Art Studios offers a suitable setting for discovering the artistic instincts. Créatif was established to bridge the gap within the Art studio industry and widen its appeal to the present generation. Jaya Aiyar envisioned Créatif, when she noticed a lack of Art Studios where individuals could experience Art with friends and family and be inspired by its creative environment.
Jaya focused on building a strong business model with an equal emphasis on the ambiance of the studio. She believes that an aesthetically pleasing environment inspires the best of creative work. Créatif has won several international retail design awards for its one-of-a-kind space.
While founding Créatif, Jaya had intended it to be more than a single studio business. The whole concept was built on the idea of repeatability. In 2018, when the flagship studio was launched it immediately became the disruptor of the traditional art studio experience for the customers. This motivated the team to look into expansion. The initial plan was to invest in corporate locations but that meant to curate a team at each location that would bring the same passion and drive as the core team members. Consequently, franchising became a feasible solution, as each franchisee, is that partner who has the motivation, and passion to serve their community and build the business.
In our conversation with Jaya, she enlightened us about the latest franchise program and how the team is exploring new opportunities amid the pandemic. Here are the snippets,
How will you differentiate Créatif from the competitors?
I believe Créatif’s biggest differentiator is its technology. I’m positive that you will not find another art studio that since its inception, was built on a strong technology foundation. From our customer facing ArtPad app to our StudioManager operations software, our technology beats all competition. We combine 3 high demand markets – family-entertainment, children’s activity, and STEAM learning, whereas our competitors mostly operate in just one of these markets. We’ve dedicated a lot of time in building vendor partnerships, training program and a comprehensive support structure that will help each franchisee through owning and managing their studio.
How did you adjust your business model, amidst the pandemic?
At the studio operation level, we pivoted our business model to start offering online programs and are continuing to build on that as an added revenue stream. With more than 8 different in-studio and online service offerings, our business model has evolved to become more robust and resilient to handle such turbulence.
What measures did you undertake to steer through the challenges?
The shelter-in-place restrictions impacted our studio operations and all in-studio service offerings, but it also opened a new area of business for us in the form of virtual classes and programs. When shelter-in-place got into effect, we were swift to pivot and launch virtual programs and expand on our retail-to-go paint kit selections. We are still continuing to offer all our services virtually and perceive potential in a hybrid in-studio and online model for added revenue in the future.
Was it difficult to launch the franchise program amidst the pandemic?
Our franchise program was already under work in early 2020 and was launched in September last year. The situation was challenging, but it gave us an opportunity to think creatively. Fortunately, we are receiving a lot of interest for our franchising program. Currently, we are evaluating each prospective partner carefully. We are looking for the elites- the very best partners for our initial franchise rollout.
How has the introduction of the franchise program affected your roles and responsibilities?
Since our inception, I’ve been hands-on and involved in every aspect of running and managing the business at our flagship location. Now, with the launch of franchising, I’m actively involved in the franchise award process and in supporting franchisees through all the stages of setup and implementation of their studio location.
What are the benefits that Créatif provides to its partners?
We are a fresh and original concept that is unlike any other family-friendly business. If we compare our aesthetics, wide customer demographics or our service offerings, we are clearly ahead of all our competition, so our partners get to be a part of a successful venture. To top this, we offer a well-designed support infrastructure with comprehensive pre-opening and post-opening help and guidance to our partners.
Being the only disruptive art studio, what are you aspiring for in the Créatif franchises?
I’m confident that Créatif will become a household name across the country very soon. Our unique concept combined with an exceptional business model has gripped the attention of a wide target audience across all regions. We have given people an avenue for social interaction in an inspiring, artistic and upbeat atmosphere and being a part of this positivity is what drives me.
Lastly, considering the current crisis what do you anticipate for the future?
I’m optimistic about our future and the prospect of the industry as a whole. I’m certain that we are heading in the right direction and will soon see ourselves on the other side of the pandemic. We’ve opened our franchising program to partners across more than 30 states, so our reach is far and wide. However, we are going to be meticulous in our choice of partners and will be looking for those who share the same work culture and values as we do, to build a strong, cohesive, and collaborative team.
Read full issue: The 10 Leaders Transforming Franchise Business 2021
