Today we’d like to introduce you to Christine Rupp and Amy Pertl-Clark.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Christine and Amy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
The business idea behind Harmony Natural Learning Center was born ten years ago when Chrissy began to dream about a place for families to learn and grow together during the earliest years of parenting. Following the birth of her first child, Chrissy’s background in child development and parenting education was put to good use as she became even more interested in the adjustment of the family with the birth of a child. She was curious about the pressure that she felt, and that she saw in other new moms, to fill her baby’s days with teaching and learning. Her vision was to help parents ditch this pressure-filled, high-stress landscape of early learning and tap into the value of simple play in it’s most creative and magical form.
After a careful assessment of the franchise options available for children’s play centers, Chrissy’s husband gave her the encouragement she needed to step out in faith and bring her unique vision to life. After a year of planning and construction, the Center opened in the spring of 2010. Amy came onboard at the very beginning as the first employee, interviewed in the midst of construction and painting. We began by offering playgroups for infants, toddlers and preschoolers, where moms and children could play together and meet other families. Our Center was an oasis, unique from any other play place parents had been to. The calm colors and relaxing music set the vibe that we relax, we sit back, we let children do what they do best – play. We taught parents about the value of what their child was doing in his or her play, things that are not immediately obvious. A child pressing beans into his lump of play dough over and over and over again is doing amazing fine motor work. A child who approaches a basket of blocks and builds her tower without anyone giving her the idea is listening to her inner voice of curiosity and wonder. When it falls over 15 times in a row and she keeps at it, she is learning how to manage frustration and persist toward her goal. A child who builds a long, winding track of magnetic rods across the playroom is actually building the foundations of concentration and attention span. We asked parents to trust in the developmental value of their child’s play and gave them permission to sit back and take a breath. And you know what? Parents loved it!
As our Center grew in popularity, we faced a huge decision – do we stay course in a leased retail space where physical growth was impossible or begin to think about relocating to a private property that would allow us to grow our programming in new and dynamic ways? An opportunity presented itself by way of a diamond-in-the-rough property that needed an enormous amount of rehab, building additions and site work, but would allow the growth that we dreamed of, including the development of an outdoor space that would bring play into nature. Even with the thought of town approvals that would require a year to finalize before moving forward on this piece of property; we decided to go for it!
We’re happy to report that eight years after we opened our first set of doors, our Center has grown to include a free baby playtime that is offered to new parents in conjunction with the area’s active mother’s club, playgroups for children 12 months to 3½ years, a transitional toddler and preschool program, birthday parties, a host of parent education workshops for families enrolled at the center, as well as the wider community and private parenting coaching services.
Has it been a smooth road?
Absolutely not! One thing we have learned about business ownership is just how ill-equipped the average small business owner is when it comes to managing the business side of things. Entrepreneurs are passionate about their craft and so they open their own business centered around this passion. Chrissy was passionate and skilled at working with children and families, so she opened a business that would do just that. However, entrepreneurship will quickly teach you can’t do everything on your own. You will need to hire and train excellent people in order to effectively develop your vision, as it’s vital for you to dedicate your time to developing good business systems and practices, learning to effectively market yourself and paying careful attention to business patterns so that you can plan for future growth.
If these components are not quickly and effectively established behind a business, even the best idea will wither and die. Chrissy had to make peace with handing over the front-end service and daily operations to people she trusted as capable. Amy quickly moved from being the first employee to a trusted overseer to our Director of Operations and finally a partner in the company. Her eyes are fully on the daily happenings of the Center, as well as staff training and development. This allows Chrissy to be fully dedicated to the back-end responsibilities which include marketing and long-term business planning.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Harmony Natural Learning Center – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Harmony Natural Learning Center specializes in children. Every good early childhood educator knows that play is the lifeblood of early learning. At Harmony, however, we’ve further recognized that we can be as passionate about that idea as we like, but unless we learn how to educate parents and get them fully equipped and onboard, our effectiveness will be very limited. What makes the Harmony experience different from every other kid’s center and preschool is that you can join the fun with your infant in a parent and child playgroup and grow all the way through preschool. Along the way we help parents “build their village,” take part in engaging classes with their child, build confidence in managing behavior at home and being the best parent they can be.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
We could not dream of a better home for Harmony. Newburyport is a beautiful New England coastal town. It is the perfect backdrop for our message of slowing down and fighting the pressure of more-better-faster. We have connected with an incredible community of young families who are inspired by our approach to early learning and are dedicated to drawing our concepts into the raising of their children at home.
Contact Info:
- Address: 67 Newburyport Tpke Newbury, MA 01951
- Website: www.harmonynlc.com
- Phone: 978255-4865
- Email: chrissy@harmonynlc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/harmonynlc/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HarmonyNLC/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
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