Sep 17, 2021 | Featured
The music-based educator, School of Rock, has recently opened a string of new schools across the U.S. in multiple states.
The Arkansas school will be located at Bentonville Brewery, 901 SW 14th Street, Bentonville, AR 72712 and will be inaugurated with a ceremonial guitar smashing, live music, raffles, giveaways and more as a part of the grand opening of the new location.
The new Arkansas location will be run by Bea Escobar, a mother of two and former corporate professional with 25 years of experience in WalMart’s supplier community. The relaunch of this location will fold both Northwest Arkansas’ School of Rock locations under Escobar’s ownership.
“Owning two School of Rock locations is easily the most rewarding and successful enterprise I have ever been a part of,” said Bea Escobar. “The schools are always full of laughter, music and happiness. This is so much more than just a business to me.”
“Bea Escobar has such a strong motivation for providing students in her community creative and personal development through music education,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. “I know she will go above and beyond in delivering upon our purpose. I am excited to see how this new school will positively impact the lives of its students and the community as a whole.”
The New Jersey school will be located at 152 Franklin Turnpike, Waldwick, New Jersey 07463 and will enjoy a grand opening with live music, free lessons, giveaways and even an instrument petting zoo. This location is owned by Susan Marlett and Kurt Haller. Marlett had worked at this location for 11 years before taking ownership, and is greatly looking forward to imparting musical knowledge to youngsters and adults alike.
“I’ve been a musician my whole life. Early on I discovered the incredible feeling of playing and I knew it would be something I always wanted to do,” said Susan Marlett. “I found a sense of belonging and loved being part of a group. School of Rock combines the best of learning to play music with your friends.”
“Susan Marlett and Kurt Haller are passionate about their community and providing opportunities for students to further their music education,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. “We are delighted to have her lead this franchise and we look forward to the impact she will have on her students.”
The California school will be located at 1345 Newell Ave, Ste C Walnut Creek CA 94596 and will be inaugurated with a grand opening, consisting of live music, free lessons, a prize wheel and a guitar raffle. The California location is owned by Jeremy Fisch, an enthusiastic musician who has been playing in bands and teaching music since he was 15.
“I’ve found that School of Rock’s performance-based group approach is the best way to get a child interested in music and make it stick,” said Jeremy.“I believe the magic of playing music should be accessible to everyone and I can’t wait to show Walnut Creek just how enriching music can be!”
“Jeremy Fisch is passionate about his community and providing opportunities for students to further their music education,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. “We are delighted to have him lead this franchise and we look forward to the impact he will have on his students.”
This marks a busy year for School of Rock and the franchise has expanded into Europe, Africa and even launched a platform for female business leaders to discuss and navigate complex topics.
Aug 19, 2021 | Featured
School of Rock is proud to introduce FrontWomen, a community resource group to support women leaders, educators and professionals. Created by School of Rock Chief Operating Officer, Stacey Ryan, and Directors of Operations, Jill Livick and Nicole Canale, the group serves as a platform to discuss and navigate complex topics regarding women in leadership roles. The company hopes the initiative will include all School of Rock partners and vendors in the coming years.
“Bringing women’s voices to the fore is critical for business success,” said Stacey Ryan, COO of School of Rock. “Stepping into a senior leadership role reinforced a huge opportunity and sense of responsibility to rock the boat and make meaningful change.”
School of Rock employees from all over the world attended the first virtual FrontWomen meeting. The group plans to meet quarterly, with guest speakers in C-level positions already scheduled. A quarterly newsletter is also in the works, which will include resources, websites, businesses, or other women-driven initiatives that the FrontWomen community finds impactful.
“FrontWomen is an important development for School of Rock that will have a profound impact,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. “We are working to empower women on all fronts, including career development, creative expression, and personal well being.”
School of Rock is constantly expanding its diverse curriculum to include additional music by female artists and have written several articles for the website about the powerhouse women of the music industry, including Celebrating Female Artists: Part 1, Celebrating Female Artists: Part 2, and Celebrating Female Artists: Part 3. Additional articles such as “Female Guitarists Everyone Should Know” and “Female Drummers Everyone Should Know” are being published in August and September to continue to showcase the power of women in music.
