Andreea Nicu is the Art Innovators franchisee in Milton and Hamilton, Canada. Andreea started her business in Jan. 2011. She busy with a young family and wanted the flexibility of working from home while still being involved with my kids. She bought a Teach Franchise level to start. The investment was lower and now a year later, Andreea has built a solid reputation in her community enjoying a significant amount of repeat customers and referral business.
Tell us about Art Innovators:
Andreea: We offer a drawing base art enrichment program that focuses on building each student's confidence and problem solving skills. Our core program is portable and offered in schools, after hours, as a natural extension of the child’s day. Children thrive in a known environment making it also easy for parents and their busy schedules. Our certified instructors are fully trained in the Art Innovators method; they are professionals following their dreams and love working with children. There is no real estate needed with this business and that is a big savings each month. I keep more of the revenue.
Did you have art, teaching or business experience:
Andreea: No, Art Innovators provides all of the training, materials, and support we need.
What do you love about Art Innovators:
Andreea: What I love about Art Innovators is the philosophy of a non-competitive environment that allows children to feel safe and free to create. Art builds up and solidifies problem solving skills; our teachers guide children through complex projects and teach them how to break it down into small pieces solving one problem at a time. In art there are no mistakes, only opportunities to experience. If children achieve a result different from their expectations, they learn how to work with it. We teach children that you can work around mishaps, learn from them and constantly improve and innovate - an important lesson for life.
What has been the best part about your Art Innovators Experience:
Andreea: We truly believe all children are artists and encourage them to be creative, to express their imagination and to constantly develop their skills. It is wonderful to see how amazed and proud kids are of their own art work. In turn, this boosts their self-esteem and confidence in their abilities artistic or otherwise. We teach them to problem solve, how to use relaxation techniques and we offer them a curriculum that never repeats so students can start with us at age 2 and go through High School and never repeat a piece of curriculum. I rediscovered the artist in me once again and I am investing in the youth in my community. Kids have a natural desire to be creative but, as they grow older, children become more self-conscious, afraid not to fail and most get discouraged, slowly losing their creative spirit and starting to consider themselves not artistic.
Tell us about the deferred payment Art Innovators offers every qualified franchisee:
Andreea: Art Innovators offers us a chance to defer up to $5,000 of the initial franchise fee for 2 years, no interest and no payments. They want me to use that money to help build my business. If in the first two years’ time I build my business to $50,000 a year in revenue, the $5,000 deferred payment is voided. I planned on building bigger than this anyway and I am on track to do this already after just one year. I love this!
Did you have fear about getting into a business?
Andreea: My husband and I came from Romania. We have a strong work ethic and we wanted to build security for our family. We reviewed many businesses and we each bought a franchise. I had some concerns, I think that is normal. The investment was small compared to others we reviewed. We have many revenue streams available to us through Art Innovators and our customers stay with us for years so each new location will give additional long term financial security. Art Innovators manuals, videos, training and support work. I can grow this business. We will play, draw and get creative for many years to come here in Canada!
