04/09/2026
🎙️ I'm on the new episode of The Class Business Podcast!
I loved recording this one with Kristine Monaghan and chatting all about EM-MAgination Craft and being named a finalist in the Brand Excellence of the Year category at The Class Business Awards 2026 🏆🧡
Before launching the business, I spent almost ten years working as a paediatric Speech and Language Therapist in the NHS.
After returning from maternity leave during the pandemic, I found myself questioning whether that was still the future I wanted. Following a really difficult period with anxiety and poor mental health, I explored a completely different route and turned my lifelong love of creativity into EM-MAgination Craft.
Four years later, and I've built a bright, recognisable independent brand with the most loyal community behind it 🥹🧡
We chat about...
✨ Leaving a long term NHS career
✨ Starting an independent business from scratch
✨ Choosing a name that could grow and evolve
✨ Building a brand
✨ Developing recognisable colours and language
✨ Why our customers are known as EM-MAginators
✨ Introducing a mascot and branded clothing
✨ Creating a relaxed, personal customer experience
✨ Building community through messages, events and family activities
✨ Welcoming families back through different stages of life
✨ The crossover between volunteering and business
✨ Planning for seasonal demand
✨ Standing alongside major franchise brands as an independent
✨ Why founders need to be visible
✨ The power of video and live content
One thing I said in this interview that really stuck with me afterwards...
"You are the business."
A strong brand isn't just the logo, the colours or the fonts. It's the personality people recognise, the experience they trust and the feeling they associate with you 🧡
I hope this shows other independents that you don't need to imitate a bigger brand to stand beside one.
You just need to be consistent, memorable and genuinely rooted in who you actually are 🥹🧡
👉 Watch the full interview here:
https://youtu.be/tBgpteDroqo?si=JM8pHYSw8JVj6Q6i
🎙️ New episode of The Class Business Podcast is live
This one’s a must-watch if you’re:
✔ Building an independent children’s activity brand
✔ Trying to stand out without a franchise behind you
✔ Working out how much of yourself to put into your business
✔ Creating a stronger customer experience
✔ Growing a community that people want to return to
In this episode, I’m joined by Emma Drummond, founder of EM-MAgination Craft and a finalist in the Brand Excellence of the Year category at The Class Business Awards 2026.
Before launching the business, Emma spent almost ten years working as a paediatric speech and language therapist in the NHS.
After returning from maternity leave during the pandemic, she began questioning whether that was still the future she wanted. Following a difficult period with anxiety and poor mental health, she explored a completely different route and turned her lifelong love of creativity into EM-MAgination Craft.
Four years later, she has built a bright, recognisable independent brand with a loyal community behind it.
We talk about:
✨ Leaving a long-term NHS career
✨ Starting an independent business from scratch
✨ Choosing a name that could grow and evolve
✨ Building a brand before Canva felt easy
✨ Developing recognisable colours and language
✨ Why customers are known as Imaginators
✨ Introducing a mascot and branded clothing
✨ Creating a relaxed, personal customer experience
✨ Building community through messages, events and family activities
✨ Welcoming families back through different stages of life
✨ The crossover between volunteering and business
✨ Planning for seasonal demand
✨ Standing alongside major franchise brands as an independent
✨ Why founders need to be visible
✨ The power of video and live content
One thing Emma said that really stood out to me was:
“You are the business.”
A strong brand is not just the logo, the colours or the fonts. It is the personality people recognise, the experience they trust and the feeling they associate with you.
Emma’s story is proof that an independent business does not need to imitate a bigger brand to stand beside one.
It needs to be consistent, memorable and genuinely rooted in the person behind it.
👉 Watch the full interview here:
https://youtu.be/tBgpteDroqo?si=JM8pHYSw8JVj6Q6i
💬 What do people recognise about your business before they even see the logo?