Aug 10, 2021 | Featured, Franchise News
Live performances, such as this outdoor show at The Club House in Cape Town, South Africa, set School of Rock apart from other music education offerings, say master franchisees Keith Taeuber and Leigh Spaun.
The movie might be 18 years old, but Jack Black’s turn in “School of Rock” still enjoys popularity in South Africa, where a brother-and-sister duo have set out to bring music education to one of the continent’s most populous countries.
“It’s very, very recognizable in South Africa,” said Keith Taeuber of the movie loosely based on the franchise’s founder. “It leaves you with a feel-good vibe and you can’t help wanting to get a piece of that action yourself.”
Taeuber and his sister, Leigh Spaun, opened the first School of Rock in South Africa six years ago, and the success of their location in the Cape Town suburb of Claremont prompted the duo to sign a master franchise agreement to open at least eight new locations across the country. To hear them tell it, though, there’s opportunity for many more.
“Forty locations is the vision,” said Spaun, who added they undertook a market survey before the COVID-19 pandemic and prioritized 14 city center locales within the major cities of Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban. Those cities all have “vastly different demographics,” added Taeuber, and the school’s offerings will reflect that.
South Africa, he continued, “has 11 or 12 official languages, different cultures and sub cultures within those cultures.” Their ability to incorporate what he described as an “African flavor” into the music and performances means their schools can adapt as needed while tapping into the local knowledge of their sub-franchisees.
Taeuber, a self-taught musician who plays bass guitar, saxophone and piano, and who before launching School of Rock was managing a large farming operation in South Africa, said he decided to “follow my heart, follow my passion.” He looked into starting his own music school before discovering the franchise through an internet search.
“We were both ready to skip out of the corporate world,” said Taeuber of he and Spaun, whose career was in media, sales and publishing. “We said, if we opened a rock school in South Africa, what would that look like? And then we discovered the School of Rock model and it was a perfect fit. We saw a massive opportunity.”
During a visit to the corporate office, which at the time was in suburban Chicago, Spaun said she “saw a business that had soul and heart,” and its mission of building confidence and inspiring students resonated with her. “We heard the same sentiment from other franchisees. We met students and parents and heard stories of how literally School of Rock saved their lives,” she said.
When Spaun and Taeuber opened their location in 2015, leasing space within the Standard Bank Galleria next to Cavendish Square, a large shopping center, the concept quickly took off, they said. “Within the first year we recognized we could have more than one location,” said Taeuber.
Then in August 2020 they moved into a larger, more prominent space to accommodate weekly lessons for about 300 students and, once their franchise expansion plans were firmly in place, serve as their South African headquarters. “With COVID, people weren’t willing to go back into a mall setting,” noted Spaun of another reason for the move.
The duo opted to sign a master franchise agreement rather than open more of their own locations because School of Rock is “a very hands-on business,” said Taeuber. “It’s a business that requires personal attention.” He said they’ve been able to demonstrate growth through the pandemic and after—he credited School of Rock’s quick implementation of virtual programs—and pointed out the demand is there from parents looking for activities for their kids. “Parents are keen to find things for their kids that add value,” he said.
South Africa is ripe for School of Rock, say master ‘zees Leigh Spaun and Keith Taeuber.
Read the full article on Franchise Times
Jul 21, 2021 | Franchise News
School of Rock Otay Ranch’s Mark Sheffield was identified by franchise research firm, Franchise Business Review, as being one of 2021’s Franchise Rock Stars.
Sheffield was selected from nearly 25,000 franchisees, representing 224 brands that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research in the past 18 months.
The Franchise Rock Stars recognized were nominated by their franchise brand leadership in one of eight categories as franchisees who set admirable examples when it comes to leadership, business acumen, financial and professional success, and contributing to their community. Categories included: Giving Back, Women, Millennials, Veterans, Family-Owned, “Freshmen”, Top-Performers, and Multi-Unit Owners.
“There are so many success stories out there and thousands of inspiring franchise owners who are living their dreams of business ownership that it was incredibly difficult to narrow down the list,” said Eric Stites, CEO of Franchise Business Review. “In the end, we chose individuals who are exceptional examples of achieving success through the franchise model and exemplify a strong work ethic and a real commitment to their business and community. The franchise owners on this year’s list have shown that with hard work, perseverance and the support of a strong franchise system, anyone can find success, no matter their background or previous experience. We are thrilled to recognize these individuals as Franchise Rock Stars.”
