Jayne Bull & Victoria Cooper
Jayne Bull and her daughter Vicky Cooper started running their own Baby Sensory business in Stoke in September 2009 and their Baby Development classes have proved to be an instant success.
Prior to starting their Baby Sensory business Jayne was a registered Childminder and Vicky was a Nursery Nurse and both had really enjoyed working with young children. It was the birth of Baby Ethan which prompted Vicky to look for activities she could enjoy with her new son that first brought Baby Sensory to Vicky's attention. There were no Baby Sensory Classes in the immediate areas so Jayne, Vicky and Ethan decided to attend a class in Chester. All three were hooked and Jayne and Vicky had discovered a new business opportunity that they could pursue together.
Baby Sensory Director, Ian Sharland commented, "From their first visit to a Class, Jayne and Vicky showed the decisiveness and sense of purpose that is essential when setting up a business at any time. Jayne and Vicky took their first steps by approaching us in May 2009, at the height of the Credit Crunch, they had completed our entire recruitment procedure within three weeks and set about promoting their classes prior to our training programme in July. They followed every step in our Business Development Plan and it was no surprise to me when they opened their classes, just 6 weeks after training, with over 100 customers signed up."
Why did Jayne and Vicky decide upon a Franchise business?
We had always wanted to work together and we wanted something that was working with babies or small children. There are many activities for toddlers but very little that is designed for newly born babies. We knew that it would be a tremendous amount of work to design a programme of our own and we wanted the support and backup of an established company to guide us through the process of growing our own business.
Why did you choose the Baby Sensory Franchise?
The simple answer is that we visited a class and thought the programme was excellent. In particular:
- the classes were designed specifically for babies;
- the session plans include a wide range of activities for babies;
- every week is different which helps to maintain the interest for parents;
- each session includes an opportunity for parents to meet and socialise.
We also completed an investigation to make sure we were making the right decision. We asked if we could speak to one or two of the existing franchisees and rather than be directed to a specific franchisee, we were encouraged to contact any we wished to. This was reassuring as it proved that Baby Sensory were confident in the service they were providing to all franchisees. The resulting calls were not disappointing.
We also spoke to two of the Baby Sensory Directors, which is a normal part of the Baby Sensory recruitment process. We are happy to say that they are just accessible after the contract was signed.
Have things worked out for you?
As soon as we signed the contract we were given access to a wide catalogue of adverts, marketing material and posters which we could adapt with our own details. Baby Sensory also set up our web page and made sure that it featured highly in relevant Google searches.
For our first week we had over 100 babies signed up for our classes and things have continued to progress far better than we had initially expected. We have now been running for just under 2 months and we now have over 130 attending our classes every week.
Now you have your classes successfully established, what will be your next step?
When we started discussions with Baby Sensory we reserved two territories, one of each of us. The territories are large, each having a population of between 150,000 and 180,000. We have decided that we wish to expand beyond this and have reserved 2 further territories to allow for our growth over the next 12 months. Baby Sensory is also about to launch its new programme for 1 to 3 year olds which we plan to launch this programme in the Stoke area during 2010.
It is great to know that we are in control of our own destinies and we intend to really take full advantage of this fact and to grow a really successful business in North Staffs and South Cheshire.
Elaine Allan
Elaine Allan is a mother of three children, two teenagers and an older son who is in the Royal Navy. She decided to start up her own business in August 2007. Having investigated a number of alternatives, Elaine chose to take on a Baby Sensory franchise and she became the first Baby Sensory franchisee in Edinburgh when her classes opened in October 2007. Elaine now runs successful classes, supports new Baby Sensory franchisees in East Scotland and has just taken on a new Class Leader to help run her classes.
What were you doing before you decided to take on a Baby Sensory franchise?
I had been a midwife for a number of years and whilst I loved working with the parents and babies, I did find it was difficult to reconcile the anti social hours with the demands of bringing up two children on my own.
Why did you consider franchising?
Having worked as a midwife, I was not afraid of hard work and long hours and I loved meeting people. When I decided upon a change of career, I was looking for a job where I was confident my family and I would benefit from the results of my endeavors. I considered setting up my own business but as a single parent, I could not afford to fail. I therefore decided that taking on a franchise where the concept was already working in other areas would be a safer option. I also had very little business experience so I knew that the support of the franchisor would be of great value to me.
