#FollowLittleSunflower
Sarah Gilbert, from Omeath, Co Louth, is the determined and passionately creative founder of Little Sunflower. This innovative digital emotional wellbeing solution for classroom whiteboards addresses the mental health crisis among children. Inspired by her drama teaching background, Sarah combined her skills in drama, acting, counselling, and holistic therapies to create the award-winning Little Sunflower. Piloted and tested in Ireland, the UK, and the USA, it has shown significant success.
Sarah continues to expand Little Sunflower, collaborating with other passionate AwakenCLub members to make a global impact on children's lives. Recently, she has joined forces with Edel (The Wholefood Hero) and Karen (The Science Room) to create Happy World Adventures, a new and exciting platform combining their unique skill sets and experiences, as highlighted in AwakenHub's blog.
I’m and where do you live?
I'm from Omeath, Co Louth
To get us started - how would you describe yourself in 6 words or less?
Determined, tenacious, passionately creative about wellbeing!
Describe your business and what prompted you to start it?
Little Sunflower is an early intervention animated, interactive, digital, emotional wellbeing solution for the classroom whiteboard to help solve the current and growing mental health crisis in children.
I taught children drama for years and I often felt that I was giving them a façade of confidence because I could see that behind their eyes and in their hearts, what I was doing wasn’t sticking. I didn’t know how to make it better but I could empathise with them because I was that child. So, I decided to try and find a way to do something about it. It has taken some time but I'm getting there!
Tell us a little bit more about you? (some personal information on your background, where you are from, live, what your career path has been like before you choose 'founder life'. What are your interests?)
I was born in York and moved home to Ireland when I was 10. As mentioned, I was extremely shy as a child and lived for my weekly drama classes because it was the place where I could just be me and free!
I trained as a drama teacher and after 12 years of teaching, putting children through exams, directing and producing school productions, I retrained as a professional actor at the Drama Studio London and have worked in the industry in film, theatre, TV, and as a voice artist. I still work as a voice artist for radio and TV.
I live for creativity and was given the opportunity to write and produce radio drama which won Gold at the National Radio Awards.
Spurred on, I wrote and published a fictional novel, "Hello, At Last", based on true events. After my son was born, I decided to step back from acting and subsequently trained in counselling and holistic therapies. I was delighted to get a place on New Frontiers phases 1 and 2 which set me and Little Sunflower on our current path. It's the combination of skills and tools that have come together to create the current, award-winning resource, Little Sunflower.
Fill us in on your female founder journey. (We know from above what your business is. What has your experience been - the good and the challenging. What have you learned. What does it mean to be a female founder?)
Building a business from my ideas has taken time. But along the way, I've discovered so much support and then again, on the opposite side to this, I have experienced point blank refusals! Luckily, my drama training has given me a thick skin and I don't take this too personally!
Lockdown was in many ways a challenge, but in others, it speeded my journey as I was able to apply for grants and build the digital platform with no distractions and at a greater speed than would have happened under normal circumstances. The support and enthusiasm from teachers for Little Sunflower has been amazing and most importantly, the joy and growth Little Sunflower has brought to children has spurred me on.
You need funding to build the content and grow revenue, but it can be difficult to access funding until proving you can grow revenue. As a newbie to business, I found this challenging!
Little Sunflower has now piloted, tested, and trialled in Ireland, the UK, and now in the USA. Results to date are so encouraging, showing that 85% to 100% of children engage with the program.
There are good days, and of course, there are days where you wonder if you have completely lost the plot and maybe an application for Tesco is on the cards!
How has being part of the AwakenHub community helped your business? (any concrete examples particularly welcome) or Why are you a member of Awakenclub?
I have expanded my contacts and met such incredible and empowering women who I aspire to emulate! The Lusty Beg adventure was phenomenal. Spending two days amongst so many uplifting women who all support each other and spur each other on has been so affirming. Also, the support network is fantastic! Only today, I contacted a lady I met at Lusty Beg and was kindly given so much brilliant advice. Of course, the Awaken Hub team are always on hand when in need!
Most recently, Awaken Hub has resulted in a new collaboration for me with two lovely ladies, Edel (The Wholefood Hero) and Karen (The Science Room). Together we are developing a brand new and exciting platform, which combines all our skill sets and experience - Happy World Adventures!
Have you an ‘ask’ which we can share with fellow #Awakenhubbers? (the more specific the better)
What makes you keep going?
As a founder - what are your non-negotiables? (what do you know for sure/ what words/phrase do you live by/ who inspires you?)
Staying true to me and what feels right.
Where do you see yourself in 12 months and 5 years' time?
In 12 months' time, I want to see Little Sunflower, which has been testing in my locality for some time, being adopted by schools in every county in Ireland. Following on from school asks - I want to begin to develop the program further to become a resource for ages 4 years up to secondary school level over the next two years.
Working with Edel and Karen, we are adding to our repertoire and in five years, I believe that we could be making a huge difference to the lives of children not just in Ireland and the UK but globally. Watch this space!
What are your top three tips for other women founders? (could be favourite book, podcast to listen to, lesson learned, how you manage your time, tools you use, building resilience, tenacity,....)
It takes time, so go easy on yourself .. you can only do what you can do.
Celebrate every day - each day is a step forward even if it doesn't feel like it.
Awaken Hub has got your back!
To finish up with what are six words to live by?
Honesty, integrity, compassion, laughter, fun, and determination
#FollowLittleSunflower
LinkedIn: Sarah Gilbert
Facebook: Little Sunflower Wellbeing for Kids
Instagram: @littlesunflowerwellbeing4kids
