This is part of a year-long ‘Love for Local’ series called NB365: portraits of New Brunswick entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations. Huddle is a media partner with Love for Local. Today we feature Hannah Williams and Christina Foster of EnrichKids, in Fredericton.

THINKING BACK TO THE PLANNING STAGES OF OUR BUSINESS LITERALLY MAKES US LAUGH OUT LOUD. WE JOKE ABOUT HOW, AT THAT TIME, ALL WE HAD WAS A LOGO AND A DREAM.

We started EnrichKids because we were looking for arts-based programs that made use of the 20+ hours a child spends in after-school care, as well as a hub for families to explore the arts and practical life skills.

We just couldn’t find a place that incorporated arts and culture and involved the community in an impactful way. So as mothers living in the great city of Fredericton, we decided to start our own.

But we had no clue what we would endure over the next two years. We had a soft opening a month before the pandemic hit and it’s been an insane roller coaster ride ever since.

We are now moving into year three and are opening a second location on the south side of Fredericton. They say it takes a village to raise a child but it also takes a community to start a small business and we’ve been blessed with a support system that has picked us up and helped us push on, over and over again.

Support from our local community means everything to our business. We’re creating a place for families to play and grow together and we just don’t exist without our community’s support. Every time we get a new camp registration or someone enrolls in our after-school program, we literally do a happy dance.

And in turn, when we think about whom we give our business to, we really want to support those other local entrepreneurs whom we know are doing a happy dance after we buy their product or service as well. We can help each other and we think that’s the best part about being in a supportive community.