Meet Kimberly Ferrara from WiggleKids!
Kimberly was recently one of our top 10 finalists in Small Business Big Game, so we sat down with her to learn more about her own journey as a small business owner.
As the founder of WiggleKids in Swansea, Massachusetts — an inclusive fitness studio for all ages and abilities — Kimberly gets to have fun every day on the job while also providing a unique service in her community.
Take it away, Kimberly!
Name: Kimberly Ferrara
Business: WiggleKids Fitness Studios
How did you come up with the idea for WiggleKids?
When my own kids started taking classes in our local community for different activities and sports, I realized there were always children who didn't fit into the typical "sports" model, but they still needed movement classes just as much as anyone else.
A friend asked me to come up with a program for the town recreational department that was specifically for toddlers. At the time, another friend whose son has autism asked if I could take that same program and tailor it for elementary kids.
The entire experience really struck a chord with me. And it was so popular! We had 15 kids in class every time we ran it, and all of the kids felt successful and supported.
That prompted me to say, "You know what? There's a bigger need here."
Shortly after, we started WiggleKids!
What has been the biggest highlight of owning your own business?
I love that I can be flexible and there is still room for creativity.
It's definitely a balance, but I like that I have the option to not only work around the parameters of what I see as the future of my business, but also what I see as the future of my family.
As a small business owner, I now have the freedom to make time to enjoy my own children's sporting activities and school recitals — and those are experiences that inspire me creatively in my work.
What has been most surprising so far about running your own business?
I'm always surprised by how much my students teach me.
Every day I take on this role as a coach and a teacher. I'm supposed to be the instructor, but in every class someone does something that truly amazes me or shows me their true potential. This in turn prompts me to push the other students to demonstrate their potential.
I'm learning just as much from them as they are from me.
What is the #1 challenge you're facing in your business?
If I had a magic wand, the biggest problem I would want to go away is the lack of funding.
WiggleKids is unique because it's a nonprofit. I'm always looking for new grants or funding or someone who can donate to sponsor my next great idea.
It's continually frustrating because I know I have something that works, but because it's hard to fund, I can't bring it to those who need it. We need a money tree growing in our backyard!
If you had one piece of advice for someone who is just starting out with a new business, what would that be?
I've learned through my own experiences that it's so important to do what you love. It's not work when you love what you do and you wake up every day and tackle it with a whole heart.
I believe that if you're trying to push yourself to start a business with something that you're not truly passionate about and you can't speak about it right from the heart, it's not going to come together for you.
How has your local community played a role in helping you build your business?
At WiggleKids, we're servicing a very specific need in our community — to have a place for those who have exceptionalities. Sure, there are a lot of services out there like therapies or one-on-one programs, but we love that here we can really bring the community together and show what true inclusion is in a natural setting.
To be a small business owner in this community has been such an emotional thing. With WiggleKids, we're demonstrating that we all speak loudest when we speak with one voice. We're all in this together, and we're all doing it on the same playing field.
It doesn't matter what adversity you're trying to overcome — everyone has their own way of doing things and it's so wonderful that in our space we can bring everyone together to celebrate that.
