CANTON, Mass. They are good at squeezing every nickel out of the network, and then if we say ouch they get pissed and say we are a handful of complainers. In buying this franchise, I made certain assumptions which in hindsight I probably should not have. Mark Sheffield was nominated by the School of Rock franchise leadership team in the Freshmen category for a 2021 Franchise Rock Star Award. They say they have done extensive research. School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, was recently named a Top Franchise for 2022 by Franchise Business Review. This rating has improved by 2% over the last 12 months. Sterling Partners is aware of Dzanas reckless behavior and chooses to ignore her actions. 70% of employees would recommend working at, According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, School of Rock employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.6 out of 5. CANTON, Mass. Feb. 27, 2023 School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, has been named the Grand Champion of the 2023 Global Franchise Awards, the most prestigious Global Franchise award. Franchise Business Review, a research firm that performs independent surveys of franchisee satisfaction, provides the only ratings of franchises based solely on actual franchisee satisfaction and performance. , March 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Franchise Association (IFA) today named Matias Puga Hamilton , master franchisee of School of Rock in Latin America , as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. School of Rock franchise complaints include lack of support, high management turnover, dictatorial management led by CEO Dzana Homan, poor communication and franchise relations. I was warned by some unhappy franchisees before I decided to move forward. but within minutes owners push out video content and share with other owners for a fraction of the cost. I know enough about running a business and marketing that I am going to be successful despite their lack of support. Were a little short on data, but you can help. My understanding is that the Sterling Partners Board was made aware of these issues as well as others, and they have done nothing about it. "It's incredibly rewarding to be a top 200 franchise for 2022 and to know that franchisee satisfaction in the system is high," said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. The current mindset is that owners are unpaid laborers who should be on call to manage the business at all hours (because you could get a lead at 3 am that you should respond to within 10 minutes), be subjected to the dominance of the operations and leadership group and hold ALL OF THE RISK in the business. 4 min read. Keep them coming. Franchise owners were asked about their brands innovation and creativity as well as their trust in the franchisor, overall satisfaction with the brand, and likelihood to recommend it to others. In answer to the Admin question if we have attempted to communicate this to Sterling, the answer is yes. I believe Ms. Homan tells them we are a handful of disgruntled owners who do not know what we are doing and that her team provides direction that we do not follow. No-Nonsense Hype-Free Franchise Issues & Discussion Site. West Kootenay local governments to receive over $25 million from provincial grant. Coming soon! When I became involved with School of Rock, I purchased two locations. She is also unpleasant in her demeanor and can never accept any faults on her part. 4 company employees have reportedly resigned in recent weeks. I LOVE THE TEACHERS, STAFF, AND STUDENTS HERE!!! Now, that the world is out. The turnover rate is incredibly high. I am on our third billing and scheduling software platform and it is highly inadequate for what the owners need. (Thats 6 days from now.) There is this freedom of determining who you as an individual, CEO Homan stated that she believed communication with and respect for franchisees is critical: One thing that Ive learned is to engage with your franchisees, and be in communication and conversation all the time I came to franchising as a franchisee. Owners got into this to make a positive difference in the lives of others, and many have developed health issues, relationship issues, and have drained retirement savings. School of Rock Franchise Fee. They are the victims. Skillsandtech 2023 Content can not be published without prior approval. The owners continue to ask for meaningful and effective marketing campaigns delivered within enough time to make an impact in their markets but campaigns are typically rolled out late in the game. I make no money, even though my school is busy. This award is given to one winner who has distinguished themselves most in the franchising industry in the opinion of the judges. Its also a part time job so its never been a problem that Im a gigging musician and have to go on tour with my band sometimes. Great community and comfortable and safe environment to work in. They see all this stuff going on and they do nothing about itbut maybe they are in a position of saying well others have raised issues to the Sterling Board and nothing happenedthen why should I?. People are really left to their own devices, which is maybe ok if you are an experienced owner, but it is not really fair to new owners who buy in expecting a formal franchise relationship with best practices around managing a music education business, when there are none. The International Franchise Association (IFA) today named Matias Puga Hamilton, master franchisee of School of Rock in Latin America, as a 2023 Franchisee of the Year. This is not the business that I bought into and has seriously declined within the past 3 years. Despite numerous requests to be given the owners comments and feedback, we have yet to see any of these results. Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, Opens the Fishbowl by Glassdoor site in a new window, with management and customer service backgrounds, i work at the gowanus brooklyn location and our, , enjoy getting to know the students and their families. Many have to work in other jobs or run side businesses to support their School of Rock, and pull very little, if any profit from their school. . It has been that bad for that long. The tone and passion for the organization that once existed, and our purpose are completely gone. 8%. I hope that whoever is in charge this (the SOR Board?) The owners, students, and staff deserve a better leader in corporate. the ideas of their staff and teachers far more than they currently do. "It's gratifying to be ranked among the top 200 franchises once again, said Rob Price, CEO of School of Rock. Students learn theory, practice, and life skills through intensive, but fun preparation for live shows in real venues. She has pushed out every talented corporate staff member, and she only cares about herself. School of Rock franchise disclosure document, 2017 School of Rock Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD), Is Dzana Homan an Abusive CEO? We are sent graphics to use locally. I love that I get to work with kids and share my passion of music with them. Owners are either bullied or ignored, there never seems to be a middle ground. While I love what we do at the school level and feel this is incredibly rewarding, I have no real confidence in the future due to Dzana Homans leadership. Dont understand that connection. This is a great business with great people in the system who want it to be successful. We need more students and our franchisor either has no idea how to do that or chooses not to spend to grow the business. Through the power of music, prospective franchise investors have the ability to positively impact the lives of their students and their community as a whole. The approach is always a defensive one on their part: If you are not doing well its your fault Mr. Talk about a hostile work environment. So it is now a problem for me. One had a mental breakdown and could not function for a year or so. School of Rock Franchise Complaints: Lack of Transparency, Lack of Support. Announces company strategy at first conference as increase top line revenue and increase bottom line revenue. Except that isnt a strategy that is the outcome of a strategy. It is a . My attitude was screw corporate, I do not need them. The turnover of the organization is so frequent that I have no relationship with anyone at Corporate whatsoever anymore. Ms. Homan seems to place little to no importance on the fact that on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the best choice, a good amount of the questions were ranked 5 with some below. I wonder what company is going find her escape story compelling enough to hire her. The post above about Dzanas comments is so distressing, but I can definitely see those words coming out of her mouth, and that mindset has probably has started to permeate some of her staff. It is a big school with more than 3,000 students attending. Management is a bit of a nightmarevery high turnover rate reflects this. School of Rock has the franchise fee of up to $49,500, with total initial investment range of $169,350 to $399,100. Why didnt you tell me she was gay, I could have flirted with her to get what I want Ms. Homan mocking homosexual member of School of rock community. School of Rock, the perfectly pleasant, perfectly innocuous new musical from Andrew Lloyd Webber, Glenn Slater, and Julian Fellowes, is strictly adult contemporary. Just Posted. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if School of Rock is right for you. 188 reviews from School of Rock employees about School of Rock culture, salaries, benefits, work-life balance, management, job security, and more. TAGS: School of Rock, School of Rock franchise, School of Rock franchise opportunity, School of Rock franchise complaints, Sterling Partners, Dzana Homan, CEO Dzana Homan, School of Rock franchise disclosure document, School of Rock FDD, education franchise, education franchise opportunity, education franchise complaints, Paul Green School of Rock Music, unhappy franchisee. Failure to acknowledge owners assoction to have 2 way communications with owners since 2015 the members have created an Independent Franchise Association to try to bridge relationships between owners and corporate and work together to fix problems and grow the business and the brand. School of Rock, the leader in performance-based music education, was recently named a Top Franchise for 2022 by Franchise Business Review. Verify your email to use filters. School of Rockdoesnt ask that its franchisees can play "Sweet Child o Mine" on the bass guitar, but it simply asks for a love of music, and a passion for education. Founded as a single school in Philadelphia, Pa., in 1998, School of Rock has become a rapidly growing international franchise with over 500 schools open and in development across 15 global markets . These 2o20 pandemic obstacles didn't keep principal Dustin Toth from starting a legacy at Rock Hill High School. "Franchisee satisfaction levels hit an all-time high last year despite the pandemic, and we are pleased to report that our 2023 research shows satisfaction has remained sky higha sure indicator that franchisee satisfaction is a top priority for franchise companiesand thats good news for franchise owners and anyone thinking about investing in a franchise," said Michelle Rowan, president & COO of Franchise Business Review. Not a ton of benefits, but it varies by each franchise. It was not disclosed prior to or upon signing our FA that we were required to have performing rights licenses in order to operate our schools. But Dolly Ravage, who runs the club and is the unofficial . Revenue comes from individual and group lessons, branded merchandise, parties and . As an Engineer followed by Management degree,I always knew that Management is something I would rock as my career choice. School of Rock was among over 360 franchise brands, representing nearly 38,000 franchise owners, that participated in Franchise Business Review's research. He currently owns four schools in Latin America : Los Dominicos in Chile , Santiago in Chile , Polanco in Mexico , and Bogot in Colombia ( Colombia ). We have lost VPs of Marketing, COOs, CFOs, and the entire training department, which is now being run by the former IT manager/director. 