Interview with Little Glow Burton & Swadlincote: Sensory Baby Classes with Heart
I love shining a little light on women running brilliant independent businesses, and today I am so pleased to share an interview with the lovely owner of Little Glow Burton & Swadlincote. If you have not come across them before, Little Glow offers magical sensory classes for babies and toddlers; calm, twinkly spaces where little ones can explore and parents can exhale for an hour. As part of my series chatting with inspiring female founders, I wanted to hear more about how these classes began and what they mean to the families who come along each week.
1. Let’s start at the beginning – what inspired you to start your business, and what does it mean to you today?
The reason I started my business, in short, is to spend more time with my babies! I've worked for an estate agents for 12 years, in 2023 I had my third and final baby and the time was nearing to go back to work and I was dreading it. I saw an opportunity to join a franchise offering sensory sessions for babies, where I could take my little one to work, choose my own hours and be there to pick my older two up from school every day all while getting to spend my days with tiny babies and other mummies. I'm so grateful every day that I can call this my "job". It's great to have a job where I feel valued.
2. What’s something you offer or believe in that you think really sets you apart from others in your industry?
Little Glow is different to most other baby groups. Not only is it visually magical, it is completely unstructured so its especially amazing for anxious mums without being made to participate in group activities. It's an hour of complete calm and one on one bonding for baby and mum with the chance to actually sit and chat to other parents for an hour if you want to.
3. Can you share a moment, big or small, that’s stayed with you from your journey so far?
A moment that stayed with me would have to be a simple comment and review from a new mum, who said that the environment I create is so magical and that her nerves went away within minutes of being at her first session, and that she felt like she had known me for years. The fact that I've created a space for new parents to feel like this is something im super proud of.
4. How do your values show up in the way you work or the experience you give your customers?
I value kindness, connection, and just treating people like… people. Parenthood can be overwhelming, so I try to make sure every family feels supported and seen, whether it’s their first class or their tenth. I put a lot of thought into the little details—how the room looks, the sensory play setup, the atmosphere—because I know how much those things can impact how someone feels.
At the end of the day, I just want families to leave feeling a little lighter, a little calmer, and like they’ve had a really lovely moment to connect, with their baby and with themselves.
5. What’s one piece of advice you’d give to someone dreaming of starting their own creative business?
One piece of advice I would give to anyone thinking of starting their own business is, be brave, and beleive in yourself. If you have a passion for what you do then it never feels like work. Also, let your customers see the face behind the business, people love to buy from people they feel they know and trust.
So beautiful, thank you so much for sharing Laura! You can find Mr & Missive online here and on Instagram here.