Welcoming Stephanie Wheen, CEO and Founder of Gympanzees, to Purposely.
Stephanie's inspiring journey as an advocate for disabled children has led her and her team to embark on a mission to build the UK's first leisure centre specifically designed for children with disabilities. Her story is one of empathy, innovation, and unwavering dedication to creating a more inclusive world.
Stephanie's passion for helping disabled children comes from her own life. Growing up with a brother who has cerebral palsy, she saw the ups and downs of living with a disabled family member. This experience shaped her understanding of what disabled people and their families need.
Stephanie started as a physiotherapist, loving the hands-on work and the joy of helping others. By chance, she began a private practice for disabled clients. This opened her eyes to the lack of services for families with disabled children.
Through her work and personal life, Stephanie noticed something important was missing: good leisure facilities for disabled children. Many families felt left out when trying to use regular leisure activities. Stephanie decided to change this.
Stephanie had passion but needed business know-how. She joined NatWest's entrepreneur program, which taught her about raising money, planning a business, and getting sponsors and grants.
Starting Gympanzees wasn't easy. Stephanie struggled to get grants because she couldn't prove her idea would work. So, she and her team came up with pop-up soft play gyms. This clever move showed people wanted their services and helped improve their business plan.
The pop-ups were a hit, with 23,500 visitors in just 141 days. Families came from all over, showing how much these services were needed. This success drove Stephanie to aim for a permanent centre.
Now, Gympanzees is ready for its next big step. They've bought a 14-acre site to build the UK's first leisure centre just for disabled children. Their business plan includes a cafe and lending library to help pay for running costs.
Along the way, Stephanie has learned a lot about running a charity, leading a team, and personal growth. She says it's crucial to have good people around you, keep learning, and stay passionate when things get tough. Her advice? "Just do it. Don't worry too much about the long-term. Learn as you go."
Through Gympanzees, Stephanie isn't just providing services. She's challenging how society views disability and pushing for more inclusion. Her work is set to improve life for many disabled children and their families.
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