For more than a decade, Grace Cole has been a key part of Monkey Puzzle Day Nurseries’ journey – helping grow the network, support franchisees and create opportunities for people across the business.

Now, one year into her role as Managing Director, Grace reflects on a milestone year of building on those foundations while continuing to focus on what makes Monkey Puzzle special: its people, its partnerships and its commitment to giving children the best possible start in life.

In this anniversary Q&A, Grace shares the experiences that have shaped her leadership approach, the achievements she is most proud of and her vision for the future of Monkey Puzzle.

What has been your biggest achievement during your first year as Managing Director?

Stepping into the role of Managing Director has been a huge personal milestone, but my biggest achievement has really been building on the foundations we’ve created as a brand over the past 12 years. I’m incredibly proud to have played a part in opening more than 80 Monkey Puzzle nurseries, creating over 5,000 childcare places and helping more than 1,500 people find rewarding careers across our network.

This past year has been about taking that experience and investing even more in people, systems and specialist support that help our franchisees succeed. We are committed to giving them the confidence to build exceptional nurseries and sustainable businesses.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned about leadership?

Leadership is never about one person. It’s about surrounding yourself with great people, empowering them and trusting them to do what they do best.

For me, success isn’t measured simply by the number of nurseries we open. It’s about making sure every franchisee, Monkey Puzzle team member and family we serve feels supported. Sustainable growth comes from finding the right balance between expanding the network while protecting the quality, culture and values that have always made Monkey Puzzle special.

What continues to inspire you after 12 months as Managing Director?

The difference we make in all the local communities we operate. Every new nursery means more children receiving exceptional early years education, alongside giving entrepreneurs the means to build successful businesses, creating jobs and achieving ambitions they may never have thought possible.

I’ve been fortunate to support more than 50 franchisees on their Monkey Puzzle journey, with around 60% of them being women. As a working mum myself, I’m especially passionate about creating opportunities for women to thrive while balancing family life. Seeing people develop and succeed is certainly one of the most rewarding and inspiring parts of my role.

How are you supporting franchisees as the early years sector continues to evolve?

Early years education is consistently changing, so it’s important we evolve too. We’ve invested in specialist teams across quality, recruitment, property and much more to give our franchisees the support they need.

We’re also creating more opportunities for our network to collaborate. Our role is to remove as many challenges as possible so they can focus on delivering exceptional childcare while growing their businesses.

What qualities do you look for in a Monkey Puzzle franchisee?

A genuine passion for making a difference. You don’t need an early years background, but you do need strong leadership skills, resilience and a willingness to learn.

We also look for people who value partnership. The strongest franchisees embrace being part of a wider network because they know they don’t have to do everything alone. That’s one of the real strengths of franchising with us.

Being a Monkey Puzzle franchisee is about so much more than spreadsheets and profit margins. We want people who are ready to build a lasting legacy in their community.

What does the future look like for Monkey Puzzle?

I’m incredibly excited about what’s ahead. We want to continue growing while maintaining the quality we’re known for and expect of ourselves.

We’ll keep investing in innovation, specialist support and the systems our franchisees need as the sector continues to evolve. More than anything, we want to empower passionate people to help the next generation thrive.

Interested in building a business that makes a difference? Join the Monkey Puzzle franchise network and become part of a supportive community helping children, families and local communities thrive. Find out more by visiting www.monkeypuzzlenurseryfranchise.com