Sheffield, a veteran of the U.S. Navy since soon after graduating college, opened School of Rock Otay Ranch in early 2020 with the goal enriching the lives over 300 students from his community every year.
“For the last 22 years I have had the honor and privilege of wearing my country’s colors and being a part of something that provided a significant and positive, worldwide impact. Now as a School of Rock Franchise Owner,” says Sheffield, “I get to continue providing that positive impact while working for my community here in Chula Vista.”
“The military taught me how to both serve and lead people from all different backgrounds, ages and cultures; how to assemble teams, set goals and achieve them; and it also taught me how to utilize proven systems and processes in reaching that success. Other veterans and I bring this experienced mindset and these soft skills to the business world, allowing us to continue to add value and a positive impact to our country, family and community. And now I get to ROCK while I do it.”
Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of 2021 Franchise Rock Stars.
Jul 21, 2021 | Franchise News
School of Rock was recently named to Franchise Business Review’s second annual “Culture100” list. The list recognizes the top 100 franchise brands in a 2021 report on the Best Franchise Cultures.
Franchise Business Review, a franchise market research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only rankings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. Franchise Business Review publishes its rankings of top franchises in its annual Guide to Today’s Top Franchises, as well as in special interest reports throughout the year that identify the top franchises in specific sectors.
School of Rock was among 224 franchise brands, representing nearly 25,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review’s research on the best franchise cultures. Franchisees were surveyed on 33 benchmark questions about their experience and satisfaction regarding critical areas of their franchise systems. The brands that were selected received the highest overall ratings based on 12 questions specifically focused on leadership, core values, whether they enjoy being part of the organization, and would they recommend their franchise to others.
“The impact of the pandemic this past year on small businesses has put the spotlight on franchise culture more than ever,” said Michelle Rowan, President and COO of Franchise Business Review. “Our research into hundreds of brands really shows which ones held up the best when rated by their franchise owners. The franchise companies that have the honor of being named to our Culture100 list are clearly among the best of the best franchise opportunities.”
Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full list of the 2021 Best Franchise Cultures.
Jul 9, 2021 | Franchise News
Innovative Mobile App Allows Students to Play Together Even When Apart
School of Rock has been recognized with a 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for Most Innovative Use of Customer-Facing Digital Tools for its School of Rock Method App™, powered by MatchMySound™. Announced by Franchise Update Media, the third-annual awards honor industry-disrupting franchisors who have created and implemented the most original, successful, and innovative strategies and tactics to build their brands. School of Rock competed against 100 entrants and received the first-place category ranking for the Products & Services Innovation Awards.
“We are honored to receive a 2021 Franchise Innovation Award for our School of Rock Method App and its role in our patented music education pedagogy,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. “The Method App makes practicing fun, accelerating the pace at which our students can learn songs, develop skills, and take the stage.”
School of Rock’s revolutionary Method App is an invaluable tool for students. It contains all of the exercises from the School of Rock Method Books™, along with transcriptions of more than 1,000 songs. The Method App is used by School of Rock teachers to assign exercises and songs, and to provide feedback and comments. Students can manipulate playback, tempo and backing track audio to help them learn.
Jun 28, 2021 | Franchise News
Forbes writer Gary Drenik recently interviewed Chief Marketing Officer, Elliot Baldini, on how School of Rock pivoted and innovated during 2020 to ensure music education was still accessible to its students and continues to be in the ever-changing atmosphere.
Gary Drenik: School of Rock’s audience was primarily engaged through in-person lessons and events before Covid-19 with the highest level of enrollment in the organization’s history. Can you tell me how School of Rock shifted its operations to keep the company on its growth path?
Elliot Baldini: That’s correct. Our approach to music education revolves around the notion of performance. We believe that students are inspired by their favorite artists—whether seeing them on stage or listening to their records—and have aspirations to play similar styles of music. Our curriculum uses classic songs as the foundation for teaching students musical concepts and techniques. For example, we may teach students how to play a classic rock guitar solo, and then use it to introduce scales and mechanics. We also have support tools such as our proprietary line of music lesson books and an integrated learning app. This patented pedagogy is what we call The School of Rock Method™.
