16th April 2016

Business startup: sales & marketing to baby signing

Today is the second in a series of guest posts about business startup mums – mums who have started a business. This series is designed to inspire other mums thinking about a business startup.

To find all the stories use Business Startup Story in the Categories drop-down.

If you have a business story to share, click here to contact me. I am always delighted to receive guest posts on this subject, 500-800 words. I’d love to hear from you.

From sales & marketing to baby signing

This week’s business startup story is from Shelley Ensor who set up Little Signers Club in 2009.

Tell us about your business

I was fortunate enough to have the support of some like-minded friends and we set up Little Signers Club together at the end of 2009. We officially launched in 2010 and recently celebrated six years of inspirational classes, training and support for parents and early years professionals. [Congratulations Shelley!]

Little Signers Club is a collaborative organisation which focuses on communication development in the Early Years, with baby signing as its central support tool. We provide baby signing classes for children of all ages – and their grown ups! – as well as inspirational Communication Support Training for Early Years practitioners.

We are the only signing company in the UK also accredited as ICAN Tutors. We take our work seriously and the feedback we get is testament to the levels of training, commitment and dedication of our entire team.

I found about signing way back in 2005 – was hooked – and my passion for understanding little people, communication and signing stemmed from that time. I then had babies of my own and experienced the most incredible results of baby signing for myself (despite being called baby signing, it is very definitely NOT just for babies but benefits all children under 5) with children who regularly had 10+ word sentences at age 2. It is an absolute passion that I love to share.

The first signed story to be published!

I am very excited to share that our first signed story is literally just about to come off the press! We first thought about this project back in 2011 – and we are finally there! Our Farmyard Friends is a wonderful ‘rhyme and sign’ adventure for little ones of all ages and is supported with British Sign Language graphics from Cath Smith.

It will be available from April 2016 via littlelearnerbooks.co.uk (introductory offer anybody???). We’ll be developing this line over the next year or so – which will keep me busy and out of mischief for the time being.

What did you do before your business startup?

My pre-children background is in sales and marketing. The skills I learned over the years have come in incredibly handy over the years but there wasn’t a role I was able to go back to after my eldest arrived.

What do you love about your business?

There is so much to love about running my own business. If I had to pick one thing it would be the emails and testimonials we get from parents and professionals about how Little Signers Club has inspired them – and how small changes we have suggested have had a life changing impact on their family or work.

Our strapline is ‘Transforming Childhood’ and I believe, without question, that this is exactly what we do.

What are the challenges?

There never seems to be enough time to achieve all that I’d like to do. I have had to learn patience ( not my strong point), resilience and be 150% committed. I have also had to learn to let go of some areas that didn’t serve us so well graciously as well as to outsource – which can be hard when you have spent a lot of time building and learning to support your business. There comes a time when one pair of hands simply isn’t enough.

What do you wished you’d known at the business startup stage?

You may have seen that graph that pops up in social media from time to time – with the idealised straight line path of how things happen – and then the actual, with a very twisted, winding, dipping, peaking line… I wish I had taken that fully on board before I started! Life happens. Luckily my business is flexible enough and supported enough to adapt around various family circumstances – and for that I am thankful.

One point I think it is worth mentioning is that (the now defunct) Business Link did state that it can take up to two years to become established and profitable. Something to bear in mind if all your plans seem to work against you initially. There is learning in every mistake though and quite often it makes the business stronger and more resiliant in my experience.

Top tips for other mums thinking about a business startup

You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Find something that you love and do it better than anyone else. Taking the plunge can be scary initially but you will soon find the elements that you excel at and can outsource those parts that really don’t hold any joy for you.

Finding someone you can bounce ideas around with highly recommended – and people who will lift you on days when you feel that its not all going quite as you expected.

Remember it can take time to become both successful and profitable but that slow steady steps, regularly, will help you achieve your goals.

Favourite inspirational quote

“Be led by your dreams, not pushed by your problems.” ~unknown

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us most. We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and famous?’ Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that people won’t feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It’s not just in some of us; it’s in all of us. And when we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.” Marianne Williamson

Favourite business book

I like Stephen Covey’s ‘7 Habits of Highly Effective People‘, Chip Conley’s ‘Peak’ and The One Minute Millionaire for practical ideas. Also check out Leonie Dawson for heart based entreprenuerial inspiration.

How do you look after yourself?

Honestly, I don’t do enough of it! Something I am working on this year. But I love being out and about with my small people and our dog; my idea of heaven is a hot chocolate and marshmallows toasted over a fire – preferably on a beach with dear friends.

How can we find out more?

Facebook: www.facebook.com/littlesignersclub

Twitter: www.twitter.com/littlesignerhq

Website: www.littlesignersclub.co.uk

Book website: littlelearnerbooks.co.uk

Thank you Shelley!

If you liked this story, find more by searching on Business Startup Story in the Categories drop-down.

I’d love to share your business story too. Click here to contact me. I am always delighted to receive guest posts on this subject, 500-800 words. Do get in touch because I really would love to hear from you. Don’t be shy – I love reading these stories and other mums do too.