Trudy Hindmarsh

Name:

Trudy Hindmarsh

Business:

Stagecoach Darlington

Web site:

www.stagecoach.co.uk

Years in business:

10

Number of businesses:

2

I was a senior teacher in a large primary school in Cleveland when my husband took voluntary redundancy. It was to bolster the family income that inspired me to take on my business, never realising that it would eventually become my full time occupation.

I read about the Stagecoach Theatre Arts franchise in an advert in The Times Educational supplement. The whole concept excited me because I’d seen first- hand the power that the performing arts can have in children’s lives.

I wanted to work with children in ways that we’d done before the National Curriculum came in. I wanted to know that I could make a difference to children’s lives, whilst having financial security and respect for what I did.

I went to visit the head quarters and have never looked back. I borrowed the money I needed from the bank and from family, and I continued to work full time until the business took off enough to convince me that it could support me.

We’re now Stagecoach Theatre Arts in Darlington and Yarm, the largest holding in the Stagecoach network, and we train young people in the performing arts in part time stage schools.

The success of the business has definitely exceeded the expectations I had when we began. We’ve helped Jamie Bell and Zoe Birkett to start their careers; we’ve got an excellent examination record and have given employment to ten people. We’ve even won five awards locally, regionally and nationally.

But the best thing is that I’ve now gained respect for what I do. To have made a shy child confident, and know that I deliver a quality product means that I’m so privileged to have the company and the respect of young people, and I’m really proud of what the business has achieved.

Increasing competition creates constant pressure, but I counteract this by pursuing any value added aspect that I can think of to the service, and give it to my students. I aim to be the best and am not happy with anything less.

I pay attention to detail in the training and in customer service. Marketing methods are ever changing and the end goal therefore must always be referrals by word of mouth, and only quality brings this.

People will be able to see through any sham and gloss, so aim for quality in all that you do. It’s so rare for the public to receive a quality product with quality service that they’ll talk about you when they perceive it. Treasure your reputation.

We’ve had difficulties finding venues and finding the right staff, but again your reputation brings staff to you and retains them, and it also makes potential venues trust you.

Having the business has meant that I’ve had to worry about finance less, I’ve been able to help my children more, and I can plan my future a bit better. On the down side I have little free time, although that’s been a mistake and I should have allowed myself more.

I also should have got some administration help, along with the development of regular financial monitoring, earlier than I actually did.

Don’t be in awe of the business world. Business people are not a special breed; there’s nothing magic that they have that you don’t. Just as in other walks of life, there are the good, the bad, and the ugly.

You just have to be able to live with yourself at the end of the day. Be true to the ethics and ideals that you held before you were seeking a profit, and make sure that stays with you whilst you build up your passion.

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