Liz: Leslie, can you tell us a little about yourself and your family please?
Leslie: I am a stay-at-home mom to a 2 1/2 year old boy. I have been married since 1999 to my high-school sweetheart. My work experience includes training and program developer with the Edmonton YMCA and Member Services Director. My business-related passions are training, organization, and team motivation. My personal interests include spending time with family and friends, and eating chocolate!
Liz: Have you had any other home businesses in the past?
Leslie: No, not unless pretending to be a chef in the kitchen with my sister at age 6 counts!
Liz: What caught your interest about the KinderSigns Career Kit? Was it what was included, the website?
Leslie: I chose to join the KinderSigns family for several reasons: it is a complete package - training, certification and business orientation; the program offers support and encouragement along the way; it was a business that I could begin immediately and it was a program I was very familiar with having taken a KinderSigns course in Edmonton before successfully teaching our son to sign.
Liz: Why the interest in a business teaching sign language for babies?
Leslie: This is an easy one! Having seen first-hand the remarkable and unbelievable benefits of teaching my son to sign, I knew I had to share this gift with other parents so they too could enjoy a new level of communication with their baby.
Liz: When did you start your business?
Leslie: December 2004
Liz: Was it hard learning the business? From when you bought the kit, how long until you had opened your doors for business?
Leslie: Not for me! My experience with KinderSigns as a parent made it a breeze to learn the material from an instructor’s point of view. I only really needed to familiarize myself with the “how-tos”. It certainly helped that Diane was always available to answer any and all questions. I found the business information helpful as a guide to generating interest about the program from the public and the media. I started the business in December 2004 and I held my first workshop on February 5th, 2005 .
Liz: What type of results did you get from your classes when you got started?
Leslie: I had a tremendous response when I started advertising. I received a lot of phone calls and emails enquiring into the workshops and the benefits of signing. My first workshop was full in less than 2 weeks after advertising! I was excited to meet families in my community and to share my experiences as a signing parent.
Liz: How did you start to market the business?
Leslie: I immediately used the link provided by KinderSigns to VistaPrint.com to create my business cards, I designed and distributed brochures and I knew a successful business in this day and age had to have a website. So, I began design on that immediately (the KinderSigns business package didn’t include the website option when I signed up). I wanted to be sure my business was presented professionally. I also researched my competition to know what they were doing and/or not doing.
Liz: What did you learn about marketing the business?
Leslie: I realized very quickly that I may know about my business but without any marketing or promotion strategies no one else would know about my business! With media releases, telephone calls, and simply posting flyers and “talking it up” I got a much larger response. I investigated free television appearances and radio talk show spots and made those contacts as well. The two biggest things I learned about marketing the business is that what works one day may not work the next, and the act of marketing your business is on-going.
Liz: What’s the one thing you feel most proud of in regards to the business?
Leslie: I am most proud of myself! I always knew I wanted to start my own business but I just never knew what business I wanted to start. I am proud of my level of commitment to the business, and of my motivation to provide the highest quality of programming that parents and their children deserve. KinderSigns really came along at the right time and place in my life and it was a perfect fit.
Liz: What are some of your tips and suggestions for other moms wanting to start this type of business?
Leslie: My tips to other moms wanting to start this type of business would be to research your target market and set yourself apart from your competition. Talk with your friends and family about your business; you may be pleasantly surprised with some of their ideas! I would also remind fellow and potential mompreneurs that it may take some time for your business to take off, but it will be well worth the time and effort. Remember what your mom always used to say - good things are worth the wait!
Does the idea of working with parents and babies interest you? What if you could start a home business offering a very rewarding service to families?
Due to recent media coverage, parents, and daycare providers are wanting to teach their babies and toddlers baby sign-language. This has created a demand for baby sign language instructors
With the Kindersigns Career Kit, you can learn the signs easily within a few hours and use the materials to market your new business.
What could be better than a business opportunity that is rewarding, interesting, and affordable. If you like, when you purchase this opportunity you will be offered the
opportunity to be given one on one support you can use to make your business a success.
To receive more information for free CLICK HERE!
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