"My pride is that I have been able to create a place where people also feel like coming to work and staying on."
Revathy Menon
10 October 2024
Celebrate the Little Victories
When I pull up into the little parking lot outside The Little Gym in Bertrange, I am hit by a strong whiff of nostalgia. Memories of my (now teen) kids as toddlers, squealing and bouncing out of the car in utter delight. Truth is I have never been to The Little Gym or Zig Zag without a kid in tow and it felt strange. But today I was here, not to entertain my boys in ball pits and on climbing frames but to talk to the person who gave us parents this wonderful happy haven in Luxembourg. Stéphanie Vanhove has been, among other things, operating the twin establishments of The Little Gym and Zig Zag – the first, one of Europe’s early Little Gym franchises and the second, one of Luxembourg’s early indoor kids’ play areas of its kind - for nearly two decades now. I was very excited to meet her and know what made her tick.
A warm welcome and cool glass of water later, I was settled comfortably in a cosy little office room with Stéphanie. Here we began talking. I thought, like with every good story it would be best to start at the very beginning.
Le hasard de la vie – (Happy) accidents of life
“I was always a pretty good little soldier,” says Stéphanie of herself. “I always did what I had to do to comply. I studied business, worked in audit. But my work was not filling me completely. It was a good job, I met extraordinary people through it. But when I had my first child (which was 20 plus years ago) I realized that I wanted something more from my work than just a salary or some intellectual challenge. I wanted to add something to people’s lives. But in audit, as you know, it’s about figures all the time.”
In English we say ‘as chance would have it’ when talking of those perfect coincidences that help move your story along in the direction you like. In French there is a lovely little phase that Stéphanie used that day to describe such a coincidence in her life - ‘le hasard de la vie’. The happenstance that brought her one step closer to what she was searching for was a conversation with her friend from university days. “She had also changed careers at the time,” Stéphanie recalls. “We were talking about it and she told me of her friend who started a business in Waterloo, Belgium. It was called ‘The Little Gym’ and it was the first franchise for the company in Europe.” The idea stayed with Stéphanie and when her husband gently encouraged her to look into the proposal that she decided to give them a call. “I went to see them, and my eyes sparkled. It was a wonderful concept, a place where parents could just stop and dedicate themselves to their children. The energy, the vibes that I felt there were so good. I knew immediately, I want this to be my job.”
“I love action, maybe too much.”
I was still on parental leave at the time, leaving my job and joining Little Gym was a process. I could either be an employee at Little Gym or I could buy a franchise, take a risk myself.” Stéphanie decided to go for it and run the franchise here in Luxembourg. But as she recalls, “At that time, in 2001 the bubble had just burst and no one was lending. I was lucky to have found support from family for the initial sums that I needed. This helped me go ahead and buy the franchise, start a business.”
“I love action,” says Stéphanie. “Maybe too much,” she adds with a smile. “My older kids may say that I have not been around much. In the first years it was a full-time – 65 hours-a-week job. But I did not regret a second. I have been lucky to have a very good team. In fact, the team that I have now, has been with me for many years – some as long as 10 and 13 years. When I visited the other franchises, I realized that what made us different was that we keep our staff. My pride is that I have been able to create a place where people also feel like coming to work and staying on. My staff believe in what they do and have a passion for working with children.”
Catalysts along the way
The best ideas we know need your courage and the encouragement of others. Stéphanie credits her landlord Mr. Federspiel, who also owns the long-standing heating and plumbing company next door with giving her the impetus to keep going. “I was a 26-year-old woman, new to business too, looking for a place to set up,” she recalls, “and many landlords turned me away because they were not so sure I knew what I was doing. But Mr. Federspiel had faith in me and gave me this space. And when he saw that we were a success, it was he who came knocking at my door to tell me that the space next to me (which he also owned was vacant). He asked me if I wanted to take it too. I told him I had an idea for an indoor play area for children – but none here in Luxembourg. But I wasn’t ready to start one yet. He went away that day telling me that it was a great idea, but a shame I didn’t want to do it. That was all I thought of that, until sometime later he was back to tell me that someone had come to him to take that place with the same idea, so was I sure I didn’t want to go ahead and take the place for myself. And that was all the push I needed to start Zig Zag!”
Doni Doni – A natural path forward
“On the way I got interested in Montessori and trained myself in the method,” says Stephanie as she begins to tell me about Doni Doni and the school that she was instrumental in starting 4 years ago. “It was a natural path, having worked with and for children for many years, I realized that education comes first and that is where you can make a difference. Doni Doni was basically Montessori workshops for families.” Soon, the community of parents that came together as a result of these workshops expressed an interest in having a Montessori school. After talks and presentations enough support was gathered. “We met a lady who owned a farm in Hobscheid and was already offering activities for children there, and that became the place for the school.”
