Baby yoga classes give farm girl Sam a new bent

From cobnuts to clothing, graphic artist designs a new life. Philip Smith reports.

Sam Petter was fed up with heading off to her Bond Street job as a graphic artist still covered in the muck and grime from her family farm. “I looked at myself and thought I look like a tatty bumpkin,” says Sam.

Which was fortunate. Sam had been looking to develop a business delivering baby yoga classes and was desperate for a catchy name. Tatty Bumpkin it was.

“As well as being a freelance graphic designer I also taught yoga,” says Sam, 43.

“When Oscar (now 6) was born, I wanted to find classes I could take him to that were creative and fun. I couldn’t find any so started my own baby yoga. I had always wanted to run my own business and having a child was the catalyst, really.”

The concept behind the baby classes, which have since been developed with pediatric physiotherapist Sue Cheveley, is to encourage physical expression and help mother and child bond through story-telling and yoga. “It’s developmental,” she says. The classes are now run under franchise across the UK and are accredited as conforming to the national curriculum for under fives.

Today Tatty Bumpkin, which is still based at the family’s organic cobnuts farm in Kent, is looking to turnover £250,000 mainly from the franchising but also through links with holiday operator Tui and a range of organic clothing for toddlers. And there are plans for further growth later this year. “We are aiming to become a lifestyle brand for babies and toddlers.”

“I started the clothing range when organic clothing was in its infancy and there wasn’t anything for toddlers.” Having found a supplier online, the garments are made to Sam’s designs.

“The internet has changed everything. I don’t think I would have been able to do this from home before,” she adds. The range sells in shops, online and via the 14 franchise owners who run Tatty Bumpkin yoga classes.

“It means it’s a dual income opportunity for the franchises, which is pretty unique,” she says. “And we have just launched baby bumpkin and we will soon launch a range of baby wear.

She also has a three year deal with the operator of the First Choice and Thompson brands to train Tui staff to deliver Tatty Bumpkin classes in holiday clubs at resorts overseas. “It’s reciprocal marketing; we are in their brochures and in-flight mags,” she says.

“So far Tatty Bumpkin has been financed by us but to fulfill the potential we do need outside investment.” That potential includes taking the brand to the TV screens.

“We plan to launch on the Yoga Channel in September and we need investment for that. We are looking for quite a lot but we met our MD, Ralph Goodstone, at a Telegraph Business Club event and he’s now helping us to get that investment.”

By Phillip Smith

Expert Views 

Andrew Colwell
Group Marketing Director, B2B Marketing

One of the key challenges facing Sam Petter is how best to communicate the message to a wider audience in order to generate additional online sales.

Three initiatives come to mind, all of which are data related. She must improve data capture on the Tatty Bumpkin website. A simple web form that would allow the site visitor the opportunity to register their details for future correspondence – the creation of this customer database would allow her to develop a cheap effective electronic newsletter channel for products, services, classes and franchises.

With such a strong and positive brand partnership with First Choice and Thompsons, it would be well worth investigating the opportunity of having communication access to this database in advance of the consumer going on holiday. A simple e-shot to explain about the availability of the baby yoga classes on holiday, linking back in to the website would undoubtedly create additional interest.

Finally, before looking outwards to see where the next customers are coming from, look inwards. Identify the profile of your own customers and go to one of the main email data providers with a request for targeted contact data.

Ceri Henfrey
Head of Business Banking, Alliance & Leicester Commercial Bank

Tatty Bumpkin appears to be going from strength to strength. Despite the current economic downturn, many banks are looking to increase their support for businesses and funding is very much available for viable businesses with a clear vision and strong management.

To encourage investment in the form of lending from a bank, Sam will need to ensurethat she has a strong, realistic business plan. Having such a plan is also an opportunity to analyse where Tatty Bumpkin sits within the market place, where it wants to get to, and how it is going to achieve its ambitions. The plan needs to be structured, clear and concise, with all forecasts and projections backed up with relevant supporting commentary on the key ssumptions used.

Sam should also ensure that she joins any local or trade networking organisations, such as Women in Business or the local Chamber of Commerce. This will enable her to learn from other businesses experiences of expansion and generating investment, it may also provide access to individuals or organisations that are keen to invest in innovative businesses such as Tatty Bumpkin.

Catherine Kanji
Head of Customer Propositions, Equanet

To date, Sam Potter appears to have been quite Internet dependent in terms of her IT needs. However, with the growing number of aspects of her business, from the franchises, clothing ranges and the in club resort deal, the need for her to be mobile and to work smarter is more imperative than ever.

Ascertaining the right networking infrastructure for her various business needs is the most important step so she can spend more time focusing on her business and less time on IT concerns. Implementing a server based network will give Sam numerous benefits which are very important to a business which is in its growth stage.

Her CRM capabilities will be stronger as she will be able to build and implement databases, her data will be more secure and better protected and most importantly she will have the benefit of being able to work remotely – which is key for her when it comes to managing the various arms of her business. Once the right IT infrastructure is in place, we would suggest providing her with her own Virtual IT Manager via Equanet’s Remote IT Management Service. The idea is that Sam can spend more time focusing on the needs of her business and less time on the IT needs.”