Lisa Houghton and Tracey Park
By Leigh Hunt • Category: Featured Internet Mumpreneur
Tracey and Lisa have been nominated for this year’s ‘Inspirational Business Mum of the Year Award’ at the 2008 Prowess Award. The ‘Inspirational Business Mum of the Year’ category is being sponsored by Yell.com, the online service from the Yellow Pages.
Mums can enter themselves for the award, or friends and family can make nominations. Tracey and Lisa say they decided to enter the awards because they felt it was important that women in business –particularly mums – are recognised for their contributions.
Lisa (38) is a mum to two girls, Olivia aged eight and four year old Beatrice. Tracey (44) is mum to three girls – Hannah aged 20, Jemima aged 17 and Amelia aged seven.
Both Tracey and Lisa are paediatric speech and language therapists, with over 30 years experience between them.
In 2005, after noticing a decline in the social and communication skills of the general pre-school population, Lisa and Tracey decided to set up Talking Tots. Talking Tots is a pre-school franchise offering classes to help children develop improved communication and pre-literacy skills.
Tracey (left) and Lisa (right) noticed that many pre-school classes focus on music, movement, dance or messy play – but that there was a clear gap in the market for classes that develop the most important skill we ever learn - communication. They worked with early years professionals, such as teachers, educational psychologists, paediatricians and other speech and language therapists while devising their business plan.
Lisa says: “The first classes we started became so popular that we quickly realised we had something that parents were crying out for but that no other pre- school groups were offering. So, we decided to launch Talking Tots to towns throughout the UK, by franchising the business. Talking Tots classes are now running across the country.”
Tracey says: “It was a huge step for us both to give up our salaried careers as speech and language therapists and enter the ‘business world’ but we’re so pleased that we did! We are totally passionate about Talking Tots and have never looked back or regretted our decision to ‘go it alone!’”
Both mums are adamant that their family and friends have been incredibly supportive and say that is absolutely essential to have everyone on board before launching.
Lisa and Tracey’s website:
www.talkingtots.info
Nominations must be submitted before Friday April 11, 2008, at:
www.bizmums.yell.com.
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Leigh Hunt is a proud work at home mum and serial Internet Mumpreneur. She's been running online businesses since 2002 and absolutely LOVES it! She loves it so much that she decided to start this webzine to support other mums (and dads) starting and running businesses online. She has finally embraced her passion!
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i am interested to know more.
Thanks. Yasmin
It is interesting to know that there is some awards for internet mumprenuer. Since it would help mums at home to at least support themselves and also to help other mums to become motivated in entrepreneur and adding more income to there family.