Start a Tutu School Franchise in 2024

Franchise 500 Rank: N/R Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $104K - $178K

Units as of 2024: 99 130.2% over 3 years

Genevieve Weeks, the founder of Tutu School, had been performing as a ballet dancer for several years. During her days as a professional ballet dancer, she discovered that the existing dance education was not well-tailored to suit the needs of young children. To solve this problem, she decided to open her ballet dance school. Thus, Tutu School was born.

The company has since expanded to over 40 franchise locations in the U.S. Today, Tutu School is one of the fastest-growing chains of ballet schools for kids. The brand strives to go beyond teaching children fundamental ballet techniques. Children enrolled in Tuto School ballet classes are taken through a ballet storytime curriculum.

An ideal franchisee is an individual who wants to achieve brand growth through a proven business while enjoying independence.

Why You May Want to Start a Tutu School Franchise

Tutu School used franchising to scale its size and provide opportunities for families with children who have an interest in art and dance. Intending to bring a Tutu School location to as many communities as possible, the company enhanced its business model and streamlined the franchise processes to attract more franchisees.

Tutu School may offer an ideal business opportunity for potential franchisees who have a passion for kids and enjoy making a difference in their lives. The company packages these possibilities in a franchise opportunity that gives you freedom in running your own business.

What Might Make Tutu School a Good Choice?

To be part of the Tutu School franchise team, you should make sure you're financially ready for an initial investment made up of a franchise fee and other startup costs. In addition, you should prepare yourself for the existence of ongoing fees that will include advertising, royalty, and potential renewal fees.

Upon entering a franchise agreement, you may get access to the company's extensive support system and registered trademark. With Tutu School, you may not have to go into entrepreneurship alone. The franchisor understands what it takes to grow a business and prides itself on being willing to go the extra mile to ensure that franchisees have all they need to grow their location. The company has already established a loyal customer base over the years, which could save you the hassle of building a customer base from the bottom up.

How To Open a Tutu School Franchise

As you decide if opening a Tutu School franchise is the right move for you, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a Tutu School franchise would do well in your community. While competition is healthy, too much of it may not allow for the most possible growth.

Before making any financial commitment or signing an agreement, you must perform your due diligence and establish if this is the right opportunity for you. As part of your due diligence, you may want to speak to existing franchisees and ask the Tutu School franchising team questions.

Company Overview

About Tutu School

Industry	Children's Businesses
Related Categories	Children's Fitness Programs, Children's Education/Enrichment
Founded	2008
Leadership	Genevieve Weeks, Founder & CEO
Corporate Address	3717 N. Ravenswood, #237 Chicago, IL 60613
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube

Business Overview

Franchising Since	2012 (12 years)
# of employees at HQ	10
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	99 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Tutu School franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$45,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$103,900 - $178,300
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	10% off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	5%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

Third Party Financing	Tutu School has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	10 hours
Classroom Training	22 hours
Ongoing Support	Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Grand Opening Security & Safety Procedures Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Ad Templates Social Media Website Development Email Marketing

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	No
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	2
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes