1. Finding her Purpose

When circumstances change, it often creates an opportunity to take a different path, and this was certainly the case for Jan. Having been a teacher for 20 years, a re-location and new job left her unsatisfied. After a spell at an exam board, being made redundant after three years, Jan realised there was life beyond teaching and decided to work for herself.

“Despite starting out as a music teacher, sport was where my passion really lay”, comments Jan. “When I was made redundant I realised that this was my chance to leave the constraints of teaching behind and do something that I had more control over. I trained as a personal trainer and researched franchises to do with sport, and Premier Educationreally stood out because of the strong connection with schools as well as being sport-based. The more I found out about Premier Education the more confident I felt that I could do it, and that my teaching background would be a huge benefit.”

2. Making the Leap

After going to a Discovery Day, Jan was sold on the idea of running a Premier Education franchise, so bought the business for the Swindon and Faringdon area. “It’s been six years now, and I haven’t looked back! Although it’s been hard work, the transition has been made easier because so many of the skills you have as a teacher are the same ones needed to run our courses. It has definitely felt like a natural progression, but you do have to be prepared to put in a lot of work to start with, and realise that results take time.”

3. Reaping the Rewards

Jan has found the overall experience a positive one, and relishes the change in quality of life, “for me, I knew that I wanted a different kind of lifestyle to teaching. I didn’t want to be tied to the classroom, I wanted to have more control over my working hours, and this is exactly what the franchise has given me. Having the support of a large parent company, but with the freedom to run my franchise in my own way is the ideal balance. I know exactly what makes schools tick so I can speak to them on their level and provide them with the service they want.

“I’d definitely encourage any teachers with a passion for sport looking for a bit more control over their lifestyle to look into becoming a Premier Education franchisee. The great thing is, you’re never on your own; having a network of other franchisees to call upon has been fantastic.“