Why did you choose the Baby Sensory Franchise?
I wanted to continue working with parents and their young babies and was keen to do something that really helped the parents and babies in my local community. With my experience as a midwife I looked at a range of the available classes and decided that the structure of the Baby Sensory programme was perfect because:
- the classes were designed specifically for babies;
- the session plans included a wide range of activities for babies;
- every week is different to maintain the interest for parents;
- each session includes an opportunity for parents to meet and socialise.
I was also keen to have a job that I could fit in with my home life and Baby Sensory are keen to allow franchisees to maintain a sensible work life balance.
Have things worked out for you?
Following a very challenging first 12 months during which I had to work hard to establish my new business, things are now going really well. I have nearly 200 parents and babies signed up to attend my classes every week, I work closely with the other Baby Sensory class leaders in the area and we are now looking forward to our big Summer Event, Zoo Babies, which will be held at Edinburgh Zoo. This will be a great day out for all of the Baby Sensory customers in Edinburgh where they can bring their babies to special themed Baby Sensory session and then enjoy a day at the zoo with their babies.
How have things worked out with your family?
My youngest son has helped me with the technical aspects of running my own business like using my PC to keep up with the administration. When my daughter is not at school/ college she loves to come along to the classes and help me. My oldest son has been brilliant, providing support and encouragement for me to take this big step and he and his fiancée are always showing a keen interest in how I am getting on. All three children love the fact that I am running my own business and that I am so happy.
The last 18 months have just flown by and I look forward to running the classes every week.
Baby Sensory director Ian Sharland had this to say about how Elaine had managed to run her business as a single parent. "Elaine has been a delight to work with. She is extremely self motivated. She involves her children in what she is doing and they fully support her. She is never short of new ideas to grow her business and the fact that she is a single parent has never had any adverse effect on her ability to run a successful business."
Nina – Career Change
Nina Keane is one of three new Baby Sensory franchisees operating in the West Midlands. Nina runs her classes in Coleshill and Shirley.
Before the birth of her first child in January 2008, Nina had developed a successful career with a leading Information Technology company where she had established herself as an Account Manager for around 40 customers based throughout the UK and Ireland.
What made you change career direction?
"As a new mum I found myself surrounded with mums and young babies and it has been the best time of my life. I have been amazed to see how quickly babies learn and how much they develop in such a short time. I knew I didn't want to go back to full time employment and trying to find the right role, which fits around family life was becoming very hard to find. I heard about Baby Sensory from a friend who had been to the classes in Chester. She described the session with such enthusiasm, soon as I got home I looked for my nearest class. After attending a class and experiencing Baby Sensory myself I knew instantly I wanted to teach Baby Sensory classes in the West Midlands to parents and their babies.
What was it about the classes that made to decide on Baby Sensory?
"First of all the classes were fun for parents as well and babies. Every week is different and the activities include puppet shows, bubbles, bells, musical instruments, fibre optic light shows and much more. I was amazed at how all of the babies were paying such rapt attention to what was going on. I then spoke to the founder Dr Lin Day and heard about the theory and research behind the programme and realised how beneficial the sessions were for the babies. Any time parents spend with their babies in precious but this programme was so well designed that I knew it was the one for me."
Why did you choose a franchise rather than set up your own classes?
"Starting your own business is always risky and with all the talk in the press of recession and Credit Crunch I knew that it would not be easy. I wanted to find a franchise where I got support and help to give me the best possible chance of success. I knew that Baby Sensory was a member of the BFA and therefore committed to providing first class support to its franchisees."
What form does the Baby Sensory support take?
With Baby Sensory I get 40 pre designed lesson plans which means that I do not have to plan what to do each week, it is all done for me and the classes have been successful elsewhere in the UK. The support in setting up my business has also been fantastic. I was given a complete business development plan outlining all the things I needed to do to make my business a success. Baby Sensory is a part of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists' You and Your Family initiative, which means that expectant parents find out about the classes in the booklet distributed to all expectant parents. They have also paid for a stand at the Baby Show at the NEC for the franchisees in the West Midlands at which we will be able to promote our classes. This would have been very expensive for me to do if I had set up my own classes.
How are things going for you so far?
I've now been teaching for five months and I have received an amazing response from health visitors, children centres, NCT, local libraries and parents in my area. My classes are filled with some of the nicest people, I find going to work a pleasure. It really is one of the most rewarding roles. I love going to work!!