The life of an entrepreneur – finding a balance
“At the time I started, the gender did not help.” Stéphanie says pausing to think for a bit about my question on whether being a woman and an entrepreneur had its own challenges. “But still, I don’t feel like a “woman” entrepreneur - just an entrepreneur. What has been difficult has been keeping a balance between my commitment to my companies and my family. As an employee, before I started out on my own, it was already challenging. Now even more. If you are dedicated to what you do, you have to make space and time for your work which is then taken away from the time you give your family. It’s a tradeoff.”
“The biggest challenge, though, for a long time was the guilt. But with age or experience now I can put the guilt aside. Instead, I have transformed it into the will to take time for what I need. Along the way, at some point, I realized that I was not listening to what my needs were. As I said, I was always a good soldier and did everything I needed to do for the team, for the business, for the family. But I would never as myself ‘what do you want?’ That is what I do now – I take time for myself – to meditate, spend time with my friends, walks in the forest, time just for me without the kids.”
Mantras for success
After having successfully sustained and grown her businesses for so many years in Luxembourg, I was sure Stéphanie had gained insights that would be invaluable for other up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“I have never really taken a step back to think about this but give me a moment and I will tell you,” she said with characteristic modesty. But I had seen a sparkle in her when she spoke about Little Gym, Zig Zag, her team, her family and making a difference to the lives of parents and young children alike. The passion ran deep and I didn’t have to wait long before she shared with me some gems of wisdom that I had already observed shining in her.
“For me the first thing is whatever you do, do it with all your heart. Don’t give up, and don’t let the 5% of criticism and pessimistic negativity come in the way of the 95% of satisfaction that you can provide your clients.
“What has helped me and given me stability was also my policy of honesty. Be honest and forthright with your members, your clients and your team.”
“Foster an environment of team spirit and build relationships so that your staff enjoys coming to work, they become like an extended family to you and each other.”
“Celebrate all your victories, even your littlest ones. As women and moms with full-time jobs outside home, we always give more than a 100% to everything we do. We must stop to pat ourselves on the back every now and then. You can be proud of yourself. This is what we tell our kids here at Little Gym too – you don’t have to be the best but always try your best.”
"Manifesting can help focus your efforts and guide your decision-making in the workplace"
Celebrate the Little Victories
When I pull up into the little parking lot outside The Little Gym in Bertrange, I am hit by a strong whiff of nostalgia. Memories of my (now teen) kids as toddlers, squealing and bouncing out of the car in utter delight. Truth is I have never been to The Little Gym or Zig Zag without a kid in tow and it felt strange. But today I was here, not to entertain my boys in ball pits and on climbing frames but to talk to the person who gave us parents this wonderful happy haven in Luxembourg. Stéphanie Vanhove has been, among other things, operating the twin establishments of The Little Gym and Zig Zag – the first, one of Europe’s early Little Gym franchises and the second, one of Luxembourg’s early indoor kids’ play areas of its kind - for nearly two decades now. I was very excited to meet her and know what made her tick.
A warm welcome and cool glass of water later, I was settled comfortably in a cosy little office room with Stéphanie. Here we began talking. I thought, like with every good story it would be best to start at the very beginning.
Le hasard de la vie – (Happy) accidents of life
“I was always a pretty good little soldier,” says Stéphanie of herself. “I always did what I had to do to comply. I studied business, worked in audit. But my work was not filling me completely. It was a good job, I met extraordinary people through it. But when I had my first child (which was 20 plus years ago) I realized that I wanted something more from my work than just a salary or some intellectual challenge. I wanted to add something to people’s lives. But in audit, as you know, it’s about figures all the time.”
In English we say ‘as chance would have it’ when talking of those perfect coincidences that help move your story along in the direction you like. In French there is a lovely little phase that Stéphanie used that day to describe such a coincidence in her life - ‘le hasard de la vie’. The happenstance that brought her one step closer to what she was searching for was a conversation with her friend from university days. “She had also changed careers at the time,” Stéphanie recalls. “We were talking about it and she told me of her friend who started a business in Waterloo, Belgium. It was called ‘The Little Gym’ and it was the first franchise for the company in Europe.” The idea stayed with Stéphanie and when her husband gently encouraged her to look into the proposal that she decided to give them a call. “I went to see them, and my eyes sparkled. It was a wonderful concept, a place where parents could just stop and dedicate themselves to their children. The energy, the vibes that I felt there were so good. I knew immediately, I want this to be my job.”
