PD3 | A-Z on preschool journey | Everything you should know about preschool business | PreSchool Diaries

Join us in this episode of Preschool Diaries as we chat with Ms. Umme Razia, the founder of Cutie Pies Preschool. Discover how she ventured into the world of early education during a pandemic, transformed her school from 0 to 70 students in just a year, and her vision for the future. Get inspired by her journey and insights, and learn how quality preschools can thrive even in competitive areas. Tune in now!

Discussion Topics: A-Z on preschool journey

• What prompted Umme Razia to start a preschool?
• The challenges of the first few months after starting a preschool
• Reaction of parents to early-education
• How is preschool as a business?
• Further vision to grow the preschool
• Summing up the story

Transcript: A-Z on preschool journey

Mridula: Hi, welcome to another episode of Preschool Diaries. We have yet another very exciting entrepreneur story to share with you. I have with me Ms. Umme Razia, who’s a woman entrepreneur and the founder of Cutie Pies Preschool which is an HBR layout. Welcome to our show, ma’am and we’re very excited to have you here and learn a little more about your journey. So let’s start right at the beginning. I would love to understand what prompted you to get started in this space. What prompted you to start a preschool?

What prompted Umme Razia to start a preschool?

Umme Razia: First of all, it’s a pleasure and an honour for me to be here and be a part of your podcast program. Thank you for the invitation. Honestly, it was my husband’s idea to start a preschool.

The reason he chose a preschool was he wanted to do something for me, and as preschool is woman oriented, he chose to start in preschool, right? First search, the first search landed him to contact Kreedo. And it was Me. Nguyen convinced him to start to go with the preschool and it did not take much time for him to choose.

Later, he approached me and informed me that we were going to start a preschool. At the beginning, I was in a confused state of mind because it was during a pandemic and starting a preschool was itself more challenging. Where the situation was, that the existing schools were closed. And the only idea to start a preschool was more challenging. But, when we visited the Kreedo environment, we got convinced. It was amazing, it was fascinating, and We went with Kreedo.

Mridula: I started a preschool. Kreedo, hear that. But as a new entrepreneur, do you like to share some thoughts on some of the nervousness, the fears, as well as excitement on what, what goes through your mind in the first couple of months?

Umme Razia: I was a housewife. I was working but I quit and later I was a housewife for around 12 years. And then when my husband told me that I would be in charge of running a preschool, I was excited, but nervous too, because I asked myself, would I be able to run a preschool? Because it is a big responsibility on my shoulders.

Then I answered myself, yes, why can’t I? If I can take care of everything when I am working, I will get awards. I was getting appreciation from my clients. Then why can’t I? It’s a different journey, but yes, I have to make it. I have to give it. I feel that it’s not about age or it’s not about experience. If you have a good determination and passion to start anything, you will do it absolutely.

Mridula: And of course, you’re not alone in the journey. You have your family with you. You have somebody like Rito standing behind you. And it is a joint venture in many ways to make the school a success. But it’s great that you did take that step forward during the pandemic. And it’s really good to see that. Do you want to tell us a little bit more about what the first couple of months after starting the school was a shot?

The challenges of the first few months after starting a preschool

Umme Razia: It was as it was during the pandemic. But one thing that my husband told me was that COVID 19 will not last long. Next year we might have the education system change from online classes to offline classes. And this is the time that we have to utilise. Our school building has to get ready. We need to prepare ourselves then we have to utilise this time. And I have to thank Kreedo because you people gave us assurance . Now in life also if there is someone to tell you, please don’t worry. I am there for you to support. So that was the assurance we got from Kreedo. You people gave us the confidence To start a preschool. So that made us more confident and started with preschool.

Mridula: And that’s very interesting when you said that despite starting during the pandemic it gave you time to prepare. There is a lot to learn. There’s a lot to pick up and it goes over time over a period of time. To start it overnight. It’s more challenging. And it’s good to give that business the initial time to establish and learn more yourself before it even starts and Full flow. Would you like to share how the growth path has been? You started in 2022. And how many children are there in school today?