70% of employees would recommend working at School of Rock to a friend and 57% have a positive outlook for the business. It was not like this when we bought into this business. This is a music education business with no product VP no one in charge of music education, curriculum development or training. Personalities clashed between managers countless times throughout my tenure there, and I firmly believe the School would be twice as successful if the. In return, they incur volumes of stress because a business to consumer model dealing mainly with children comes with a host of complex problems on its own. - Unless you're a GM, it's not a sustainable income by itself. Advertising Fee. Graphics are something I can afford to do myself. In order to have a successful school we had to invest 3-4X what we were quoted. Which is what most of them want to do and why theyre here. So glad she is gone. Visit FranchiseBusinessReview.com to see the full description of the 2022 Top Franchises. The initial investment for a School of Rock franchise is approximately $395,800 $537,400 including a $49,900 franchise fee. Growth with little support and a completely dysfunctional relationship with the CEO. Since 2009, School of Rock has grown its student count from 4,000 to nearly 60,000. Unless you come into this with very deep pockets of cash, no debt, own the building so you do not have to pay rent, you cannot make a profit with less than 150 students. The fact is that you can have many channels of communication set up but if you retaliate against owners who share concerns or who disagree with your approach, there will be no communication, and I think Dzana knows that and has deliberately set it up this way. This is why you dont hire women with kids, children are a weakness.-Ms. Homan when she found out an employee was pregnant and had limited travel ability. I saw 8 instructors quit in a month. She is delusional in thinking that her efforts are contributing to any system growth; corporate schools barely grow year over year, and the franchisee schools are doing double-digit growth. Follow School of Rock on Facebook,TwitterandInstagram. From what I can see in the FDD fees to corporate havent gone down, but perhaps owners are now getting something for their money. We used to work together with corp to fix this stuff but now there is zero concern at the top about franchisees ability to make money. The comment above that outline some of the personal attacks she was purportedly made seems like some inside information for her senior team. School of Rock was among over 300 franchise brands, representing more than . Free ticket! Jul 26, 2021, 10:00 ET. It is also interesting to speak with corp staff off the record as they seem to all be afraid of her and frustrated as well. Flies first class, stays in 5 star hotel, never shows up at school or event. Independent Survey Shows Franchise Owners Are Highly Satisfied with School of Rock's Performance SCHOOL OF ROCK NAMED A 2023 TOP FRANCHISE BY FRANCHISE BUSINESS REVIEW | International Franchise Association The business is super rewarding, but rewarding seldom pays the bills. If our shared brand fund contribution is to be used it should be for something I cannot afford like complete turnkey advertisements that have a consumer message that has been researched and works. We've received complaints about the stability of the School of Rock management team since the appointment of a new CEO in 2014. There is little to no trust in the CEO or the staff due to the constant fear of retaliation. Weve received complaints that the School of Rock franchisor has adopted a condescending, bullying approach to its relationship with its franchisees. In 2018 School of Rock reacquired 21 locations from franchisees and had one closure. It looks like someone else mentioned that there are other franchises who have opted to take their investment money and put it elsewhere. Get that fat Asian bitch out of my school Ms. Homan when she found out that an employee had given her two weeks notice. Having problems? These are two people who work full time in corporate schools as Music Directors. Communication is also poor, as I was never warned when I gained or lost a student. Maybe the business model is flawed? "This is a testament to the dedication of our franchisees and corporate team, who enrich lives through performance-based music education. 6/5/2009. I spent my life savings on this business, and have received nothing in return. Question: Has anyone attempted to communicate these complaints to management at Sterling Partners? The franchisees are left to fend for themselves. They don't tell you that classes are usually 30 or 45mins and that you will have huge holes in your schedule. However, I pay lots of money to corporate and get nothing in return, which eats into my bottom line. Ceases all progress with no alternative plan. School of Rock, a private music school in Midtown Palo Alto, is facing a civil lawsuit stemming from incidents of sexual abuse against a 15-year-old student by one of its instructors in 2017. I would like to see what a franchisee from say Dunkin Donuts gets and what their royalties and brand fund fees get them. All of this happened in front of my eyes. There is little, if any, thought given to financial impact on franchisee of decisions made at corp. Sometimes hours can be inconsistent depending on the amount of students I have on one day. I unfortunately have to agree with everything above. Not sure how they all sleep at night. Ironically, communication and respect for franchisees as business owners are areas where Ms. Homan is drawing fire from some franchisees. We are treated like children, when in fact, the majority of owners within the system have a great deal of experience in the professional realm and that knowledge/experience is wasted and ignored. Former CEO and current