Little Learners Playspace

As we celebrate International Women’s Day we thought we would profile some of our great business women.

In our latest article we spoke to Jemma Ransom who runs Little Learners Playspace in Darlington in County Durham.

Jemma says; “I set up my business in 2016 shortly after my daughter was born. My daughter was very premature and I decided I didn’t want to return to my teaching job but I did want to continue to teach.

Franchise

“Little Learners is a franchise business which specialises in teaching under 5s to write through a unique pre-handwriting programme.

“I instantly loved the concept and the brand and purchased the franchise area for Darlington in November 2016.

Emma gradually built up the business running classes in community centres, church halls and schools until she was running 10 classes per week and employng 2 support staff.

During the first lockdown in 2020 she made the decision that I wanted to take the business to the next level and in September 2020 I opened Little Learners Playspace, her own venue within the Cornmill Shopping Centre in Darlington.

She adds; “This was a massive step for myself and my team and we now run up to 5 classes a day, 6 days per week.

After the success of their first Playspace she is now looking to expand the business further and open a second branch in County Durham.

The business offers educational messy play classes for the under 5s and their families which focus specifically on teaching children how to mark make.

Mark making is a vital skill that children learn on their handwriting journey, and the ambition of her business is to ensure that all children start school with the confidence to hold a pen, and ready to write their first letters and words.

Covid-19

The face to face teaching side of Little Learners Playspace had to close during the three lockdowns of the pandemic.

Jemma says; “This has presented a huge challenge to both myself and my staff. We have pivoted the business to ensure we ate still able to offer a meaningful service to our customers.

“We have increased our online product sales of messy play resources and fine and gross motor skills toys. We have offered ‘Birthday party in a box’ kits including equipment hire. We have also offered online classes through our social media channels.

Business Freedom

Jemma loves the freedom of being her own boss.

“I am a very creative person at heart and the best part of being self employed is that when I have an idea, I can get on with it and make it a reality.

“This is something I found was missing from all of the jobs I had in my teens and 20’s.

So what advice would Jemma give to other business women?

“I think the advice that I would have appreciated when I was starting up my business would be to just do it.

“Alot of budding entrepreneurs, and in particular women looking to make the leap, over think their business idea to the point that it never gets done.

“I think self doubt and pressure from friends and family often scupper really interesting business ideas before they have a chance to get off the ground.

“It’s really important to decide what you want to do with your life rather than what you are supposed to do, and when you’ve discovered that, pursue it relentlessly. After all, Amazon started off in a garage, and Virgin in a teenagers bedroom.

The only difference between Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and everyone else is that they decided their business idea was going to be successful, and never gave up.