Motherhood, Entrepreneurship, and Community with Rebecca Tully from Kids Kitchen
Welcome to another inspiring episode of the Work It Like A Mum podcast. Today, our host Elizabeth Willetts sits down with Rebecca Tully, the innovative Founder of Kids Kitchen, a dynamic social enterprise that fosters health and community through family cooking.
In this insightful discussion, Rebecca reveals the journey that sparked the creation of Kids Kitchen. She details how her vision transformed from a community initiative into a thriving Community Interest Company. Her story is a testament to the power of community and the resilience of entrepreneurial spirit.
We also delve into the impressive growth of Kids Kitchen. With three vibrant hubs and a comprehensive training programme, Rebecca’s vision has expanded into a platform for those wanting to host their own Kids Kitchen sessions. Rebecca underscores the crucial role that community and connection play in a business’s success.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking inspiration on balancing motherhood, entrepreneurship and community involvement. Rebecca’s story will inspire you to chase your dreams, build your community, and, most importantly, Work It Like a Mum!
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Join us next week for another episode of Work It Like A Mum. Until then, remember to keep flourishing in your career while enjoying every precious moment with your kids.
Timestamps:
Passion for Family Cooking [00:03:18] Rebecca discusses her passion for helping families build better relationships with food and cooking.
Building a Business from Scratch [00:03:18] Elizabeth asks Rebecca about the inspiration behind her business and how she built it from the ground up.
Shared Interest in Creating Opportunities for Parents [00:04:52] Rebecca and Eva’s shared interest in creating opportunities for parents led to the creation of Kids Kitchen.
Setting up the first sessions [00:08:32] Rebecca talks about how she and other parents started the Kids Kitchen sessions, including finding a space and securing a chef.
The purpose of Kids Kitchen [00:13:34] Rebecca and Liz discuss Kids Kitchen’s aim, which is to nourish people’s souls and showcase how to eat more veggies sustainably.
Creating opportunities for parents [00:15:07] Rebecca talks about the importance of creating opportunities for parents to earn money and learn skills, even if they are not yet “perfect” or job-ready.
Starting a Social Enterprise [00:16:17] Rebecca talks about starting Kids Kitchen as a volunteer while running a veg box business and working part-time.
Charging for Sessions [00:16:44] Rebecca explains that they charged for sessions from the beginning to cover ingredient and space costs.
Funding the Business [00:21:39] Rebecca discusses how they received funding from a community fund and matched it with what they charged for their services.
Building a Community Interest Company [00:22:58] Rebecca talks about the history of Kids Kitchen, how they found funding to train others, and how they set up the company as a community interest company with charitable and community aims.
Difference between a community interest company and a charity [00:25:51] Rebecca explains the difference between a community interest company and a charity, including the tax breaks and the need for a board of trustees in a charity.
The part-time nature of the business [00:29:38] Rebecca talks about how all the team members at Kids Kitchen are part-time, working an average of 12 hours a week, and how they have been looking into how feasible it is to continue this way.
Team size and expansion [00:30:44] Rebecca talks about the growth of Kids Kitchen, from freelancers to six employees and 15 freelancers, and plans to expand to new areas.
Social franchise model [00:35:00] Rebecca explains Kids Kitchen’s social franchise model, where trainees pay to access resources and build their own sessions. She emphasises the importance of community and informal volunteering.
Vision and quality control [00:36:46] Rebecca discusses the importance of maintaining Kids Kitchen’s quality and vision while also welcoming volunteers and helping them find funding.
Building a community [00:37:28] Rebecca talks about the importance of building a community and shares her experience of working with K and K Consulting.
Future business plans [00:38:21] Rebecca discusses the plans for Kids Kitchen, including expanding to more areas and training more people.
Rebecca’s role in the organisation [00:39:44] Rebecca explains that she will be a Director and will move away from being the main paid coordinator, overseeing the team like a benevolent goddess 😊!
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