May 24, 2004
Word play | A chat with Shay Bellas, owner of The Language Connection in South Portland.
By Rebecca Norling
Founded: June 2003
Revenues, year one: $475
Projected revenues, year two: $16,250
Address: 104 Hall St., South Portland
Phone: 767-5445
Web: www.languageconnectionmaine.com
Describe what your company does.
The tagline is "connecting children with foreign language through play." We [teach] three languages currently ˆ French, Spanish and American Sign Language ˆ and we're adding German in September. It brings children from birth through age five, together with either a parent or a caretaker, into a playgroup environment with a teacher. The children do what's typical for playgroups ˆ songs, stories, physical activities, arts and crafts ˆ but everything is done in the language in which the children are participating.
They're ten-week sessions, $135 per child, and the playgroups are 45 minutes in length, once a week.
How many employees do you have?
Five. There's myself, my husband does the website and handles the financial stuff, and we have three teachers who are independent contractors.
Describe your company in three words.
Fun, adventure and growth.
When did you first get the idea for the company?
Probably when my daughter, now two, was in utero. I looked around the area to see if there were language classes; I wanted her to be exposed to it as early as she could be, and there really wasn't anything available.
What was the biggest challenge going from idea to reality?
Probably advertising and getting information out to parents that you can teach your child a language, or at least expose them to a language, at an early age.
How did you finance the launch of your business, and what did it cost?
The startup was only about $500. And luckily my husband is a Web designer, so that would have been a huge expense that we didn't have to incur.
What have you achieved since opening?
In just looking at some responses in the community, I think I've really been able to open people's minds to language.
What could this company become?
I really think this is something that this country ˆ and definitely Maine ˆ could use more of, as far as acceptance and diversity within our communities. It's a fun way to open up and look at another group's culture. We're so rich with languages in this country that I think it's something that will eventually be very mainstream.
What could stop you?
Time and energy. I'm a law student, and I took a leave of absence to have my daughter. When she's older I'll definitely go back to law school, and depending on where this has grown on its own I'll see how much more energy I'll be able to give it.
What kind of competition do you face?
There's the Language Exchange [in Portland], but they start at four to five [years old], and it's definitely a more academic environment and not a play environment. The Children's Museum of Maine is starting to do language camps this summer, but it's for fourth and fifth graders.
What are your plans for growth?
Opening a location in Brunswick so we'll have three locations ˆ Portland, Yarmouth and Brunswick. And I hope by next year to add a fifth and probably final language [by offering] some sort of Cantonese or Chinese language. I eventually would like to franchise, but that's a long, long-term goal.
What resources have proven most useful?
My teachers. They have the language, they have the academic background. Also the families ˆ I do a survey after each session to get their input and feedback. They're the ones that really steer the program. I just try and get us there.
If you were given $500,000 toward your business, what would you do with it?
I would buy a space that's child-friendly and create a classroom for each language. I would probably set up a scholarship fund so we could have a few scholarship children per year.
Were you raised bilingual?
Ha! I have trouble with English.
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
Revenues, year one: $475
Projected revenues, year two: $16,250
Address: 104 Hall St., South Portland
Phone: 767-5445
Web: www.languageconnectionmaine.com
Describe what your company does.
The tagline is "connecting children with foreign language through play." We [teach] three languages currently ˆ French, Spanish and American Sign Language ˆ and we're adding German in September. It brings children from birth through age five, together with either a parent or a caretaker, into a playgroup environment with a teacher. The children do what's typical for playgroups ˆ songs, stories, physical activities, arts and crafts ˆ but everything is done in the language in which the children are participating.
They're ten-week sessions, $135 per child, and the playgroups are 45 minutes in length, once a week.
How many employees do you have?
Five. There's myself, my husband does the website and handles the financial stuff, and we have three teachers who are independent contractors.
Describe your company in three words.
Fun, adventure and growth.
When did you first get the idea for the company?
Probably when my daughter, now two, was in utero. I looked around the area to see if there were language classes; I wanted her to be exposed to it as early as she could be, and there really wasn't anything available.
What was the biggest challenge going from idea to reality?
Probably advertising and getting information out to parents that you can teach your child a language, or at least expose them to a language, at an early age.
How did you finance the launch of your business, and what did it cost?
The startup was only about $500. And luckily my husband is a Web designer, so that would have been a huge expense that we didn't have to incur.
What have you achieved since opening?
In just looking at some responses in the community, I think I've really been able to open people's minds to language.
What could this company become?
I really think this is something that this country ˆ and definitely Maine ˆ could use more of, as far as acceptance and diversity within our communities. It's a fun way to open up and look at another group's culture. We're so rich with languages in this country that I think it's something that will eventually be very mainstream.
What could stop you?
Time and energy. I'm a law student, and I took a leave of absence to have my daughter. When she's older I'll definitely go back to law school, and depending on where this has grown on its own I'll see how much more energy I'll be able to give it.
What kind of competition do you face?
There's the Language Exchange [in Portland], but they start at four to five [years old], and it's definitely a more academic environment and not a play environment. The Children's Museum of Maine is starting to do language camps this summer, but it's for fourth and fifth graders.
What are your plans for growth?
Opening a location in Brunswick so we'll have three locations ˆ Portland, Yarmouth and Brunswick. And I hope by next year to add a fifth and probably final language [by offering] some sort of Cantonese or Chinese language. I eventually would like to franchise, but that's a long, long-term goal.
What resources have proven most useful?
My teachers. They have the language, they have the academic background. Also the families ˆ I do a survey after each session to get their input and feedback. They're the ones that really steer the program. I just try and get us there.
If you were given $500,000 toward your business, what would you do with it?
I would buy a space that's child-friendly and create a classroom for each language. I would probably set up a scholarship fund so we could have a few scholarship children per year.
Were you raised bilingual?
Ha! I have trouble with English.
New Entrepreneurs profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
Most Recent
Most Recent
Comments