Sharon Boyd
Sharon Boyd was one of the first people to take on a Baby Sensory franchise when she started her classes in January 2007. "I attended the classes, run by Baby Sensory founder Dr Lin Day, in Andover with my son Harvey. The classes were always busy and there were new and exciting activities to experience each week. I knew that parents in other areas would enjoy Baby Sensory as much as I did."
Sharon is a qualified massage therapist who had previous experience of running her own business. She runs her Baby Sensory classes in Basingstoke, Hook and Alton and has over 140 parents and babies attending her classes every week.
How do you find running your own business?
"When I first took on total responsibility for the Baby Sensory franchise I was extremely nervous. With a different lesson plan every week there was a lot to learn, particularly given the emphasis Baby Sensory place on the baby development elements of the programme. Each week I had to find time to promote my classes and learn the new lesson plans as well as looking after my own family."
"It is however also extremely rewarding. I love running the classes and parents who attend are always telling me how much they enjoy the activities each week. Now that my business has really taken off I also feel extremely proud of having set up my own successful business."
What impact has the recession had on your business?
"My Baby Sensory business has continued to grow during the recession and most of my classes are full. I get a regular flow of new enquiries and I have opened new classes to cope with this demand. The parents who attend see how the classes help with the development of their babies and they all have a fantastic time. It is just the escape they need from the stresses of bringing up a baby in the current economic climate."
Renee Micklefield
Renee became a Baby Sensory franchisee in October 2008 and she runs her classes in Bexley, Eltham and Sidcup. Prior to joining the Baby Sensory team Renee worked in marketing for a large retail organisation and has BA Hons. in English and Theatre.
Has your franchise been as successful as you expected?
"At the Baby Sensory training programme we were provided with a business planning tool and encouraged to estimate how many parents and babies we expected to have at our classes by the end of the first year. My estimate at that time was that I would have somewhere in the region of 70 at the end of my first three month term and 150 by the end of my first year. I followed the 8-week business development programme provided by Baby Sensory and made sure that I promoted my classes throughout my territory. I had nearly 100 parents and babies signed up before I even ran my first class. The parents who attended my taster sessions and open days loved the Baby Sensory classes and most of them signed up for their first term straight away. When I ran any tasters, at least 80% always signed on – that's led to my classes being full… Now, word of mouth has really worked in my favour and I have new parents contacting me to sign up every day."
After just 4 months Renee has 140 parents and babies signed on for her classes and she has opened additional classes to increase capacity to 180.
Why did you choose a Baby Sensory Franchise?
"I knew that there was a lot of competition in my area for parent and toddler activities but it was lacking in activities designed specifically for parents and babies. In my opinion, many of the activities which are promoted for babies are actually toddler activities which have been slightly adjusted for babies.
I had been to Baby Sensory with my own baby and the main reasons I had enjoyed the Baby Sensory classes were that they were different every week, the range of activities was amazing, there was enough equipment for everyone to join in and the benefits of each development activity were explained to us during the sessions. I spoke to the other parents at the classes and we all agreed that Baby Sensory was the best activity we went to with our babies so the choice was an obvious one.
I chose this franchise over others (I looked at five in total) because of the passion of the founders, the expertise of the Business Directors and because the programme and its activities are based on research! There's a reason for all that we do! I also thought the business model was a very strong one (i.e. a great format of classes and also the set franchise fee vs. percent commission); everything has really been thought through which makes my job easier!"
What support do you get from the Baby Sensory?
"Before I made the decision to buy a Baby Sensory franchise I spoke to several of their franchisees and they all commented on how supportive the Baby Sensory team are. I have not been at all disappointed. In addition to the support I get from Baby Sensory there is a good support network between the franchisees. We are encouraged to network with each other and we often share ideas and experience."
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Award winning Baby Development classes based on 40 themed lesson plans devised by Dr Lin Day. This fast growing franchise business first offered franchises in 2006 and now has classes running in nearly 100 locations throughout the UK and Ireland.
Sector: Children/Play Education
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Baby Sensory
1566 | Baby Sensory
4 Tamworth,
Bracknell,
Berkshire, RG12 0TU
Tel: 01344 412072
www.babysensory.com | Mr Ian Sharland
Tel: 01344 412072
info@babysensory.co.uk |
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