La Jolie Ronde

What is your background?

I studied French, Spanish and Portuguese at the University of Nottingham and during my year abroad I lived and worked in Paris and Barcelona. After graduation I began my career at

The Boots Company, where I enjoyed a variety of successful roles in advertising and marketing management over a period of 10 years.

Was there a reason you went back to work?

I didn’t want to give up my career completely – after having the children I wanted to continue to do something for myself and not just be a full-time mum.

However I knew I could not go back to a demanding corporate career as I did not want the children to have to spend a lot of time in childcare every week.

I needed something flexible to fit in around them, especially as our eldest was approaching school age – I was looking for a rewarding job which would still allow me to be available for school drop offs, pick ups and holidays.

How did you go about finding a family-friendly job?

I decided I could put my language skills to use, but I didn’t know where to start! At the time my daughter was learning French with La Jolie Ronde at nursery, so I looked at their website and it went from there!

How often do you work?

I work 2½ days a week during term time only (38 weeks a year). I teach 9 half-hour classes – six classes are at a local primary school spread over three lunchtimes, the remaining three classes are run after-school two afternoons a week.

I prepare lessons and run the “behind the scenes” business side of things in between classes when my children are at school/nursery. I also work for a couple of hours two evenings a week once the children have gone to bed.

How much did your La Jolie Ronde Franchise cost you?

It was just under £600 plus I paid a £150 refundable bond other than that they was nothing else to pay. I felt this was a very low cost and relatively low risk way to set up my own business, especially when compared to other franchise opportunities which are available.

What did that investment buy?

A really comprehensive bundle of things! A year’s teaching license; public liability insurance to cover all my classes; training on the methodology with a certificate on completion and unlimited access to the support team at head office; a taster session pack; a full set of course materials and lesson plans including full colour flashcards; a huge marketing pack crammed with ideas and suggestions on how to launch and grow your business, including leaflets, posters and sample letters to send to schools, parents and the press; advertising on the La Jolie Ronde website; my own personal e-mail address.

Do you get good support and training from the La Jolie Ronde Head Office?

Absolutely! Their support is invaluable and extremely professional. I can call them whenever and as many times as I need to, knowing there will always be a friendly person on the other end of the phone willing to give help, advice and support.

For example in the summer when I decided to hold free taster classes I was sent lots of suggestions, posters and leaflets to advertise my lessons, all free of charge.

All licencees are also invited to an annual regional meeting where we can meet each other, share stories and advice and learn about the new things La Jolie Ronde is planning for the future. There is also an invaluable training session covering topics like behaviour management, how to introduce role plays etc.

Do you advertise your classes?

Yes, I have posters in shop windows and on notice boards all over the town where I teach! I also advertise in the local newspaper, run campaigns through local schools’ book bags, have a stall at the annual summer family fun day in the local park and run free summer holiday taster lessons in the local Spanish restaurant.

What is the best thing about La Jolie Ronde for you? Why are they different?

It fits in around my family. I can take the children to and from school every day and because I only teach during term time I don’t have to worry about what to do with them during the school holidays.

I am my own boss so can do as much or as little as I like, when I like!

The course is fantastic. The materials provided are very professional and extremely comprehensive – this really helped in the early days when, having had no teaching experience at all, I was quite nervous about lesson planning and how to manage a class of young children.

I love teaching the course as the songs, stories, games and role-plays are great fun. It is so rewarding to see the children come bounding into the classroom full of enthusiasm each week and to watch them learning and growing in confidence when speaking French/Spanish – it feels like I am really contributing to their overall education and helping them enjoy learning a foreign language.

Would you recommend becoming a La Jolie Ronde Licensee to other mums?

Definitely. You can be your own boss and work as much or as little as you like at a time to suit you and your family. It is also very rewarding to be able to use your skills and experience to help children learn about a new language and culture.

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