Baby yoga classes give farm girl Sam a new bent

www.homebusinessnetwork.co.uk
12
lssue
'l
July 2OO9
Baby yoga classes give
farm girl Sam a new bent
From cobnuts to clothing, qraphic artist designs a new life. Philip Smifh reports.
Today Tatty Bumpkin, which
is still based at the family's
SAM Petter was fed up with
heading off to her Bond Street
iob as a graphic artist still
covered in the muck and grime
from her farnily farm. "l looked at
myself and thought I look like a
tatty bumpkin," says Sam.
Which was fortunate. Sam had
been looking to develoP a business
delivering baby yoga classes and
was desperate for a catchy name.
Tatty Bumpkin it was.
"As well as being a freelance
graphic designer I also taught
yoga," says Sam, 43.
"When Oscar (now 6) was born,
wanted to find classes I could take
him to that were creative and fun.
coirldn't find any so started my own
baby yoga. I had always wanted to
run my own business and having a
child was the catalyst, really."
The concept behind the babY
classes, which have since been
developed with paediatric
physiotherapist Sue Cheveley, is
to encourage physical expression
and help mother and child bond
through story-telling and yoga.
"lt's developmental," she says.
The classes are now run under
franchise across the UK and are
accredited as conforming to the
nation'al curriculum for under fives.
I
I
"lt means it's a dual income
opportunity for the franchises,
which is pretty unique," she says.
"And we have just launched baby
;
,
organic cobnuts farm in Kent, is
looking to turnover [25O;OO0
mainly f rom the franchising but : bumpkin and we will soon launch
also through links with holiday : a range of baby wear.
She also has a three year deal
operator Tui and a range of
;
organic clothing for toddlers. And with the operator of the First
there are plans for further growth ' Choice and Thompson brands
to train Tui staff to deliver TattY
later this year. "We are aiming
Bumpkin classes in holiday
to become a lifestyle brand for
:
clubs at resorts overseas. "lt's
babies and toddlers:'
reciprocal marketing; we are
in their brochures and in-flight
;
'," fh€ internet has
mags," she says.
"So far Tatty Bumpkin has
changed
financed by us but to fulfil
; been
don't think I would
the potential we do need outside
abte to do this from home
investment." That potential
includes taking the brand to the
before. ;"''
',
:
,
everything.l
be
range
when organic clothing was in its
infancy and there wasn't anything
for toddlers." Having found a
"l started the clothing
supplier online, the garments
are
made to Sam's designs.
"The internet has changed
would
have been able to do this from
home before," she adds. The
range sells in shops, online and
via the 14 franchise owners who
everything. I don't think
run Tatty Bumpkin yoga
I
classes.
',
;
TV screens.
"We plan to launch on the Yoga
Channel in September and we
need investment for that. We are
looking for quite a lot but we met
our MD, Ralph Goodstone, at a
Telegraph Business Club event
and he's now helping us to get
l
that investment."
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