
From the moment I was awarded my franchise I have marketed my business, implementing the top tips and ideas from Head office and the network as a whole. This includes Facebook, leaflets, posters and launch events, but the most powerful tool has been word of mouth recommendations. I encourage my families to share their experiences. Their enthusiasm is building my business, fueling my vision for the future and confirming every day that I have best career in the world as I‘m helping to inspire children’s imaginations and running my own successful creative business.
But what about my work/life balance? Have I lost sight of my original drive to seek a new better path? Far from it. In those first nine months I enjoyed three months of holidays, relished an entire summer with my children, and developed new friendships for whom I previously overlooked, moved home and used my earnings to furnish our new farmhouse. I have held my daughter’s hand as she started school and have stood in the playground when the bell rings at 3:15 every day. And all of this only possible because of my Creation Station franchise.
The future is rosy; I am recruiting party and seasonal staff, developing new venues, building partnerships & engaging with charities. Running my own Creation Station franchise fills me with confidence, excitement, ambition and satisfaction. Every goal I set and achieve reinforces my growing retaliation I am a professional, creative businesswoman capable of having the ultimate career whilst providing a loving & secure family life for those most important to me; Lexie, 5, Connor 11 and my biggest supporter, my husband Steve.
Katie is running her Creation Station classes in Renfrewshire as she wanted to improve her quality of life.
Lyn's award-winning arts & craft classes are sparking curiosity in Watford and Rickmansworth!
Deirdre has recently joined The Creation Station and now runs art and craft classes for all ages in Chesterfield.
Meet Tracy the new 'Head Of Inspiration' at The Creation Station Yarm.
Reshma was a chartered accountant who had a dream of being self-employed so she started a Creation Station franchise in Eastbourne.
Hayley's passion to achieve a flexible work balance and encourage children to ask questions and solve problems creatively has led her to an exciting new career!
Eleanor runs successful, award-winning, classes for all ages in Norwich, Great Yarmouth, Stalham and Wroxham.
Sarah Dunn runs successful, award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events for all ages in Barnsley, South Yorkshire.
Claire Darnley runs 5* award-winning creative art and craft classes in Halesowen, Birmingham.
Jo runs award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events for all ages in Lancaster and Kendal.
Jen runs award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events for all ages in Hove, East Sussex.
Abby Newall runs award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events for all ages in Chichester and Arundel.
Louise was looking for a new challenge and the freedom that flexibility could bring to her working life.
Sarah is inspiring the children and adults of Bury North with classes, parties, events, and more!
Sharon Keirle runs award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events for all ages in Cranbrook, Dawlish, Topsham and Exminster areas.
Jann Thorpe runs award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events for all ages in the Macclesfield area.
Chantal Craig runs her Creation Station franchise providing creative workshops for adults, kids classes, parties and events to Hitchin, Letchworth and Stotfold.
Claire Lyon is making Doncaster super sparkly with her award winning creative workshops.
Vanessa Whitehouse is making a difference with award winning Creation Station workshops.
Kate Knubley is running award-winning Creation Station art and craft classes in Wimborne, Verwood and Broadstone.
Emma Winterbourne now runs her own award-winning Creation Station franchise in Thame & West Aylesbury.
Vicky Whitwell is running award-winning, fun, creative art and craft classes, after-school clubs, parties and events in the Coventry West area.
Emma McCalla-John invested her twenty years of expertise in teaching music into her dream of being her own boss.
Lisa Hagg tells us about her six years with her Creation Station franchise and her highlights from 2016 so far.
Find out how Cathy Huston changed career and now runs her own Creation Station business in Preston.
Sarah Cressall talks about the opportunities that The Creation Station has to offer.
Sara le Roux gives 10 insider tips that you need to know about running a franchise!
Shobhana Sankar inspires imaginations with The Creation Station in Surrey.
Tracy Hull who runs her Creation Station business in Basingstoke says "I live being a role model to my children.....".
Kirsty Hickson says that running her own successful Creation Station business has been the making of her.
Sarah Finan has taken control of her working life and now inspires children's imaginations with her own Creation Station business.
Liz Cairns passes on her reasons for joing the The Creation Station.
Karen Carnsen says that The Creation Station has given her the confidence to be her own boss and she is very positive about the future.
I wanted to have the freedom of choosing my work hours to fit around family life. I knew I wanted to work with children and be my own boss.
Running my own franchise with a nationwide brand that shared my family and personal values was the obvious choice for me.
Jackie wanted to ensure she had time with her pre-school children but wanted to steadily build a rewarding business that could grow further when they started school.
Lavinia decided she didn’t want to work for someone else but didn’t want to start a business from scratch.
Lucy wanted to give something back to her community and found the values of The Creation Station could help her achieve a fulfilling and rewarding business opportunity.
Following the birth of her twins, Hayley Sugden wanted to go back to work and The Creation Station franchise provided everything she wanted.
I invested in my Creation Station franchise just over a year ago and haven't looked back since!Sara La Roux
I've bought my franchise from a lady, who has been running it for 18 month at the time and I am now in my 3rd year and am LOVING it!Alexia Ispani
I have been running my Creation Station franchise since March 2013 and I can honestly say they have been the most fun filled happy months in employment I have ever had.Kirsty Hickson
Perfectly designed for a Mum who wants a family friendly financially rewarding future.
You can run your own flexible business and help inspire children's imaginations with the UK’s leading art & crafts activity company, Us!