Sarah Gilbert: Empowering Children Through Little Sunflower

Rita Pierson once said, "Every child deserves a champion – an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be."

In a world where nurturing the emotional well-being of our youngest generation is so important, founders like Sarah from Little Sunflower are lighting the way.

Little Sunflower is more than just a startup; it's an animated, interactive, digital sanctuary for children navigating the complexities of their emotions. As Sarah aptly puts it, "It's about helping children understand and navigate big feelings through fun and animation, the tools that children connect with."

Let's dive into Sarah's journey as a founder and how she's reshaping the landscape of children's emotional well-being through her innovative startup.

Little Sunflower's Rise

Sarah's journey began with a realisation during her time as a drama teacher.

"I often felt that I was giving children a face of confidence because behind their eyes and in their hearts I knew what I was doing wasn't sticking," she shares.

This insight, coupled with her background in psychology and holistic therapies, inspired her to create a resource that would truly resonate with children.

The early stages of entrepreneurship presented Sarah with a myriad of challenges, from balancing work as a single mother to navigating the uncertainties of lockdowns and funding shortages.

Yet, her resilience shone through as she pivoted and adapted her business model, turning setbacks into opportunities.

"I used the time during lockdown to apply for innovation vouchers, feasibility grants, trading online vouchers, and developed the animated, interactive, digital, online platform," she reflects.

Identifying her target market wasn't just a business decision for Sarah; it was a deeply personal one rooted in her experience as an educator and a creative soul.

"The Little Sunflower parent resource is now sold as far away as New Zealand and Canada."

"The animated characters all experience what children do on any given day, and it's the emotional connection that children are drawn to," she explains.

This emotional resonance, coupled with the alarming rise in childhood mental health issues, fuelled her confidence in Little Sunflower's potential impact.

Starting her business, Sarah’s hit some snags along the way, but she kept on learning and tweaking things as she went.

"You need funding to build the content and grow revenue, but it can be difficult to access funding until proving you can grow revenue," she acknowledges.

Sarah's belief in the product and her knack for tackling problems helped propel Little Sunflower forward.