While Covid-19 limited our ability to bring students together in person, we realized our Method could be delivered remotely. The elements and principles could be modified for online learning. We transitioned our 40,000 students to virtual instruction. Weekly in-person, one-on-one instruction shifted to weekly one-on-one virtual lessons. Live in-person performances changed to online collaboration between bandmates to record and produce music. We even developed a technology that allows our students to rehearse and perform together online simultaneously. Within several weeks, we were delivering thousands of online lessons each day around the world.
Read the full Forbes article.
Jun 15, 2021 | Franchise News
School of Rock, continues to expand internationally with the launch of a new master franchise agreement in South Africa. Keith Taeuber and Leigh Spaun, siblings and franchise owners of School of Rock Claremont, in Cape Town, South Africa, will open at least 8 new locations across the country in the next 8 years as master franchisees. The future schools will be based in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Durban.
“When I first learned about School of Rock, I was struck by the franchise’s ability to positively change lives and build ongoing confidence in its students,” said Taeuber. “The school’s performance-based education creates the rock stars of tomorrow while also investing in their personal growth. Leigh and I are very proud to be part of this inspiring international business that is perfectly poised for the South African market.”
There are currently 291 existing School of Rock locations open and operating across 11 countries including the United States, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Peru, Chile, South Africa, Australia, Philippines, Paraguay, and Spain. School of Rock will be opening locations in Taiwan, Ireland, Colombia and Portugal in the coming year.
“School of Rock is thrilled to be increasing our franchise presence in South Africa,” said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. “Leigh and Keith have an incredible passion for music education and students’ personal development, which is why they’ve already had an immense impact on the Claremont community. They’re the perfect partners to lead our expansion throughout the country.”
Jun 14, 2021 | Franchise News
One of School of Rock’s franchisees officially opened the doors to School of Rock Colorado Springs in late April, receiving local news coverage on how they are transforming students into proficient musicians and positively impacting the community. Read more below.
COLORADO SPRINGS — The next generation of local musicians are hard at work and preparing for their next rock show. It’s all happening at the School of Rock in Colorado Springs which had its grand opening in late April.
The School of Rock is one of the newest schools to open in the area, and it works very similar to the popular School of Rock movie starring Jack Black. Aspiring musicians, ages four and up, attend weekly lessons to fine tune their skills, so they can get ready for a live audience at a local venue.
“When people come here and they say ‘hey, is this like the movie?’ I say, absolutely it is,’ said Baylee Parks, studio coordinator and instructor for the school. “We have kids come in, they get to learn rock instruments, and they go out and they put on a show. One of my favorite parts about being an instructor is working with children, and seeing their growth and excitement about music.”
At the performance-based school, instructors teach iconic rock songs to aspiring musicians. First are the one-on-one classes, then come the band rehearsals. Students can learn to play instruments like guitar, bass guitar, keyboard, drums or vocals.
“I think it’s really fun because you get to know people and you get to make friends,” said Sophia Montero, a vocalist who’s nine years old. “Being a vocalist is also fun because you get to be in front of the stage and say ‘hi’ to the audience.”
“To be able to do something that I’m passionate about, with a group of people that are genuinely the nicest people on this planet, is an amazing opportunity,” said Abigail Marsh, a vocalist and guitarist who’s 16 years old. “Honestly, for my first performance here at School of Rock, I was really nervous at first, but the moment that I got on stage, it was an amazing experience and I was really comfortable.”
Students also learn how to perform in front of large crowds at local venues and how to interact with the crowds. Eventually, they would like to have musicians play at Red Rocks Amphitheater.
“We hope School of Rock becomes a household name in Colorado Springs, because we want to be playing at every venue, at every event at every festival,” said Parks. “We’d like for you to eventually always count on seeing School of Rock when you go to an event with your family in Colorado Springs.
The school is open all year-round school. During the summer, there are still opportunities to practice during the summer season, with a show booked in the fall. There are also some week-long summer camps students can attend.
Watch the full news coverage.
Jun 2, 2021 | Franchise News
School of Rock was recently featured in Franchising USA magazine’s June 2021 issue which focused on Children’s Products & Services franchises. The article discusses School of Rock’s commitment to helping aspiring young musicians master skills, unleash creativity, and develop invaluable tools with its revolutionary, performance-based music education method.
Read the full article here.