Umme Razia: Let me start from the beginning. We visited the Kreedo environment in May 2021. And in the month of June ending on July 1st week, we started with our construction and we finished with our construction and our school building got ready in the month of February 2022. We went live in the month of March with Bridge Course. by the end of last year’s academic year. We had 70. 

That is a bit challenging. We have to put in lots of effort. And moreover, the syllabus, what Kreedo has, it’s amazing. I just want to share my experience. I was looking for my children when they were three years old. Frankly speaking, I was not looking. I did not look for any preschool because the feedback and reviews I got from my sisters and cousins, they just told me one thing.

Preschool syllabus is very basic. But when I came here, I saw the lab, materials, and books. I was amazed. The syllabus, what you have is much more than points. Even my children did not study what they have in LKG, UKG. The syllabus, what we have for our children is much more than points.

So this is more fascinating. Even parents feel very excited because we did not study this kind of education when we were three or four years of age. So this looks very amazing and It is very exciting also, even parents will sometimes say, I wanted to go back to this age to start with this learning.

Mridula: Thank you so much. And I think that’s something that we constantly tell all, of course, all our partner schools are very excited and that’s the reason they joined the Predo. Family. But early education is very important. I just want to highlight this for all our viewers as well.

That early education is something that a lot of us have taken very lightly over the past year. That’s true. And we’re glad to see that a lot more seriousness has come into this understanding, that if you give the child a fundamentally strong base in life, that for a lifetime, that child finds learning much easier.

Parents also start understanding the importance of early education. So any thoughts from your parents? How are they reacting to the books? They feel that my child has to study so much.

Reaction of parents to early-education

Umme Razia: Yeah. So we convince them, please don’t worry about that. It’s not the same methodology, what the teaching methodology has teached. Yeah, the children will learn with practical learning. They learn with the materials. And then they go into the books. And this process makes them easy. And it’s good that, no, we are not talking, we have to utilise children’s smartness.

They are smart enough to grasp everything. Yeah. And even if I tell this to all the parents, please don’t take it. Yeah, it’s not preschool. Hey, it’s only about learning ABC or 123. It’s much more than that. Yeah, it’s not to mean ABCD. There’s so much to learn with ABCD only. Yes, it’s so interesting. We have phonies, we have numbers, we have to give that.

Liberty for the children to explore their learning. This is what I tell all the parents. Just don’t take it for granted. This is serious. No, it’s not only about ABCD.

Mridula: You have to… Yeah, like we say, child’s play is serious work. It is a serious business for all of us. It is good for the child, but it’s something we must give that importance that they deserve.

The child is ready. What we can do for the child is what we have to ask ourselves and the children surprise us every day with how we’ve done so many things. Yeah, how much they can learn and how capable they are below the age of six.

So it’s often that we also tell parents to say. To watch their children closely and just see how much ability they have to learn, even if we don’t do anything. So if we do something, how much more can a child absorb and how beautifully they learn is something that I think only preschool entrepreneurs feel very passionate about.

And it’s something that excites us on a day to day basis. Do you want to share with anyone, maybe a story of any child’s learning that really caught your attention?

Umme Razia: It was when we started our school, there were children who were in nursery and LKG. Yeah. So they really, according to their age, were supposed to be in level three, that is UKG.

And they had learned in the traditional way of A for apple, B for ball. They know all the capital letters. But when they join, they have to start with small case letters. And very soon, those children who were not Aware of the phonic sounds, were able to read a menu card. If we see our children coming at this level in one year, yeah. Not even a year, just in a few months. She’s going to that next day. 

Mridula: It’s a lot of pride and we feel very happy when entrepreneurs share their stories with us, to just see the outcome of the work that has gone in.