owner started his own art school franchise We have a really good GM at our school too and she makes it fun. School of Rock has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 308 reviews left anonymously by employees. I, for one, dont and would welcome a change at the top. We are looking for Value for Fees and to get a solid ROI for our money and time this is a business after all, not a Not For Profit engagement. She mentions her CEO calls. Anyone wanna watch School of Rock with me at 8pm. I have had great success in my market and even recognised by corporate as a big success. Gain experience teaching lessons, the clientele is good, staff is mostly like-minded and it's fun working around music. I wonder if the door hit her in the ass on the way out. Vendor relationships, technology improvements, curriculum enhancements and development, corporate and academic partnerships so many promises and so short on delivery. SNC-Lavalin launches strategic review, tries to put cash-draining contracts behind it . This is the . "We survey franchisees from franchise companies in the marketplace today and identify those with the highest levels of satisfaction and performance in order to educate potential buyers and help them choose which franchise to invest in. School of Rock Franchise Cost. The initial investment for a School of Rock franchise is approximately $395,800 - $537,400 including a $49,900 . We pay very high royalties fees and brand funding fees with little to no national marketing campaign. There are no standard operating procedures, no training manuals, no training department, no curriculum, and no support in regards to operating our business effectively or developing leads. School of Rock. There is a competitive nature of corporate not sharing best practices or knowledge gained from corporate owned schools with franchisees, which was one of the reasons for the organization of the IFA. Best place to work, hands down. School of Rock franchise owners claim that they are threatened and bullied by School of Rock management. The program serves children as young as four years old through grandparents who want to release their inner rock star. It was interesting to receive the email from Dzana touting the facts. Becomes angered in meeting and says I wish I had a little animal that I could squeeze as she crushes paper mimicking killing said animal. Ideal candidates have a net worth of $350,000 , of which $150,000 is . Most days I wish it would just go away and I could close the doors. Each of the 200 Franchisee Satisfaction Award winners on this years list achieved stellar ratings from their franchisees.". Follow School of Rock on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SchoolofRockUSA and on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SchoolofRockUSA. As educators, we're trailblazers with our performance-based model of music instruction. All Rights Reserved. CEO Dzana Homan allegedly dismantled the School of Rock Franchise Advisory Committee (FAC) and refuses to recognize the Independent Franchisee Association (IFA) formed after she took the helm. Fortunately, the majority of owners still have passion and that is what keeps it going.but it doesnt pay the bills. We all need a change of leadership. Section III - Initial franchise fee, royalty fee, marketing fee, and other fees for a School of Rock franchise, based on Items 5 and 6 of the company's 2020 FDD Section IV - Number of franchised and company-owned School of Rock outlets at the start of the year and the end of the year for 2017, 2018, and 2019, based on Item 20 of the . As we look to the future, we are excited to broaden our impact and provide more young people with the opportunity to receive music education and unmatched performance opportunities in this thriving market.". Thursday 5/25/17 - We posted complaints alleging CEO Homan is an abusive CEO who makes racist & discriminatory comments. For more information on School of Rock visit www.SchoolofRock.com or call 866-695-5515. Take 30 seconds to, Feb 11, 2023 - Instrumental Music Teacher, School of Rock has an overall rating of 3.7 out of 5, based on over 308 reviews left anonymously by employees. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a School of Rock business is stated to be $136,850 to $339,100. We are a MUSIC EDUCATION brand. SCHOOL OF ROCK Franchise Complaints. School of Rock was recently named a Top Franchise for 2023 by Franchise Business Review. Why are these business owners not building more SORs if it is such an amazing investment? Not in number of students, but in actually making money. With regards to all the other comments posted here, I have experienced the same. The School of Rock franchise has been in place 15 years and we really get nothing other than them tossing out some PPC that is hit or miss and does not allow us to do what works in our markets without competing against the corp PPC. School of Rock Franchise Opportunity. Shes not pretty enough for LA Ms. Homan regarding coworker. Ive got the FDD. Congratulations to @SchoolofRockUSA for being a top place to work. School of Rock was identified by Franchise Business Review as one of just 100 franchise brands to be named an award-winning franchise in its 2022 report on the Most Innovative Franchises. School of Rock is proud to support Music Will (formerly Little Kids Rock), the National Museum of African American Music (NMAAM), and the Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide (SPTS). The corporate team does a great job of selling franchises with little to no support once opened. SOR has become every other shady franchise that none of us wished to buy into. It's raining (obviously) and on Canal Street storm clouds of another sort are gathering. According to the 2017 FDD, Dzana Homan Chief Executive Officer Ms. Homan became our Chief Executive Officer on June 9, 2014 and is located in El Segundo, California. Please comment below or email us in confirdence at UnhappyFranchisee[at]Gmail.Com. I never forgot how it felt to be a franchisee.. Pros & Cons are excerpts from user reviews.