In our series of guest writers and interviews, today we are in talks with famous mother -daughter team of successful preschool brand SEED Playschool. 

Mother Jaya Sastri is the dynamic visionary behind SEED & Seed Academy group of schools. She is an educationist with a successful track record for over 35 years. Jaya started SEED with the intention to bridge the gap between the latest research in Early Childhood Education and what is being offered in India. Vani Sastri her daughter is one of the Co-Founders of Seed Academy, and a director at SEED (School for Enrichment in Education & Development), a premium chain of preschools present across South India. A passionate educator, Vani loves working with children to bring out their best.

What is the secret of building a brand like SEED?

Jaya: I think that the secret of building SEED is commitment, passion and dedication. It’s choosing the right people, and building a family that believes and shares your vision and mission. It is beyond just doing a business. It is touching lives and going that extra mile to make sure everyone is happy – understanding different personalities, working with their strengths and training them to reach their potential. The key is accepting children unconditionally and carving out different methodologies to bring out their innate potential.

Ms Sastri, tell us about your journey at SEED.

Jaya: My journey at SEED started back in 2004 when I started a school to bridge the gap between the latest research in early childhood education and what was happening in Chennai. My aim was to start a developmentally appropriate play school where children could explore, enjoy and learn at their own pace. I wasn’t sure how the reception for a school like this would be, given that the alternatives at the time were traditional schools. However, we were wait-listing children just after 6 months. The rest is history.

Our growth happened organically. We never chased growth. In fact, our first franchise out of Chennai was sold by one of our children – people were so impressed with her confidence and clarity of thought that they wanted a preschool like that in Madurai! We now have nearly 40 centers across South India. It’s been great to see my vision transformed into reality, giving so many children a memorable childhood.

My biggest challenge in the growth was picking the right teachers, so we started an in-house training program so that we could ensure the quality of teachers. To this day, our teachers and support staff, and our strong curriculum forms the basis of our success.

Being mother & daughter, does this affect your work relationship?

Vani: Well, I don’t think being mother and daughter has affected our work relationship, but our work has certainly impacted our personal relationship! Work follows us home, and we find ourselves discussing the schools at all times. Sometimes, we need to specifically say to ourselves, no talking about work for the next hour!

Jaya: Vani did not join SEED as my daughter, but as a passionate educator. It is not a hereditary family venture; it’s an organization built with passion. Vani is in it because she genuinely wants to bring a difference in the field of early childhood education. My relationship with Vani at work does not cross the path more than that of a colleague. We both love what we are doing and have so much that we want to do, that we have no time for anything else.

Who has the last word in arguments at work?

Vani – As the resident expert in all things early-childhood, my mom has the last word for sure. Of course, given that we are very different, we do argue over many things. Usually when we have any disagreements, we discuss the topic enough and when we come up with a solution such that both of us are happy, the end result is very good!

Jaya – In any organization, there can be only one leader. There can be only one captain of the ship, and at SEED, that captain is me. My team always has the power and freedom to voice their opinions and disagreements, but the ultimate decision lies with me.

Vani – What is that you like the most about working with your mother & the part that you hate the most?

Vani – Honestly, I don’t see it as working with my mother when I’m at school. I respect my mother a lot for the absolute passion she brings in, day-in and day-out, and I have a lot to learn from her. Her in-depth knowledge in the field of education is unparalleled, and her ability to connect with people – teachers, parents and students alike – is amazing. I learn something new every day; that’s probably my favourite part.

I’d say the part I hate the most is that there’s no switching off; even when we are at family dinners, we’re always discussing school. We hardly get time for anything else! It’s something we are working on.

Do you see SEED becoming a national brand? What are your  vision/goal in the coming years?

Part of any good venture is growth, and even though we are not chasing it, it is happening at SEED too. We have been approached by many people for franchisees in many cities and we are looking to expand, but in the right way. We only believe in partnering with the best, without diluting our quality, because according to us, you cannot do business when it comes to children.

We are also growing vertically, and have established an innovative K-12 school, Seed Academy. We are working on implementing many initiatives which haven’t been seen in Chennai before. Seed Academy is a result of years of research in understanding how the brain works and the best methods to maximize learning in a fun environment.

What is your advice to youngsters joining their family in a successful business?

Vani: Don’t join your family business unless you are really passionate in it yourself – there’s really no point otherwise. Also, don’t try to replicate anyone else, you need to carve a niche for yourself.

Jaya – If you are following your family business, don’t try to fill anyone else’s shoes. Create your own identity and follow your own mantra for success.

For more information about SEED centers, click here.