“I love action, maybe too much.”
I was still on parental leave at the time, leaving my job and joining Little Gym was a process. I could either be an employee at Little Gym or I could buy a franchise, take a risk myself.” Stéphanie decided to go for it and run the franchise here in Luxembourg. But as she recalls, “At that time, in 2001 the bubble had just burst and no one was lending. I was lucky to have found support from family for the initial sums that I needed. This helped me go ahead and buy the franchise, start a business.”
“I love action,” says Stéphanie. “Maybe too much,” she adds with a smile. “My older kids may say that I have not been around much. In the first years it was a full-time – 65 hours-a-week job. But I did not regret a second. I have been lucky to have a very good team. In fact, the team that I have now, has been with me for many years – some as long as 10 and 13 years. When I visited the other franchises, I realized that what made us different was that we keep our staff. My pride is that I have been able to create a place where people also feel like coming to work and staying on. My staff believe in what they do and have a passion for working with children.”
Catalysts along the way
The best ideas we know need your courage and the encouragement of others. Stéphanie credits her landlord Mr. Federspiel, who also owns the long-standing heating and plumbing company next door with giving her the impetus to keep going. “I was a 26-year-old woman, new to business too, looking for a place to set up,” she recalls, “and many landlords turned me away because they were not so sure I knew what I was doing. But Mr. Federspiel had faith in me and gave me this space. And when he saw that we were a success, it was he who came knocking at my door to tell me that the space next to me (which he also owned was vacant). He asked me if I wanted to take it too. I told him I had an idea for an indoor play area for children – but none here in Luxembourg. But I wasn’t ready to start one yet. He went away that day telling me that it was a great idea, but a shame I didn’t want to do it. That was all I thought of that, until sometime later he was back to tell me that someone had come to him to take that place with the same idea, so was I sure I didn’t want to go ahead and take the place for myself. And that was all the push I needed to start Zig Zag!”
Doni Doni – A natural path forward
“On the way I got interested in Montessori and trained myself in the method,” says Stephanie as she begins to tell me about Doni Doni and the school that she was instrumental in starting 4 years ago. “It was a natural path, having worked with and for children for many years, I realized that education comes first and that is where you can make a difference. Doni Doni was basically Montessori workshops for families.” Soon, the community of parents that came together as a result of these workshops expressed an interest in having a Montessori school. After talks and presentations enough support was gathered. “We met a lady who owned a farm in Hobscheid and was already offering activities for children there, and that became the place for the school.”
The life of an entrepreneur – finding a balance
“At the time I started, the gender did not help.” Stéphanie says pausing to think for a bit about my question on whether being a woman and an entrepreneur had its own challenges. “But still, I don’t feel like a “woman” entrepreneur - just an entrepreneur. What has been difficult has been keeping a balance between my commitment to my companies and my family. As an employee, before I started out on my own, it was already challenging. Now even more. If you are dedicated to what you do, you have to make space and time for your work which is then taken away from the time you give your family. It’s a tradeoff.”
“The biggest challenge, though, for a long time was the guilt. But with age or experience now I can put the guilt aside. Instead, I have transformed it into the will to take time for what I need. Along the way, at some point, I realized that I was not listening to what my needs were. As I said, I was always a good soldier and did everything I needed to do for the team, for the business, for the family. But I would never as myself ‘what do you want?’ That is what I do now – I take time for myself – to meditate, spend time with my friends, walks in the forest, time just for me without the kids.”
Mantras for success
After having successfully sustained and grown her businesses for so many years in Luxembourg, I was sure Stéphanie had gained insights that would be invaluable for other up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“I have never really taken a step back to think about this but give me a moment and I will tell you,” she said with characteristic modesty. But I had seen a sparkle in her when she spoke about Little Gym, Zig Zag, her team, her family and making a difference to the lives of parents and young children alike. The passion ran deep and I didn’t have to wait long before she shared with me some gems of wisdom that I had already observed shining in her.
“For me the first thing is whatever you do, do it with all your heart. Don’t give up, and don’t let the 5% of criticism and pessimistic negativity come in the way of the 95% of satisfaction that you can provide your clients.
“What has helped me and given me stability was also my policy of honesty. Be honest and forthright with your members, your clients and your team.”
“Foster an environment of team spirit and build relationships so that your staff enjoys coming to work, they become like an extended family to you and each other.”
“Celebrate all your victories, even your littlest ones. As women and moms with full-time jobs outside home, we always give more than a 100% to everything we do. We must stop to pat ourselves on the back every now and then. You can be proud of yourself. This is what we tell our kids here at Little Gym too – you don’t have to be the best but always try your best.”