Lullabyz Nursery
We interviewed the owner and manager of a private nursery based in Newport.
Lullabyz Nursery is a family run day care and wrap around facility based in Newport, south Wales. The nursery was set up by Nicola Reed and her husband Karl in October 2011.
Nicola has always wanted to work with children and own her own nursery. After completing her teaching degree, she spent 5 years teaching in Nottingham. She then returned to Newport and decided it was time to pursue her dream.
Nicola and Karl decided to register as a limited company as soon as they bought the nursery premises. They got advice from Nicola바카라 사이트檚 father, an experienced company director, and an accountant.
Nicola said:
We registered as a limited company straight away. I was advised that would be the safest way to protect the nursery and myself.
The nursery opened in October 2012 and proved to be a fast-growing business. Over the past 6 years, Nicola바카라 사이트檚 team has grown from 5 to 34 members of staff.
Nicola admits that staffing is one of the biggest challenges they face in the business. The recruitment and induction processes play an important part in helping this:
We바카라 사이트檝e taken on a lot of staff since we opened because we had a big growth. We recruit our staff well, we induct them well, and we look after them.
We have a low turnover of staff, which is unusual in this industry. That바카라 사이트檚 because we value them, and they know they바카라 사이트檙e working in a nice setting.
Listen to Nicola discuss how her business has grown, and what advice she바카라 사이트檇 give to others in our .
As well as her role as director and owner, Nicola also manages the nursery and day to day business. Karl, also a director, provides administrative support and they also use an accountant.
Nicola explained:
As a director, I바카라 사이트檓 aware of my responsibilities such as filing our accounts and PSCs. But, we바카라 사이트檙e a busy nursery. My time is taken up looking after the children, so we바카라 사이트檝e got accountants.
So, although we바카라 사이트檙e aware of our responsibilities, they often do a lot of the paperwork and online filing for us.
Nicola바카라 사이트檚 passion for her business and day to day involvement has helped make it a success. She바카라 사이트檚 grown in confidence and although it바카라 사이트檚 very hands on, she finds it suits her family life. By running her own business, it gives her the flexibility to manage her own work-life balance.
Looking back, Nicola admits there are some things she would do differently. But, she바카라 사이트檚 used this experience to drive the business forward:
We바카라 사이트檒l never say we바카라 사이트檙e the finished article, because the nursery is always changing. We바카라 사이트檙e always growing, we바카라 사이트檙e always improving.
There are a lot of things I could have done differently, but everything we바카라 사이트檝e done has got us to where we are now.
Nicola feels people sometimes underestimate the work involved with setting up a business. Her advice is to speak to someone with industry experience first and, above all, have a real love for what you do:
My advice is research, do lots of planning. There바카라 사이트檚 a lot of paperwork and a lot of things you need to keep up to date with.
I would tell anybody, approach with caution. It바카라 사이트檚 hard work and you have to love it. You have to love it to enjoy it.
Read our previous case study on Hard Lines, an independent coffee and vinyl shop.
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