One year after leaving a career in biomedical science and pharmaceuticals, Laura Mullen has built a thriving Basking Babies business in St Albans. With four venues, fully booked classes and demand continuing to rise, she is already preparing to take the business beyond what she can deliver alone.

Ready for a career change that would give her greater flexibility around her family while allowing her to work more closely with people, Laura discovered Basking Babies. Despite having no previous experience in baby massage or business ownership, the established business model and growing franchise network gave her the confidence to take the leap.

“I was ready for a change and Basking Babies provided all the training and support I could need,” said Laura. “It was reassuring to know that was there when you’re starting something new – it made that leap a little bit easier being part of the franchise.”

While delivering classes came naturally to Laura, becoming a business owner brought new responsibilities behind the scenes. From managing accounts to promoting her classes and planning ahead, her first year has also involved developing skills she had never needed in her previous career.

Laura initially launched from one venue but interest quickly led to further locations, and she now operates classes across four venues. With demand established, Laura is now looking to recruit her first instructor. Expanding the team means Laura can increase capacity, while retaining the flexibility that originally attracted her to the franchise brand.

“Growing my business is important but what really matters to me is reaching more families and by investing in team members, I can also still protect the precious time with my own family,” Laura explained.

Word-of-mouth recommendations have become an important source of new business for Laura. As her reputation has grown locally, her courses have regularly reached capacity across all locations.

“I’ve done better than I thought I would in my first year,” said Laura. “I knew what I wanted to achieve but I’ve exceeded all my expectations – I’m really proud of how far the business has come.”