So just on a slightly different track in terms of for a lot of the entrepreneurs was starting in, of course, one thing is just the excitement of a new business, also the nervousness setting it up but after that, of course, cause the numbers game, right?

So it’s also how successful can you be? What are your thoughts? On our own preschool as a business.

How is preschool as a business?

Umme Razia:  Okay. Yes, definitely.

First thing we have to understand is Whatever investment we make to set up a preschool at an initial stage We will get returns, but we have to be patient.

Yeah, it’s nothing on an immediate basis Yeah, we have to wait for some time and we have to put in all the quality products when it comes to good ambience, infrastructure, furniture, even the resources, what we should have is a good quality. And only then can we be able to build a good brand.

Yes. And a few years later, we can have a quality brand of a school. Yeah. And for this to achieve all this, we need to have some patience and We need to be consistent. 

Mridula: I think that’s a sign of success for you as well. When we hear the story of growing from literally 0 to 70 within a year, it can only come with quality.

It can only come with a certain commitment and dedication that you have shown to your school. And parents see that. They know when an entrepreneur is genuinely doing the best for their children. And, they have conviction in the product, which is the school. It really makes a difference. We’ve seen most of our entrepreneurs start breaking even the minute they have 30-40 children. Yes, they may not make excessive money, but at least they start recovering whatever they have invested in. And if they can get to those 30-40 number fast enough.

By offering good quality, I think that, that’s really a very exciting part of the journey to go from zero to 40 children, your first 30, 40, because they become your brand ambassadors, literally, those parents go and tell their other parents, look, the school has really done well for my child. This has happened to us.

Umme Razia: Yeah. It’s if we have one child from a family. All the family members will send their children to us. 

Mridula: Absolutely. And that’s the word about, yes. Just going back a little bit more to the cost as well, in terms of would you tell a lot of the women entrepreneurs out there who are, Wanting to get into the space that yes, at the end of the day, it’s a healthy business.

of course, but also very healthy from a profitability standpoint for preschools. Do you use the space for anything other than running the preschool right now? Our school has daycare.

Umme Razia: Okay. We are planning to have some backers classes.

Yoga classes. We have even come up with a badminton court on the fourth floor. Oh, wow. Okay. And we are planning to have some maths classes. Job for our children because we want to give a proper school.

When it comes to sports, we want to give the proper drill. Match pass. Though they are smart, they will do it. Yeah. We are the ones who think how these small children can do March past. Yeah. 

Mridula: But it’s happening. Yeah. And you have of course plans to grow further as well, I believe. Not just as a preschool, but maybe as a Sunday as a school going forward.

Sure. So do you wanna share your dream or vision for your school? 

Further vision to grow the preschool

Umme Razia: Yes. What I believe is. Every year we need to go to the next level . Whatever we did this year, we need to go to the next level in terms of everything, in terms of education, in terms of activities, whatever programs we conduct, we have to go to the next level.

Next year we have to climb twice the level up. Yeah, this is what, and we are trying to have more Cutie Pies academy in the coming years. 

Mridula: Lovely, so what is in your mind? I know it’s a long way, but how do you plan to expand any thoughts on your vision for yourself? 

Umme Razia: We are looking in the areas where there are less number of preschools. somewhere in the places where it is quite far, where only big schools are there, huge schools, not preschools.

Mridula: Yeah, and I think this is something we also tell a lot of our preschool partners at least because they are able to run a quality school and get to the once you get to the first.

Successful school. Even if it’s, even if it’s not a pan India or a global chain, those small chains of schools that are within the city and building a brand within a city itself with multiple branches, I think that’s a very powerful way of growing for preschool entrepreneurs. And it’s great to see if you’re one of our partner schools that’s taking those baby steps forward to multiplying their brand within the city.

