Former Great British Bake Off finalist swaps health and safety career for dream of working with children

Katie Lyon is looking forward to bringing her passion for baby development to families living across mid-Cheshire with her Bloom Baby Classes franchise

At the age of just 34, Katie Lyon has a fair few achievements under her belt. Having started her career as a site-based surveyor on building sites across the north of the country, she retrained in law and then joined the Civil Service where she worked defending workers in legal hearings for more than six years. But when she had her son last year, she realised that her true calling was working with children, and so she invested in her Bloom Baby Classes franchise. Katie is looking forward to bringing her passion for baby development to families living across mid-Cheshire when she takes over the business in September. And she’ll also be bringing her creative eye to the business, having competed in the UK’s most-loved baking show – the Great British Bake Off!

“It was back in 2017 when I was on the show and made it to the final, and from time to time, people recognise me when I’m out and about,” explained Katie. “As I prepare to welcome new mums and dads to my sessions later this year, I really hope it won’t be long before I’m known for another reason – bringing Bloom Baby Classes to Knutsford, Winsford, Northwich and the surrounding areas. Having my little boy last year made me realise just how important classes like Bloom Baby are for your little one’s development. Not many of my friends already had babies so creating my own community at classes was a real lifeline. Little was I to know that it would become a business investment opportunity too!”

Katie invested in her Bloom Baby Classes franchise in March, having attended sessions with her son since he was born nine months ago. Katie instantly fell in love with the ethos of the baby development brand – and the dedication that founder, Victoria Jennings, demonstrates through the operations of the franchise.

“There was just nothing else like Bloom Baby Classes on the market – from day one I’ve been a true believer in everything the brand stands for. As a first-time mum, nothing could have prepared me for the overload of information I would receive. At Bloom Baby, I felt listened to, valued and understood. Having worked in the legal and property sectors since my early 20s, I hadn’t ever really considered moving away from the corporate world before, but having my little boy really made me revisit my priorities. By investing in my own Bloom Baby Classes franchise, I can spend more time at home with my family, whilst running a profitable business that is scalable and very much in demand. Bringing our specialist sessions to babies during such a crucial age, from birth to 15 months, is so important to me. I couldn’t wait to join Victoria and the other business owners in the network,” added Katie.

Katie is one of a growing population of mums who are more invested than ever in the value of specialist baby development classes for their children. In fact, Katie is one of 13 new franchisees that have invested in the Bloom Baby Classes in the last month alone. Victoria, the brand’s founder, is over the moon to welcome Katie into the fold.

“Katie is so bubbly and warm – it’s no wonder she did so well on Bake Off! I’m sure her creative mindset is going to do wonders for her new business, and I can’t wait to see what she will go on to achieve,” said Victoria. “With her varied background, from building sites to courtrooms – and even the Bake Off tent! – I know she’s going to be a wonderful addition to our franchise network. This is a very exciting time for Bloom Baby Classes, having increased our market share considerably throughout the pandemic. Katie is going to be one of those trailblazers, supporting us in taking the brand to the next level. We’re very pleased to welcome her!”