What's It Like To Be A Toddle About Franchisee

By Ally, owner of Toddle About West Northants

Do you dream of being your own boss and having a better work-life balance? If so, it’s time to turn your dreams into reality, just like Ally did!

I am so glad I took the leap and joined the Toddle About family.

I had the opportunity to be a stay at home mum for 3 years during lockdown and afterwards which was rewarding and truly fantastic to be able to watch my babies grow but I lost myself along the way. My drive and ambition for something just for myself was gone.

I had relied on Toddle About when my eldest was born to find classes and groups in Northants and it was my absolute bible.
I entered all the competitions and found the content so relatable but had never given owning a magazine any real thought at that point.

After weathering the storm of having a baby in lockdown and feeling very isolated again, I had moved to an entirely new county and became a subscriber once again. The magazine helped me navigate some local groups and did really help me to settle again. When the opportunity came up to own my own magazine, something about the timing just felt like it was now or never. Having three young children and a husband with his own skyrocketing career, I had nothing for myself any more, I had just been on various interviews for positions that stated they were 'flexible' and were far from it. I had the necessity to be available for school, nursery and childminder drop offs, sick days (of which there are too many since covid!) school trips, after school clubs, the list was endless. I thought I would never find anything suitable.

I have been with TA for 9 months now and have just completed my third magazine independently. It has given me a purpose outside of my family again. Being able to still be a present parent, attend all the school events and activities but still work and achieve something tangible and meaningful at work is amazing, it's made me proud of myself again, or possibly for the first time really. It is definitely a juggling act until you get in to the swing of things and around deadline time is stressful but so long as you can plan holidays and days off around deadlines, it is such a good job.

You get all of the training you need and so much support from Head Office, which is ongoing from the second you start, so you never feel like you are on your own and know you can reach out at any time.

It sounds cheesy, but Toddle About really is a family in itself. We are such a small team but there is always someone to bounce ideas off of, have a laugh with or rant to if things are tough. Everyone at TA have their own families and are juggling the work life balance but it really is the best place to work.

If you're on the fence, just jump over, we're all in it together and you absolutely won't regret it. It's the best decision I've ever made.

To find out more about starting up your own Toddle About magazine in your area, then visit www.toddleabout.co.uk/magazine/franchise