And maybe even go upwards, class one, two, which both horizontal and vertical expansion is possible for all our preschool owners. And I think that’s something that we at Kreedo keep. For us, the vision has always been how do we support these schools to grow? They need to grow their journey So we take care of certain things at the back end so that y’all can focus on Actually the brand building exercises and taking education to the child. While we focus more in terms of just providing the base For the education you are in the delivery product.

Our vision as we always need to help great entrepreneurs succeed even more. So anything that you want to share with entrepreneurs in terms of, What do they do to take that first step forward?

Umme Razia: First thing is to believe in yourself.

Yeah. You should believe in yourself that you have, you should have that confidence that yes, I can do it. Then if we have people like Kreedo where they will give back and support everything, then we have to study the local area where they want to start a preschool. And rest of the things, yeah.

Mridula:  Like marketing, digital marketing, I think you people, yes, we do, of course, we help with all these areas of just helping entrepreneurs set that base, or one of the first few things that you really need to do.

And of course, our Kreedo is we’ve always believed that we have 150 million children below the age of six in India. That’s what every area has. It may have more competition or less competition. Of course, every area has its own number of schools. But a quality school will always stand out.

Even if you start in the middle of another school. That’s true. I’m sure in your area, you must be having hundreds of schools.

Umme Razia: Our school is surrounded by all preschools. Parents do not explore other schools when they come to our school. That is the Best part that they will tell. Yeah, I had been to such schools, but you know that I like this because I fear the teachers. I want to go with this. 

Mridula: Yeah, and I think that’s the beauty of preschool business you may have I know there have been we’ve done surveys where there are roads where sometimes there are 25 preschools in just a two kilometre radius, hardly but out of which three or four will always be very successful because they stand for quality and they stand for learning and every parent today, I think, especially post pandemic is looking for that activity based learning school, which they know somewhere in the back of our the head that this is good for my child.

So being able to offer and for Kreedo that has been very important being able to offer, activity based learning education, which parents also understand now has been the best way to build is a need of. Yeah. Yeah. And I think post pandemic we’ve seen a lot more of that, which has been great to see.

We know a lot of preschools shut down during the pandemic and we were. So happy when a large percentage of our partners’ schools survived, not just survived, flourished after that and grew so well. So it’s about, I think, the resilience of the entrepreneur being strong and waiting for your time and it will come, so my wife it’s been great to hear this part of the journey.

Summing up the story

Mridula: It’s been just great sharing a story from yet another successful entrepreneur. And I hope a lot of our listeners take the sort of step forward after hearing these stories, that’s the idea we get. Tons of inbound requests from entrepreneurs across India who are passionate about education and more to start a good school.

And for us, that’s the aim to try and take quality early education to every part of the country and have more, it’s not, we are not gonna be the people delivering at the industry. Yes, it’s the entrepreneurs who deliver the education. So our aim, of course, is to support that. So it’s been great during the entire story, the initial part of it, where you start with that excitement and the nervousness.

I think the first two or three months, the way you’ll have waited and patiently come out of it stronger during the pandemic, that’s amazing to hear. And after the growth of, I’m sure you’ve had a lot of stories to share every one of the first two months in terms of learning how the children learn, learning to understand parents better, learning to partner with parents.

better and building a successful brand. So thank you so much for being here. I really genuinely wish we see a lot more cutie Piess, a lot more of the nooks and corners and wish you all the very best in your journey and I know Kreedo stays with you in every step of the way.

Umme Razia: Thank you so much. It’s been a great support from Kreedo for us to establish a preschool.

Mridula: Thank you. Thank you so much for watching yet another episode. I’m sure you enjoyed Miss Umme Razia’s journey and I’m sure you’re inspired by the cutie Pies story. So thank you for listening in.

If you like this, please do and subscribe to our channel.

Our Guest: Umme Razia

Umme Razia is the owner of Cutie Pies Academy. They believe in Montessori education that would offer our kids a wide variety of opportunities in developing their potential when they step into the outside world as competent, respectful, engaged or responsible citizens along with having an appreciation or understanding that learning would be totally for life.