Milton Keynes woman highlights the challenges of turning a face to face business into a virtual one

A woman who runs a business in Milton Keynes has spoken about the challenges she has faced in turning her face to face business into a virtual one during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sophie Lamming, owner of Baby Sensory and Mini Professors Milton Keynes, thought she was going to have close her business when the country went into lockdown on March 23.

She has been running Mini Professors, pre-school science classes, and Baby Sensory, baby development classes, in Milton Keynes for the last five years, and with face to face meetings no longer possible she had to find new ways to provide the service to her customers, she decided to take the classes online.

She said: "When the lockdown hit, we were unable to provide our classes to parents across MK, my business looked like it was going to start to crumble.

"It has been hard work to rewrite the classes to work - but my goodness its been worth it!

"I needed to find a platform that worked for the type of classes we teach, as our classes are about interaction, and a big part of the classes are the social aspect and the routine they provide. Zoom worked for us - and after lots of tech testing - we quickly got off the ground.

"Unfortunately, like many, I had fallen down the crack for any Government help or financial support. For any small business owner these are very very difficult times. To watch everything you've worked for start to slip away was a terrifying thought.

"Bad timing in that I recently went Ltd, and because of this, I would have to lay my company dormant to claim any wage help, which wouldn't work for me - as I need to ensure I have a customer base to come back to when we are able to return to physical classes - so it was important I retained a presence.

"The Government are allowing most self employed to gain 80 per cent of wages and to continue working - but small Ltd companies - you are able to do neither of these - which is very frustrating.

"As I don't have a 'shop front' we are not able to have access to any grants - so I needed to find a way to meet my outgoings (as part of a franchise I still have outgoings to meet and fees to pay) whilst offering brilliant classes to parents of Milton Keynes."

Sophie, who recently had major abdominal surgery, is juggling the online classes with homeschooling her children.

She said: "It has not been easy - I also have young children to home school, but it is a huge amount of fun, and so rewarding.

"Watching the children enjoy science experiments every week, and being part of young babies development, and talking to parents about ideas for play, and running themed weeks for them - I am enjoying facilitating this!

"I also take a lot of pleasure in providing a sense of normality to our parents and children during this time

"My parents are telling me that having these classes provide a routine back into their weeks, provide ideas for the rest of the week at home, and give them much needed interaction during this lonely time.

"We now have a great following for both the programmes in our new @home sessions, and as this may be our new normal for the foreseeable - it was important to me that we got these spot on, and they became a worthwhile lifeline to our parents.

"For any business in MK looking to reform, to find a different way of doing things, I wish you so much luck and support.

"The city needs to support its small businesses during this time to ensure they are able to bounce back when the time is ready for them to return - whenever that may be. I think its the unknown that makes this so hard from a business point of view."

Baby Sensory has themes, songs, development info, puppet shows, physical activities, music and much more for babies. Classes are £20 for a five weekly block, for more information, email: [email protected].

Mini Professors teaches a new topic of science to two to eight-year-olds each week with two experiments, stories and songs each time - parents get a list of things from around the home to have ready and they all do the classes together. Classes are £25 for a five weekly block, for more information, email: [email protected].

Sophie added: "My heart is aching for those affected by COVID-19, I think the teams at Milton Keynes University Hospital are doing an incredible job during such difficult circumstances.

"They really are heroes - as are all of our key workers. Milton Keynes has always been a city I have been proud to live in - and this feeling has heightened during this time.