What is it like to run a local children's language business?

Sarah Lester has been running her business Lingotot Sutton since 2016. Lingotot Sutton offers a range of classes to children aged 0-11 in French and German across the Sutton and Cheam area. Lingotot Sutton has consistently grown since its foundation with Sarah’s incredible driving force behind it. Read on and get to know a little bit more about the face behind the business!

Hi Sarah! Tell us a bit more about yourself and your background.

I started Lingotot after having been a secondary MFL teacher in a grammar school for 10 years (some of that time was also spent as Head Of Languages there). I studied French and German at university and taught EFL in France for a year so I always knew that languages were a huge part of who I am.

How did you come across Lingotot (and what appealed)?

My friend mentioned Lingotot to me and I started doing some research about it. It appealed to me because I wanted a career which could fit around my two children and I didn't want the endless hours planning and marking. When I launched my business, Thomas was 3 and Evie was just 9 months old!

When did you launch your business?

I launched my business in May 2016

What has happened since?

Since then, my business has grown steadily. I teach community classes, nursery classes, lots of after school clubs and now work with three primary schools. I have found a real love of marketing and was very proud to win 'Master of Marketing' at our last Lingotot conference. I entered two local business awards in 2019 (Sutton Business Awards and Sutton Women Mean Business) and I was very proud to get 'highly commended' for marketing at both awards. I recently re-signed with Lingotot after 5 successful years. I am currently in the process of taking on two new members of staff which is scary but exciting and a necessary step for me.

When I first set up my business I created a vision board of all the things I was working towards. One of them was to be successful enough to build a garden office at home. Our garden office was completed last week and it is so lovely to have a designated space where I can really concentrate! I love my new ‘Lingotot Sutton HQ'!

How is your work life balance now?

Much better although I spend a lot of time working on my social media! I love that I get to take my children to school every day and that I am not spending all of my evenings marking! I work really hard and rarely take a day off but it is my business and I am pleased to be seeing the result of all my hard work.

What do you enjoy about running a Lingotot franchise

I love that I get to teach languages (which I adore) but also that I am my own boss and I get to be around for Thomas and Evie lots. I also love how much I have grown as a businesswoman, I am very proud of that!

You can contact Lingotot Sutton at sutton@lingotot.com


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About Lingotot

Lingotot teaches foreign languages to children aged 0-12 across the UK and internationally via a network of over 130 fully qualified franchisees and teachers. The Lingotot Method was designed by fully qualified languages teacher & Lingotot founder, Angela Sterling. The Lingotot Method makes use of active, communicative and interactive teaching methods which come naturally to young learners. Learning is through songs, stories, games, drama and play in French, Spanish, German, ESL, Italian, Arabic, Welsh and Mandarin.


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