My Business

I am so excited to be writing this.  I have been getting itchy feet for some time now and wanting to do something more.  I know what you will say to this – “Janette, you have five children, a husband who works shifts so is often not there and a job (which involves working from home as well as going out to work), so why would you want to take more on?”  I guess, it is just something in me that loves a challenge and loves to keep busy. 

In April, I was lucky enough to inherit some money and it got me thinking – I could do one of two things, either put it in the bank in case something happens to the house etc in the future, or, I could use it now.  To be honest, it was a hard decision as we have no savings but I started to look at franchises on the internet.  My search revealed that there are lots of bad ones out there that I could not see making back the money that you pay for them and that want a high annual fee on top.  But, finally, I found one that looked right up my street and for which I had the main skills for already.

Finally, I realized that if I didn’t go for it, then I would regret it.  So I rang up the founder/owner and on discovering that we both have five children, are the same age and love dance, decided that it was meant to be and within 24 hours of this telephone conversation, I had bought a franchise!

So what is this franchise?  It is a company called Lazy Daisy and it provides birthing classes that are different to anything else out there but which fit in perfectly with my beliefs and experience of childbirth.  And of course, I am a bit of an expert in giving birth.  But just having experience isn’t enough as you also need to do 100 hours training to be registered an insured with FEDANT.  So, I am off on two training courses – one in October and one in November.  The training was the only doubt that I had as it means sorting out childcare and possibly even leaving Nathaniel for a few days both times.  I still need to sort this out and also the childcare while I am teaching (due to Laurie working weekends and evenings) but there are options that I am exploring.

For now, I am already impatient and can’t wait to start my new venture.  I have found and booked a venue (well, two if there is the demand) and it is just perfect – very yummy mummy and a popular location for shopping and eating so mums-to-be can combine my lessons with other fun activities.  I have also got a facebook page to begin advertising and hope to start getting business cards and flyers produced over the next two months ready for when I start advertising around Exeter.  My first class will be on the 3^rd of December, which means August/September is the perfect time to target mums due in early 2012.  Not sure if I can wait until then though!!

I can’t ever see the business replacing my teaching as I love teaching children (and like the guaranteed monthly wage) but it will be great to use my teaching skills in a new way and to be able to talk pregnancy and birth as much as I like (while being paid!).  I hope to expand the business into the Daisy Babies in the future though but I feel that this will be another year or two down the line.  For now, I am going to keep busy while on maternity leave and juggle a few more things.


To support my business, go to my facebook page (see link on the left).