DEA Music & Art INFO
About DEA Music & Art
Dizdari Education Academy, or DEA Music & Art for short, pays homage to the classical training founder Magi Kapllani received as a young child, which allowed her to develop a love of the fine arts before she was even in elementary school. Kapllani’s parents are well-known, classically-trained musicians in Albania, and they established a popular music school and center for culture in the area named DEA Center of the Arts.
In 1999, Kapllani came to the U.S. to attend the piano performance master's program at the University of Illinois and performed all over Chicago. After moving to New York City, she decided to establish her own school where students could receive the absolute best music education possible, like her parents did in Albania.
The first DEA Music & Art studio was established in 2003 in the Rosebank neighborhood of Staten Island to meet the demand from parents who were seeking high-quality music and arts education for their children. DEA Music & Art studios are run by musicians and artists who have dedicated their lives to performing and teaching. In both one-on-one and group lessons, each and every student benefits from tailor-made music and art instruction that is designed to meet their specific aspirations.
In 2011 Kapllani opened a second studio in the Willowbrook area of Staten Island, and in 2016, Kapllani opened a third studio on Page Avenue in the Tottenville section of Staten Island. In 2019, with a dream to help others open their own studio, Kapllani decided to start franchising the DEA Music & Art brand.
Why DEA Music & Art?
DEA Music & Art offers prospective franchisees a simple, semi-absentee business model, recurring revenue opportunities through a reciprocal program structure and an in-demand consumer offering.
As opposed to the usual music schools, DEA Music & Art offers a wide range of programs in music, visual and performing arts, including Pop Idol, Rock Band, Virtuosi, Visual Arts, Chorus, Theatre and individual instrument lessons. Students can also enjoy summer camp and book birthday parties at the studios, which create additional revenue streams for franchisees.
In order to adapt to COVID-19 from a consumer standpoint, DEA Music & Art has implemented virtual classes to provide students with all of the professionalism, opportunities and excellence of the school from the safety of their home. Moving forward, the brand is going to continue offering virtual classes, as it allows enrollment of students from all over the country. In addition to virtual offerings, DEA Music & Art is rolling out micro-schooling programs, which create an increased source of revenue since owners will be opening doors at 8 a.m. versus 3 p.m.
In addition to a diverse curriculum, Kapllani’s classical experience with piano performance is a key differentiator in establishing DEA’s success. Through carefully constructed performing and exhibiting platforms, students learn how to overcome their fear and handle themselves confidently in front of other people. Students achieve public speaking skills, confidence and high self-esteem, which they can utilize to become anything they want to be in life. Students not only learn the foundations of music and arts — they take home experiences and memories that last a lifetime.
Each year, pre-COVID, the students performed as the opening act for the Rockettes Christmas Spectacular™ at the prestigious Radio City Music Hall, sang the national anthem at Madison Square Garden and more. All performances will be held virtually for the time being.
The DEA Music & Art Story
What Makes an Ideal DEA Music & Art Franchisee?
The ideal DEA Music & Art franchisee is someone who is a hard worker and has a passion for teaching children. It doesn’t necessarily need to be someone with a music or art background, as they will not be the teacher, but they should be passionate about what they do. Some owners will act as the General Manager overseeing day-to-day operations, and some will also teach classes and run a variety of programs available.
As of now, DEA Music & Art is primarily targeting New York and New Jersey for franchise growth. Most supplemental education franchises in these areas are sold out, but DEA has unlimited territories available. Looking ahead, Kapllani hopes to have 25 to 30 locations open within the next five years.
Franchisee Training and Support
In terms of support, DEA Music & Art franchisees are going to receive 100 percent of the team’s attention. With the brand’s help in evaluating real estate, franchisees will lease space in a storefront or freestanding center. Once a lease is signed, it can take as few as two to three months to open a location. During this time, franchisees will attend training and start enrollment.
Initial franchise training for DEA Music & Art owners will last five days in one of the studios. Pre-opening training will provide owners and studio managers insight into the day-to-day operations, how to choose the right curriculums and programs from the DEA Music & Art library, marketing tactics for establishing enrollment as well as overall financial and studio management best practices.
There will also be additional in-studio support once the DEA Music & Art center is ready to open and ongoing support as well.
The Numbers
The initial investment to own a DEA Music & Art franchise ranges from $149,433 and $228,133, including the initial franchise fee of $49,000. The total investment necessary to begin operation of a DEA Music & Art Area Development Program is between $164,433 and $255,633, including
the initial franchise fee for the first location and a portion of the initial franchise fees for additional
locations due at signing, of between $64,000 and $76,500.
For more information, please see DEA Music & Art's Franchise Disclosure Document.