Amy Smart is celebrating the 2nd anniversary of her Basking Babies business but 2026 has been a challenging time for the mum of two. With her father passing away earlier this year, Amy learned that the power of the community she has built through her nurturing baby massage, yoga and wellbeing classes was as healing for her as it is for her clients.
Since launching Basking Babies Colchester in 2024, Amy has rapidly grown her business, expanding into new venues across surrounding villages and growing her instructor team to meet increasing demand from parents seeking connection and reassurance during early motherhood.
Her business now includes classes in multiple locations across the Colchester area, alongside new Bumps & Brunches events designed to bring together expectant mums. Amy has also expanded her team with the addition of new instructor Beth, working alongside existing instructor Holly, allowing the business to reach even more families across the local community.
Alongside her phenomenal business growth, Amy has earned recognition across the wider Basking Babies network, recently being named Franchisee of the Month and consistently ranking among the brand’s top-performing franchisees. She has also been nominated for Most Loved Activity Leader or Business Manager in East England at the What’s On 4 Kids Awards.
But for Amy, the most important part of growing the business has been the relationships formed through the community around her classes.
“I absolutely love seeing mums come into classes as strangers and leave as genuine friends,” said Amy. “Watching them support each other and build real friendships is so special because those connections might never have happened otherwise.”
Following the recent loss of her dad, Amy said the kindness she received from both the parents attending her classes and the wider Basking Babies network reinforced the importance of the communities she helps create.
“The mums in my classes were all so lovely and throughtful, and the Basking Babies head office team were there for me too,” she explained. “It made me realise even more how important these communities are. Sometimes people don’t need fixing or advice, they just need someone to listen and remind them they’re not going through things alone.”
“Amy embodies everything Basking Babies stands for,” said founder Carla Davison. “She leads with warmth, kindness and genuine care for the families she supports, and that naturally creates strong communities around her classes. Watching her continue to grow her business while caring so deeply for local families has been incredibly special.”
